Eleven confirmed killed, others injured in Zangon Kataf LGA
Security forces have reported to the Kaduna State Government that Kurmin Masara general area of Zangon Kataf LGA was attacked in the early hours of today.
According to the reports, troops of the Nigerian Air Force Special Forces who responded to distress calls from the area also fell into an ambush as they mobilized to the scene of the attack.
The troops cleared the ambush and reached the general area, along with troops of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH).
As of 4:30PM, eleven residents were confirmed killed, and some inflicted with gunshot injuries.
The victims confirmed killed are listed as follows:
- Elizabeth Ayuba - Veronica Auta - Bege Daniel - Kephas Waje - Promise Jacob - Damaris istifanus - Hauwa Joshua - Dogara Gambo - Lidia Ishaya - Michael Achi - Gabriel Michael
Over thirty houses and properties were burnt in the attack.
The injured were evacuated for treatment. Search-and-rescue operations and pursuit of the attackers are in progress on different fronts.
The Government of Kaduna State will make public further details as soon as they are received from security forces.
Governor Nasir El-Rufa'i, who has been in touch with the security forces and is receiving hourly briefings, expressed sadness at this report of the latest in a series of attacks in the area.
He prayed for the repose of all those killed and conveyed his condolences to their families. He further wished the injured a speedy recovery.
Signed
Samuel Aruwan Commissioner, Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Kaduna State.
Abba Kyari, the embattled former head of police Intelligence Response Team and his club owner friend, Obinna Iyiegbu better known as Obi Cubana, are among the dignitaries who attended the wedding Fatiha of Maina Alkali, the son of Inspector-General of Police Alkali Baba.
The wedding ceremony took place at the palace of Shehu of Borno Abubakar El-Kanemi in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, on Saturday.
It was attended by host Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno and his Yobe and Jigawa State counterparts, Mai Mala Buni and Badaru Abubakar respectively.
The wedding also had in attendance, the Senate President Ahmad Lawan; former Governor of Borno, Kashim Shettima; Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika; president of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote; managing director/CEO of Tiamin Rice, Aminu Ahmed, among other dignitaries.
Mr Kyari shared the photos of him with Mr Cubana on his Facebook timeline, wishing the groom a happy married life.
On August 1, 2021, the Nigeria police suspended Mr Kyari, following his indictment in the US on money laundering charges by the FBI.
Mr Kyari allegedly facilitated payments to police officers from Nigerian Instagram celebrity Ray Hushpuppi, who has pleaded guilty to money laundering in the US.
Court documents filed in California said the 37-year-old Hushpuppi’s crimes cost victims almost $24m (£17m).
Hushpuppi, whose real name is Ramon Abbas, posed as real estate developer in Dubai and posted photos of his lavish lifestyle on Instagram, where he had 2.5m followers.
He was charged in the US following his extradition from Dubai last year.
In July last year, the suspended deputy police commissioner attended the grand burial ceremony of Mr Cubana’s mother at Oba town in Anambra State, sparking social media uproar over the detective’s friendship with the celebrity.
In reaction to critics, the police officer justified his attendance, saying Cubana is a “brother and good friend.”
“Obinna Iyiegbu popularly known as Obi Cubana is one of the most hardworking entrepreneurs and humble personalities that I have known for many years. He is a brother and good friend.
“For his good nature and good heart, today I had to squeeze out time from my busy schedule to honor him by attending the burial of his beloved mom In Oba town, Anambra State.
“May God Almighty give the family the fortitude to bear the great loss. Ameen,” Mr Kyari said.
In continuation of clearance operations of remnants of BHT/ISWAP in the NE region, Troops of 120 Battalion in conjunction with members of Civilian Joint Task Force in the early hours of today ambushed scores of Terrorists at Ngirbua village in Yobe State. Several terrorists neutralised & their equipment captured.
The Nigerian Communications Commission’s Cyber Security Incident Response Team (NCC-CSIRT) has independently identified two cyber vulnerabilities and advised Nigerian telecom consumers on the measures to be taken to get protected from the cyber-attacks.
The CSIRT, in its first-ever security advisories less than three months after its creation, has solely identified the two cyber-attacks targeting the consumers and proffer solutions that can help telecom consumers from falling victims to the two cyber vulnerabilities.
The first is described as Juice Jacking, which can gain access into consumers’ devices when charging mobile phones at public charging stations and it applies to all mobile phones. The other is a Facebook for Android Friend Acceptance Vulnerability, which targets only Android Operating System.
According to CSIRT security Advisory 0001 released on January 26, 2022, with Juice Jacking, attackers have found a new way to gain unauthorized entry into unsuspecting mobile phone users devices when they charge their mobile phones at public charging stations.
Many public spaces, restaurants, malls and even in the public trains do offer complementary services to their customers in a bid to enhance customer services, one of which is providing charging ports or sockets.
However, an attacker can leverage this courtesy to load a payload in the charging station or on the cables they would leave plugged in at the stations.
