₦airaland Forum

As the country gears up to restart commercial flights, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria is set to deploy robots in its airports all over the country, The PUNCH has learnt.

It was gathered that the robots would be used for passenger facilitation processes including profiling, check-ins, temperature checks as well as detection of security threats including dangerous goods and arms.

Confirming the development, General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Henrietta Yakubu told our correspondent over the phone that the test run of the robots was done at the Lagos Airport on Saturday.

“It’s a demo that is going on in Lagos. It’s been demonstrated. If it works fine, it will be adopted,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority today conducted a simulation flight ahead of the reopening of the country’s airspace to commercial operations.

The flight was operated by Aero Contractors beginning from the Abuja Airport to the Lagos Airport and vice-versa.

The regulator is expected to announce the resumption date for scheduled domestic operations anytime soon.

The country’s airports and airspace were shut in March by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.). as part of measures to curb the spread of the lethal coronavirus.

The President’s order, however, permitted the operations of essential flights such as for medical supplies, evacuation, others.

Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama has said officials of Nigerian High Commission in Accra, Ghana, committed an error that culminated in the demolition of a structure within the premises of the High Commission.

The minister noted that the officials failed to take necessary action to get requisite documents for ownership of the parcel of land the structure was built on.

But he emphasised that such error was not an enough reason for the pulling down of the building by a Ghanaian businessman last weekend.

Onyeama said the Ghanaian government had assumed responsibility for the demolition and promised to rebuild the structure to its original level.

The minister, who addressed reporters on the resolution between Nigeria and Ghana on the demolition, said the Nigerian High Commission failed to obtain legal title for the land, which it had paid for in Year 2000.

Besides, the minister said it also failed to obtain necessary approvals before erecting the building.

“It was clearly a mistake on our side. What the Ghanaians said is that owing to the fact that our High Commission did not obtain a lease, following the allocation letter they got after paying for the plot of land, nor did we proceed to obtain a land title certificate and we didn’t even get a building permit for the new property.

“When other people came claiming ownership of the land, the commission did not see anything in the register because the lease title had not been obtained. It is clearly an error on the side of our High Commission.

“We would learn from that. But clearly, our documenting and record-keeping and processes would need to be sharpened. In terms of how we deal with our officers, this is something that happened in 2000. That was 20 years ago.

“The officials are no longer in service. We rather just learn from our mistake and ensure we have more rigour whenever we are engaging in legal issues in all our missions.

“The Ghanaian government has directed the necessary administrative procedures that were not followed should be done now, meaning that title deeds be formerly given to the High Commission of Nigeria since the documentary proof acknowledged by the Ghanaian land registry of receipt of payment on the property has been done many years ago.”

Former Oyo Senator Abiola Ajimobi died on Thursday after suspected COVID-19 complications.

Tributes are pouring the late’s politician’s antecedents.

While he was Governor, he was well-known with three of these nicknames.

1. Constituted Authority

You guessed right! That is indisputably the most popular nickname of the late politician.

In reminiscence, Ajimobi had expressly pronounced himself ‘constituted authority’ in 2017 whilst students of the Oyo/Osun states’ jointly-owned Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomosho protested at Oyo Secretariat over the elongated lockdown of their institution as a result of nonpayment of lecturers.

The former governor described himself the ‘constituted authority’ in accordance with the 1999 constitution although that infuriated the youths the more, a reason the name sticks till date.

2. ‘Pe egun re’ 1

Roughly translated, the Yoruba expressions means ‘Number One jinx-breaker’ or ‘record breaker’

In the history of Oyo state, no politician had served as governor for two terms apart from Ajimobi.

Christopher Alao-Akala, a close rival, was only a deputy governor under Chief Rashidi Ladoja and later served out the joint tenure after his boss was impeached.

He went on to serve a full tenure of four years as governor.

In the case of Ajimobi, he was elected governor on two occassions – in 2011 and 2015. This was found groundbreaking as Ibadan, the political headquarters and capital of the state in the agelong belief of never following one person more than once. It was Ajimobi that broke the jinx.

3. The Builder

In this political circle, supporters also excite him with eulogy as the builder of Modern Oyo.

Indeed, Oyo rose to be an enviable economic hub during the eight years Ajimobi served, attracting foreign investors and giving facelift to the ancient state.

When the state’s Publicity Secretary of Lagos State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Seye Oladejo recently dismissed the insinuation that the leadership of the party has begun the process of replacing the late lawmaker that represented Lagos East zone in the upper chamber, Senator Bayo Oshinowo, many insiders knew that there was more to it. Oshinowo died on Monday, June 15, 2020.

Oladejo had said the party was still mourning and that it would be inappropriate to start strategizing on his replacement so soon. However, indications have emerged that some members of the party from the senatorial district are not leaving anything to chances.

The development, of course, will put to test the acceptability and popularity for the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration and that of his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat before citizens of the state especially in Lagos East zone where a by-election will be conducted to fill the vacuum created.

At present the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is yet to fix a date for the bye-election but some stakeholders in the opposition party have expressed worries why the commission has kept silent on making necessary information about the bye-election public since the demise of Oshinowo.

Oshinowo, who came from Kosofe axis of Lagos East zone, remained a strong ally, staunch loyalists and political foot soldier of the National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu till he died. Besides the internal politicking that will characterize the process of selecting a candidate for the ruling party, the coming bye-election will also open the old rivalry between Lagos APC and the major opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

While some observers are of the opinion that the ruling APC remains strong and stands a better chance to crush the opposition to retain the seat, contrary views indicate that PDP could capitalize on the present political upheavals going on in APC to claim victory whenever the bye-election is conducted.

A source indicated that “Lagos APC will defeat PDP to retain the seat because of its structure, well-organized political machinery and its financial strength,” adding that this is despite APC undergoing some internal challenges, which if the PDP is smart, it may likely secure victory in the bye-election. But PDP itself is not immune to internal crisis. It has since been fragmented into about three factions after suffering defeat in the 2019 general elections.”

Why bye-election is key to Sanwo-Olu

IT may not yet be clear to many observers that Governor Sanwo-Olu and his deputy are two stakeholders that need to put all they have into Lagos East Senatorial bye-election without necessarily leaving anything to chance both from within or outside the party.

As an insider put it, “Of course, all members of Lagos APC will still defer to Tinubu when it comes to the selection of a would-be candidate. It is, however, more important for the incumbent to get involved to determine who succeeds Oshinowo ahead of the permutations for the 2023 presidential and governorship elections that are already on the way.”

For instance, the negative reverberation resulting from the controversial circumstances that threw up Sanwo-Olu as APC’s governorship candidate in the direct primary in 2018 has not been totally resolved among the electorate in Lagos East. Many of them are still nursing their wounds over the disgraceful manner in which the former governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode was denied a second term ticket by the party’s leadership.

“It is not yet clear if those aggrieved members in Lagos East have overcome their grievances and may not likely want to use this opportunity to express their grouse,” a source said.

Another challenge the ruling party will face in selecting the candidate to replace Osinowo is the fact that Sanwo-Olu came from Lagos Central, but with Tinubu’s support in 2018, he defeated Ambode, who hails from Epe in Lagos East. But the manner Ambode was denied the second term ticket was regarded as a breach of zoning and gentleman’s agreement in the ruling party among the three senatorial districts in the state.

Many hold grouse against Tinubu, who emerged as governor in 1999 on the platform of Alliance for Democracy (AD), but came through Lagos West and spent two terms. Tinubu’s successor and Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola came from Lagos Central and also spent two terms in office. In 2015, the ticket was given to Ambode from Lagos East with many believing he would also spend two terms, but the case was not to be. Sanwo-Olu will have a lot of explaining to do to people of Lagos East in this aspect.

Another challenge Sanwo-Olu will need to address as the bye-election comes close is the displeasure of members of Lagos East over the controversial manner Senator Gbenga Ashafa from the Ibeju-Lekki axis was also dishonorably deprived the opportunity to return to the upper chamber for the third term unlike the wife of the national leader, Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu, who easily earned her third term ticket in the same process.

It is insinuated that the party’s leadership deliberately used 2018 direct primary to stop the former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Lands, Ashafa to pave the way for the late Oshinowo. The governor may also need to work on the psyche of the electorate in Ibeju-Lekki and Epe ahead of the bye-election.

The Guardian authoritatively gathered that some leaders of the party from Lagos East are already making moves to direct the electorate’s attention towards their political interest for the vacant seat. Some politicians from Epe Division have been accused as the brain behind the zone’s misfortunes.

But some members in the party told The Guardian, “For any Epe-based politician to be jostling for the Lagos East Senatorial District’s seat is more like a direct affront to the deputy governor, who is also from Epe. It is not possible for Epe axis to produce the deputy and also the senator simultaneously.”

The state’s Publicity Secretary, mr. Oladejo, however, told The Guardian to discountenance any report about names of those the party will put forward since nothing has so far happened at the party level in that direction.

According to him, “It will be unfair to Oshinowo and his family if the party should start the process of replacement now when we are still mourning. It is also not true that the party has tagged any name or names for the vacant seat.”

Meanwhile, the current development at the APC national level may also not have allowed Lagos chapter to have time to start discussion arrangements for Oshinowo’s replacement.

The PDP challenge

The history of Lagos West Senatorial elections since 1999 has never been in the favour of PDP except when Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe won the 1999 senatorial election in the zone on the platform of defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD). But he later defected to PDP. PDP could not, however, retain the position in 2003. Since then, other PDP candidates had always lost to the ruling party. But with the coming bye-election, PDP is hoping to take advantage of the in-house bickering in the ruling party, depending on the type of candidate APC fields.

