Gunmen have abducted two sons of a former commissioner in Zamfara, Alhaji Bello Dankande, and two others, including a personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence (NSCDC).
Police spokesman Muhammad Shehu said in a statement that the gunmen killed one person and injured another.
He said that the incident took place at the residence of the former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Gamji, Bakura Local Government Area of the state, on Tuesday.
“At about 4:30am, a large number of armed men invaded the house and kidnapped two of his children and two others including an NSCDC officer on guard duty at the house,” the statement said.
“The Command appeals to members of the public to avoid confronting gunmen during such invasion but report the incident on time to the police or any security agency nearest to them for prompt action”, he added.
According to him, normalcy has returned to the area while the command will update members of the public on any development.
A Nigerian oil mogul and the Chief Executive Officer of Rahamaniyya Oil and Gas Limited, Abdulrahman Bashir, has been sentenced to 10 months imprisonment in the United Kingdom.
In February, Justice Butcher of England and Wales High Court ruled that Mr Bashir be imprisoned for breaching multiple orders of the court in a pending suit instituted by Sahara Energy Resources Ltd.
“The basis of the sentence was that Mr Bashir had committed continuing breaches of the order of Mr Justice Robin Knowles of 1 August 2019 and of the order of Mr Justice Bryan of 6 September 2019,” the judge said.
Those orders required Rahamaniyya Oil and Gas Ltd, of which Mr Bashir is the CEO and controller, to comply with requests for the release of 6,400.69 metric tonnes gas oil to Sahara Energy Resource Ltd or its agent from Rahamaniyya Oil and Gas Ltd, Jetty 6.436181, Ibafon, Kirikiri Waterfront, of Aero Maritime Street, Apapa, Lagos, Nigeria (“the Terminal”).
Mr Bashir breached those orders by failing to allow, or procure Rahamaniyya Oil and Gas Ltd or its servants or agents to allow, the release of the said gas oil from the Terminal,” court documents obtained by Premium Times read.
The court also gave a binding indication that the sentence could be reduced to six months if Mr Bashir complies with the relevant order which had previously been breached.
Rahamaniyya was fined £ 500,000 while Adebowale Aderemi, its manager, was fined £ 10,000.
Governor Duoye Diri of Bayelsa State, on Tuesday, lodged 12 grounds of appeal before the Court of Appeal in Abuja to challenge the tribunal judgement that sacked him from office and ordered the Independence National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct a fresh election in the state within 90 days.
In the Notice of Appeal he filed through his team of lawyers led by Chief Chris Uche, SAN, on Tuesday, governor Diri, urged the appellate court to set aside the majority judgement of the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal which nullified his election and uphold the Minority verdict.
The tribunal had in a majority judgement by two out of the three-man panel of Justices, voided the outcome of the gubernatorial election that held in the state on November 16, 2019, over the exclusion of one of the registered political parties, Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party, ANDP, in the contest.
Two members of the panel, Justices Sikiru Owodunni and Yunusa Musa, said they found merit in ANDP’s contention that it was unlawfully excluded from participating in the governorship election by INEC, despite the fact that it fulfilled all the statutory requirements. Justice Musa who read the lead judgement in the matter, upheld the petition, saying the tribunal was satisfied that INEC illegally excluded ANDP and its governorship candidate, King George, from the election.
He held that INEC lacked the powers to disqualify ANDP’s candidates after it failed to act on a letter the party wrote to be allowed to substitute its deputy governorship candidate.
However, in a dissenting judgement, Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Ibrahim Sirajo, affirmed governor Diri’s election after he dismissed the petition for being statute-barred.
Justice Sirajo said there was evidence that ANDP was disqualified from the election for fielding an ineligible candidate.
He noted that the party nominated an underaged deputy governorship candidate, who admitted that he was 34 years old, instead of the 35 years age bracket the Constitution stipulated.
Justice Sirajo said there was equally evidence that the party failed to substitute the candidate till the statutory window for such substitution elapsed.
Tuesday’s military coup in Mali that supplanted the government of President Boubacar Keita was led by two colonels: Sadio Camara and Malick Diaw.
According a Malian journalist, Seydou Oumar Traoré, Camara was the ex-director of the military Prytaneum of Kati who has just returned from training in Russia.
Malick Diaw is the Chief of Staff of the 3rd Military Region of Kati.
Also mentioned was Lieutenant-Colonel Mama Seku Lelenta.
It was not clear how many senior officers were involved in the coup. But Brigadier General Cheick Fanta Mady Dembélé was being mentioned.
What the coup plotters did on Tuesday was to storm Bamako, from their Kati base, to arrest many Malian officials.
Apart from President Boubacar Keita and prime minister Boubou Cisse, many others were also arrested.