Once unsuspecting persons plug their phones at the charging station or the cable left by the attacker, the payload is automatically downloaded on the victims’ phone. This payload then gives the attacker remote access to the mobile phone, allowing them to monitor data transmitted as text, or audio using the microphone. The attacker can even watch the victim in real time if the victims’ camera is not covered. The attacker is also given full access to the gallery and also to the phone's Global Positioning System (GPS) location.
When an attacker gains access to a user’s Mobile phone, he gets remote access to the User’s phone which leads to breach in Confidentiality, Violation of Data Integrity and bypass of Authentication Mechanisms. Symptoms of attack may include sudden spike in battery consumption, device operating slower than usual, apps taking a long time to load, and when they load they crash frequently and cause abnormal data usage.
The NCC-CSIRT, however, proffered solutions to this attack to include using ‘charging only USB cable’, to avoid Universal Serial Bus (USB) data connection; using one’s AC charging adaptor in public space; and not granting trust to portable devices prompt for USB data connection.
Other preventive measures against Juice Jacking include installing Antivirus and updating them to the latest definitions always; keeping mobile devices up to date with the latest patches; using one’s own power bank; keeping mobile phone off when charging in public places; as well as ensuring use of one’s own charger, if one must charge in public.
On the other hand, the NCC-CSIRT Advisory 0001 of January 27, 2022, warns that Facebook for Android is vulnerable to a permission issue which gives privilege to anyone with physical access to the android device to accept friend requests without unlocking the phone. The products affected include Versions 329.0.0.29.120 of Android OS.
With this, the attacker will be able to add the victim as a friend and collect personal information of the victim, such as Email, Date of Birth, Check-ins, Mobile phone number, Address, Pictures and other information that the victim may have shared, which would only be visible to his/her friends.
However, to be protected from the Facebook-associated vulnerability, NCC-CSIRT in the security advisory recommends to users to disable the feature from their device’s lock screen notification settings.
The NCC-CSIRT was inaugurated in October, 2021 to provide guidance and direction for the constituents in dealing with issues relating to the security of critical infrastructure in their possession, and periodically assess, review and collate the threat landscape, risks, and opportunities affecting the communications sector, in order to provide advice to relevant stakeholders in those regards.
As the telecoms-industry specific intervention, the objective of which aligns with the objective of the National Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy (NCPS) document published by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the NCC-CSIRT ensures continuous improvement of processes and communication frameworks to guarantee secure and collaborative exchange of timely information while responding to cyber threats within the sector.
In recent times, NCC-CSIRT has raised series of cyber-vulnerability awareness based on security advisories it receives from the Nigerian Cybersecurity Emergency Response Team (ngCERT), which is the national body for the implementation of the NCPS objective. However, Juice Jacking and Facebook for Android Friend Acceptance Vulnerabilities are the two first-ever cyber vulnerabilities published by the NCC-CSIRT.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has barred the Federal Government from deducting funds from the Federation Account to fund the Nigerian Police force and other agencies not listed in the constitution.
Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court on Wednesday declared the deductions as unconstitutional and ordered that all money deducted from the Federation Account belonging to Rivers State be refunded to the state.
He made the pronouncement in a judgement on a suit filed by the Rivers State Government against the Attorney General of Federation and Minister of Justice; the Accountant General of the Federation; the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, and Federal Ministry of Finance.
The Rivers State Government through its Attorney General had approached the court wherein it sought an order stopping the deduction of funds from the Federation Account for the funding of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund scheme.
The Rivers State Government had challenged the constitutionality and validity of section 4(1)(a) and section 4(1)(b) of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (Establishment) Act 2019, which permit the deduction of 0.5 percent of the total revenue accruing to the Federation Account and be paid to the Nigeria Police Trust Fund.
The State Government had contended that it was not the responsibility of the State governments but that of the Federal Government to fund the Police.
Delivering judgment, Justice Mohammed agreed with the Rivers State Government that by virtue of Section 162 (3) of the Nigerian Constitution, funds standing to the credit of the Federation Account can only be distributed among the Federal Government, State Governments and Local Government Councils in each State of Nigeria and not directly to any agency of the Federal Government including the Nigeria Police Force.
Consequently, the court declared the section of the law “permitting the direct deduction of any sum or percentage of revenue accruing to the Federation Account or which ought to have been paid into the Federation Account for the purpose of providing funds for the Nigeria Police Trust Fund” as “unconstitutional, null and void.”
According to the court, Rivers State will be the only beneficiary from the deduction and not the 35 States.
The Borno State government on Wednesday said that it would commence the confiscation of seven properties belonging to the United Nations agencies which are domiciled in the state over tax evasion.
The Executive Chairman Borno State Board of Internal Revenue Service (BO-IRS), Mohammed Alkali affirmed this while briefing newsmen in Maiduguri on Wednesday.
The affected properties are the World Health Organisation(WHO), World Food Programme(WFP), United Nations High Commission for Refugees(UNHCR), United Nations International Children Emergency Fund(UNICEF), United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs(OCHA), Food and Agricultural Organisation(FAO), and United Nations Development Programme(UNDP) with operations offices in Maiduguri.