Lagos’ PDP spokesman, Taofik Gani has, however, chided INEC for failing to supply any information since the demise of Oshinowo on when a bye-election would be conducted to fill the vacant seat. He alleged that it would appear deliberate so as to favour the ruling party “because as we speak, I doubt if any mention of the demise of the late lawmaker has been made on INEC’s portal, not to talk of releasing information on how another bye-election will be conducted. Apart from the ruling APC, there is not another party in Lagos that has heard anything from INEC about the bye-election.”

On plans by the party to participate in the bye-election whenever it holds, Gani said, “For now, we are planning but it is not yet for media consumption. However, the only person we still have on ground is Princes Abiodun Olufusi from Ikorodu, who contested against Oshinowo on PDP platform but lost in 2019. Others are definitely going to show interest as time goes on and we are hoping to also capitalize on the possible implosion APC might face in the process of selecting their candidate, which, of course, will give us an edge.”

The Guardian also learnt that the wife of the governorship candidate of AD in the 2019 election, Mr. Owolabi Salis, Mrs. Olabisi Salis from Ikorodu, might also be drafted into the senatorial race. She contested in 2015 against Ashafa and lost. It is not yet clear if she will run on the platform of PDP or AD, but the pressure is being mounted on her to contest.

But a credible source from INEC chided Gani over the insinuation that the commission was unnecessarily keeping silence over the Lagos East Senatorial bye-election allegedly to the advantage of the ruling party.

According to the source, “It is unfortunate that Lagos PDP is saying this because it is the same set of politicians that insisted INEC should not conduct election because of the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. We had initially planned to conduct all the bye-elections in about 10 states but for the pandemic, which forced us to cancel the arrangement. Recalled that politicians insisted INEC should shift Edo and Ondo States’ governorship elections but we refused.

“INEC is just regrouping and strategizing on how to conduct all the outstanding bye-elections. Moreover, we are still awaiting the notification from the Senate President about the demise of the lawmaker in question, just as we are strategizing seriously to conduct the elections.”

The source also disclosed that the commission was yet to decide when to fix the various bye-elections but that it has released COVID-19 policy in respect to the conduct of elections putting into consideration the pandemic of which all the stakeholders including political parties were all happy with.

“It is therefore not true that INEC is unnecessarily silent over Lagos East bye-election to replace late Osinowo,” it continued, “there are other such elections we are looking to conduct across the country.”

Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja

With Wednesday’s approval of the N2.3 trillion Nigeria Economic Sustainability Plan by the Federal Executive Council, the Federal Government has stopped what it called non-critical and administrative capital spending, including the purchase of vehicles.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, disclosed this in a document tagged, “What you need to know about the Nigeria Economic Sustainability Plan” made available to journalists in Abuja on Thursday.

The plan was developed by the Economic Sustainability Committee chaired by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and established by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), earlier in March.

It was designed to support the nation’s economy in the face of the disruptions and challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Adesina listed eight key interventions as stated in the plan to include mass agricultural programme, infrastructure, informal sector support, business support for MSMEs, technology, expansion of National Social Investment Programmes, cut non-essential spending and support for state governments.

As part of ways to cut non-essential spending, Adesina said only ambulances, fire-fighting vehicles and other essentials are exempted from the ban on the purchase of vehicles.

He said, “The President has approved the implementation of the report on the rationalisation of government agencies.
“The NESP will also target a reduction in average production costs of crude oil.

“Also, the Integrated Personnel and Payment Information System will be expanded to cover all Federal Government’s MDAs.

“Non-critical and administrative capital spending will be eliminated, including purchase of vehicles (except for ambulances, fire-fighting vehicles and other essentials).”

He added that the Economic Sustainability Committee would monitor the implementation of the plan while the Vice President will regularly brief the President on progress made.

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A 36-year-old man, Fatai Oyedele, has attempted to take his own life as he reportedly jumped into the popular Ogun River in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

DAILY POST reports that the incident happened around 1:15pm on Wednesday.

Our correspondent gathered that Oyedele was rescued by men of the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement (TRACE) Corps.

The Spokesperson of Ogun TRACE Corps, Babatunde Akinbiyi, confirmed the incident to DAILY POST.

The man, who was seen with a bottle of insecticide, suspected to be an insecticide, is said to be a resident of Tourist Estate, Obere Atan-Ota area of the State.


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It was not clear how he travelled all the way from Atan-Ota to Abeokuta for the aborted suicide mission.

Akinbiyi informed that Oyedele, a clothes seller, is married with five children.

He said Oyedele “attempted to commit suicide by jumping into the river with a poisonous insecticide in his hand.

“Our prompt intervention and the help of some civilians at the scene evaded what would have been an eventual suicide

“He was pulled out of the river and was later taken to the Adigbe Police Station for further investigation.”

A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has refused to bar Godwin Obaseki, the Edo State Governor, from participating in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election slated for Thursday.

Mr Obaseki was granted waiver by the PDP recently after he joined the opposition party from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The suit was instituted by one of the governorship aspirants of the PDP, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, who had vowed not to step down for Mr Obaseki.

A major reason stated by Mr Ogbeide-Ihama was that Mr Obaseki recently joined the party and only those who purchased the forms during the stipulated window should be allowed to participate in the primary election.

Just like Mr Obaseki’s former party, the APC, Mr Ogbeide-Ihama also questioned his educational credentials.

Mr Ogbeide-Ihama also prayed that the primaries be put on hold pending when the court would hear the motion on notice.

The judge, E. A Obile, however, did not grant that prayer. The judge asked that the motion seeking to bar Mr Obaseki be served on the defendants including Mr Obaseki via newspaper publication.

Several newspapers, including PREMIUM TIMES, earlier on Tuesday reported that Mr. Obaseki had been barred by the court from contesting the election. Those accounts of the court proceeding were inaccurate, PREMIUM TIMES later confirmed.

Mr Obaseki joined the Peoples Democratic Party on Friday after he was disqualified by his former party, APC, from seeking re-election allegedly for submitting questionable certificates.

The number of personnel at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19 in Delta State has depleted following the sudden death of some taskforce members in the past few weeks.

Investigation revealed that no fewer than 20 persons, mostly ad-hoc personnel in the fight against COVID-19 died after brief illnesses.

An inside source said they may have died as a result of the ravaging global disease, adding that reports of the demise were being kept under wraps to avoid tension.

The source added that the list did not include high profile government officials in the state.

Last Sunday, Secretary to State Government, Chiedu Ebie and Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu tested positive to COVID-19.

The two top officials who hail from Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s Ika constituency, are now in isolation centre for treatment.

Chief Press Secretary to Governor Okowa, Olisa Ifeajika, who confirmed the COVID-19 positive status of his fellow appointees, said the officials were responding positively to treatment.

The Peoples Democratic Party has named a five-member electoral committee to conduct the June 25 Edo State Governorship primary.

Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, is to serve as Chairman, while lawmaker representing Mangu/Bukkos Federal Constituency of Plateau State in the House of Representatives, Solomon Bulus Maren, was named as the Secretary.

Other members are Governors Seyi Makinde and Bello Muhammad Matawalle of Oyo and Zamfara states respectively, and Senator Lilian Ekwunife.

The PDP National Organising Secretary, Austin Akobundu, made this known in a press statement obtained by The PUNCH on Monday.

It read, “The National Working Committee of our great party has approved the nomination of the following party members and leaders to serve on the gubernatorial primary electoral committee.


“The committee is mandated to conduct the primary election that will elect our Party’s flagbearer in Edo State, for the upcoming 2020 Governorship election in the state.

“The exercise is scheduled for Thursday, June 25, 2020, in Benin City, Edo State.”

Nigeria may face petrol scarcity if oil workers make good the threat of withdrawing their services nationwide should the Federal Government insist on registering employees in the oil sector on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System.

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers made the threat in a letter addressed to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva.

The unions kicked against plans by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation to register oil workers on the IPPIS platform.

The letter, which was dated June 19, 2020, and sighted by our correspondent in Abuja on Sunday, was jointly signed by the General Secretaries of PENGASSAN and NUPENG, Lumumgba Okugbawa and Olawale Afolabi, respectively.

The unions said their apprehension about the IPPIS platform stemmed from the fact that it discountenanced the peculiarities of the oil and gas sector with regards to collective bargaining agreement and approved pay structure between the unions and the Federal Government.

“We reiterate that industrial peace in the sector cannot be guaranteed if the salaries of our members are stopped or if the implementation is carried out unilaterally without our input,” the unions said.

Afolabi also confirmed to our correspondent that the unions would embark on industrial action if the government neglects their requests.

He, however, said that no date had been fixed for the commencement of such action as the unions were optimistic that the government would listen to their demands.

The letter stated that the unions were surprised that though the Federal Government recently revived the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System, where all affected agencies were currently on, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation still insisted on enrolling oil workers on the IPPIS platform.

Describing the IPPIS platform as defective and problematic, the unions urged the petroleum minister to intervene in the matter to avert crisis in the oil sector.

Both oil unions stressed that they were counting on Sylva’s understanding in resolving the matter.

By Sunday Oguntola,
Some entrenched forces within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Edo chapter, have become disgruntled with how Governor Godwin Obaseki was accepted into the party without “due consultation”, investigation has revealed.

Obaseki, who joined the party last Friday following his disqualification by the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) from its primary on the basis of “defective qualifications”, was received by the chapter chairman, Dr Tony Aziegbemi, in a carnival-like atmosphere in Benin.