Among the people being held are the Chief of Staff of the National Guard and his Administrative and Financial Director (DAF), Abdoulaye Daffé, Minister of the Economy and Finance, and Tiebilé Dramé, Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Also, Moussa Timbine, President of the National Assembly is also in their hands.
Alhaji Isah Mai Buba, the District Head of Mashio in Fune Local Government Area of Yobe State, who was abducted by unknown gunmen last Saturday and regained his freedom on Tuesday morning, has described what happened to him as an act of Allah.
Mai Buba stated this in Damaturu while recounting his nasty experience in the hand of his captors.
“The abductors were wandering with me in the bush throughout the night until I was rescued in the morning of Tuesday.
“They did not touch me or do anything to me. They were just wandering with me in the bush. They were seven of them,” the monarch recalled.
According to him, the sad event has never happened in his community and prayed that it will be the last.
On whether he had offended or quarreled with someone recently that might be the motive for his abdication said, “I don’t know who I have offended. This thing comes from Allah and I take it that way.”
He also revealed that the hoodlums who were seven in number were speaking Fulani and Hausa languages and that they did not maltreat him nor spoke to him throughout the traumatic hours he spent with them in the bush.
An Upper Area Court sitting in Kasuwan Nama in Jos on Tuesday sentenced a 30-year-old teacher, Thomas Joshua, to 28 months imprisonment for stealing N28,000.
The Judge, Malam Lawal Suleiman, sentenced Joshua after he pleaded guilty to breach of trust and theft.
Delivering judgment on the first count of theft, Suleiman, however, gave the convict an option of N10, 000 fine on each count.
He also ordered the convict to pay N10,000 as compensation to the complainant, Mr Ibrahim Saidu.
He said the sentence would serve as a deterrent to those who might want to indulge in such criminal acts of stealing.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Sgt. Ibrahim Gokwat told the court that the case was reported at the Mista Ali Police station on Aug. 16 by Saidu.
Gokwat said that Joshua was given a phone to keep by the complainant but he removed the sim card and withdrew N28,000 from the complainant’s bank account without his consent.
The prosecutor said that the offence committed was contrary to the provisions of sections 297and 272 of the Penal Code of Plateau State.
The Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, has been commended for pardoning 962 workers who were demoted for committing administrative infractions.
Some of the workers had reportedly embarked on further studies without approval.
The Chairman of the Trade Union Congress in the state, Adebowale Adekola, gave the commendation while reacting to the decision by the government to pardon the affected workers.
A statement by Ismail Omipidan, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, on Tuesday claimed a circular issued by the office of the state Head of Service on Monday had directed all account officers in the ministries, departments and agencies where the affected workers were posted, to ensure the implementation of the governor’s directive.
Omipidan also recalled that Oyetola had during a meeting with a labour group in January ordered the reversal of the demotion of all the affected staff totalling 962.
The statement quoted the governor as saying at the meeting that, “On the issue of demotion of some workers, we have forgiven those demoted for embarking on further studies without approval. Their cases will be reviewed and their demotion will be reversed as appropriate.”
Chairman, University of Ilorin Teaching hospital,(UITH) chapter of Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU), Comrade Olatunde Olawunmi Tuesday said that no fewer than 18 nurses have tested positive for Covid-19 pandemic at the hospital.
Oluwawumi who told reporters in Ilorin, the state capital at the sideline of a meeting with members added that seven supporting staff (portals) have also tested positive for the novel virus.
He also said that UITH is yet to have Covid-19 isolation centre, adding that management had converted one of the ward at the hospital to a centre.
Corroborated by some of the nurses working at the centre, Comrade Oluwawumi said that many of the nurses working at the centre are not properly kitted.
He said, “Presently, we have about 18 nurses that had tested positive to the pandemic and seven sub-staff. We want better protection, adequate personal protective equipment (PPEs). What we are due for should be given to us. We are lacking in a number of things.
“They are exposing our lives to danger. It is now that they are trying to rectify the issue of PPE. PPEs have not been given. They are just promising us.
“We have a ward converted to isolation centre at the UITH. We have not got our own isolation centre. Government ought to have built one for us. Based on the increase in the number of patients testing positive to the COVID-19 pandemic, we had to take them in here and nurse them.
“Our agitation is that the ward that has been converted to COVID-19 should be properly adjusted to suit the purpose in order not to infect people who are working there.
“People who are working at the centre are not been properly taken care of. Many of them did not sign to work at the isolation centre. They are abandoned in protecting them. We have 22 nurses working at the centre, six cleaners and six portals.“
Human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, has sued the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed; the Federal Government and the National Broadcasting Commission for arbitrarily amending the Broadcast Code and hiking the fine for hate speech from N500,000 to N5m.
In the originating motion filed before a Federal High Court in Lagos, Effiong challenged the imposition of N5m fine on Nigeria Info 99.3FM, Lagos, and the threat by NBC to punish other broadcast stations in the country over alleged hate speech.
