₦airaland Forum

Richmond Leigh A Popular Nigerian General Overseer Is Dead.

Nationnewslead announced that the founder and senior pastor of Father’s House Bible Church in Effurun, Delta State, southeast Nigeria, Pastor (Dr.) Richmond Leigh is dead.

This online news medium understands that the popular Nigerian General Overseer died on Friday, July 3 over a yet to be make known illness.

Nationnewslead described that Father’s House Bible Church also well known as Richmond Sisan Leigh Ministries is a popular worship centre in Warri, Delta State. The church is pinpoint on 49 Effurun Sapele Road, Opposite Urhobo College, Warri, Nigeria.

Father’s House Bible Church also have satellite branches in Lagos and Port Harcourt.

Before his death, Pastor Richmond Sisan Leigh and his wife were also former owners of Lily Hospital, Warri, Delta State.

The departed was in a resentful 26-year-old land dispute with the Ubeji Community in Warri South Council Area of Delta State, until the Supreme Court ruled in his favour, reaffirming he is the bonafide owner of the 7-acre piece of land. Father’s House Bible Church, Warri was built on that land.

https://www.mcebiscoo.com/breaking-popular-nigerian-general-overseer-is-dead/

Former Big Brother Naija housemate, Esther Olaoluwa Agunbiade better known as Esther on Thursday took to social media to break the internet as she shared some new sultry pictures.

The reality star was clothed in a polka-dot swimwear and red lipstick and captioned the photo; ”Evolve: to change or develop slowly often into a better, more complex, or more advanced state: to develop by a process of #evolution”.

Esther is a Lagos-based lawyer who was called to bar at the age of 21.

See more photos;

https://www.mcebiscoo.com/esther-breaks-the-internet-with-sultry-photos/

Hushpuppi, Nigerian Instagram celebrity has reportedly indicted Dino, Linda, and others in an alleged multibillion Naira fraud.

Recall that last month that Hushpuppi an alleged internet fraudster whose real name is Raymond Abbas was arrested alongside 11 other Nigerians, including Olalekan Ponle, better known as Woodberry for alleged crimes committed outside the United Arab Emirates (UAE), including money laundering, cyber fraud, hacking, impersonation, scamming individuals, banking fraud and identity theft worth Dh1.6 billion (an estimated N168 billion).

However, on Thursday, the police in Dubai extradited Hushpuppi, from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to the United States.

Meanwhile, in an update on the extradition, controversial journalist, Kemi Olunloyo, alleged that Hushpuppi has reportedly named Linda, Dino, and Bukola, and other names in money laundering activities, adding that more Nigerians in Dubai will be arrested by Interpol and the FBI.

Olunloyo tweeted: “#BREAKING More Nigerians in Dubai to be arrested by Interpol for the US Feds. HushPuppi has reportedly named “a Linda, Dino, Bukola” and more in laundering activities. The pandemic is protecting many people or I would have warned these ppl NOT to enter their playground DUBAI.”

https://www.mcebiscoo.com/busted-hushpuppi-indicts-dino-linda-others-see-full-list/

MCEBISCOO.COM

Justice E.T Okara of a Bayelsa High Court on Wednesday admitted four of the five ‘whistleblowers’ accused of conspiracy to rob Gov Seriake Dickson, to bail in the sum of N3 million each.

The fifth accused, Mr Tamnatonye Jacob, was on Feb 27, 2019 granted bail to the sum of N2 million on medical grounds,

Delivering a ruling, Justice Okara, admitted the remaining four accused to bail following a pending bail application filed by their counsels.

The accused who were granted bail are Esther Engbeke, Wodu Ebikebomu, Emmanuel Dorgu and Sinclair Thursday are being tried for alleged conspiracy to commit armed robbery.

The judge ordered the four accused to produce one surety each who must be a civil servant who must on Grade Level 12.

Okara adjourned the case until May 20, for continuation of defence.

The accused had earlier denied the charge and told the court that they contemplated disclosing a location where Dickson stashed cash to benefit from the whistle blowing policy of the Federal Government.

They have been in prison since their arrest in May 2018 and will remain in custody at the Okaka Prisons until they meet the bail conditions.

https://www.newsexpressngr.com/news/73166-Court-grants-bail-to-4-whistleblowers-accused-of-alleged-conspiracy-to-rob-Gov-Dickson

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has explained that the Nigerian Army Women Corps (NAWC) concept was to harness the potentials of female officers and soldiers to build a force ready to support army operations and engagements.