But despite the warmth with which the Governor was received, it was gathered many stakeholders in the party are displeased he joined without them being carried along. While they considered the Governor’s defection to the party as a welcome development, they expressed strong reservation over how it happened.

To further fuel the resentment, they pointed out Obaseki’s welcome remark was anything but assuring. The governor, immediately after defecting to the party, said: “I know that upon taking up membership of this party, I automatically become the leader of the party in the state. That is the constitution; I read it thoroughly last night (Thursday).

“I want to assure all of you that I am prepared to provide leadership. I am prepared to provide a leadership that will lead this party to victory and I am prepared to provide a leadership that will not only put PDP in office in Edo State but as the ruling party in Edo State.”

A strong stakeholder confided in our correspondent that Obaseki’s pronouncement confirms he was imposed on them by National Working Committee (NWC) members and PDP governors.

“What he said was very revealing and disturbing. Who joins a party and automatically becomes the leader? Even if that is what will be, Obaseki should have been more discreet.

“It shows he is coming to the party to displace those who have worked for years to build the structure. He is going to plant his people everywhere, thereby suffocating those who have toiled for the party even in opposition,” he lamented.

The governor, another stakeholder pointed out, has shown he is not a team player. “It is just about him and his ambition. It is not about the party structure. He simply wants to use our platform to fulfil his ambition and move on. This is a great danger that will boomerang for the party,” he stressed.

Checks revealed those who have been working vigorously for PDP in Edo feel alienated by Obaseki’s defection. A former executive member recalled how immediate Edo PDP chairman Dan Orbih and his team battled the ruling APC to a standstill at the last general elections.

Orbih led PDP to win four of the nine House of Representatives slots at the last National Assembly elections. The PDP won two of the three senatorial seats despite facing a ruling party with federal machinery. At the 2016 governorship poll, PDP made a strong statement by garnering 253,173 votes to APC’s 319,483.

All of these, the source stated, leave no one in doubt that Orbih led PDP to a good showing despite facing a ruling APC. “So, to give Obaseki the impression he is coming to help us is false because if not for federal power, PDP routed APC in 2016. Rather, he is the one that needs us. The notion that he is a big fish is just nothing but guesswork,” another key stakeholder stated.

It was learnt the growing resentment may affect the second term bid of Obaseki and more importantly the party’s future in Edo as long-standing members feel sidelined and unappreciated. Many of them, sources said, may not work for the party in the September 9 governorship poll.

They feel Obaseki has come to PDP with a lot of baggage, which made the APC disqualify him. “Our party feels we will just win by fielding Obaseki as a sitting governor but it is not true. Look, APC knew why they rejected him.

“He hasn’t sorted out his qualification issue. Supposing he even manages to win, do you think the APC won’t catch in on that to file suits against him? Where will that leave us as party members and stakeholders?” another stakeholder informed.

Also, screened governorship aspirants have vowed never to step down for Obaseki. Kenneth Imasuagbon spoke the minds of his co-aspirants when he said: “The contemplation of me stepping down is preposterous. You can’t ask me to step down after my (political) struggle for the past 16 years.

“Why? How do I explain that to the people who laboured for me in the past 16 years? Even in the dream, I can’t have such a thought.

“Nobody should reach out to me. That is of no value to me. There is no advantage to him (Obaseki). Let there not be intimidation or any form of manipulation of the process by the leadership of the party at the national level.”

A key stakeholder said: “Obaseki should just pipe down. He has to acknowledge he cannot win alone. He needs everyone on board to be able to use the party structure well. If he thinks and acts otherwise, it will spell doom for him and the party.”

From all indications, the days ahead appear turbulent in Edo PDP as its internal cohesion is tested with the arrival of a former foe, Obaseki. Will there be a rumble? Time will tell.

Rather than sanction stiff punishment for the erring officer, Magu went ahead to turn the entire case on its head by ordering the arrest of the complainants and leaving his ‘godson’ off the hook.

Facts have emerged on how Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, uses his office to cover up and protect some corrupt and criminal elements within the organisation.

Magu, who has been unsuccessful in getting the National Assembly to confirm his appointment since he was thrown forward by President Muhammadu Buhari, was discovered to have used his office to turn a case against the complainants simply because one of his “boys” was found culpable of criminal act in the matter.

On November 8, 2018, one Mr Olalekan Abdul honoured an invitation to EFCC office in Ikoyi, Lagos, and was accompanied by Mr Azubuike Ishiekwene, a veteran journalist.

Ishiekwene had accompanied Abdul to the office of the anti-graft agency to stand as surety for him in case he needed one at the end of his interrogation that day.

The EFCC wanted explanations on their role in an alleged case of forgery with the intent to defraud Wema Bank of the sum of N350m.

But against their expectations, the two men were detained and only released late that night on a bail bond of N20bn each.

Upon their release, they instructed their lawyer to contact the EFCC leadership in Abuja and notify them of attempts by the officers in Lagos to extort money from them.

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As first instalment, the EFCC investigators in Lagos asked Abdul and Ishiekwene to pay $20,000 on November 9 – the next day after their arrest.

After their lawyer contacted Mr Ola Olukoyede, currently Secretary to the Commission, on the matter, he asked the two men to play along with the EFCC officials demanding bribe in Lagos with a view to apprehending them.

A sting team consisting of Mr Orji Chukwuma and Mr Rotimi Oyedepo was set up and at about 2:35pm on the same day (November 9, 2018) at Muritala Mohammed Airport 2 Car Park H1 in Lagos, one of the officials demanding bribe was arrested.

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However, when the identity of the arrested officer was examined, it turned out to be Dectective Auwal Umar – a ‘godson’ of the EFCC boss and an integral member of a special squad within the organisation known as “Magu Boys”.

Rather than sanction stiff punishment for the erring officer, Magu went ahead to turn the entire case on its head by ordering the arrest of the complainants and leaving his ‘godson’ off the hook.

A source familiar with this abuse of power by the EFCC Chairman, said, “In his blind fury, Magu ordered the detention of Mr Olalekan Abdul and Mr Azubuike Ishiekwene, who made the report leading to the arrest of his godson.

“That same night, he ordered the search (without any reasonable cause or a search warrant) of the houses and offices of the persons whose report led to the arrest. It was when the lawyer (through whom the report was made to Mr Olukoyede) threatened to call a press conference the next day to expose what was going on that Magu relented and released the unlawful captives/detainees at about 2:15am on November 10, 2018.

“But for the fact that the lawyer through whom the whistle was blown to Mr Olukoyede kept record of it, the EFCC would have succeeded in changing the story to exonerate Detective Auwal Umar and indict the people that reported him.

“Under Magu’s protection, the said Umar had been returned to his position in EFCC, thus confirming that he’s an official bribe-collector for his godfather and therefore above the law.”

President Muhammadu Buhari’s household has generated several scandals and raised not a few national eyebrows since it took up residency in the Presidential Villa.

Most if not all of those scandals were generated by the actions of the First Lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, who was also at the center of last week’s furore.

There were several versions, spins, claims and counter claims about what actually happened last weekend. Essentially, it boiled down to an attempt by Mrs. Buhari to force the President’s nephew/powerful Personal Assistant, Sabi’u Yusuf, popularly known as Tunde, to observe a two week isolation because he returned from a journey.

While some claims said he went to London, senior officials said he only went to Lagos where his wife delivered their first child by caesarean section.

The later version is more believable because he was away for only a day and it is not easy for anyone to go to London these days.

When Yusuf refused to observe isolation, probably with the support of his uncle/boss, Mrs. Buhari took it upon herself to force him to do so.

She took three of her children to Yusuf’s house within the villa, with her police ADC and other security men in tow.

There was an exchange of hot words, followed by a brawl in which policemen descended on Yusuf and beat him up, allegedly because he slapped one of the president’s children.

Yusuf took to his heels and scaled the fence into the house where the president’s powerful nephew Mamman Daura resides.

Shots were even fired, either by the First Lady’s aides who were in hot pursuit or, some claimed, by Mamman Daura’s security guards trying to protect him.

Either way, it was a most embarrassing, most unnecessary and most unbecoming episode.

To have gunshots fired inside the Villa was a breach of security of the highest order. The last time this happened was in the heydays of military coups.

Nigerians were hardly reassured by an official statement that later said the president was not in any danger from the episode. The next day, Mrs. Buhari’s ADC and security aides were arrested on the orders of the Police Inspector General, and President Buhari was said to have ordered an investigation.

The outcome of this “investigation” was not made public. However, reports had it that the First Lady’s ADC and security men who participated in the shameful episode were redeployed.

This is not satisfactory. If, as trained police officers, they obeyed an illegal order, beat up a senior public officer and even fired shots inside the Villa, they deserve much more than redeployment where they could go and perpetrate similar indiscipline and illegality.

On the face of it, Mrs. Buhari was speaking truthfully when she advised Sabi’u Yusuf to isolate under the Quarantine Act. She was also trying to protect her husband.

Yet, there is such a thing as doing the right thing in the wrong way.

Two months ago when some Villa officials attended Malam Abba Kyari’s funeral, they were told to isolate, which they promptly did. The same authority that gave that order should have given this one, instead of trying to enforce it with police might.

In any case, Mrs. Buhari has proved in her five years’ residency at the Villa to be an ill-disciplined, quarrelsome person who is engaged in a battle for supremacy against the so-called cabal around her husband.

Only last year, we had cause to call on her in an editorial titled “Cool down, Mrs. Aisha Buhari” to stop her unnecessary quarrels and tone down on her unguarded public utterances.

Ultimately however, it is President Buhari’s duty to put his household in order and stop these scandals.

