₦airaland Forum

Powerbrokers in the All Progressives Congress and the Presidency are considering pairing a former Governor of Ogun State and serving senator, Ibikunle Amosun, to run as Vice-President with the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, as the President to succeed Muhammadu Buhari ahead of 2023.

SaharaReporters learnt that apart from both Amosun and Malami being strong allies of President Buhari, the party hopes to play the card of their being relatively young before Nigerians.

Top sources in the APC stated that by the party’s membership revalidation exercise which will end on March 31 and the ongoing probe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the cabal believed that it had weakened the influence of former Lagos State Governor and APC National Leader, Bola Tinubu.

“Ibikunle Amosun has been pencilled down as Malami’s running mate under our party. APC validation exercise is near completion and it effectively takes away the party finally from Tinubu. His game in the APC is undone as the EFCC is set to hunt him down.

“Talks about zoning to the South are presently being reconsidered among the governors. You recall Kogi State Governor Bello saying over the weekend that there was nothing like zoning in the APC constitution. Gradually, they (the governors) will make the zoning talk unpopular,” a source revealed.

Sahara Reporters had reported on March 1 that Malami had begun moves to also take a shot at the 2023 presidency, a bid which he plans to heavily fund through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission under the new chairmanship.

Malami, who has now added the EFCC to his milking cows, had shelved his earlier ambition of contesting the Kebbi State governorship election and is rather eyeing the Presidency.

“The AGF has upgraded to a presidential campaign. He has abandoned the Kebbi State governorship ambition. He said he is too big to contest for governor, having made so much money under the Buhari administration.

“He has been minister for eight years and now he is in charge of the EFCC after putting Bawa, his boy. He was desperate to take over the anti-graft agency so that he could make more money and determine candidates for the 2023 elections,” a source close to Malami had revealed to SaharaReporters.

Malami had been instrumental in the manner the former acting EFCC chairman, Ibrahim Magu, was sacked from office, after having years of discord with Magu.

As part of his grand plot to achieve his 2023 ambition, the AGF had also fought to ensure that President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Bawa, despite detailed investigations indicting the 40-year-old of fraudulent acts.

SaharaReporters had two weeks ago reported that a 13-page investigation report by the EFCC, which indicted Bawa who was then the Port Harcourt Zonal head, was forwarded to President Buhari in 2019 but the President failed to read or act upon it.

It had been exposed that the report was forwarded to the President’s office, but the AGF influenced how it was dumped and not acted upon by President Buhari.

SaharaReporters had also on March 4 reported that cabals in the Aso Rock succeeded in caging Vice President Yemi Osinbajo through the probe of a former Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Tunde Fowler – both of whom are godsons to Tinubu.

The caging of the Vice President, Osinbajo; the former FIRS chairman’s probe and the EFCC probe of Tinubu was to let the APC leader abandon his 2023 presidential ambition for the “candidates anointed” by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Top sources in the presidency had revealed that the cabal would intensify its probe of Tinubu and his godsons to force the APC chieftain to abandon the presidency race before the end of 2021.

SaharaReporters had stated that one of the masterminds of the several probes around Tinubu and his allies is AGF Malami, who himself is desperate for the 2023 presidency.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Benin on Monday sets aside the judgment of the Edo State High Court disqualifying Gani Audu and Pastor Osagie Ize- Iyamu from contesting in the September 19, 2020 Governorship election in Edo State.

The Judges O.F.Omoleye, B.A. Georgewill and O.E.Oho also said there is no evidence of credentials forgery on the part of Gani Audu.

The court also holds that the matter is statute-barred as it was filed outside the 14 Days constitutional threshold.

Breaking News
Hijaab: 10 Kwara schools to remain shut for safety reasons
  
The Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development wishes to inform members of the public that the 10 government schools where the use of hijaab is disputed will remain shut until a later date.

This decision has been taken for safety reasons. 
 
A statement by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, listed the schools to include C&S College Sabo Oke, ST. Anthony College, Offa Road, ECWA School, Oja Iya, Surulere Baptist Secondary School, Bishop Smith Secondary School, Agba Dam, CAC Secondary School Asa Dam road, St. Barnabas Secondary School Sabo Oke, St. John School Maraba, St. Williams Secondary School Taiwo Isale, and St. James Secondary School Maraba.

“The government therefore directs schoolchildren and teachers in the affected schools to remain at home until the contrary is announced.

The government remains committed to fairness, pluralism, and respect for the law and rights of every citizen at all times,” the statement said.

Mrs Kemi Adeosun
Permanent Secretary
Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development
March 7, 2021

The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has urged youths in Agege and Lagos in general embrace peace and avoid thuggery.

Tinubu gave the advice on Friday during the inauguration of the 1.4 km flyover at the Pen Cinema junction, Agege.

He urged them to embrace peace for prosperity of the area.

According to him, no meaningful development can be achieved in an atmosphere of insecurity, hence, the need to embrace peace at all times.

The National Leader commended the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and his cabinet for putting the state on the path to progress.

He praised them for being steadfast even during the COVID-19 pandemic and EndSARS mayhem.