Buratai stated this on Tuesday in Jos, in a keynote address at the maiden “Nigerian Army Women Corps Training Week.”

He noted that events in the country had shown the imperatives of constantly improving security apparatus which was one of the major policy thrust of the current administration.

This, he said underscored the need to get all hands on deck, irrespective of gender to strengthen the security of the country.

“This calls for adequate training facilities and strategies to improve the fighting efficiency of all military units.

“The dynamics of army operations in this dispensation are such that the female personnel cannot be left behind.

“They are vital to the attainment of the army’s operational objectives especially in the North East where women and girls, involved in insurgencies as either victims or villains, require specific female attention.

“There is no gainsaying the fact that there are some military operations such as psychological operations, in which the female officers and soldiers by their gender excel over men,” he said.

According to Buratai, the army is set to take advantage of this unique nature of the female personnel.

He, however, said that to effectively fulfill that requirement, the female personnel need to be brought up to speed through deliberate training to build their fighting capacity and competence.

He said the female corps was faced with daunting challenges which include effective training of its personnel.

Buratai said the theme of the three-day training, “Building the Fighting Capacity of Nigerian Army Female Personnel for Enhanced Support of Operational Engagements”, was timely.

“This is especially so because the NAWC is still in its infancy and has the liberty of evolving its own unique training programme that will take it to the desired heights.”

He noted that their position in the army, in the face of ongoing operations against insurgencies and other engagements of the army in the country was strategic.

The army chief called for attitudinal change towards the female personnel to build their confidence and motivate them to put in their best.

He added that there must be complete re-orientation on how female soldiers are perceived within the military.

“They should not be seen as being merely decorative or passive. They should rather be viewed as viable tools for achieving operational goals just like their male counterparts.

“I urge you all to see the female personnel for who they are; normal, capable and competent soldiers. Let us all remember that Joan of Arc and Queen Amina of Zaria were sound warriors despite their gender.

“Though one was of European origin and the other Nigerian, the fact that they both excelled as soldiers and commanders in the defence of their nations underscores the universal nature of the phenomenon.

“We should never lose sight of this historical fact but rather build on it and avail ourselves of the invaluable qualities of our female colleagues,” Buratai said.

https://punchng.com/why-nigerian-army-created-female-corps-buratai/amp/

Israelis head to the polls today for a general election in which electorate will vote a new prime minister.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is fighting for his political survival.

As expected, analysts are speaking on the chances of the front runners.

Benjamin Netanyahu is running for his fifth term in office. If re-elected, he will overtake Israel’s founding father David Ben-Gurion in July as the country’s longest-serving prime minister.

However, Mr Netanyahu is facing both serious corruption charges, pending a final hearing with the attorney general, and his toughest competitor in years – Benny Gantz.

Mr Gantz, a former chief of staff for the Israeli military who is a newcomer to politics, can rival Mr Netanyahu on security – one of the election’s key issues – and promises cleaner politics.

His centrist Blue and White alliance – formed with two other former military chiefs and the former TV anchor-turned-politician Yair Lapid – was initially doing slightly better than Mr Netanyahu’s Likud party in opinion polls, although the situation has since reversed.

The close race is leading to an aggressive and often dirty election campaign with lots of smear attempts. Israeli voters tend to decide who to support on the basis of the candidates’ personalities, rather than their policies, and whether they consider them strong leaders.

No single party in Israel has ever won a majority of seats in parliament; the country has always had coalition governments.

That means the prime minister is not always the person whose party wins the most votes, but the person who manages to bring together enough parties to control at least 61 of the 120 seats in the Knesset.

Some polls suggest that Mr Netanyahu is more likely to be able to form a coalition than Mr Gantz because of the prime minister’s close relationship with other right-wing parties and religious parties.

In a widely criticised move to lock down extra right-wing seats, Mr Netanyahu brokered a deal making it easier for candidates from an extreme-right wing party that many view as racist to enter parliament.

Recent weeks have seen tensions flare between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza, and US President Donald Trump is expected to publish his plan to solve Israel’s long-standing conflict with the Palestinians soon after the election.

However, ways to revive the moribund peace process have not been a main subject of electoral debate. The Israeli public sees little hope in the long-standing international formula for peace – the “two-state solution”.

Prominent members of Mr Netanyahu’s current right-wing governing coalition openly oppose the creation of a Palestinian state and want to annex much of the occupied West Bank.