“It is noteworthy that the aforementioned organisations are generally exempted from payment of tax from their operational funds. They are, however, mandated by law through the provisions of the personal income tax act, CAP P8 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 to remit to the state government what is known as PAYE ( Pay As You Earn) with Withholding Tax (WHT) for their staff and individuals and enterprise contractors respectively.
“But unfortunately, since January 2021, all effort to make them respond positively to the demand proved abortive, thereby forcing BO-IRS to serve them with 30 days notice of seizure of property which is due to lapse on 24th February 2022 as earlier mentioned.
“This service will thereafter trigger its enforcement powers by using legitimate means to seize the properties of the agencies involved,” Alkali said.
PRESS STATEMENT OF THE CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIAN LAWYERS (CANL)
TORONTO, CANADA
JANUARY 24, 2022
THE HONOURABLE KAYCE MADU MATTER: A CALL FOR EQUITABLE JUSTICE
The Canadian Association of Nigerian Lawyers (CANL) has been following the recent developments concerning a member of our community, the Honourable Kaycee Madu, who was recently suspended as the Attorney General and Minister of Justice of the Province of Alberta.
It is important to state that at this stage, the Premier of the Province of Alberta, Jason Kenney, has suspended Mr. Madu from the Cabinet post pending the outcome of a probe into Mr. Madu’s call to Edmonton’s Police Chief, Dale McFee, during which the issue of a driving ticket issued to Mr. Madu was raised as part of a conversation about Policing.
Reportedly, the events that underlaid Mr. Madu’s suspension are slated for a “full investigation” by an independent panel to be appointed by the acting Attorney General and Minister of Justice of the Province of Alberta.
Our review of the current situation, gleaned from the news media reports, has made us to come to the following conclusions.
There has been an endless vilification of Mr. Madu by the media even before the investigation has commenced. Consequently, Mr. Madu’s rights and entitlements to be presumed innocent until proven to be at fault are being desecrated such that the opinion of the public is already skewed against him.
Against this unfortunate backdrop, we deem ourselves compelled to make the following further observations and/or raise the following questions.
On March 10, 2021, Mr. Madu was enroute to a pre-arranged news conference to address the media about disturbing revelations that several police officers had been engaged in misconduct when he was stopped by a traffic police officer and issued a traffic violation ticket.
Given the reported prevalent climate of racial minority profiling and surveillance power abuse by the police at the time, we wonder aloud about the coincidence between the time of Mr. Madu’s fateful encounter with the traffic police officer and the time that he was billed to tackle allegations of police misconduct.
Some people have contended, and we agree, that while the phone call placed by Mr. Madu to the Chief of Police may generate concern in the minds of many, the concern ought to be resolved in the full context of the lived experiences of those in Mr. Madu’s shoes. Mr. Madu has acknowledged that since the call had the potential to generate concern, he should not have made it in the first place.
We believe that it was reasonable for Mr. Madu to have wondered whether he had fallen victim to the racial profiling scourge himself - as he has explained in his press release on the issue - and then for him to try to seek answers somehow.
We believe that Mr. Madu had both personal, communal and official responsibilities to ensure that he or similarly situated people were not being victimized in light of the prevailing circumstances.
We have examined the reported circumstances of the phone call more closely. We deem that the main issue, racial profiling by the police, raised in Mr. Madu’s phone call to the Chief of Police is of existential nature to us. We highlight and take comfort in the reported fact that the Chief of Police has publicly stated that Mr. Madu neither pressured him nor made him to feel pressured during their discussions.
We have also taken particular note of the following statement of Premier Jason Kenny, as reported by the Edmonton Journal online newspaper: “Asked why he had not simply fired Madu, Kenney said on Thursday, “If Chief McFee had alleged that he felt this was interference in the administration of justice and the independence of police, or an effort to rescind the ticket, I would have made an immediate decision to remove Mr. Madu from cabinet. But that’s not the public statement that we have.”
We call on the Premier Kenny to ensure that equitable justice is served in this case and request him to reinstate Mr. Madu to his position in the Cabinet to continue to serve the people of Alberta should he be found not to have interfered with the course of justice after the completion of a full investigation by an independent panel.
To those who have been quick to vilify Mr. Madu and/or who have intent to skew public opinion against him in order to deny him equitable justice on this issue, we say the following wise words of one of our elders:
“Views are only as wide as the space allowed by the angle from which they are taken”.
SIGNED: CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIAN LAWYERS (CANL)
No Apology, Forfeit All Certificates, JAMB Insists
A repentant candidate named Mr. Timipade Kemepade has written to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) asking for forgiveness owing to his involvement in examination malpractice in the course of obtaining the result of the University Matriculation Examination (UME) now Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) that he sat twenty-one years ago.
JAMB in its latest bulletin stated that the candidate blamed youthful exuberance for his misconduct.
The letter read in part: “With regret and sincere apology to JAMB, 1, Timipade Kemepade, with Certificate No. 33208803GA confess that l participated in examination malpractice 21 years ago while sitting my JAMB examination.”
The letter continued, “I, therefore, seek the forgiveness of JAMB. I sincerely regret my youthful exuberance.”
However, the Board, in response to Mr. Kemepade, stated that the apology and consequent admission of guilt are “rejected in their entirety and are, therefore, not admissible.”