No other First Family in Nigeria’s history ever washed its dirty linen in public in this way. It was the last thing that Nigerians expected from the regime of change.

THE crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) has divided the governors elected on the platform of the party.

While 13 governors are backing the Abiola Ajimobi-led National Working Committee, seven others are opposed to it.

The seven governors, who have branded themselves as “reformists,” are desperate to hijack the party’s structure ahead of the 2023 general election.

The 13 governors have, however, described the seven governors as “day dreamers” and “people driven by hubris.”

The crisis is not sitting well with some stakeholders who are now pleading for peace.

The immediate past national chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and the Deputy National Secretary, Mr.Yekini Nabena, in separate statements yesterday called for an immediate resolution of the crisis which was sparked by the suspension of the national chair, Comrade Oshiomhole by a court and the dispute over who should hold the fort in his absence.

A former deputy national secretary of APC, Mr.Victor Giadom, is laying claim to the position over and above the Deputy Chairman (South) Senator Abiola Ajimobi and the National Vice Chairman, Prince Hilliard Etta.

Oshiomhole said yesterday that Giadom was out to harm the party the way his group allegedly did in his home state of Rivers.

Nabena expressed a similar sentiment about Giadom, saying he was acting out a script.

The 13 governors who are backing the Ajimobi-led NWC, The Nation gathered yesterday, see the hand of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the APC crisis and have vowed to find a solution.

However, the other seven APC governors, who have styled themselves as reformists, are not so inclined towards the current leadership of the party.

A few ministers are also said to be fueling the crisis.

Sources said their overall objective is to seize the party’s structure ahead of the 2023 elections.

It was gathered that attempts by some of the aggrieved governors to destroy the minutes of a meeting of the North-East APC held in Gombe State last Saturday were foiled by Governor Babagana Zulum and some party leaders.

The plot to destroy the minutes was meant to pave the way for a fresh crisis in line with a disowned order of a Federal Capital Territory High Court which purportedly asked Giadom to act as National Chairman of the APC.

The National Vice Chairman (Northeast) of the party, Comrade Mustapha Salisu, who purportedly filed the motion, has said he was never a party to it.

He also said he did not ask anyone to file any motion on his behalf.

“I was not part of such shenanigan. It is not in my character to play such dirty politics, and I condemn in strong terms those behind it,” Salisu said on Thursday in reaction to the filing of the suit in his name.

The 13 pro-NWC governors are said to have been alarmed by revelations that the crisis in APC is being fueled by some PDP leaders.

A source cited the defection of Governor Godwin Obaseki to PDP on Friday with an APC governor allegedly playing a key role in the development.

The governor is believed to have helped in getting Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, a waiver to contest the governorship race.

Obaseki himself told reporters in Abuja yesterday that he still enjoys the support and sympathy of APC governors.

“I still thank God that I enjoy national support; not just support from my colleagues from the APC,” he said after his screening for this week’s primary of the PDP in his state.

A top source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The division among the APC governors is deeper. We have 13 on the side of the NWC and seven described as “dreamers.”

The 13 governors believe the party should survive all its leaders. They are therefore working for the stability of APC.

“They are of the opinion that instead of destroying APC, its leaders should sink their differences.

“They are worried that President Buhari is being blackmailed as if the APC was formed to realise his ambition alone.

“They are also insisting that 2023 Presidency should not be allowed to lead to the collapse of APC, irrespective of the aspirations of various leaders.

“They were shocked at the way their colleagues have been taking undue advantage of the judiciary for different rulings.”

On the fate of the suspended National Chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the source said: “I think we will soon get over that with measures put in place by the 13 governors and other party leaders.”

He said those opposed to the Oshiomole-Ajimobi leadership were doing so because of 2023 politics.

His words: “They have been boasting that they have pocketed the judiciary and can get any judgment. Although we have left the ultimate divine judgment to God, we will do our best to curtail their hubris.

“It is unfortunate that some ministers in President Buhari’s cabinet have teamed up with these seven governors to plot the collapse of the APC which produced the government in which they are serving.

“They hide under the guise of being “reformists” to cause crisis. For instance, one of the governors actually facilitated Obaseki’s negotiation with PDP so that APC could lose.

“Also, another of the seven governors is said to be boasting that they have piled up funds to destroy APC completely unless they have their way.”

Asked the way out, the source said: “The two camps have not been able to reconcile. No one is mediating between the two camps as I am talking to you. We are hopeful that President Buhari will be decisive in saving APC from collapse.”

How attempts to destroy minutes were foiled
A member of the APC NWC said the plot to destroy the minutes was meant to pave the way for a fresh crisis in line with the disowned order of a Federal Capital Territory High Court which purportedly asked the Deputy National Secretary, Victor Giadom, to act as the National Chairman of APC.

The source said: “To justify the need for Giadom to be acting National Chairman and the National Vice Chairman (North-East), Comrade Mustapha Salihu, to be National Secretary, a ranking member of those seeking to destroy APC called the Zonal Secretary to bring the minutes of last Saturday zonal session in Gombe.

“The leader said the purpose was to destroy the minutes and attendance register for strategic reasons and in the interest of the APC. He said he was acting on the instructions of other leaders from the North-East.

“Sensing danger, the Zonal Secretary contacted North-East leaders, including Governor Zulum who was in Abuja on Friday.

“The Zonal Secretary was directed to keep the records of the meeting in Gombe. I think they are desperate to initiate a fresh crisis. The minutes and other documents are now in safe custody.”


Giadom wants to kill APC – Oshiomhole

Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, speaking in an interview yesterday in Abuja, claimed that Giadom was out to destroy the APC the way his group allegedly ruined the party in Rivers State in the run-up to the 2019 election.

Oshiomhole said Giadom ceased to be a member of the NWC of the party a long time ago and that in any case, there was no way a deputy national secretary would be handed the affairs of a party over and above other high ranking officers.

“It is common sense that if the chairman is absent, it should be the deputy. In the absence of the deputy, it is the vice chairman. How does the deputy secretary come in?” he said

“As we speak, we have a secretary sitting in the office, working late hours to ensure that the secretariat functions. I think that my brother, Victor Giadom, wants to take our party through the route of Rivers State where they created so much problem.

“As we speak today, in Rivers, we have a crisis. My plea to them is that they should put God first and put our national party’s interest second and our democracy deep in their hearts and not try to use externalities to destabilise our party the way it has been destabilised in Rivers State.

“How can a deputy National Secretary, assuming he was still one, claim to be chairman?”

Barring last minute reprieve, Ibrahim Magu, acting Chair­man, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), may not only be on his way out of office, but also may be looking towards days of accounting for alleged infrac­tions preferred against him by Abubakar Malami, the Attor­ney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Saturday INDEPENDENT can exclusively report.

Impeccable presidency sources said on Friday that President Muhammadu Bu­hari had given Malami approv­al to investigate and prosecute Magu following his memo­randum, where he itemised 22 weighty allegations against the EFCC chairman, who has occupied the office for nearly five years in acting capacity.

The sources said the EFCC chairman will temporarily hand over the anti-graft agency to the next most senior person, Mohammed Umar Abba, Direc­tor of Operations of the agency.

Malami had also included a short list of three candidates for consideration to replace Magu. Our sources said FCT Commis­sioner of Police, Bala Ciroma, may ultimately replace him, be­ing the most favoured among the three names Malami sub­mitted to the president.

One of the sources said the president wanted the panel to investigate the authenticity of the property and proxy alle­gations against Magu, noting that “because of the weight of the allegations, and the kind of person managing the EFCC, the president wouldn’t want to take any decision in a hurry. So he made sure a crack team is assembled to look into the matter holistically.”

According to him, Ayo Sala­mi, former President of Court of Appeal, is heading the panel with the offices of National Se­curity Adviser (NSA); Director General, Department of State Services (DSS); Director Gen­eral, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), the Police, and Attorney General of the Fed­eration as members.

According to the source, the panel has two weeks to submit its report to the president, but had already done a week.


Malami, had in his mem­orandum to the president, made allegations bordering on financial malfeasances in failure to declare actual mon­ey recovered from looters. He also accused Magu of gross in­subordination, refusing direc­tives from the commission’s supervisory ministry; and as a result, the Federal Govern­ment has come under severe attack and embarrassment on account of odium stemming from poorly pursued investiga­tions. The AGF’s memo made strong innuendos purporting that Magu has made himself a willing tool in the hands of politicians thereby reducing the sterling reputation EFCC once enjoyed.

Sources at the presidency insisted on Friday that Buhari has indeed signed off on the memo only awaiting imple­mentation.

“By the recommendation, Magu should be eased out of office, and prosecuted on the strength of the allegations made against him,” explained a presidency source to the newspaper, who said the presi­dent was livid after reading the memo.

Adding further, the sources said that had the matter rest­ed squarely on just Malami’s memo, maybe a form of re­prieve could have been worked out for the commission’s chair­man.

“Malami was extensively debriefed on the matter. Securi­ty agencies were also involved in the matter and they all came back with damning verdicts,” the source added.

So far, the presidency has refused to say much on the matter.

In a text message response by Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to the President, Mallam Garba She­hu, asking for confirmation on whether Magu will be eased out, the presidential spokes­man simply said, “I don’t know the answer to your question.”

Several attempts at reaching Dele Oyewale, Head, Media and Publicity, EFCC, yielded no re­sult as his phones continued ringing without the calls being picked up. However, another source within the commission told the newspaper that there cannot be any official response from EFCC unless matters are directed at them.