”Instead of showing frustration, you have showcased where there is a focused government, no matter the turbulence you run into, you can bring prosperity.

”We thank you for not letting us down and for being who you are and what we believed you were before election,” Tinubu said.

He said that though some party followers doubted the capability of Sanwo-Olu when he was chosen as the governorship candidate of the party in 2018, his performances since he became governor had proven doubters wrong.

According to him, the ship of the state in 2017-2018 seemed to have been geared toward the wrong direction but Sanwo-Olu turned it round as the captain with his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat.

”We thank this administration for not letting us down, we thank you for being who you are and who we think you were even before the election.

”Ever since Babajide Sanwo-Olu became the captain of the ship of our state, he has turned it right for progress and development and shown good leadership.

”Those of you at the cabinet have developed an equal determination to develop and rebuild for the people of Lagos state,” he said.

Tinubu said that the current administration was a team of great performers and doers, who were capable of building Lagos back to progress.

”I am elated that Lagos has become a huge construction site. I recognise and commend the harmony between the Executive and the Legislature that has brought much development to the state.

”In APC, we seek for talents and we don’t destroy them, we prune them and watch them grow and perform satisfactorily.

”As a government, you have shown commitment even in the face of the pandemic. The road (Agege Flyover) will bring development and good life.

“The youth, l encourage you to avoid thuggery and destruction. Government has given you education to reach greater heights,” Tinubu said.

Foreign Affairs Minister, @GeoffreyOnyeama presents letters of credence to Career and Non- Career Ambassadors.

Following their confirmation by the National Assembly, President @MBuhari will later today, decorate the newly appointed Service Chiefs with their new ranks.

President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated his conviction in the indivisibility of Nigeria.

He reaffirmed the country’s unity is non-negotiable.

The President restated his conviction to Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello on Thursday during a visit to brief him of progress so far made in resolving the north/south food blockage crisis.

The Governor, who called on Buhari in the company of the Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, also said the President also expressed concerns over the issue of insecurity in the country.

Governor Bello had been at the forefront of efforts to resolve the ethnic misunderstanding between northern traders, under the aegis of Amalgamated Union of Food and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria (AFUCDN) and their southwestern compatriots, which led to a blockade of food items and livestock from entering the south.

However, the Governor, as well as other notable Nigerians, including former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, negotiated a truce on Wednesday, leading to restoration of movement of food and livestock to the south.

According to him, while reacting to the agreement and the peace process, Buhari had commended the efforts put into reaching peace.

“Mr. President expressed concern over the insecurity in the land. As the commander in chief, he has assured everyone of us based on his security meeting yesterday, that Nigeria is going to be secured, safe and prosperous and I believe in him 100 percent.

“He urged everyone of us to continue to go about our lawful businesses in the country, that Nigeria’s unity is not negotiable, that Nigeria must be united, peaceful and that Nigeria must be prosperous,” he said.

He waived off insinuations that he got involved in the peace process just to build a profile for himself against the 2023 presidential election, as he has been said to have mounted his campaigns for the purpose.

He said his intentions and reasons were genuine, adding he was in the peace process on the orders of the President to nip a potentially dangerous situation in the bud and save the country from an unimaginable consequence.

“I am not running away from the fact that numerous teaming youths, Nigerians, women, youths, leaders and followers, various groups are calling me to contest for the presidential election in 2023.

“That is their right, it is within their purview to ask for that or demand that I run as their representative in government today.

“But I have an assignment to carry out, the assignment of ensuring that my state is safe and secured.

“We’re doing that effectively by providing leadership in Kogi State. We’re taking Kogi State from where it used to be in the past, to a more united prosperous, safe and secured Kogi state.

“Today, they’re asking me to replicate the same in the national level that is within their rights. But to say that, when there is another call of an assignment from the Commander-in-Chief on me, to ensure that a little problem that can be solved, should not be allowed to snowball into a larger crisis that would put this country on unknown collision cause, I think I will never hesitate to take up that responsibility, and that I have done successfully to the glory of God and to the satisfaction of majority of Nigerian and Mr. President.”

Leah was abducted by Boko Haram three years ago. How has the family been coping?

We are feeling very sad about the abduction of our daughter, Leah. The family is in terrible grief because of our situation and Leah’s absence.

How are her siblings coping with Leah’s abduction?

Just like I said before, it is sad and unfortunate. We are always sad about it. Sometimes we ask: ‘Where is Leah’?

Many other schoolchildren have been abducted after Leah. Do you encourage other children to go to school?

Even now some of her siblings are in school.

How do you encourage them so that Leah’s fate does not befall them?

Actually, we have been affected by that. Sometimes, we feel there is no reason sending them to school, because of what happened to Leah. Nevertheless, we have been encouraging them to go to school and that everyone has his destiny.

Has the government reached out to you to explain efforts being made to rescue Leah?

In 2018, the President himself called my wife on the phone and assured her that his administration would do everything possible to ensure that our daughter returns home safely. In October of the same year, he delegated ministers to come to Yobe State to encourage and reassure us that his administration would do everything possible to see that our daughter returns home safely. In October 2020, he sent the Minister of Women Affairs to Yola to encourage us and to reassure us of the administration’s commitment to the release of our daughter.