Blue and White’s campaign platform refers to “separation” from the Palestinians but does not specifically mention them having a state.

It also supports a “united” Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, although Palestinians claim the east of the city as their future capital.

Benny Gantz’s alliance also calls for continued control over the Jordan Valley and retaining West Bank Jewish settlement blocs. Settlements are seen as illegal under international law, although Israel disagrees.

Israel’s Labour Party, which sealed a breakthrough peace deal with the Palestinians in the 1990s, has lost favour with voters.

There are 6.3 million Israeli voters, and the social, ethnic and religious groups to which they belong can be a key factor in deciding what they do on election day.

Israel’s religious Haredi population is over a million-strong. Traditionally, ultra-Orthodox Jews of European descent and those of Eastern descent have taken advice from their rabbis and voted for dedicated parties.

However, more are now voting for mainstream parties, mostly those on the right. Among the key issues for them is ultra-Orthodox conscription in the military, which is due to come up again in the next parliament.

Israeli Arabs make up almost a fifth of the population, but surveys suggest that fewer than half of those eligible to vote plan to do so.

Turnout among Arabs was boosted in 2015, when four parties ran together under the Joint Arab List, to take 13 seats. But the list has broken up for this election.

The leader of the ultra-nationalist, libertarian Zehut party, Moshe Feiglin, could emerge as a kingmaker in future coalition talks, with polls suggesting it could take at least four seats.

Mr Feiglin says he has no preference between Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz as prime minister.

Mr Feiglin is well known for his calls to legalise cannabis but his party has an eclectic platform.

He has a hard-line position on the Palestinians and wants to encourage them to emigrate from the occupied West Bank and Gaza.

He also calls for a third Jewish temple to be built on the contested holy site in Jerusalem known to Jews as Temple Mount and to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif, which is the location of the al-Aqsa mosque.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/09/israel-elects-new-prime-minister-today/

National Health Care Agency Moves To Tackle Child Mortality Rate In Nigeria

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has declared a state of public health emergency over maternal newborn and child death occurring at the primary health centers.

A similar declaration is expected in states in the next few days to track maternal and child mortality.

Nigeria has one of the worst records in maternal and child mortality in the world. It is recorded that in Nigeria approximately 145 women under the age of 15-45 die from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth while 2300 children under five years old die mainly from preventable causes.

Consequently, the agency said it will establish a national coordination centre within the agency to provide oversight on the outlined activities.

The centre, according to the Executive Director of the agency, Dr. Fasal Shuaib shall be called the National Emergency Maternal and Child Health Intervention Centre (NEMCHIC).

Already, the country has received support worth $1.3 million which is to be matched by the government $1.97 million for the next ten years. This fund is to support the country’s immunization programme as part of the effort to reduce maternal and child mortality in Nigeria.

The states also assured of their buy-in to ensure that the initiative achieves its purpose.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/08/child-mortality-rate-fg-declares-state-of-emergency-on-public-health/

A couple of days ago, rapper Nipsey Hussle was shot and killed right in front of his clothing store.

The rapper’s funeral death has no been announced and according to reports, his funeral will be held at Staples Center on Thursday.

According to reports, the 21,000 seat venue was chosen to accommodate the crowd that will be attending.

Nipsey’s alleged killer Eric Holder, 29, has since been arrested and is currently being held in solitary confinement.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/07/nipsey-hussles-funeral-date-announced/

Rivers State Government has directed the State Attorney General to prosecute Sir Francis Allagoa, the owner of the 7-Storey building that collapsed at Woji Road in New GRA in Port Harcourt.

Wike Wike The Rivers State Government also directed the State Attorney General to prosecute any person whose actions constituted criminality as established by the Judicial Commission of Inquiry that investigated the collapsed 7 Storey building.

Briefing journalists after the State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike on Friday, Commissioner of Information and Communications, Emma Okah announced that the council accepted that it will be inappropriate to recall the Commissioner of Urban Development and Physical Planning, Dr Reason Onya because of the inappropriate actions he took and ommissions he committed.

He said: “The Rivers State Government accepts that the owner of the building, Sir Francis J. Allagoa should bear all liability regarding compensation to families of the deceased persons and individual expenses of those injured.

“Sir Francis J. Allagoa is also to bear the cost and make good the damage done to the adjoining property owned by Mr Edna Ezekiel Hart”.

The Rivers State Government declared that in line with the recommendations of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry it will comprehensively reform the procedures and processes relating to building approvals and actual construction of buildings to eliminate failure of buildings in the future.