But as also learnt, Magu is said not to be leaving anything to chance. It was learnt that some of his backers with link at the Presidential Villa have been putting in words for the embattled anti-graft’s czar, tell­ing Mr. President that Magu is being hounded by corrupt politicians.

One of the result of the alleged brokering resulted in Magu being seen at the Aso Rock mosque where he ob­served the Jumat with Presi­dent Buhari.

As learnt, the EFCC boss was there to have an audience with the president.

It was, however, unclear if the mission succeeded as at the time of filing this report.

It would be recalled that in 2016, the Senate declined to confirm Magu’s appointment as EFCC chairman, citing a Department of State Services (DSS) report, which revealed unsavory activities. Despite the Senate’s rejection of Magu, President Buhari re-nominat­ed him, but the Senate again rejected him.

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State on Friday became the fourth governor under the watch of the Comrade Adams Oshiomhole leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC to leave the party.

The loss of four governors with the attendant structures and patronage, however, underline the internal conflicts within the ruling party as party chieftains take positions ahead of the 2023 General Election.

Saturday Vanguard gathered at the weekend that in leaving for another party that Obaseki was encouraged by many sympathetic party members. Even when they were not necessarily friends or allies of Obaseki, the sympathizers have defined their interests against what they believe is being pursued by the Oshiomhole leadership now in suspension.

Obaseki’s defection to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP followed earlier defections by Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue, (July 2018); Abdulfatah Ahmed, of Kwara July 2018; and Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Sokoto, August 2018.

The defections coming on the heel of the loss of Zamfara, Bauchi and Adamawa States in the 2019 General Election have inevitably brought to fore the prospects of the party in the immediate future.

However, none of the losses come nearer home for the party and the Oshiomhole leadership as that of Obaseki. Obaseki is the governor of Edo State, the home state of the national chairman
Surprisingly, a number of APC stalwarts were supportive of Obaseki’s move to the extent of using him to hit at Oshiomhole and then at the national party leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who has backed the Oshiomhole leadership.

With Tinubu in near full control of the National Working Committee, NWC, those against his continuing ascendancy in the party believe that they can use Edo State to smear the political stature of the national leader, multiple sources familiar with the development told Saturday Vanguard.

“It is unfortunate it had to reach this point (of Obaseki leaving the APC) but we will work for him,” a high-level APC chieftain said yesterday.

In fact, some of the APC stalwarts it was learned do not mind losing the state in the main election to the extent that they could use that as a factor to hit at Oshiomhole and Tinubu.

“There is no way that Oshiomhole and by extent Tinubu justify themselves if we lose Edo State,” one source revealed.

Some of the party chieftains also questioned the way and manner Tinubu dismissed Obaseki when he came with fellow governors to seek his intervention two weeks ago.

“He showed his open bias towards Oshiomhole. A father shouldn’t have done that,” one party member said.

Osita Okechukwu, the director-general of the Voice of Nigeria, VON was, however, quick to divorce Tinubu from the failures of the party in Edo which he laid firmly on Oshiomhole.

“To be honest I am in doubt or rather amazed when pundits do spew that our national leader, the revered Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is the main backer of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole during this his self-inflicted travails,” Okechukwu told Saturday Vanguard yesterday.

“Amazed on two counts; one, if we take a scenario of APC as APC Plc, listed in the Nigeria Stock Exchange and Comrade Adams as Managing Director. The core question is, has the stock of APC Plc depreciated or appreciated in the last two years of his stewardship?

“No, for we lost states due to his culture of impunity, even Sokoto, Bauchi and Zamfara the zone where Buhari’s 12 million vote bank are mostly located.

“Second, one cannot easily forget how Comrade Adams nearly shunted Asiwaju during the Lagos gubernatorial primary.

“Adams leaned more towards the then Governor than Asiwaju,” he said yesterday in dismissal of the Oshiomhole narrative cascading down to Tinubu.

Obaseki leaves behind political skeleton to diminish APC

Yesterday as the news of Obaseki’s defection to the PDP circulated, many APC social media chat rooms were enlivened with comments asking others sympathetic to Obaseki and his interests to follow suit.

However, unfortunately for those canvassing that argument Obaseki’s supporters both in Edo and at the national level are not expected to go along.

Speaker Frank Okiye whose election in June 2019 to head the Edo State House of Assembly became the defining moment for Obaseki’s rebellion against Oshiomhole has already vowed to stay put.


Likewise the chairman of the state chapter of the party, Anselm Ojezua who even while regretting the governor’s exit said he understood with him. Another significant associate of Obaseki’s who will be remaining in the party even as an unwanted member by the Oshiomhole tendency will be Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, a senior party member who bought the APC governorship form for the election.

Iduoriyekemwen is expected to wage a war against the party in the courts to the purpose of challenging the legality of the primary process and by that weakening it ahead of the election.


Obaseki’s defection has all but handed Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the ticket of the APC for the 2020 governorship poll. While some think that the ticket could be controversial and laced with many troubles, the Ize-Iyamu camp was yesterday in high spirit over the development.

Contrary to the speculations that Ize-Iyamu may have run into a cul-de-sac in restoring his relationship with Oshiomhole, the camp was confident that all the legal mines around the primary would sooner than later be cleared.

“All these things you see will soon pass away and once the ticket is obtained on Monday you will begin to see the realignment of forces focused towards the goal of winning the office in the election,” a very high-level source embedded in the camp of Ize-Iyamu revealed.

Despite misgivings and protest, aviation agencies have started relocating to Abuja in compliance with the 45-day deadline given by the Aviation Minister, Senator Hadi Sirika. Sirika had, in a letter dated 4th May 2020 FMA/PMD/7061/T/4 and signed by the Director, Human Resource Management, Alhaji Mohammad Shehu, ordered all agencies based in Lagos to relocate to Abuja.

The agencies are: Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB).

Stakeholders had rejected the proposal which they said was not realistic.

They said Lagos remains the centre of aviation and relocation of the bureaucracy could slow down activities in the sector.

As the 45 days elapsed, it was learnt that some Directors of some of the agencies have started relocating to the FCT. Already, all the CEOs of the agencies operate from Abuja while some of their Directors have been mobilised to relocate, it was learnt.

On Wednesday, the AIB said it had commenced the relocation of its corporate headquarters to Abuja from Lagos in line with the Ministerial directive.

The Commissioner/CEO, Engr Akin Olateru and other strategic officers had since been operating from Abuja. But aviation unions, which had earlier said the 45-day directive was not realistic in view of the COVID-19 pandemic and the fact that the cost of relocation was not captured in the 2020 budget, insisted that all entitlements of workers must be paid before relocation.

General Secretary of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Com. Aba Ocheme, said only AIB has relocated its headquarters, adding: “Other agencies are making it look like they are planning to relocate.”

President of Aviation Roundtable, Dr Gbenga Olowo, said the relocation directive does not make economic sense.

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State is currently meeting with Prince Uche Secondus, National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja.

According to a credible source who is a member of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), others in attendance are Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state , Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto as well as other governors of the party.

He said the meeting is taking place at Governor Wike’s residence.

There was panic in Onne, Eleme Local Government Area, Rivers State, following the death of a manager of a new generation bank from health complications caused by coronavirus.

It was gathered the development compelled the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to seal the bank and commence testing of all employees for COVID-19.

Sources said the testing conducted by NCDC showed that most of the employees, including the gateman tested positive for COVID-19.

A source, who spoke in confidence, said the employees, who tested positive, were moved to the isolation centre for observation and treatments.

Governor Nyesom Wike had raised the alarm over lackadaisical attitude of banks and supermarkets, over the issues of maintaining coronavirus preventive rules.

He said operators of banks and supermarkets were allowing customers into their premises without mandating them to observe the safety rules.

He particularly lamented that customers were going into such premises without wearing their face masks and threatened to seal them off.

Rivers has been recording high cases of the virus as the NCDC confirming highest infection rate of 103 positive cases on Tuesday.

Segun James and Martins Ifijeh

The federal government has rolled out guidelines for the reopening of educational institutions.

All primary, secondary and tertiary educational institutions in the country were shut in March when the federal government unveiled measures to battle the spread of COVID-19.

This is coming as there seems to be a major breakthrough in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic as dexamethasone, a cheap and widely available low-dose United Kingdom steroid drug, has shown efficacy for preventing critically-ill COVID-19 patients from dying.

However, barely three days to the planned reopening of worship centres, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has suspended the plans, citing the rising cases of COVID-19 in the state.

The Minister of State for Education, Mr. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, rolled out the guidelines for the reopening of schools in Abuja yesterday.

He spoke at the 2020 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

Nwajiuba said: “All institutions must have hand-washing facilities; body temperature checks; body disinfectants at all entering points to their major facilities, including the gates, hostels, classes, offices, etc; the whole premises of each institution must be decontaminated; all efforts must be geared toward maintenance of the highest level of hygiene and institutions must ensure social and physical distancing in class sizes and meeting spaces.”

The minister hailed the higher institutions for responding promptly to the pandemic challenges by coming up with different innovations, including the manufacturing of some of the facilities that were required to attend to COVID-19 patients.

He warned them against reopening schools without the federal government’s approval.

“While we look forward to easing the lockdown, which will ultimately lead to re-opening of our campuses, I urge all the heads of institutions not to wait till the announcement on reopening before putting in place all necessary measures in compliance with the protocols and advisories of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control,” he stated.

The police in Zamfara have confirmed the arrest of a 25-year-old man, Aminu Bala, for allegedly raping and killing his elder brother’s wife in Gusau.

SP Mohammed Shehu, the command spokesperson while parading the suspect on Monday, said Bala had already confessed to the crime.