Have you heard anything about Leah’s whereabouts from people who were rescued or who escaped from Boko Haram captivity?

I have not heard anything concerning my daughter and I have not been told anything about her whereabouts. Nobody has said anything to me about her condition, whether she’s a mother or not. You know Boko Haram is fond of posting most of its messages on the social media. But I have yet to see anything on Leah. So, I cannot tell whether she’s a mother or not.

What encourages you about Leah every time you wake up from your sleep?

What happened to my daughter has truncated the plans I have for her. She’s supposed to be in the university now. There’s no news about her whereabouts.

Before Leah’s abduction, where were you staying? Is the place peaceful now?

I am no longer living there now. I left the place since the abduction of my daughter. Even before her abduction, I was not working there. So, I don’t know much about the place. Since the abduction of my daughter, I have never gone back to the place. My family has left Dapchi; we are all here in Yola.

Since Leah’s abduction, there have been kidnappings of schoolchildren. Do you see a relationship between the government’s failure to rescue Leah and the attacks on schools?

My daughter was abducted with many other children, but all have been released except my daughter. The same thing happened in Kankara, Katsina State, but all of them have been released; and it happened in Niger and all of them have been released. But my daughter is not released because she is a Christian and refused to renounce Christ.

What call will you make to the government and how do you feel as a parent when things like this happen?

I feel bad. I am pleading with the government to intensify efforts in tackling insurgency in the country.

What do you think is responsible for the government’s failure to rescue Leah?

It is the government’s responsibility to protect the lives and property of the citizens. So, it is government’s responsibility to rescue my daughter.

What about the family challenges you have had?

There are countless challenges. It will never be easy with a parent like me, who woke up one day to discover that his daughter had been abducted. It is a great challenge and disappointment to the family. So, I am very sad.

How do you feel for the parents of the children abducted in Kankara as someone who has also gone through the same trauma?

I feel sad for them, because it has never been easy with me. I am certain that the trauma I went through is what they also went through. It is sad. But when I heard that they were released, I was happy. I am pleading with the government that efforts should be made to ensure the release of my daughter.

Among the Kagara schoolchildren and the abducted travellers in the bus belonging to the Niger State Transportation Company, there were also Christians and they were released. Why is Leah’s case different?

I don’t know why her case is different. Among the 110 girls who were abducted with her, 104 were released and five died in the abductors’ camp. But Leah is still being detained.

What is keeping you strong and going despite the agony of the last three years?

People have been praying for me, Christians and Muslims alike. God has been my strength and I believe that when there’s life, there’s hope.

The President has called the family and promised Leah’s release. Do you still see him making good on his promise? But if that doesn’t materialise, what will it mean to you?

I am pleading with Mr President, Baba Buhari; he’s a father and a grandfather; he should fulfil the promise he made about the release of my daughter. He has promised families, nations and even the whole world. He should please fulfil his promise about the release of Leah. I will feel disappointed with his administration should he be unable to secure Leah’s release before the end of his tenure.

GOVERNOR ABUBAKAR SANI BELLO CONDOLES ETSU NUPE AND CHAIRMAN NIGER STATE COUNCIL OF TRADITIONAL RULERS, #KAGARA EMIRATE OVER THE DEMISE OF EMIR

President @MBuhari is presiding over a National Security Council Meeting, at the State House. #AsoVillaToday

I received several telephone calls, asking about my opinion on some of the recent occurrences which have taken place in our land, and why I have made no comment. My response has been that most of the issues which are occupying the front burner today, have happened before in recent times, or we have had comparable/similar occurrences, and I had commented on them in the past; so why become repetitive? The standard reply to my response is, Government is obviously not listening; if it was, the same knotty issues wouldn’t be reoccurring, and therefore, we must not relent in commenting until we get the appropriate response from Government.

The IG

Recently, the President extended the tenure of retired Inspector General of Police (IG), Mohammed Adamu, for a period of three months. One of the reasons given to Nigerians for this unlawful action, was that Government required some time to set the wheels of selecting a new IG, in motion. Was it a surprise that IG Adamu’s time was up, when the date of his enlistment into the Nigeria Police Force was known to all, especially those who appointed him as IG in the first place? Why didn’t the President and the Nigeria Police Council (NPC) perform their constitutional duty to appoint a new IG timeously, after all, it wasn’t as if they were going to Pluto or Mars to pick a new IG – the selection would be made from the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) by virtue of Section 7(2) of the new Police Act 2020 (PA20). But, as they had failed to appoint a new IG, why couldn’t someone else have been appointed in an acting capacity, while the selection process for a new IG is underway, so that Government would remain on the right-side of the law?

A similar issue had arisen early in 2019 when the erstwhile IG, Ibrahim Idris, was due for retirement on January 3, 2019 having served 35 years on the Nigeria Police Force, with his 60th birthday also coming up on January 15, 2019, and there were rumours that his tenure would be extended. I made several submissions on the issue.