The government added that the collapsed 7-Storey building was not covered by any approval and that the one obtained in July 2014 was for a four-five floor building. “Government accepted to push for a reviewed law to punish any developer whose building collapses due to negligence or other acts resulting in deaths.

The Rivers State Executive Council noted that 18 persons died while 22 others suffered various degrees of injuries. The Rivers State Government directed the State Civil Service Commission to take disciplinary action against Town Planner Edmund Obinna, Director of Buildings and Plan Approvals because his actions fell short of expectations. The Council also directed the State Civil Service Commission to take disciplinary action against Rev Dr. Mina Aprioku, Director of Development Control for professional deficiency.

The Attorney General of the State was directed to prosecute Engr Adeniyi Ibiyeye and Architect Timiebi Reuben for professional misconduct. The Council resolved to report Engr Ibiyeye to the Nigerian Society of Engineers and the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria for necessary disciplinary action.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/06/rivers-govt-to-prosecute-owner-of-collapsed-7-storey-building-others/

People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is cruising home in victory in the Rivers State governorship elections, having won 13 local government areas (LGAs) out of the 15 councils results announced, so far, by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The most rival political party, African Action Congress (AAC), defeated PDP in Oyigbo and Akuku-Toru councils.

The results were announced yesterday, as the commission resumed the governorship election results collation, which was suspended after the March 9 poll, following widely reported violence.

The Returning Officer, Prof. Teddy Adias, who coordinated the exercise assured INEC will be as fast as possible to see a successful completion of the election. He announced the continuation of the collation process today.

Meanwhile, the PDP agent, and former deputy speaker of House of Representatives, Austin Okpara, and his AAC counterpart, Nenye Kocha, have described the collation process as transparent.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/03/rivers-guber-wike-in-comfortable-lead/

After what turned out to be failed project, the Majority Leader of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Adeyinka Mafe, has announced his dumping of the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, and his return to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Mafe, representing Sagamu Constituency I, announced his return through the withdrawal of his defection letter during plenary on Tuesday.

The letter of withdrawal was read by the Speaker, Suraj Adekunbi.

He said: “I had earlier written a letter to announce my defection from the APC to the APM.

“I hereby write to officially withdraw the letter and wish to notify the House that I remain a member of the APC’s next level.”

It would be recalled that Mafe and three other members of the House defected from the APC TO A PM on November, 29, 2018.

The three other defectors were the Chief Whip, Idowu Olowofuja (Abeokuta South II); Ganiyu Oyedeji (Ifo II); and Tunde Sanusi (Obafemi Owode).

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/03/ogun-majority-leader-dumps-amosuns-party-returns-to-apc/

A teacher allegedly poisoned 23 children at a kindergarten by tampering with their morning porridge. It was alleged they carried out the disturbing act to get revenge on a colleague following a dispute.

The pupils in Jiaozuo in the Henan province, central China, were taken to hospital after they began vomiting and fainting on Wednesday morning, according to local reports.

One parent claimed he rushed to hospital where doctors had already pumped his child’s stomach.

A child has been left with ‘severe’ symptoms while seven others remain in hospital for observation, reports say.

Photographs appear to show children lying in hospital beds hooked up to drips.

The teacher has been arrested and taken into custody following the incident, the South China Morning Post reports.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/02/teacher-poisons-23-children-at-a-kindergarten-after-dispute-with-colleague/

Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has clarified that there was no discrimination in the various requirements in the corporation’s recruitment process.

Mr Ndu Ughamadu, the NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division disclosed this on Monday in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in a statement on Sunday rejected the requirement for recruitment by the NNPC alleging it was an anti-poor and anti-masses.

The association further gave the corporation a 72-hour ultimatum to withdraw all alleged anti-poor and anti-masses conditions in the criteria.

Also, an Abuja-based lawyer, Mr Pelumi Olajengbesi, had threatened to drag the management of the NNPC to court following what he described as “discriminatory” recruitment process.

He vowed to approach the court to ensure protection of the fundamental rights of Nigerians who were qualified to apply but were barred from participating because of age criteria.

“No, there was no discrimination in the criteria, If there is anything, the corporation is supposed to be commended now that it is trying to recruit to reduce the unemployment in the country.

“Our criterion was based on carefully thought out criteria of which we carried out a survey to arrive at all those criteria that were stipulated,’’ he said.

According to him, the corporation over the years has sustained the standard.