The suit comes days after the NBC fined Nigeria Info for granting an interview to a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr Obadiah Mailafia, who claimed that an unidentified northern governor was a Boko Haram commander.
The NBC had threatened that any TV or radio station that allowed elected officials to be insulted on its platform would be fined N5m or shut down.
The NBC board had also alleged that Mohammed hijacked the responsibility of the NBC and unilaterally hiked the fine for hate speech without consultation.
Effiong in his supporting affidavit told the court that the actions of the NBC, the minister of Information and the Federal Government had gravely affected his freedom of expression and that of broadcast stations, broadcasters and other Nigerian citizens, who also appear as guests on radio and television stations to express critical views about the government and public office holders.
The lawyer argued that “abusing” or “insulting” the government cannot be criminalised in a democracy.
He contended that the expression “hate speech” is not defined under any written law and cannot be invoked or penalised based on the capricious expectations of the respondents.
The activist reminded the court that Nigeria has passed the era of colonialism and military dictatorship, adding that Lai Mohammed, NBC and the Federal Government were “seeking to subvert Nigeria’s constitutional democracy with the attendant liberties and foist a civilian dictatorship on the country.”
The lawyer also asked the court to nullify and set aside the penalty of fine or other penalties imposed on broadcast stations by the NBC.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called on the Federal Government to pay the withheld salaries of its members to pave way for further discussions on the outstanding issues of 2019 Memorandum of Action.
The President of the association, Mr Biodun Ogunyemi, made the call at a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday.
Ogunyemi said five months salaries of ASUU members in some universities were still withheld by the Accountant General of the Federation on account of non-registration on IPPIS.
According to him, thousands of other academics across the universities are suffering the same fate which is not in the interest of the educational sector in the country.
“We counsel that the government at both the Federal and state levels to meet the Taskforce specified guidelines for re-opening of educational institutions.
“We insist that all the arrears of the withheld salaries of our members in the Federal and state universities must be paid immediately to pave way for further discussions on outstanding issues of 2019 memorandum of Action.
“As we have continually stated in recent weeks, our demands in the ongoing strike action pre-dated the COVID-19 pandemic or even the resurgence of government’s insistence on migration of lectures to IPPIS platform.
“However, we view the Federal Government’s failure to acknowledge the trajectories which brought our universities to their knees and deprived them of capacity to respond to national challenges,” he said
The union leader also called for more funding for the health sector to avert the challenges workers go through, especially as the world battled with the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also condemned the removal of the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) by the governing council chaired by Dr Wale Babalakin, saying that due process was not followed.
“We are shocked not because we regard Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe as a saint but for the fact that all available evidence indicates that he was not taken through the due process.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Babalakin should be reminded that the knowledge of procedures and process for appointment and removal of Vice-Chancellors is not the exclusive preserve of Legal Luminaries,” he said.
A lawyer, Emperor Ogbonna, who has been detained by the Department of State Service for about five months, was granted bail by the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday.
Justice Taiwo Taiwo granted him bail in a ruling on an application argued on his behalf by Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN).
Ozekhome said Ogbonna had been held unlawfully detained by the DSS since March 24, 2020.
He urged the court to grant liberal bail to the defendant on liberal terms and conditions, as the applicant’s fundamental rights had been seriously breached.
Government’s lawyer, Mr Isah Abubakar, opposed the bail on the grounds that the applicant would escape justice in view of the gravity of his alleged offence he was being detained for.
However, in a bench ruling, Justice Taiwo agreed with Ozekhome that the law presumed the applicant innocent until found guilty by a competent court.
The judge therefore granted him bail in the sum of N2m with two sureties in like sum.
He however ordered that the applicant be remanded in prison pending the time he would meet the bail conditions.
An earthquake measuring 6.8 magnitudes rocked Indonesia’s western Bengkulu province on Wednesday.
However, no damages or casualty was reported, a disaster agency official said.
The quake struck at 5.29 a.m. Jakarta time with the epicenter at 78 kilometers southwest of Bangkulu Utara district and a depth of 11 kilometers under the sea bed, the country’s meteorology and geophysics agency (BMKG) said.
The intensity of the quake was felt at IV MMI (Modified Mercalli Intensity) in Kepahiyang district of the province, II MMI in Liwa, the capital of West Lampung district of Lampung province, II MMI in Padang, the provincial capital of West Sumatra, Painan town and Mentawai islands district of the province.
The meteorology and geophysics agency did not issue a warning for tsunami.
In the hardest-hit district of Kepahiyang, the tremors did not trigger damages or panic among the residents, Head of Emergency Unit of Disaster Management Agency of Kepahiyang District, Syamsuddin, said.