In my editorial of 1/1/2019 titled “Time Up for IGP Ibrahim Idris”, I said:

“There is no provision in the Constitution, for the extension of tenure of the IG past the retirement age. The Nigeria Police’s governing body is the Ministry of Interior, and therefore, the Police does not qualify as an extra-ministerial body, whose head can serve at the pleasure of the President, in any event, such pleasure ceasing when the President ceases to hold office (Section 171(2)(d) and Section 171(6) of the Constitution).

“The question is whether the Executive will do the right thing or whether in its typical manner, act contrary to the provisions of the law. Come to think of it, it is not in the place of the Executive to do anything. By now, the Nigeria Police Force should have concluded plans for a grand passing out parade ceremony for the IG.

“It is obvious that, the Nigeria Police Council (NPC), which comprises of the President, the Governors, the Chairman of the Police Commission, and the IG, has gone to sleep. One of the duties of the NPC is to oversee the operations of the Police, but even with the complaints of Nigerians, killings in Benue, the failure of the IG to relocate to Benue State at the height of the crisis as instructed by the President, the NPC was completely silent. Nigerians hope that this time around, the NPC will play its constitutional role as provided by Section 215(1)(a) of the Constitution, and actually properly advice the President on the choice of a new competent IG, taking into consideration the state of Nigeria’s security”.

At the time, the outdated Police Act 1943 (PA43) was still in force, and it was somewhat silent on the issue. In my editorial of 8/1/2019: “Amina, Dino, Etcetera, Etcetera! “, this is what I said:

“It seems that the 35 years meritorious service of the Inspector General of Police (IG), expired on January 3. His 60th birthday is a week away. I did some further research on the retirement of the IG. Though the Police Act is silent on the issue, by virtue of the Interpretation Clause of the Constitution, Section 318(c) the Police is an authority established for the Federation by the Constitution (Sections 214(1) and 215(1)) and the IG, as a member of staff of such an institution, qualifies as a public servant. Rule No. 020810 of the Federal Public Service Rules 2009 provides that, the compulsory retirement age for all grades of officers in the Federal Public Service is 60 years or in the alternative, 35 years of service, whichever comes first. The definition of ‘compulsory’ is “required by law or a rule; obligatory”. Other synonyms for the word ‘compulsory’ include obligatory, mandatory, and statutory – meaning that the IG’s time became up on January 3, 2019.

“Again, this is another golden opportunity, for this Government to show that it has decided to turn over a new leaf, by starting to respect the rule of law – the President on the advice of the Nigeria Police Council, should appoint a new IG forthwith”.

It is obvious that on the basis of the foregoing, under PA43, the tenure of an IG who has attained the age of 60 or 35 years in the Nigeria Police Force (whichever comes first), cannot be extended by the President. But, since then, the PA43 has been replaced by the PA20 which was signed into law in September, 2020. Unlike the PA43, Section 18( of PA20 is clear and unequivocal, mirroring Rule No. 020810 of the Federal Public Service Rules 2009 about retirement age and years of service; while Section 7(6) of PA20 provides that the IG shall hold office for four years.

Section 7(6) is not subject to Section 18(, they are both stand-alone provisions of PA20. Just as Section 7(6) uses the word ‘shall’, so also does Section 18(. See Ishola v Ajiboye 1994 6 N.W.L.R. Part 352 Page 506 per Rhodes-Vivour J.CA. (as he then was); Ibrahim & Ors v Akinrinsola 2010 LPELR-4144 (CA) on the definition of ‘shall’, which in law means, ‘must’. Could Section 7(6) of PA20 be the grey area or loophole which the President grabbed as the leeway to extend the IG’s tenure? The answer to that question would be a resounding no, because when IG Adamu was appointed, the PA43 was the law in force, and consequently, that is what is applicable to him and his appointment, not the PA20. If IG Adamu was appointed under PA20, it could have been argued possibly that he was appointed from the rank of AIG, he has not completed his tenure yet, having done only about two years, and Section 7(6) is categorical.

Or could one assume that, an individual being considered for the position of IG, apart from Section 7(2) PA20 which mandates inter alia, that the candidate must be at least the rank of an AIG, must also have at least a clear four years of service left, in order to to qualify for the position and be able to complete the tenure? Knowing that the issue of the IG’s tenure has been a regular source of controversy, this aspect should have been included in PA20, that is, a proviso that any AIG being considered for the position of IG, must have the requisite number of years to complete the four year tenure, laying to rest this room for unnecessary controversy. After over 20 years of uninterrupted democracy, with all the experience that we have garnered so far, the legislature should not be amending and drawing laws that give room for similar and additional disputes. I would imagine that the essence of amending a law is to improve it, and eliminate the bones of contention previously contained therein.

PDP is No Different

Why is it that, successive Nigerian Governments (present company very much included) have always taken great delight in making controversial decisions, which are clearly unlawful, yet they expect Nigerians to be law-abiding? The opposition PDP which has decried the IG’s tenure extension, is no better than the APC in that regard, and they do not have any moral justification to protest. They should have left others like civil society organisations, to be the ones to make the objection. Coming from the PDP, even though the objection has merit, it is highly hypocritical.