He added that the recruitment criteria were of four categories which every interested Nigeria should explore.

“There are in many categories, there are four, if you didn’t meet one category, you move to the next, if you didn’t meet the second, you go to the third and so on.

“For the graduate trainee, we put age level at 28 years, the second 34, the third 37 and the last 40. So, any Nigerian looking for employment that falls within any of the four categories is qualified,’’ he added.

He said that it was unfortunate that some people after attempting and were not successful alleged discriminatory in its selection process.

Commenting on the 72 hours ultimatum by NANS to reverse the criteria or they would embark on a protest, he said that NANS should focus on their studies to graduate first with good certificates.

“NANS should pass their examination first and graduate after which they will be qualified for employment.

“What NANS should face now is to study very hard and graduate and make a reasonable degree. They have not graduated yet and they are looking for employment,’’ he said.

The corporation opened a recruitment portal from March 13 to March 26 and has started short listing of qualified candidates. (NAN)

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/01/recruitment-nnpc-clears-the-air/

Members of the All Progressives Congress who are not in support of party's candidates for national assembly positions have been told to support it or leave.

Bola Tinubu

Bola Tinubu, the national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, said that party discipline would be upheld in addressing the leadership tussle of the 9th National Assembly.

Mr Tinubu said this while speaking with newsmen in Lagos on Friday after a Prayer Programme organised by Islamic and Christian clerics to mark his 67th birthday.

The ruling APC recently endorsed the candidature of Ahmed Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila as President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives.

“Party discipline is key, we must be discipline in the party. We were a little careless in 2015. We created the opportunity for serpent to get into our party and that did not allow Nigeria to make the desired progress.

“You have seen the result of it and we are not going to allow that to happen again. We are going to respect our party and we are going to apply the whip.

“It is either you stay with us or you follow us or you leave. You have the freedom to choose but the freedom does not give you as a minority to go and collaborate and protrude our mandate given to you to another party who was our opposition and who is still our opposition.

“We would not take that this time, no matter who you think you are. That is how it is built. Why do you want to deviate from what has been structured?

“We look at our reward system equally, zone by zone,” he said.

Mr Tinubu said that his life as a politician at 67 had been a fulfilling journey.

“When I joined politics, there were a lot of uncertainties because it was during the military regime. There were lots of struggles but my concern is about people and the future of my country.

“My mother stood by me when I told her then that I was joining politics. She told me to be ready to take all sorts of insults whenever they cross my way. May her soul rest in peace.

“The struggle was tough. It created a justice on June 12 election of MKO and some people deserted the camp, the struggle, the spirit.

“We have stayed with this struggle. We know democracy is not easy but it is the only system of government that we chose.

“Ever since, it has been a very fulfilling journey. There is always the twist and turns in politics.

“Today, we endure, we persevere, we think, adjust, collaborate, merged and became single party just like yesterday,” he said.

Mr Tinubu said that the APC party was in government for the common man.

“You will think that APC had been on for twenty years but is not up to six years. We went through compromises because we know that if we form a good alliance of progressive thinkers and believers in the ideology of common man, we will be able to serve the people.

“It is not by criticism alone. You have to have the opportunity to even change the life of the people and quality of their standard of living.

“So, we stood by it, we persevered persistently, uttered our voice, offered our recommendations, and then we are here. And today I am extremely happy that we are in government for the common man.

“The only way to change Nigeria from penury is to fashion out our own organic economic strategy and plan that will continue to cater for all,” he said.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/03/31/support-lawan-and-gbajabiamila-or-leave-apc-tinubu-blows-hot/

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is set to submit its reports today to the federal government in response to the proposal made by the latter to the union on Monday last week.

National President of the union, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, who disclosed this yesterday in an exclusive interview with THISDAY, said the national leadership took the federal government’s offer to its members, who have turned down the offer, insisting that they would not accept tokenism.
Ogunyemi, who queried the refusal of the federal government to commit itself to a full tranche of the payment for revitalisation, which is N220 billion, and spread it for a period of five quarters in order to show commitment, said the proposal of over N34 billion is too low to be accepted when compared to N1.1 trillion.

While insisting that a time-frame for payments must be attached to further agreements being made by the federal government with the union, the national president also said evidence of payment must also be made, adding that all that have been done are mere verbal speeches.
He said,”Yes, we took the proposal to our members and we are preparing feedback reports and by tomorrow (today), the federal government will get the union’s response.