Shehu said the suspect hailed from Damaga village of Maradun Local Government area of the state.

He said, “the Tudun Wada Area Command, Gusau on June 15, at about 04.30 hours, received a distress call from Damba quarters of Gusau metropolis that the suspect had killed his brother’s wife.

“The police immediately rushed to the scene and discovered the victim, Hauwa’u Iliyasu in the pool of her own blood having suffered from multiple machete cuts.

“She was then taken to the Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital, Gusau where she was certified dead by doctors.”
The spokesman also said the police had contacted the victim’s husband, Kabiru Bala via phone call.

”He was not in the state, but told the police that the suspect had once threatened to kill the victim,” he said.

Shehu said that the command was awaiting the arrival of the victim’s husband and his written statement which would form part of evidence before the suspect would be prosecuted in court.

Hauwa’u left behind two children including, a nine-month-old baby.

(NAN)

A three-month-old baby has died after falling from the first floor of the Garki General Hospital, Abuja, The PUNCH reports.

It was learnt that the incident occurred early on Sunday.

A security guard at the hospital told The PUNCH that the mother of the baby and two others were on their way to the emergency ward when the incident occurred.

He said, “A woman along with two others were on the top floor, rushing to the emergency ward, when the baby she was carrying, slipped from her grip and fell to the ground floor. The baby’s neck got broken in the process and died.”

The Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Adamu Onu, refused to give details of what happened when he was contacted for comment.

When asked if the matter was reported to the police, the MD said patients were entitled to their privacy and he would not divulge any information to this newspaper.

He said, “An incident happened in the hospital but it is not something I will like to divulge for the patient confidentiality reasons. I cannot go beyond what I am telling you at the moment. I cannot say anything beyond what I have said.”

The Police Public Relations Officer, FCT Command, Anjuguri Manza, said he had not heard about the report, adding that it was likely that no report was lodged in any police station.

“I don’t think this case has been reported to the police. Ask the hospital if they reported the matter to the nearest police station,” Manza said.

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, is leading some members of party’s National Working Committee (NWC) in a meeting with the Chief of Staff (CoS) to the president, Professor Ibrahim Gambari.

The meeting is taking place in the CoS’ office in State House, Abuja.

Sighted with the party boss were the National Vice Chairman (North West), Inuwa Abdulkadir; National Treasurer, Adamu Panda and two others.

Oshiomhole was escorted to the meeting by a police orderly who had a pile of office files with him.

The party boss is dealing with the fallout from the party’s disqualification of incumbent Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, from participating in the state gubernatorial primaries.

The meeting is believed to be in connection with the crisis.

With Reno Omokri

Ever since I revealed that the Governor of Kaduna state had sent me an email wherein he said that Southern women youth corpers were seen as “whores”, there have been multiple sophisticated attempts to hack my email account.

I do not know why anyone will be stupid enough to think that a meticulous record keeper as myself would leave such a sensitive detail in my inbox. For the attention of those who are trying to hack my account, that email is with my lawyers.

The email was sent to me on Wednesday the 27th of April, 2011. The reason I chose to expose its existence is that Nasir El-Rufai is scheming to become Nigeria’s President, and in my opinion, and I am sure in the opinion of every right-thinking person, Nigeria cannot afford another Buharesque autocrat who says that Southern women youth corpers are seen whores.


This was the sentiment expressed by extremist Hutus against Tutsis and was key to dehumanising them before, during and after the Rwandan genocide.

Nasir El-Rufai is notorious for suing people at the drop of a hat. I have spoken about his email to a DeutscheWelle journalist and on my recent interview with Daddy Freeze on Nigerian Info. I relish the opportunity to be sued by Nasir El-Rufai.

Look at what is happening in Southern Kaduna. In recent weeks, Southern Kaduna men, women, children and infants were being killed by herdsmen and the Kaduna State Governor has shown that he is more interested in appeasing and of apologising for the suspected perpetrators.

The photographs of the victims are just too gruesome. It is just like a déjà vu of Dogo Na Hauwa. If you do not know what happened in Dogo Na Hauwa, in Plateau State, then Google the massacre that occurred there on March 7, 2010.

Two years later, when violence erupted again in Plateau, and it looked like it was going to lead to a reoccurrence of Dogo Na Hauwa, then President Jonathan ordered troops to go to Plateau and keep the peace. I still have chills in my spine when I recall Nasir El-Rufai’s response to the attempt by the Nigerian Army to protect Nigerian citizens.

On Sunday, July 15, 2012, Nasir El-Rufai said, and I quote, “We will write this for all to read. Anyone, soldier or not that kills the Fulani takes a loan repayable one day no matter how long it takes.”

When you take into account the ferocity, and integrity of the Southern massacre killings and the ease at which the killers can raid these communities, with impunity, and sad to say, gravitas, one can’t stop asking if the loan El-Rufai mentioned on July 15, 2012 is being repaid in 2020.

And then imagine if this man gets access to power at the centre. How will he treat Southern Nigerians?

Do not forget that on Saturday July 6, 2019, El-Rufai said, “We (Northerners) are generally considered to be more honest and less corrupt than other Nigerians”.

Now, you can clearly see the utter disdain that this man has for Southern Nigerians. And he is not yet President. What then will happen to us (Southerners) if he schemes his way to Aso Rock? We will have a ruler who thinks Southern women youth corpers are seen as “whores”, and Southern men are dishonest. Can such a person ever do right by the South?


Look at the disdain with which his son publicly treated Southerners. Calling an Igbo woman a harlot and threatening to pass her to his friends to gang rape. Children are not born to hate. They are thought to hate. We cannot be so concerned about Black Lives Matter and overlook the lives of Southerners, which obviously do not matter to this man and his family.

Derek Chauvin had his knee on the neck of George Floyd for 8 minutes and 46 seconds and Floyd died. Does Southern Nigeria think she can survive if Nasir El-Rufai puts his knee on our necks for four years? You better have another think!

The man has not hidden his utter contempt for us. It will amount to masochism on the part of the South, to sit idly by and watch as this man schemes his way to the top, despite the many Freudian slips that have exposed the bigotry burning within him and his sons.

We are currently under the yoke of a regime that told us publicly and with a straight face that ‘giving land for ranching is better than death’. Do we want to now hand over to the person that will now actualise that? Are we so much in love with death that we will go to the slaughter without resistance? Is Southern Nigeria a conquered territory? Are there no more men in the South that we will just roll on the floor and allow ourselves to be defiled?

I reject any Southern irredentism that wants to dominate Northern Nigeria. And I also vehemently reject becoming a second-class citizen in a country where I fought Sani Abacha and almost died. God forbid!

I remember that former President Olusegun Obasanjo once called for a psychiatric test for anyone aspiring to be the President of Nigeria. I am almost sure that if such a test is performed on Nasir El-Rufai, the results will shock Nigeria.

And that is not hyperbole. General Obasanjo has seen a lot both in peace and in war. He has been at the top and the bottom. He was a prisoner of war in The Congo and a political prisoner under Abacha. It will take a lot to shock him. Yet, hear what he has to say about Nasir El-Rufai.

Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, who brought him to the limelight, had this to say about Nasir El-Rufai in his book: My Watch Volume 2 as follows:

“Nasir’s penchant for reputation savaging is almost pathological. Why does he do it?……I recognised his weaknesses; the worst being his inability to be loyal to anybody or any issue consistently for long, but only to Nasir el-Rufai.

He barefacedly lied which he did to me against his colleagues and so-called friends. I have heard of how he ruthlessly savaged the reputation of his uncle, a man who was like, in the African setting, his foster father. I shuddered when I heard the story of what he did to his half-brother in the Air Force who is senior to him in age.” Is this the type of person that should be aspiring to rule over us? God forbid. God forbid. And again, God forbid.

To be forewarned is to be forearmed. I have taken great pains to expose in gruesome detail the type of man that has Nigeria in his sight. If we allow him to succeed in his schemes, we would have nobody else to blame, because a stitch in time saves 9.

Dear men,

Think twice before going on one knee in crowded malls to propose. It is getting old. Be creative, not reactive. Many girls are accepting these proposals out of embarrassment. Bold ones are disgracing you. Propose in private, to be sure it is love, not embarrassment! To the ladies, the best response to surprise public proposals in crowded malls is ‘give me a few days’. You are not yourself at that moment. Nobody should make lifetime decisions under such circumstances (when they are embarrassed, excited, bashful or even angry!). Be clear minded when and if you say yes.

Renowned Professor of Law, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Prof Itse Sagay, is a die-hard optimist and firm believer that President Mohammadu Buhari-led government is on right track.

In this interview with Sunday Sun, he gave reasons the North should forget about strategizing for the 2023 presidency, his worry on the level of indiscipline among Nigerians, the awkward position of Kogi State to COVID-19 response, review of ECOWAS protocols on herdsmen migration, among other issues. Excerpts:

What is your assessment of the Federal Government efforts on COVID-19 so far?

Given our resources, I can say that I am very impressed by the amount of concentration and resources and time devoted by the Federal Government and the Lagos State government to this problem. I am aware that every evening they assemble all related agencies and ministries to give an account of the latest, they give us scientific aspects, so many aspects of the situation, and then they advise on the next line of action. Also, they advise the Federal Government about measures to take in terms of face mask, lockdown, etc. I think they have been very diligent, extremely diligent, they meet every evening unfailingly they are there and they spend time there brainstorming, evaluating the situation and coming out with positions on what to do, what is expected of the people to do and what the government should be doing also. For me, I think they have been very diligent, I don’t know what else they could have done.

Have lessons been learnt?