Consequently, Mr. Kemepade was informed by the Board that the condition for accepting his apology is his willingness to forfeit all the certificates he had fraudulently acquired with the result of the University Matriculation.
The leadership of Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), has declared Gudumbali, a town in Borno State as its Manhaja Jundun Khilafah Wylaya West Africa (Caliphate headquarters).
SaharaReporters can confirm this from a post shared by the terrorists’ group on Monday.
Gudumbali is the headquarters of Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State, Nigeria.
It's located approximately 125 kilometres north of the state capital, Maiduguri.
Since the death of JAS leader, Abubakar Shekau, ISWAP has been consolidating its grip in locations around Lake Chad.
Just recently, it appointed Wali Sani Shuwaram, a 45-year-old as the new Leader (Wali) of ISWAP in Lake Chad.
The sect’s membership has swollen with the defection of hundreds of Boko Haram fighters under late Shekau.
The Nigerian Army has repeatedly claimed that insurgency had been largely defeated and the military frequently underplays any losses.
The terror group has caused over 100,000 deaths and displaced millions of individuals mainly in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states.
For four years, residents of State Housing Estate, Igba, Ondo Town, in Ondo State have had to endure the activities of herders that have havocked their lands.
This incessant activity has often times led to pockets of clashes between residents of the estate and the herders as well.
FIJ understands the estate is still in its developmental stage, with most residents yet to make full use of the plots of land they purchased from the Ondo State Government.
“So, the common feature here is that, residents who still have considerable plots of land without any built structure, usually farm on them,” a resident of the estate told FIJ.
“But we have not been allowed any peace as a result of the destruction the herders cause with their cattle.”
FIJ undertsands that herdsmen and estate residents had clashed multiple times in the past, the result being several meetings of residents with representatives of the herdsmen. But those meetings have never worked.
“Whenever we talk, their representatives would promise to keep their kinsmen in check in terms of the way they rare their herds,” another resident told FIJ.
“However, as soon as they leave the meeting, the next thing you’ll hear is that they have destroyed another resident’s farm inside the estate.”
When the estate, as an association, eventually got fed up with the brazen attitude of the herders, they resorted to inviting officers of the Western Nigeria Security Network, popularly called the Amotekun, to come to their rescue.
FIJ learnt that the invitation to Amotekun coincided with a meeting of estate residents with the traditional ruler of Igbo-Oja community, along Ile-Oluji Road, which is not also far from the estate. It was at the January 17 meeting that State Housing Etstae residents found out that the herdsmen were also destroying people’s farms in that community too.
“After a lengthy deliberation, it was eventually agreed that the only reasonable solution left was to ask the herders to leave our estate,” explained the resident.
When the outcome of the meeting was later communicated to the herdsmen, the residents thought the matter had finally been laid to rest.
However, on three days ago, an executive member of the Estate Residents’ Association, got was summoned by the Ondo State office of the Department of State Services (DSS), through a phone call.
“I am sure the invitation he got is because we have asked the herdsmen to leave our estate. This is actually a state-owned estate, and ordinarily, the law of the estate does not even permit residents to keep animals,” said a resident.
“And if you must rear animals, it must be done in a confined area built by you, and on your property. You don’t go about destroying other people’s crops and farm produce like you own the entire place!
“I find the DSS invitation quite shocking. Are we supposed to keep quiet, fold our arms, do nothing and just continue to watch the herdsmen destroy our farms? How are we even sure that what was termed a mere invitation would not eventually lead to our fellow estate resident being unlawfully detained by the DSS?”
Ondo State has been a hotspot for farmer-herder crisis, especially in the Southwest in recent ties. Despite the signing of the state’s Anti-Grazing Bill into law by Rotimi Akeredolu, the governor of the state, in August 2021, clashes between farmers and herders have continued to be a constant feature in the sunshine state.
FIJ gathered that the invited resident is expected to appear at the DSS office located at Bolorunduro, a location along Akure-Ondo road, on Monday.
When FIJ contacted the invited resident, he stylishly declined to speak, saying he was in church and would get back to FIJ, but he hadn’t as of press time.
However, FIJ understands from etstate sources that the invited resident is negatively disposed to speaking to the media for fear of backlash from the DSS when he eventually honours the invitation on Monday.
PRESIDENT BUHARI MOURNS MURDERED FIVE-YEAR-OLD HANIFA, COMMENDS DETECTIVE OPERATIONS LEADING TO ARRESTS
President Muhammadu Buhari Friday expressed the nation’s condolences to the family of the five-year-old school girl Hanifa Abubakar whose body was discovered in a shallow grave in Kano after near two months of fruitless search.
The President in the same breath has praised the work of the police and the secret service in unraveling the mystery behind the disappearance of Hanifa, and particularly for the arrest of her teacher and his other accomplices suspected of the child’s kidnap and murder.
President Buhari said the family and the whole nation which followed up on Hanifa’s travail every day since her disappearance in December last year were hoping for the girl to have been rescued alive and well, adding however that the very thorough and painstaking detective operation by the law enforcement bodies, leading to the discovery of the corpse and the arrest of the suspects who have already made confessions was commendable, calling it an achievement that should instill more public confidence in the authorities.