We have certainly not forgotten when late President Umaru Yar’Adua was airlifted, or rather, spirited away in November 2009 for medical treatment, and was clearly no longer able to function as President; none of the options available in Section 144 of the Constitution (to declare him incapable of functioning as President etc) or Section 145 (transmission of a written declaration that then Vice President Goodluck Jonathan should perform the functions of President as Acting President) were employed. Vice President Jonathan did not become Acting President till February 2010. In fact, Nigerians do not know when President Yar’Adua died, we only know when his death was announced in May 2010! An extremely ridiculous and embarrassing charade was put on, to convince Nigerians that he was still alive. And, when the PDP/Government finally announced his death, contrary to Section 146(1) of the Constitution which clearly provides inter alia that, if the position of President becomes vacant by reason of death, the Vice President shall hold the office of President to the end of the tenure, educated high ranking members of the PDP actually suggested that since the Presidential slot had been zoned to the North, a Northerner, and not Goodluck Jonathan should assume the position of President Yar’Adua!

EFCC Chairman

Again, the issue of the nominee for the position of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), is another matter arising. That, contrary to Section 2(1)(a)(ii) of the EFCC (Establishment, Etc) Act 2004, the President’s nominee, 40 year old Abdulrasheed Bawa, does not qualify for the position. We went through the debate as to whether Ibrahim Magu could act as EFCC Chairman forever, just a few years ago, and I considered the issue extensively. With so much controversy trailing the former EFCC Acting Chairman, Government has created yet another one in the President’s choice of Bawa. Could a less contentious choice not be made from those who are qualified for the job if Bawa is unqualified, especially as questions have already been raised as to his credibility? The bedrock of President Buhari’s election campaign, is the fight against corruption. It is already a global embarrassment that the erstwhile EFCC Acting Chairman is himself facing corruption allegations, when he was supposed to be spearheading the fight against corruption. Do we really need this kind of controversy at the EFCC, if this Government wants to be taken seriously with regard to this fight against corruption? I think not. I do like the idea that a young man was nominated instead of all the old ‘foggies’ we are used to; let’s wait and see whether Mr Bawa is deserving of the job, and what the outcome of the Senate Confirmation exercise will be.

Court of Appeal Justices

Similarly, there is a new controversy raging in our own primary constituency – the appointment of Court of Appeal Justices, and the allegation that the list of candidates meticulously drawn up by the President of the Court of Appeal, Honourable Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem (PCA) based on the Court’s requirements, expertise, merit etc, has been jettisoned by the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) in favour of Politicians’ cronies etc. That our country is divided on ethnic and religious lines, is no longer news. Hence, it’s no surprise that the first allegation against the FJSC list is that, for example, there are no Northern Christian nominees included on it.

This is a dangerous trend, if it is allowed to sail through, and it is the hope of many members of the legal profession and indeed, the society, that the NJC reconsiders the list of the PCA. The courts are said to be the last hope of the common man. How does the common man get justice, if those who are administering same are loyal to their APC sponsors? It is obvious who such Justices may decide in favour of, should they be involved in deciding matters like election petitions. This defeats the purpose of one of the basic principles of justice, that is, ‘fair adjudication between competing claims’. For one, we are all aware that the courts’ dockets are usually full of election petitions and other related matters. Nigeria is not like America, where Justices who were appointed by Donald Trump did not uphold his spurious election malpractice allegations, just to prove their loyalty to him. The cases were decided strictly on their merits. Again, jettisoning expertise predominantly for those who may have much lesser knowledge, will obviously result in impeachable decisions being handed down. This will certainly be an undesirable outcome, especially if we are sincere about building a stronger Judiciary.

This is a golden opportunity for the NJC to improve the quality of the Judiciary, by considering the available lists and doing their own proper findings, before a final decision is made, instead of simply accepting a list which may be flawed. My dear colleagues, what is your opinion on this matter?

Rochas Okorocha, former governor of Imo state, has alleged that police officers watched on as thugs cut his “boys” with machetes during a clash in Imo state.

The senator said he managed to escape the purported attack on Sunday after his orderlies “rushed me to a room and locked me up”.

Okorocha was arrested on Sunday for unsealing a property seized by the state government on Friday.

The property which reportedly belongs to his wife is said to be under investigation by the state government.

Not long after forcefully gaining access into the property, masked police operatives arrived to escort him away.

As the scene unfolded, Okorocha’s supporters clashed with those of Hope Uzodinma, the state governor, whom he has been at loggerheads with for some time.

Speaking during a recorded audio interview played on Channels TV, the senator said he “can’t even imagine” what happened to him during the encounter.

He said: “I came back from an occasion and proceeded to Royal Palm Hotel to enquire what actually happened. On getting there, I saw a lot of thugs. They started molesting, cutting my boys, shooting. But the police were there too, and they did nothing and said nothing.

“They were macheting… my orderlies rushed me to a room and locked me up. Those boys had teargas, police also were throwing teargas. As they were advancing, the police were backing them up; and they were coming and were shooting.