“We have not received any report of building damages or other impacts or casualty of the jolts here, including the impact in Kepahiyang.
“Besides, there was no warning from the BMKG that we have to be alert on a tsunami,’’ he told Xinhua via phone.
Indonesia has been frequently hit by earthquakes as it lies on a vulnerable quake-impacted zone called “the Pacific Ring of Fire”.
President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta has resigned. He announced this in a televised address on Tuesday, as the coup in Mali unravelled.
He also dissolved the parliament and the government headed by Prime Minister Boubou Cisse.
The turn of events followed a mutiny on Tuesday by soldiers, who later arrested him and Prime Minister Boubou Cisse, in what transformed into a coup d’etat.
“I want no blood to be spilled to keep me in power,” Keita said.
Keita resigned after he and Cissé were taken to Kati military camp, the staging post of the mutinous soldiers.
The coup capped days of protests by Malians, dissatisfied with corruption and the Keita’s poor record in fighting Jihadists. The Keita won re-election in 2018.
The opposition coalition against him was led by the conservative Imam, Mahmoud Dicko. He rejected concessions from Mr Keïta, including the formation of a unity government, as promoted by ECOWAS.
According to the BBC, the coup is being led by Col Malick Diaw – deputy head of the Kati camp – and another commander, Gen Sadio Camara. .
Actor, Sunkanmi Omobolanle and wife, Kudirat Abimbola are parents again.
The actor announced the arrival of his newest child on Instagram. He shared a video of her while praying for her and revealed her name as ADERINSOLA.
''ADERINSOLA .. you are blessing to your generation 🙏🏻 you are and always ll be a source of joy to all around you. Grow in wisdom and understanding my 👶🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 Sudden death will never be your portion 🙏🏻🙏🏻 Welcome ADERINSOLA'', he wrote. Watch the video below....
A Somali regional minister was shot dead by unknown gunmen in the town of Jowhar, middle Shabelle region on Monday evening, police said.
Abdifatah Hassan, a police official in Jowhar town, told Anadolu Agency over the phone that Hirshabelle State Agriculture Minister Abdukadir Abukar was shot dead minutes after the evening prayer.
"The gunmen attacked minister Abdukadir Abukar while he was going to his house from a nearby mosque," Hassan said, adding the attackers fled the scene.
He said security forces rushed to the area and started an investigation into the incident.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the killing but authorities blamed al-Shabaab group for being behind the attack.
Yaaay! See how i am dancing here!! Yaaaay!!!! Kiki Mordi’s “BBC Africa Eye: Sex For Grades” Investigation has scored an Emmy Nomination for Current Affairs! And yes, you read right!!
The investigation is nominated alongside others from Brazil, the UK and Sweden.
The news is currently being shared by investigative lovers and Kiki also had this to say;
''Here’s me, despite being an emotional mess, announcing that @BBCAfrica #BBCAfricaEye‘s #SexForGrades is nominated in the “Current Affairs” category for this year’s international Emmys. Every single soul that made this project come alive deserves this honor!''
Shortly after that, she announced her mom welcomed the news with tears in her eyes.
The journalist also quickly edited her profile adding EMMY NOMINEE.
Spain's scandal-plagued former King Juan Carlos has fled to the UAE, the royal palace confirmed, following reports he was staying in Abu Dhabi with his mistress.
The 82-year-old 'travelled to the United Arab Emirates on August 3 and he remains there,' a royal spokesman said without giving further details.
Juan Carlos is believed to be staying with his 'most faithful friend for the past 40 years', 70-year-old Mallorcan interior designer Marta Gaya, in a £10,000-a-night presidential suite at the Emirates Palace Hotel.
In a surprise move, Juan Carlos announced on August 3 that he was leaving Spain to prevent his personal affairs from undermining his son King Felipe VI's reign, but did not say where he would be going.
The royal palace had up until now refused to reveal where Juan Carlos is living, saying he would announce it himself if necessary.
While pro-monarchy Spanish daily ABC had reported that the former king had travelled to Abu Dhabi, other media singled out Portugal, where Juan Carlos spent part of his youth, or the Dominican Republic as possible destinations.
The family of slain Bauchi lawmaker, Hon. Musa Mante Baraza, has regained freedom after spending five days in kidnappers’ den.
Recall Mante’s wives, Rashida Musa Mante 40, Rahina Musa Mante 35 and his one- year old daughter Fausar Musa Mante were abducted by gunmen after killing him at his residence last Thursday in Dass Local Government Area of Bauchi.
Confirming their release to The Nation on telephone, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Bauchi Command, Ahmed Wakili said: ” They were rescued yesterday around 11pm by the police, no ransom was paid. Immediately they were rescued they were taken straight to teaching hospital in Bauchi.
“They were admitted there for medical attention and no suspects were arrested yet. I will give you further details later.”