Of course, we will always learn lessons. You know some of these things particularly when you don’t have experience in it, but things happen that give you some sort of a means of dealing with it or if anything like that or similar one happens in the future. For example, I think the way the first person came in, we were looking at China as the source of the problem and we were suspicious of China, but the problem came from Italy. The person just sneaked in from Italy, so that is something to learn. Secondly, of course, we now know, not that we didn’t know, we knew all along, but we can see the consequences of having a relatively weak health system and I think with this experience, not that anybody lost his life because the health institutions couldn’t cope, but what was in my mind and still in my mind is that if we had an attack at the rate they are having it in Europe and America there will be chaos here. But thank God we have a manageable proportion that we are having and they are managing it well, but it exposes us to the danger that could arise if it had come with a larger or in more ferocious proportion. So, it teaches us now that we must beef up our health system, but particularly we must begin to build up or establish a new health system that can take care of all those who go abroad. For example, the people who normally go abroad, not only did they not go abroad but those of them who were there they rushed back to come and rely on the very system they were running away from. So, that is a lesson that we must do something about our health institutions here to make sure that we have a reasonable number that can compete with the best in the world.


The governor of Kano State, Ganduje recently raised the alarm on the influx of foreign herdsmen into the country, asking the Federal Government to stop it so as to end the herders/farmers’ clash. He also wants FG to seek the review of certain ECOWAS laws concerning migration. What is your take on this?

I agree entirely with it. I am not up to date with ECOWAS protocols now, unless there is something in it that says we can just allow cattle from other countries to enter our country without any control. Unless there is such a thing, I don’t see why we can’t even begin to implement it now, firmly police our borders and turn them back. This is the only area it happens anywhere in the world; how can you just enter another man’s country and penetrate its territorial boundaries and integrity and then come inside and foul up the whole place, kill people, cause chaos and confusion and then walk back whenever you like. That should not be encouraged. The first duty of the Federal Government or any government indeed is to protect the security of its people and the integrity of the country. Both are being breached by these people (foreign cattle herders). So, I agree with the governor of Kano that something very drastic needs to be done now. I am not sure there is any protocol existing that can tie us to lying down and allowing hundreds of thousands of cattle and herdsmen to come from other countries and cause mayhem in Nigeria; no, no, we can’t continue to tolerate that.

Recently too, Col Abubakar Umar accused President Mohammadu Buhari of lopsidedness in his appointments…?

I may not want to dwell on that now. He has a right to air his view. He is entitled to his opinion. If I have anything to criticize, I won’t say it in the newspapers, I will pass it on as a memo privately, so I can’t comment on that for now.

This administration celebrated its first year in office recently in its second tenure making its five years in office. So far, what is your view?

Given the circumstances of this country, the resources available and the difficulties in any attempt to implement things the government has performed very commendably because if you look at all the parameters in developments, infrastructural developments are unprecedented on roads, on Second Niger Bridge, on railways and many others, a lot of developments going on which had been static, which were not moved at all for years and years and I know that even the Ajaokuta Steel mill is now to be resuscitated, so that is that. Unfortunately, the issue of the economy has been a big problem. When it was just picking up we now had this novel COVID-19, but again if you look at the other aspect, corruption. The fight against corruption has been very successful. Over 3,000 convictions have occurred, a few of them high profile politicians. Recoveries in terms of assets recovered over a trillion have been recovered and things like petroleum subsidy fraud all those things have been stopped, so it’s been a very successful administration and I think given our circumstances the government will be commended. Given our constraints as a country in terms of resources and our major constraint, our lack of discipline, lack of integrity of the average Nigerian, the government has done very well. We were talking about the implementation of COVID -19 and you ask yourself the question: Did Nigerians cooperate? Did they obey the lockdown? They were all over the place. Did they wear a face mask, at least in Lagos where I live? Fifty per cent are going about either without a face mask or with face mask won under their chin. Not up to 10 per cent are wearing it properly. People are traveling from state to state even though inter-state journeys are banned. I know people who have traveled, ask them how they are going to do it and they will tell you there is a way and they did it, they traveled. So Nigerians are not disciplined, they are not ready to accept any small inconvenience for major success in that aspect of life within a short time, no, not Nigerians, they won’t. Nigerians are very difficult people. I feel frankly that Nigerians can achieve the best result if you are a dictator in Nigeria and that is sad. I am not surprised that the most compliant state with regard to all the restrictions on movements, lockdown, etc because of the COVID-19, is Rivers State, the most successful because he (Gov. Wike) was brutal and hard, those are the people that Nigerians respect, so this is who Nigerians are and it is a very sad conclusion, but that is the truth.

There were some states like Kogi and Cross River that refused to obey the COVID-19 laws, especially on lockdown and NCDC regulations. What is your reaction to that?

I commented on both of them and the Kogi people went to town on me on twitter, I saw the twitter there must have been others in the social media because I said they are behaving as if there is a prize for saying that there is no COVID-19 case in my state, meanwhile, they are not testing and they are not honest with the little they test and they will not allow the NCDC to conduct the test as they are doing in some other states because other states are cooperating with them. This is because it is their methodology and directives that are being applied, that is why we are having all these figures, but those states particularly Kogi refused, only for us at the last minute to find out they have and when the true figures in Kogi will come out my fear is that it will be so huge that it will be even a danger to other states and may re-ignite the second round in the whole country because they were just hiding it. So, the conduct of that governor (Yahaya Bello) honestly has been reprehensible. The Cross River man (Prof Ben Ayade) is a bit more cooperative I believe, NCDC has gone there, they have done some tests and so on, we have been able to see some results, he has been more positive with his outlook, he is genuinely introducing the concept of the mask which they are even producing massively in the state and giving free among other things. Two of them are a bit different. The Kogi one was just hiding because they were creating a make-belief world that there is nothing like COVID-19 as if they were going to win a Nobel prize for declaring that Kogi doesn’t have a single case and that is not possible. Kogi is in the centre of the country through which everybody passes, all the states are connected to Kogi so there is no way it could have escaped it. Anyway, they have accepted, at least one case has been found that is not fraud anymore, maybe, that will open them to be more cooperative with the NCDC in the future so that the thing can be stamped out of Kogi as it is being done in other places.

From political permutations so far, political zones and individuals including the North are already angling for the 2023 Presidency…?

Cuts in) I don’t think the presidency is going to the North in 2023, certainly not through PDP and not through the APC because any attempt to do that could bring about the disintegration of the country. After year years of someone from the Northwest holding that position it has to come to the South, there is no question about that. Those Northerners who are still advocating that it continues in the North in 2023 do not want this country to continue.

They are people I call separatists, they are the people that want this country to divide and for everybody to go its way. If they are interested in the future of this country, if they are interested in our continued unity and progress then we must know that the next president has to come from the South. I don’t expect the APC or the PDP, those are the two platforms on which you could become a president, I don’t see them fielding any other person except a Southerner. I mean any part of the South, so it is for the South themselves to begin to work hard to make sure that it comes to their side.

The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has ignored the demand by the wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, to release her aides who are in custody.

This is just as children of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) have declared war on the Private Secretary to the President, Yusuf Sabiu, aka Tunde, who is a nephew to the President

A family member told Sunday PUNCH that as of 4pm on Saturday, the aides were still in police custody.

He said, ‘’Tunde met the NNPC GMD, Maikanti Baru, who recently died of COVID-19. He also visited several other places. Instead of going on self isolation, he decided to return to the Villa and he is one of the few aides that has direct access to the President.

“The President is almost 80 and he is very vulnerable given his medical history. We advised Tunde not to see the President but he refused and forced his way into the Villa. He was able to get the First Lady’s aides arrested because of the influence he wields.

“We have a rule in the Villa that those who have direct access to the President should reduce their engagement with people. Even the new Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, has been adhering to the rule but Tunde seems to be a law unto himself.”

When asked whether the First Lady’s aides had been released, the President’s relative said, “As I speak to you, they have remained in custody, exposing them to possible infection of COVID-19.”

Meanwhile, it was learnt that the President’s wife and children had declared a war on Tunde, who some claimed was beginning to wield as much influence as the President’s late Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari.

Tunde, who was nicknamed after Buhari’s late ally, Gen. Tunde Idiagbon, is the son of Mamman Daura’s sister.

It was learnt that with the battle line drawn, there was expected to be more crisis in the Villa.

Aisha had, on Friday, called on the IG to immediately release her aides who were reportedly detained based on the orders of the Chief Security Officer to the President, Idris Kassim.

Sabiu, who is one of the most powerful aides to the President, allegedly got the CSO to arrest Aisha’s aides, including her ADC, Usman Shugaba.

“Finally, I call on the IGP to release my assigned Staff who are still in the custody of the police in order to avoid putting their lives in danger or exposure to COVID-19 while in their custody.”

In a related development, the Peoples Democratic Party has raised the alarm over reports of gunshots and a breach of security within the Presidential Villa.

The situation was said to have been as a result of a squabble among family members and officials of the Presidency.

This was contained in a statement signed by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in Abuja, on Saturday.

He expressed the party’s worry that the protracted spat between the First Lady and aides of the President had degenerated into violent combats, raids and free use of firearms within the Presidential Villa.

Ologbondiyan said, “The party described as distressing, the report that members of Mr President’s family were at the scene of the assault against one of President Buhari’s aides, during which the First Lady’s security details were alleged to have resorted to the use of firearms.

“Our party is disturbed by such an ugly situation in the Buhari Presidency, which has already heightened apprehension in the public space over the apparent failure of security architecture and central command system in the Presidency leading to such reckless and irresponsible breaches.”