“I enquired and they said it is the government house police. And I asked, is this with the directive of the IG or the CP? Can the governor actually use government house police to do what he is doing?

“They kept me in a room for some time and all my boys got injured. Right now, my in-law was shot and his legs have been scattered.”

Okorocha fell out with Uzodinma in the build-up to the 2019 governorship election in the state after he moved against the latter’s emergence as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

R.I.P to my brother and friend Flight Lieutenant Piyo Piyo who was the co pilot on the military aircraft that crashed this morning in Abuja.
My heart bleeds. ����

Like late Fg Offr Arotile, Flt Lt Gadzama was a proper child of NAF Base Kaduna. Child of a retired officer, attended Air Force Primary & Air Force Secondary schools on the base & ended up as a pilot in the Air Force. God rest his soul �

We are saddened by the tragic death of Flt Lt CH Gadzama of 02 Set of Air Force Secondary School Kaduna on the Sunday 21st of Febuary 2021.He was a Jovial and hardworking Officer of the Nigerian Airforce.

In September 2013, hundreds of single women led by Suwaiba Isa stormed the streets of Gusau, the capital of Zamfara State, protesting scarcity of husbands for more than 8,000 of them. A similar protest earlier planned by Hajiya Altine Abdullahi for widows and unmarried Kano women in August 2009 was averted by Kano State Government which quickly arranged mass wedding for 1,000 women in the state.

It had looked as if the trend was restricted to the Northwest part of the country and the Muslim population until a pastor in one of the churches in Gombe State raised concern over their unmarried ladies’ choice of men from outside the region, especially the Southwest part of the country who came to take their women away.

Reports say that 60 per cent of the non-indigene population in Gombe State is made of people from the Southwest part of the country, who the Oba of Yoruba in Gombe, Abdulrahim Alao Yusuf, said have been living in the area for more than 150 years.

At 35, Godiya Adamu is yet to find a husband; a situation she blamed on her inability to find a man who is serious about marriage.

“What would I do? I can’t force myself on men if they do not come,” she said, revealing that she had been in about five relationships without meaningful results before she eventually gave up. “As far as I am concerned, life continues with or without a husband,” she said.

On her part, Abigail, a mother of two, said she deliberately chose to be a single mother so that she might have peace of mind. “I live in my own house in this Gombe with my children. I am their mother and their father,” she said.

Abigail said she chose to be single because she could not play the second fiddle in a marriage.

She said: “I have friends who prefer that the man should not make their existence known to the wife at home and they are comfortable with it.

“What I want to say is that one should go for whatever will make one happy. There is nothing new again under the sun.

Esther, a 45-year-old single lady, said the new trend now is for ladies to go out of their state and culture to marry. “I was in a wedding where a pastor here in the North complained bitterly that Yoruba men are taking their girls away. He said when they marry them, they don’t stay in Gombe but take them to their part of the country.

“So I said why will this not be so because some of the young men that you see out there are into drug addiction, and who wants to marry a drug addict?

“The truth is many of them are not serious. It is not only men that are looking for decent and serious ladies, ladies too are also seeking decent men to marry, and that to me is scarce right now in this generation.”

For Amina, a Fulani woman, her problem was that she had education. She said she had discovered that many men in the North are reluctant to marry educated women. “Probably because they felt it might not be easy for them to have control over such a woman. So to me, the option is of course to remain single and be both the mother and father to my children.”

Rev. Adamu Dauda of ECWA Gospel Church Gombe said when he noticed that the situation was becoming alarming, he called for a meeting with all the youths in the church.

He said: “I lead a congregation of over 1,500 members out of which we have over 800 youths. During the meeting, we discovered that out of the 800 youths, 487 were not married, so I began to take the initiative to talk to them one on one.

“The shocking discovery is that some of the ladies told me that nobody had proposed to them. Then I asked, did you not see anyone that you liked? Some said yes, but they could not go to the man because it is against African culture. That is the area we are now looking into.

“If a lady likes a man, why not go to the man herself? If that will give you better results, why not? Because I can tell you for sure that the church is already getting overwhelmed.”

Rev. Dauda also blamed the situation on the inability of many young men to use their hands to make ends meet because they are thinking of white collar jobs and other privileges that will come through the government.

He said: “You would believe me that the economy of our country is in serious problem. Many people are struggling. People would tell you that they have spent two or three days without cooking in their homes. In other words, they are looking for what to eat.

“They would come to the church and plead, and because we are one family, the church encourages giving and supporting one another.

“Today, most of our children, especially the boys, graduated and have nothing to do. When you ask them, they would say they are looking for government jobs. Many of them have failed to use their hands to make ends meet. They are thinking of white collar jobs and other privileges that will come through government but these are not forthcoming.

“Since they have no job, they have no means of taking care of wives. Many of them you can see walking on the streets with their files instead of taking vocational jobs where they can earn money and make themselves employers of labour.”

He said another reason for the delay in marriage for many men and women is modernization, which he said has led to trial marriage, which he said is directly opposite to African culture.