“Our members said the amount is just too small and far from what was expected or envisaged. Our members are willing to shift grounds concerning the strike but they emphasised that they will not take tokenism.

“Is what we are asking for too much? What we are asking for is not too much. Why can’t the government give us one tranche of the five outstanding tranches for revitalisation? Why can’t the government pay the sum of N220 billion in each quarter and spread it over a period of five quarters? Remember that the issue of the Earned Academic Allowance is there.

“We are asking for a collaboration and confirmation of payment when it is done because evidence of payment is necessary. Government has been failing in its promises and so, we are calling for a timeline as regards payment. What we even have so far is a verbal statement as we are yet to see evidence of payment.”

On the issue of reversing its agreement on the participation of its members in the forthcoming general elections, Ogunyemi said there was no reversal whatsoever as members are permitted to join in the preparations.

He, however, said that the union, contrary to past arrangements, will not be able to recommend its members to the electoral body but have permitted them to participate based on personal discretion, as the union stands for democracy and its tenets.

“There was no u-turn to the agreement that members are free to participate in the general elections. What we said is that ASUU will not recommend people but members are free to participate. We will not be able to do for them what we were doing before.

“We didn’t stop our members from working with INEC. They are free to do so but on their own decision and freewill. That means personal discretion will be applied. After all the strike is not against INEC, neither is it against democracy or against the country. We will do everything possible to support the elections.”

While empathising with Nigerian students over the negative effects of the strike, Ogunyemi disclosed that once the federal government does what is expected of it, the strike will be called off within days.

https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/01/15/ASUU-replies-fg-today-as-members-reject-tokenism/?amp

The Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Council (PDP-PCCO) on Sunday raised the alarm over the alleged secret execution of political opponents in Kogi State.

The organisation said no fewer than three members of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), have been summarily executed by the All Progressives Congress Government of Yahaya Bello through the slogan of “point and kill” in the past few days.

The Spokesperson of PDP-PCCO in Kogi State and civil rights activist, Austin Okai Usman, in a statement in Lokoja entitled, “Kogi State Is Under Siege”, said the operation in which three persons were gunned down “lasted for at least 2 hours 3 minutes starting from 1:30am on January 11, 2019.”

The statement reads in part: “The PDP-PCCO in Kogi State is constrained by recent happenings in the State to draw the attention of the global community to an emerging reality that clearly suggests the state is under a siege.

“Nigerians may recall that January 6, 2019, this council uncovered a plot by the outgoing accidental Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, and his agents to roll out an elaborate agenda to roll out calculated violence in the state targeted at members of the opposition.

“Not only was this revelation made to the world and selected foreign missions, the council noted that the project will be bankrolled by the state government.

“Whereas agents of the screamed blue murder and employed all the outdated tricks to cover up their plot to endanger Nigeria’s democracy, the events of the last 3 days has clearly validated our intelligence report.

“The PDP Presidential Campaign Council would ordinarily not dignify the activities of an urchin who wields executive powers but the facts surrounding this latest macabre dance of shame of the APC and outgoing Governor Yahaya Bello strongly suggest that only a high powered collaboration could have made it possible.

“It is for this reason that the attention of the highest echelon of the Nigeria Armed Forces, the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force is drawn to the fact that on the last count, paid agents of the Kogi State Governor, provided with full security and supervised by a member of the cabinet of the outgoing governor, Yahaya Bello have summarily executed three (3) members of the opposition especially the Social Democratic Party (SDP) by gunshot.

“We note that this operation lasted for at least 2 hours 3 minutes starting from 1:30am on January 11 2019.

“While this ‘point and kill’ operation went on, every access members of the opposition had to security agents were either interrupted or cut off. Members of the opposition who could phone local police formations were ignored as the phone calls rang out.

“We also wish to draw the attention of the Embassy of the U.S. and Germany as well as the High Commissions of the U.K. and Canada that perhaps the prediction of the disintegration of Nigeria by 2015 is still valid as all indices point to a fact that the date merely changed and that Kogi State, being a former capital of Nigeria with access to waterfront resources has been designated as the point from where the first shots signifying commencement of the 2nd Nigerian civil war will be fired.

“The PDP Presidential Campaign Council also notes that currently, at least 2 families in the over 210 electoral wards in Kogi State have at least 3 victims of political violence which comes in form of festering wounds, permanent disability or even death as the case is with the Ojo Enesi family in Okene, Kogi Central.