“When breakthroughs like this happen, people will talk differently of law enforcement,” said the President.
President Buhari prayed for the repose of the soul of the little school girl and urged her parents to bear the sad loss with courage and fortitude in God.
The President urged the Police and Ministry of Justice to uphold the integrity of the detective work that busted the case by preparing well and presenting a good case that will earn the respect of the court.
Kano state governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has assured that government would continue to meticulously monitor and ensure the prosecution of anyone found culpable in the kidnap and murder of Hanifa Abubakar, an innocent five-year-old pupil at Kwanar Dakata in Nassarawa local government area of the state.
This is contained in a statement issued by the the state commissioner for information, Malam Muhammad Garba.
The governor said already measures taken in the matter include the indifinite closure and withdrawal of the operational license of the school where the child was allegedly said to have been gruesomely murdered.
He said government is terribly disturbed that people entrusted with the care of children only turn out to be their murderers.
Ganduje added that government has been in touch with the family of the child and would remain so until justice prevail in the case to serve as deterrent to others.
The governor, who commended security agencies in the state for the prompt action that led to the arrest of those allegedly involved, stated that while investigation is ongoing, government will meticulously follow the case to its logical conclusion.
He also commended the international community, human rights-based organizations and well-meaning Nigerians for their concern in the matter.
Ganduje also assured security agencies of government’s support in carrying out their duties of ensuring that Kano maintains its relative peace.
Cardi B has offered to pay the burial costs for all 17 people killed in a fire that ripped through a New York City high-rise.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced Wednesday that the Grammy-winning rapper had offered the financial relief for victims of the fire in the Bronx, where she grew up.
Many of the victims had ties to Gambia, and families of several of the victims planned to bury them in their West African homeland. Cardi B has committed to paying the repatriation expenses for the victims who will be buried in Gambia, the mayor’s office said.
“I’m extremely proud to be from the Bronx and I have lots of family and friends who live and work there still. So, when I heard about the fire and all of the victims, I knew I needed to do something to help,” Cardi B in a statement.
“I cannot begin to imagine the pain and anguish that the families of the victims are experiencing, but I hope that not having to worry about the costs associated with burying their loved ones will help as they move forward and heal. I send my prayers and condolences to everyone affected by this horrific tragedy.”
The fire, which was New York City’s deadliest in three decades, was sparked by a faulty space heater, according to authorities.
Many have reached out to me wanting to know the circumstances of the ticket that I received and my subsequent call to the Edmonton Police Service Chief, Dale McFee. I have issued a formal statement to the media. The premier has also issued a statement on his planned course of action.
On the morning of March 10, I was scheduled to meet with the media at the Rotunda of the Legislature before Question Period to address their questions and speak to matters concerning the Lethbridge Police Service.
Minutes after leaving my home on my way to the Legislature, I was pulled over by an officer of the Edmonton Police Service.
The officer indicated that he had observed me driving while distracted, alleging that I was on my phone. I disagreed, stating that I was not on my phone, as it was in an inside pocket. To be absolutely clear my phone was inside the left hand side pocket of my suit and I was wearing a winter jacket. I identified myself and drove away.
Later, I spoke to Chief McFee to share the experience I have just had, and specifically for two reasons.
First, due to the timing of the incident, I wanted to ensure that I was not being unlawfully surveilled following the Lethbridge Police Service controversy, and in particular given the fact that I was on my way to Legislature on a day that I was meeting with the media to address and answer questions around calls for action to deal with the ongoing issues at the Lethbridge Police Service.
Second, I also raised concerns around profiling of racial minorities that was in the media at the time and wanted the hear about my own experience. As Minister, these are concerns that were constantly being brought to my attention. The reason why I was proceeding in the Legislature with Bill 63 to ban carding which I tabled for first reading on April 7, 2021. I wanted to share this personal experience and encounter with the Chief of Police.
Chief McFee assured me that that was most definitely not the case, and I accepted him at his word.
I want to be abundantly clear, at no point did I request that the ticket be rescinded. I can assure that in my life I would never do any such thing.
That said, with hindsight now I can see how that may be perceived. There is a saying that perception is everything in politics, and I regret raising the issue at all with Chief McFee.
I paid the ticket fully and promptly. In my role as the Justice Minister and Solicitor General, I have worked diligently to ensure we build a province in which all of us - no matter the circumstances of our birth, economic, religious, social or cultural background can feel respected and welcomed. That’s the definition of my own life and I will continue as long as I have the opportunity and privilege to do so.
Finally, I have always defended the men and women who put on the uniform to serve. I have the utmost respect for them, and for the invaluable, often thankless role they perform.
With all these in mind, I am one that always hold myself accountable for my actions. I respect the Premier's direction for me to take a temporary leave of absence pending the outcome of the independent investigation.
Justice Mojisola Dada of an Ikeja Special Offences Court has granted a Dubai- based internet celebrity, Ismailia Mustapha, aka Mompha bail of N200 million with two sureties in the like sum.