He said: “In those days, because you could not touch a woman before you married her, it encouraged a man to desire to marry. But what is happening today is not good for the ears at all.

“If they could try marriage before they get married then what would prompt them to want to marry again? Because what they are looking for in marriage, they can get it outside marriage.”

He also blamed some of the women for living care-free life. “Some of the women do not have self control, and if you do not have self control, somebody will come and get what he wants to get from you and find his way out. Then another person will come and it goes on like that in a vicious circle. At the end of the day you find out that nobody wants to marry you.

“Hardly will such a lady find a man to marry her, because even if a man is not decent and not faithful, he is looking for a faithful woman to marry. Once a man hears so much about you concerning indecency and other things, they will go away and not want to stay with such a woman.

“Another factor is on the side of the parents. Most parents do not want their daughter to marry until she attains a certain level of education. In those days, after secondary school, a girl can get married and then both husband and wife can go and struggle together and they will be whatever they want to be together. But today, the parents will say she will not marry until she obtains first degree.

“Another thing is that some parents also do select for their children, saying they should wait for a well established family with the hope that marriage with their daughter will get them out of poverty, and the lady will keep on waiting. Parents’ intervention in issues of marriage is causing a lot of problems.”

The Chief Imam of Government House Mosque in Gombe, Sheik Dr. Zakariya Hajiya, blamed the scarcity of husbands for women in the state on poverty. According to him, the huge expenses of marriage for men with regard to the bride, her family, mosques and churches have become a huge burden on them. He said the biting economic situation occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic and the security challenges in the Northeast region have further worsened the situation.

He said: “The expenses on those things like dowry, clothes, necklaces, kitchen appliances, bed, television, refrigerator and other household appliances, which a would-be husband would provide for both the bride, her family and faith houses, are so huge for him.

“Another problem is the death of many men due to insurgency which have turned many women into widows and with children to cater for. The situation is further compounded by the huge number of widows of soldiers and policemen who died in the fight against insurgency in the Northeast.

“These women are also part of the society. Most of the time, men are victims of insurgency attacks, banditry, kidnapping and the rest. In fact, recently, men have become vulnerable and endangered species in our society as a result of these crises in different parts of the country.

“So, scarcity of husband, which leads to delay in marriages for women, is not limited to the Northeast; it is all over. And it is also not limited to women in Islam; it also affects Christians too.”

Another factor raised by Zakariya is the fact that most women of nowadays do not want to play the second fiddle or allow their husbands to marry another woman after them.

“This is another big problem, especially for polygamists. Some women even killed their husbands for marrying or trying to marry another woman. Yes, it is as bad as that, but it is a deviation from the teachings of Islam.

“Islam allows a man to marry as many as four wives. But these days, once you marry a woman, they hardly agreed for another woman to be married after them. Except you have a very strong hold on a woman, it could be very frustrating to put two or more of them under the same roof.

“Some, apart from trying to kill their husbands, even take him to court for divorce. It is as bad as that.”

He said the society is facing a huge problem in this regard now because the scarcity of husband is forcing many women into fornication, adultery and even prostitution in order to survive.

“Some of these women are even the ones approaching men now because they are looking for means of survival.”

He explained further that most women who prevent their husbands from marrying another woman have forgotten that they also have female children.

“Some of them even have as many as four, five or more daughters at home. If you marry one off and that one did not allow her husband to marry another woman, who will marry her sisters?” he asked.

This, according to him, is what many women who are against polygamy do not understand.

He said: “I am a teacher, and I know that girls in schools outnumber boys. It also means that the population of girls is more than boys.”

But the Statistician General of the Gombe State Bureau of Statistics, Hammed Gidado, would not agree with Sheik Zakariya. Gidado said there is no empirical statistics on ground to support the notion that there are more women than men and that is why there is scarcity of husbands or delayed marriage for women.

To him, available statistics showed that male children still outnumber fema le children, according to latest population statistics.

He said: “There is no empirical statistics on ground to support the notion that there are more single ladies than single men in Gombe State for now. However this could be true on assumption.

“There are five factors which could be responsible for this. First is the spiritual cost of marriage. If you are doing it according to Islamic marriage, it will not go through without cost. The same also applies to church wedding. The pastor and the Mallam will get something.

“Secondly, the parents will do K’aya hauri or lepe in Hausa, and this will involve buying clothes, boxes, jewellery, etc. The minimum you have to spend on this is nothing less than N200,000. Those are on the side of the person getting married.

“But the cost is even more on the side of the parents who have to buy bed, refrigerator, television, carpet, furniture, cooking utensils and other domestic tools to use at home. So the expenses are even more on the side of the parents.

“These are extreme costs which can run into not less than N600,000 or more than a million naira.

“Another is the cost of reception for invited guests at the wedding. You have to provide food for people. If you are popular, you will expect not less than 100 guests. The cost of what they will eat and drink is more than the dowry.

“In Islamic law, dowry is now pegged at a minimum of N25,000. If you put all these costs together, you will discover that it is one of the things deterring people from getting married.

“Another aspect that is neither cultural or religious is the issue of courtship or trial marriage, where a would-be husband and wife will live together and do everything that is expected in marriage. By the time they eventually get married in a matter of three to six months, they go for divorce.