“This is in our own opinion one of the most important ingredients required to create a replica of the Rwandan genocide and possibly the unrests in Burundi and Yemen.

“There is no gain in repeating that there is a well-funded covert mass murder operation going on in Kogi State.

“In the last two years, the state government has openly invested state funds in the acquisition of military hardware - booths, camouflage, rifles, grenades, machetes and bullets some of which were seen on live television.

“Perhaps those were preparatory efforts made to ensure smooth take off of the killings which have happened today.

“Kogi State is broken and bruised. Kogi people are bitter and angry but the indomitable spirit of the Kogi man will not sink or despair.

“While we know as a matter of fact that those whose hands are smeared with blood must face justice today or tomorrow, we are concerned about who may be next.”

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/01/14/2019-secret-execution-going-kogi-pdp-campaign-council-alleges-%e2%80%a2three-killed-operation-point-kill-takes-off/

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara, has called for caution over the charges filed against the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon Justice Walter Onnoghen by the Federal Government.

In a statement issued Sunday, Dogara said that while the House awaits further briefing from relevant agencies, nevertheless, it was important that due process was followed because Nigeria was a country governed by laws and not dictates of men.

He noted that the House was not less zealous in the fight against corruption but said to commence a matter of that grave magnitude with a media trial is pregnant with innuendos least needed by the polity at this sensitive time.

The Speaker asserted that “Nigeria is a country governed by laws with clearly spelt out procedures and processes for their activation and not the dictates of men. It is important that people in authority should excercise power with decorum and not plunge the nation to needless crises as Nigeria is not a banana republic.

“This is a matter that affects another arm of government and its head which should be treated with caution so as not to send the wrong signal that there is a political undertone or other ulterior motives to the issue.

“As we raised our voice when the National Assembly was invaded by hooded security men last year, it is incumbent on us as the legislature to voice our concerns because we operate under a system where three arms of government are co – equal branches and enjoy a measure of independence guaranteed by the Constitution.

“As we approach the general elections, it is incumbent on the prosecutorial authorities to exercise caution and treat matters of this nature with utmost circumspection.”

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/01/13/dogara-responds-buhari-drove-apc-govt-plan-summon-cjn-onnoghen/

The Committee of Youth on Mobilisation and Sensitisation (CYMS), supporting the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari, says it has officially received a group- the South West Arise for Atiku (SWAT), into its fold.

CYMS disclosed this in a statement by its Director of Media, Mr Gabriel Otobong, on Saturday in Abuja.

It stated that SWAT with 800,000 members, formerly supporting the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, was officially received by CYMS Director-General, Mr Obinna Nwaka, at the committee’s head office in Abuja.

It disclosed that the SWAT was received into CYMS after a meeting between national executives of the two organisations in Abuja.

It quoted Nwaka as commending the group for its courage, while highlighting some of the reasons why Nigerians should support the re-election of Buhari.

Nwaka assured the group of support and promised to integrate them officially into the CYMS programmes.

He said that SWAT has officially collapsed its structure into CYMS to ensure the re-election of Buhari.

It added that SWAT and its members led by the Coordinator General, Mr Henry Adegoke, had collectively agreed to change the group name to South West Arise for Buhari (SWAB) in a letter addressed to Mr Festus Uchenna, the

CYMS’s Chairman, Board of Trustees.
It added that the group described Abubukar’s political ambition as “fetching water with a basket.”

Adegoke in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) confirm the collapse of the structure of SWAT into CYMS, noting that discussion about it was still ongoing.

He said that he had directed members of the group not to attend campaign rallies of Abubakar even though PDP was still inviting them.(NAN).

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/01/13/atiku-loses-group-800000-members-buhari/

There is a trans-border movement of funds from Lagos, Agadez in Niger Republic and Libya for the purchase of arms for the prosecution of the ongoing killings in Zamfara State which have claimed no fewer than 3000 lives, Saturday Vanguard learned.

The funds, it was learned were proceeds of rustled cows from the state, which were often stolen by bandits, who have been terrorising the state in the last two years.

Saturday Vanguard got the revelations in a chat with suspected cattle rustlers, who were arrested by operatives of the Inspector General Special Intelligence Response Team, IRT, at the popular Abattoir Market in Agege, Lagos. Tsafe, Zurmi, Shinkafi, Maradun

Vanguard gathered that operatives of the IRT, led by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, were deployed to Zamafara State, by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to combat and put an end to the scourge of these bandits, who had in recent time killed hundreds of people within Tsafe, Zurmi, Shinkafi, Maradun, Maru and Brinin-Magaji, Local Government Areas of the state, leaving several others displaced. The team discovered that the military grade arms and ammunition, which the bandits have used in carrying out their operations, were purchased in Libya.