The court granted his application for bail filed through his lawyer, Gboyega Oyewole (SAN).
Justice Dada ordered that one of two sureties must own property valued at N100million within the jurisdiction.
The court also ordered his remand in the custody of a Correctional Centre of his choice in Lagos pending perfection of his bail conditions while his international passport already submitted is to remain in custody of the court’s registrar.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Mompha and his firm, Ismalob Global Investment Limited for alleged money laundering to the tune of over N6billion.
He is facing an eight- count charge bordering on the offences of money laundering.
The counts were conspiracy to launder funds obtained through unlawful activity, retention of such funds, transfer of funds for a suspect Olayinka Jimoh a.k.a Nappy Boy, and unlawful transfer of funds for a record label, among others.
The sums named in the charge seen by The Nation are N5,998,884.653.18, N32million, N120million and N15,960,000, totalling over N6billion.
The EFCC also alleged that Mompha concealed his interest in expensive wristwatches and an iPhone valued at over N70million.
They are a “Rolex Oyster Perpetual Wristwatch, Audemars Piguet Wristwatch, Audemars Piguet-J46220 Wristwtach, XY Hublot-1321920 Wristwatch, XY Hublot-924206 Wristwatch and an iPhone 8 with Serial No. CBPVF1KJC6C, worth over N70million.”
Mompha pleaded “Not guilty” to the eight counts while his company, Islamob Limited (represented by Mompha) also pleaded “not guilty” to the first six counts.
At exactly 9:50 a.m., the Biafra Nation agitator, Nnamdi Kanu stormed the court room of the Federal High Court in Abuja in preparation for his fresh arraignment on 15-count terrorism charges.
He was welcomed into the court room by four members of his family and later exchanged pleasantries with his lawyers led by Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN.
Meanwhile, the trial Justice, Binta Nyako has entered the court and proceeding has commenced.
Kanu is already in the dock for his plea to be taken.
Shuaib Labaran is leading the prosecution, while Ozekhome is leading defense.
Earthquake in Badghis; At least 26 people were killed
Local Taliban officials in Badghis province say two earthquakes in the province have killed at least 26 people, including five women.
Baz Mohammad Sarwari, the Taliban's cultural director in Badghis, told the daily Al-Itteha Rooz that only 15 people had been killed in the village of Badruk in Qades district.
Today's quake shook the western provinces of Afghanistan and the eastern regions of Iran. The quake measured 4.9 on the Richter scale, according to the US Geological Survey. The epicenter was reported below the Qades district of Badghis.
Taliban cultural officials in Badghis say the quake has caused huge financial losses to the people and they are trying to help.
According to Baz Mohammad Sarwari, a large number of houses in Qala-e-Naw city and districts have been damaged. He stressed that there is a possibility of an increase in human casualties; Because the statistics provided so far are rudimentary.
The management of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), on Sunday, decried the rising spate of outright energy theft and meter bypass within the South-East.
“This development has consistently impacted negatively on the revenue of the company and ultimately impacted its ability to meet up with its obligations to market operators,” the Head, Corporate Communications, EEDC, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, said in a statement.
Ezeh said this in Enugu while he recounted the recent apprehension of one of the company’s maximum demand customers (high energy-consuming customers) by the company’s task force team, for involving in meter bypass.
He said the customer totally bypassed the meter installed in his facility and directly connected the armored cables from the mains to the factory, a situation that kept the meter idle while the customer was busy consuming energy.
“It was gathered that the customer, now a third time offender in meter bypass, is in the habit of downing tools during the day (giving the impression of low business activity) only to resume full operations at night when EEDC officials must have all closed for the day.
“Luck, however, ran out on them when they were busted and caught in the act by the task force,” he said.
Ezeh lamented at the increasing rate at which the company’s high energy-consuming customers are engaging in the act of sabotage, stressing that there was a need to nip this in the board.
“One of our customers based at Ikenegbu Extension, Owerri, has been apprehended the fourth time for engaging in meter tampering and illegal reconnection.
“Another one located at Emene Industrial Layout in Enugu has been caught thrice for engaging in meter tampering and insertion of resistors on all the phases behind the meter board.
“If this growing trend is not abated, the sector will continue to feel the negative impact of these infractions,” the EEDC spokesman said.
Ezeh said that in a related development at Woliwo area of Onitsha, Anambra, a prepaid meter connected to a residential building was bypassed.
“When discovered by the team of the task force, one of the occupants of the building resisted the team from disconnecting the building; thus, threatening them with a cutlass. It took the intervention of the police to carry out the disconnection,” he said.
Ezeh noted that meter bypass accounts for the huge losses recorded by the distribution companies and this largely impacts negatively on the growth of the power sector.
“The company has been investing in its network infrastructure and working assiduously to consistently improve its operations to deliver quality service to its customers, but this cannot be sustained if customers continue to sabotage these efforts,” he said.
Ezeh appealed to those customers engaging any of these evil acts to desist from such acts, adding that the task force would continue to be on the lookout for offenders and when caught appropriate sanctions would be applied.