Meanwhile, the Department of State Services has begun an investigation into the shootings at the Presidential Villa by the security aides attached to the First Lady.

The DSS spokesman, Peter Afunanya, confirmed that investigation into the shooting incident was ongoing.

“The chaotic situation in the Presidential Villa only points to the failure by President Buhari to provide leadership that can guarantee orderliness in governance and effectively ensure the security of our nation.”

The arrest this week of a Nigerian Instagram celebrity has pitted Nigerian detectives against their counterparts from the United Arab Emirates and the United States, PREMIUM TIMES has learnt.

Nigeria and the U.S. launched the battle for the possession of Ramon Abbas, a.k.a.: Hushpuppi, following his arrest and detention by Emirati authorities earlier this week, according to two officials familiar with the development.

“Immediately we got confirmation that he had been arrested in Dubai, we all started fighting to get him,” a senior Nigerian detective told PREMIUM TIMES on Friday. “He is a subject of multiple and conflicting interests between Nigeria and the United States.”

Officials said the Federal Bureau of Investigation (F.B.I.) has been leading America’s effort to take possession of Mr Abbas because many of those he allegedly scammed in years of advance fee fraud were Americans.

Officials could not immediately estimate the financial value of Mr Abbas’ alleged fraud, citing poor cooperation from Dubai authorities, but they expressed confidence his exploits spanned across Europe, U.S. and Nigeria.

Mr Abbas’ arrest was first rumoured on Nigerian social media Tuesday, but PREMIUM TIMES was unable to get official corroboration until Friday. Even then, two officials who confirmed knowledge of the arrest and offered preliminary information elected not to do so on the record — fearing that American officials could jettison back channel negotiations that began on Thursday morning. PREMIUM TIMES also agreed not to identify both officials because their request satisfied its policy on anonymous sources.

Nigerian officials said UAE authorities have frustrated all their attempts to obtain more than a cursory account of Mr Abbas’ arrest, including when and where he was held.

“They are even reluctant to tell us the preliminary charges that they have against him so we could weigh them with the charges that we have against him in Nigeria,” one of the officials said. “We know that the money involved would be much for the Americans, but we are optimistic that we will prevail in bringing him to Nigeria to face trial.”

The police in Dubai did not return an email seeking comments from PREMIUM TIMES. An e-mail to the Interpol was also not returned for several hours on Friday. Umar Garba, Nigerian head of Interpol, did not return requests seeking comments from PREMIUM TIMES.

A telephone number for the FBI in Dubai repeatedly entered voicemail on Friday evening. It was unclear whether Mr Abbas has contacted a lawyer as of Friday evening.

Our law enforcement sources said they were left to assume that since Mr Abbas’ Instagram page, which frequently saw a whirl of postings that carefully molded an opulent image of him, has seen no activities for the past one week, then his arrest must have come around the time rumoured on social media.

A second official told PREMIUM TIMES that even though Mr Abbas was not declared wanted in Nigeria and not on Interpol red notice, his activities have been regularly analysed by detectives in Nigeria and abroad.

“He is not on the wanted list but his arrest is of interest to both the U.S. and Nigeria,” the official said.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that Nigerian authorities have begun tracking individuals within the country with suspected ties to Mr Abbas.

Even though he has for years used his Instagram fame — over 2.3 million followers as of this week — to cultivate a symbol of wealth and envy on social media, little has been learnt of Mr Abbas’ background.

Many of his followers acknowledged benefitting from his occasional cash ‘giveaways’, even though his source of affluence, which has long evoked the curiosity of bloggers, remained unclear,

Mr Abbas appeared to be the highest-profile Nigerian to be arrested so far in 2020, months after several noted Nigerians, including Obinwanne Okeke and Ismaila Mompha, were arrested in August and October 2019, respectively, for their alleged roles on separate multinational fraud charges.

While Mr Okeke and another set of about 80 Nigerians were arrested in the U.S. and charged there, Mr Mompha, who was reportedly friends with Mr Abbas, was arrested in Lagos by Nigeria’s anti-graft EFCC and slammed with multiple charges of financial crimes to the tune of N33 billion — or $85 million.

Ibrahim Magu, EFCC’s top chief, told Lagos-based TVC on Friday that his agency had no prior involvement in Mr Abbas’ case.

“We are yet to be involved in the case of Hushpuppi,” Mr Magu said, noting that Emirati authorities were yet to provide information on his arrest to warrant EFCC’s cooperation.

Nigerian officials admitted that the bulk of proceeds of Mr Abbas’ alleged fraud might have come from Americans, but Nigeria has a tenable interest in the case because his alleged co-conspirators live in Nigeria.

“We are not sure yet of the amount they are being accused of stealing,” an official said. “But we want our friends in the U.S. to know that many of his associates are in Nigeria and we will ensure equitable sharing of all forfeitures arising from the case.”

The Police High Command on Friday night kept mute over the alleged detention of aides of the wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari in Abuja

The wife of the President had Twitted about the reality of the deadly coronavirus pandemic ravaging the globe and called

on all relevant Government Agencies to enforce the Quarantine Act signed by Mr President and ensured that no one was found violating this law and the NCDC guidelines especially on interstate travel without the necessary exemptions for movement of essentials.

She then called on the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu to release her assigned Staff who were still in the custody of the Police in order to avoid putting their lives in danger or exposure to Covid-19 while in their custody.

According to her, “that Covid-19 is real and still very much around in our nation is not in doubt.

“Consequently, I call on all relevant Government Agencies to enforce the Quarantine Act signed by Mr President and ensure no one is found violating this law and the NCDC guidelines especially on interstate travel without the necessary exemptions for movement of essentials

“Anyone who does that should at the very least be made to undergo 14 days mandatory isolation no matter who the person is, no one should be above the law and the Police command will do well to remember that

”Finally, I call on the IGP to release my assigned Staff who are still in the custody of the Police in order to avoid putting their lives in danger or exposure to Covid-19 while in their custody”.

However efforts to get the official reaction on the allegation from the Force Headquarters, Abuja, proved abortive as the Telephone calls to the Force Public Relations Officer, FPRO, Frank Mba, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, were not answered as at the Press time.

Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has ordered the reopening of football viewing centres in Kano state. The governor gave the order as major leagues across Europe resume.

He made this known when the leadership of Soccer Viewing Centres Association, Kano State chapter, paid him a courtesy call at his office, on Friday.

The association urged the governor to ease the lockdown order for the Centres.

The governor, who granted the request, also donated Forty Thousand (40,000) face masks for distribution at viewing centres in the state.

“It is in line with our decision to see that our economy bounces back, through reinvigorating commercial and other business activities in the state, that I have directed all viewing centres to be re-opened from today,” the governor was quoted in a statement by Abba Anwar, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor.

He urged them that as they gather youth in their viewing centres, they must make sure that they use it as a platform to create awareness among youth on ways to help tame the pandemic.

The state chairman of the association, Sharu Rabi’u Ahlan commended governor Ganduje’s effort in curtailing the spread of the virus in the state.

“Your Excellency on behalf of all our members we are appreciative of your unrelenting effort to human development, especially youth, in the state “We are grateful for the face masks His Excellency gave us.

And we promise to abide by all the protocols Sir. “Our members are always supportive of your policies.

And we are in good working relationship with the state Ministry of Information and the state Censorship Board,” he said.

A former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has said the party will suffer “dire consequences” in Edo State on account of the disqualification of Governor Godwin Obaseki by the APC screening panel.

Odigie-Oyegun described the outcome of the screening as a hatchet job aimed at installing a stooge that will allow some people unfettered access to the Edo Treasury.

This was contained in a statement signed by his Media Adviser, Chief Ray Morphy, in Abuja, on Friday.

The statement read in part, “While not a surprise, that disqualification is a clear indication that internal democracy has been murdered in APC, a party which we founded on the principles of fair play and good conscience!

“I daresay that APC will suffer dire consequences in Edo state if this disqualification is not speedily reversed.

“As a matter of fact, Oshiomhole is indeed the one who is guilty of anti-party (activities), not Obaseki. Oshiomhole is the one who is acting unconstitutionally not Obaseki. I hope that Oshiomhole will not go down in history as the undertaker of APC.”

Some workers of Atlantic Hotels have accused the management of sacking a female worker, Grace (Not real name), after she was sexually harassed by one Sanjiv Raut, a cooking staff and an Indian national.

The hotel, which is situated at number 4, Adeleke Adedoyin Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, is owned and managed by Indians.

SaharaReporters gathered that Raut had gone into the lady’s room while she was sleeping and attempted to rape her but was overpowered by her.

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It was gathered that Grace pushed him to the wall, gave him a slap and ran out of the room.

She later reported the case on the hotel’s WhatsApp group but instead of Raut being punished, she, the victim, was sacked the next day.

The workers also said another staff (name withheld) was sexually harassed by the same Indian national.

“The lady was recently harassed by Sanjiv Raut inside the hotel’s kitchen this week.

“As the lady was about entering the kitchen, Raut started calling her sweet names, so she responded and asked if he wanted some chocolate she was eating but he declined.

“As she turned to leave the kitchen, Raut smacked her buttocks with his hand in the presence of other staff and started laughing.

“He has from time to time harassed other Nigerian female staff at the hotel and some even get sacked for speaking up.

“This particular lady has been crying for the humiliation because if she reports to the management they will sack her instead of punishing the Indian.

"We are all tired of this sexual harassment by this Indian on daily basis,” one staff of the hotel told SaharaReporters.

Raut declined to comment on the allegations against him when contacted by SaharaReporters while the hotel’s management could not be reached for reactions as at the time of this report.