It was further gathered that the bandits, who were also into high profile kidnappings and armed robbery, were getting large funds from the proceeds of rustled cattle, which they supply to cattle dealers at the Abattoir Market in Agege area of Lagos State.



It was learned that when these funds are remitted back to the bandits in Zamfara State, they are swiftly moved into Agadez Region of Niger Republic, where it would be used to procure heavy arms including, anti-aircraft guns and rockets-propelled grenade launchers, from the black markets in Libya. Sources disclosed that the arms which were usually smuggled into Zamfara State, through Niger Republic border with Nigeria, have been used severally to attack and kill security operatives.

It was gathered that on December 29, 2018, a team of soldiers on patrol along the Doburu Forest in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamafara State, were ambushed with rocket-propelled grenades and over 10 soldiers lost their lives, while several others who sustained serious injuries were rushed to Zurimi General Hospital for treatment. Ransom of N15million

On November 29, 2018, no fewer than 15 policemen, who were part of the anti-rustling team deployed to the state, were allegedly ambushed and killed by bandits who attacked them with Anti-aircraft guns mounted on Toyota Hilux trucks.

Vanguard gathered that the IRT, made a breakthrough in unraveling how the bandits procure their sophisticated weapons and how they equally source for funds to buy the weapons, following the arrest of 12 bandits who allegedly took part in the October 2018, kidnapping of twin sisters, Hassana and Hussaina Bala, who were abducted in Dauran Village in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, where they had gone to distribute their wedding invitation cards to their friends and relatives.

A ransom of N15million was paid before the girls were released. One of the suspects arrested in connection with the kidnapping, Nafiu Usman, alias Baba Doctor, who was a top commander of a group of bandits operating Zurmi Local Government Area of the State, however gave startling confessions, during interrogations on how his boss, Dankarimi, who commanded all armed bandits within, Zurmi, Local Government Area, have been procuring his arms and getting funds.

According to a source; “Baba Doctor who is a sub commander and has over 300 boys mostly from Niger Republic working for him confessed that his group which was headed by one Dankarimi was behind the kidnapping of the twin sisters and the N15 million received was shared among commanders working for Dankarimi. He said he got N500,000 to share with his boys. He also confessed that his group ambushed and killed a team of soldiers on patrol at the Doburu Forest on December 29, 2018, who he said they attacked with a rocket-propelled grenade.



Weapons from Libya

He confessed that he bought the weapons from Libya through Niger Republic and he identified one Alhaji Naira as the person who provided the funds they used to buy the arms. He said that all the sub-commanders on the orders of Dankarimi, who he said was living in the forest, would go around town rustling cows from their owners which they usually handed over to Alhaji Naria, who will, in turn, send to his waiting buyers in Lagos. The cows would then be sold and slaughtered at the Lagos Abattoir, Agege and they would return the money to Dankarimi”. “He led us to arrest Alhaji naira, who then gave us the names of four of their receivers, known as Alhaji Ago Atine, Alawani Abubakar, Mohammed Shagari and Bashiru Aliyu, in Lagos state and we arrested them while they were selling some of the robbed cows to unsuspecting buyers”, the source said When Vanguard interviewed the suspects who are natives of Zamfara State, they confessed, to have bought over 2,000 cows from the bandits within the space of one year, and they were equally aware that the cows were stolen from their owners and sold to them in Lagos State. They also admitted knowing that the people selling the cows to them were bandits terrorising Zamfara State.



Cows were stolen

50-year-old Alhaji Ago Atine, while speaking to Vanguard said; “I have received over 400 cows from Alhaji Naira from Zamfara State and I sell them at Abattoir Market, after which I will send back the money to Alhaji Naira. I accepted the cows from Alhaji Naira because they are usually sold to me at a cheap rate. I used to receive the cows between N60, 000 and N70,000 and I would sell them for N170,00 or N180,000 depending on the size. I was receiving my supply weekly and after selling I would send the proceeds to Alhaji’s account. I don’t know what Alhaji does with the money, but I know that the cows were stolen from their owners in Zamfara State. I don’t know if they used the proceeds to wage war against the people of Zamfara”, he lamented.


http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/01/12/revealed-zamfara-bandits-get-support-lagos-niger-libya/