“Customers are also encouraged to report anyone engaging in such activities through the established whistle-blowing platforms: 08146026678, 084 700 110, and ethics@enugudisco.com,” he added.
PRESIDENT BUHARI SETS THE BALL ROLLING FOR A BIG MILITARY OPERATION IN NIGER STATE
President @MBuhari as Commander-in-Chief of the nation’s armed forces has set the ball rolling for a major military operation in Niger State which has faced continued attacks on its communities by bandits and remnants of Boko Haram terrorists fleeing theaters of war in the Northwestern and Northeastern parts of the country.
In a directive to @DefenceInfoNG a few days ago, the President asked the military to respond robustly to the cases of killings & kidnappings in the State & to give effect to the strategic objectives through the use of force.
In his message to the government and people of Niger State, President Buhari said, “I would like to express sincere sympathies to the government and people of the State following recent security incidents.”
The President reiterated that security is a responsibility of every member of the community and only through solidarity and cooperation with law enforcement agencies can we defeat the problems finally.
“@NigeriaGov is willing to strengthen support and cooperation with all the states. I believe that with the full cooperation of the citizens, we will surely overcome this problem,” said the President.
The Borno State Commissioner of Police, Abdul Umar, has said no mobile police officer was abducted by Boko Haram during an attack on Police Mobile Training College, Gwoza.
The police chief, who admitted that there was an attack on the college, said the insurgents were successfully repelled by policemen.
Umar, while addressing a press conference in Maiduguri on Friday labelled the published report as fake news, noting that: “The attention of the Borno State Police Command has been drawn to news making round on Social Media, alleging that an undisclosed number of PMF personnel were abducted at the Police Mobile Training College, Gwoza.
“The Command wishes to categorically debunk the news, consider it as “fake news” and also to inform the general public that the insurgents, who attacked the PMF training college on the 13th January, 2022 at about 2022hrs were successfully repelled by our gallant officers and men.”
He said: “The police did not record a single casualty nor loss of firearms and no casualty on the part of the Police was recorded.”
Umar added that: “On this note, I am using this medium to call the attention of the general public to disregard any misleading information that may likely cause panic and disturb the peace of innocent citizens who are roaming endlessly in search of a greener pasture, and to assure them of our commitment, focus and determination toward bringing an end to the insurgency and other crimes and criminality in Borno State.”
Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume and Chairman Senate Committee on Army on Friday denied media reports (not in Vanguard) claiming that dozens of Police Officers were kidnapped by Boko Haram members who invaded Limankara village and some parts of Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, including the Police Mobile Training School which was deserted some year ago.
Recalled that some unconfirmed reports revealed that armed Boko Haram sect invaded Limankara village which is about 20km drive south of Gwoza town and kidnapped unspecified number of police officer on training.
But Ndume who hail from Gwoza and representing Borno South Senatorial District in an exclusive interview with our Correspondent in Maiduguri on Friday said, the report is untrue, baseless and capable of causing fear and anxiety amongst the peaceful residents in the community.
He said, “It is not true that some police officers were kidnapped in Limankara, Infact, there are no policemen in Limankara, we only have Military troops/Battalion in Limankara who are up and doing, and there is no attack of such nature. I will describe the reports as untrue and baseless.
“I have been receiving daily update on the efforts troops are doing to safeguard Limankara and other communities in Gwoza, and I am much impressed.
“The troops in Limankara are not only stationed in one place, we have them at the deserted Police Mobile Training School, some hills around those axis with sophisticated surveillance cameras and equipments to spot terrorsists’ movement.
“So as far as I am concern and as Chairman Senate Committee on Army who is privilege to have security information all over the country, Limankara community and other surrounding villages are calm and peaceful with Military Battalion stationed at strategic places who have been crushing fleeing Boko Haram insurgents crossing from Sambisa forest to the Mandara mountains of Cameroun on daily basis.” Ndume stated.
He therefore called on the media practitioners to always verify their own reports before going to press, especially the ones which concerns security of lives and property.
2021 RECRUITMENT OF POLICE CONSTABLES: ONLINE REGISTRATION EXTENDED BY TEN DAYS
·As Portal Closes Saturday, January 22, 2022
The Nigeria Police Force wishes to inform citizens that the online registration in the ongoing 2021 recruitment exercise for interested and eligible Nigerians into the service of the Nigeria Police Force as Police Constables, has been extended to Saturday, January 22, 2022. With this extension, the NPF recruitment portal will remain open till midnight of the new date.
The extension of the online application is informed by the need to ensure equal opportunity and even spread of applications, particularly from States in the South-East, South-South geopolitical zones and Lagos State, to enable them meet up with the required quota for their respective areas. A statistical analysis shows that a total of 81,005 applications were received nationwide as at January 7, 2022. Out of this figure, only 1,404 applications - less than 2% of the total applications - were received from the five States in the South East and 261 from Lagos State, with Anambra State having the least figure of 158 applicants.
Consequently, the Force enjoins States and Local Governments, religious bodies and other interest groups in the affected Geopolitical zones and Lagos State to assist in mobilizing and encouraging their citizens and wards to take advantage of the opportunity to seek a career path in the Nigeria Police Force. Interested applicants are urged to log-on to the NPF recruitment portal, www.policerecruitment.gov.ng to register before the expiration of the new deadline.
Applicants are further advised to call 08100004507 for any inquiry or complaints or technical difficulties in the use of the portal. The recruitment exercise is absolutely free of charge.
CP FRANK MBA FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER FORCE HEADQUARTERS ABUJA
One of the newly procured Warri-Itakpe standard gauge train coaches was on Tuesday evening gutted by fire.
This is even as a video trending online showed Nigerian Railway Workers (NRC) battling the inferno with leaves, blankets and other objects due to the non-availability of fire extinguishers on board the train coaches.
Speaking exclusively with the Nigerian Tribune early on Wednesday morning, a staff of the NRC said the cause of the fire is still unknown.
“The cause of the fire is still unknown as we speak but it has finally been put out. It is one of the new trains that runs scheduled trips between Warri and Itakpe,” the staff told Nigerian Tribune exclusively.
When asked why NRC workers were seen in a video battling the fire with leaves and blankets instead of a fire extinguisher, the staff said most of the train coaches don’t have fire extinguishers fitted in them.
“Most of the train coaches don’t have fire extinguishers. So the workers used what was available to them as of the time of the incident and they were able to quench the inferno even though a substantial part of the coach was burnt,” the staff added.
When contacted, the Spokesman of the NRC, Mr. Mahmood Yakub explained that investigation is ongoing to unravel the cause of the fire.
“Our MD will be addressing the media on the cause of the fire before the close of Wednesday, but investigation is ongoing to know what caused the fire on one of the Warri-Itakpe coaches,” the NRC Spokesman told the Nigerian Tribune exclusively.
10 dead, 8 rescued, others trapped as Church building collapses in Delta during first service
THE building housing Salvation Ministry, Okpanam, Oshimili North Local Government Area, Delta State, has collapsed, trapping unspecified number of worshippers with over 10 deaths recorded.
The building, which is being used for the first time, reportedly collapsed at about 5:55p.m. during Tuesday’s evening service.
Vanguard reports that about eight persons have been rescued unhurt, while four persons have been rushed to the Asaba Specialist Hospital.
At the time of filing this report, Secretary to the State Government, Chief Patrick Ukah; the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Ononye Mordi, team of Red Cross officers, and fire fighters were on ground on a rescue mission.
With rescue operations ongoing, worshippers, family members and sympathisers were seen crying.
In a first-of-its kind operation, surgeons successfully implanted the heart of a genetically modified pig into a human patient, saving his life after he’d previously been deemed ineligible for a traditional heart transplant.
David Bennett Sr., of Maryland, was safely in recovery from the procedure on Monday, where his doctors from the University of Maryland Medical center have been monitoring his condition.
“It creates the pulse, it creates the pressure, it is his heart,” Dr. Bartley Griffith, the director of the cardiac transplant program at the medical center, told The New York Times. “It’s working and it looks normal. We are thrilled, but we don’t know what tomorrow will bring us. This has never been done before.”
The procedure marks the first time a genetically modified animal heart has been transplanted into a human body without immediate rejection, according to UMD.
“It was either die or do this transplant. I want to live. I know it’s a shot in the dark, but it’s my last choice,” Mr Bennett said of the procedure in a statement. “I look forward to getting out of bed after I recover.”
The 57-year-old had been in hospital for weeks with a life-threatening heart arrhythmia and only a heart-lung bypass machine was keeping him alive before the procedure. A previous surgery involved putting a pig valve into his heart, but his January operation would take things to a whole new level.
The surgery, conducted on Friday with emergency authorisation from the Food and Drug Administration, could open the door for greater organ access, according to the doctor who performed it.
“This was a breakthrough surgery and brings us one step closer to solving the organ shortage crisis. There are simply not enough donor human hearts available to meet the long list of potential recipients,” said Dr Bartley P Griffith in a statement.
Roughly 110,00 people are waiting for organ transplants in the US, and more than 6,000 die each year before they can be matched with an organ donor and brought in for surgery.
Doctors have attempted so-called “xenotransplants” of animal organs into human bodies since the 1980s, but trials featuring entire have largely eased since the case of Stephanie Fae Beauclair, a baby who died a month after receiving a baboon heart to cure a fatal heart condition. Pig heart valves, similar to those in humans, have been used successfully for transplants.
A regenerative medicine company called Revivicor supplied the pig heart for the procedure, using a combination of years of breeding and genetic editing to produce a suitable donor, a 240-pound male standard pig.
The company edited out three genes in the pig’s DNA that would’ve caused a human body to reject the organ, while adding in six human genes that would cause the heart to be accepted.
Once the heart was harvested, it was kept in a special box that supplied it with nutrients and hormones.
Researchers had previously tried using pig hearts in baboons, and were able to keep them alive for months on end, honing which genes played key roles in preventing bodies from rejecting organs.
Crime › Kaduna Govt Confirms 11 Killed, Others Injured As Bandits Attack Zangon Kataf by HonNL(op): 8:44pm On Jan 30, 2022