“Another thing is the issue of death among men. When a husband dies, the wife becomes a widow and the number of single women increases. However, these are assumptions; there are no empirical statistics to back it up.”

Gidado however said the upsurge in single women occurs more in the urban areas than rural areas and it is not restricted to Gombe State. He added that in rural areas, a lady could marry up to three or four times.

“But if it is in urban areas, like Ibadan or Lagos, or Kano, Kaduna, Port Harcourt and Abuja, who will marry her? In those urban areas, a lady could live up to 50 years without having a husband. Whenever it comes to the issue of marriage, what will be going on in the mind of the man is where would I get money? Especially now that everyone is looking for white kola job and government cannot provide job for everybody.

“Even when you get the job, the minimum wage is N30,000. Can you manage a home on N30,000 per month? There are also contemporary issues which are not religious, cultural or traditional.”

Gidado concluded that “this issue, sadly, appears to have no solution. Because even when government intervened and carried out mass weddings, many of the women ended up marrying another woman’s husband and the marriage may not last more than six months.”

He said the worrisome aspect is the rate of divorce which is borne out of contemporary issues and is now a common phenomenon all over the country.

“In the South-south and Southeast, ladies now stay away completely from marriage for life. If it is children, they can get their own children and remain single parents. This however is not according to our culture and religion in the North.”

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, on Saturday, said the Federal Government won’t pay ransom to secure the release of the abducted students and members of staff of Government Science College, Kagara.

He stated this today while featuring on Channels Television’s ‘Sunrise Daily’ monitored by The PUNCH.

There have been unconfirmed reports circulating on social media that the government had paid a huge amount of money to secure the release of the Kagara abductees.

But when asked on Saturday whether the government had paid ransom or was considering the payment of ransom, the minister said, “No.”

Mohammed added, “We employ kinetic and non-kinetic (measures), you don’t throwaway invitation to engage but the overall strategy you keep to your chest.”

The minister also said the government won’t tolerate any form of criminality in any form.

He said, “Bandits all over the world work with psychology of people. Deliberately, they target women and children because this is what will attract a lot of global outcry. That is exactly what bandits do all over the world.

“The government has put in place, all along, various strategies to contain banditry, to fight insurgency, to fight kidnapping. Some of these measures are kinetic, some are not kinetic. We didn’t get here overnight and that is why it is difficult to get out one day.

“Criminality in any form will not be tolerated by government. At the same time, government has a duty to look at the underlining causes of some of these criminalities in other to address them.

“I was in Minna with my colleagues, the Ministers of Interior and Police Affairs, the IG, and the National Security Adviser on Wednesday to get a firsthand information on the abduction of these Kagara schoolboys. I can tell you that as at today that the government is on top of the matter.”

The PUNCH had earlier reported that Niger State Governor, Abubakar Bello, ordered the immediate closure of all boarding schools in the bandit-ravaged areas on Wednesday after the attack in Kagara.

The Senate had also asked the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), to declare a state of emergency on security without further delay.

Wednesday’s attack happened a few months after bandits kidnapped over 300 schoolboys from Government Science Secondary School in Kankara, Katsina State.

EXCLUSIVE: Bandits have freed all students and officials abducted from Niger school on Wednesday.

FG paid N800 million for the successful operation, brokered by NSA Monguno and Sheikh Gumi. Cash was ferried to Tagina Forest holding the gunmen.

FG to announce today or tomorrow.

Second Republic Lawmaker representing Kano, Dr. Junaid Mohammed is dead.

The deceased son, Suleiman who confirmed the death, said Junaid died on Thursday night at the age of 73 years and after brief illness which lasted for three days.

His burial is to be announced by the family.

Minister of Investment and trade, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo and other sympathizers have started trooping into the deceased’s house located at No. 60 Lamido crescent, Kano to sympathize with the family.

EFCC Uncovers Another Internet Fraud Training Centre in Abuja

Operatives of the Abuja Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have uncovered yet another underworld ‘academy’ for the grooming of internet fraudsters.

The ‘academy’ located in Arab Contractors Area of Mpape Hills, a suburb of Abuja, was discovered when operatives, acting on intelligence, stormed the base on Thursday February 18, and arrested 27 internet fraud suspects.

The coordinator of the ‘academy’ is said to be 30-year-old Emmanuel Clement, and his ‘students’ are mostly young school leavers, ladies inclusive, within the age range of 18 to 25 years.

Items recovered from the suspects include a Toyota Venza car, 30 mobile phones and one laptop.

They will be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded.

The immediate past service chiefs have arrived at the Senate for their screening as ambassadorial nominees.

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, had on February 10, directed the Committee on Foreign Affairs to confirm General Abayomi Olonisakin (retd); Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd); Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas (retd); Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar(retd); and Air Vice Marshal Muhammad S. Usman (Rtd) as non-career ambassadors-designate to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

The service chiefs arrived at the Senate around 11am for the screening.

Members of the panel, led by Senator Mohammed Bulkachuwa, held a 15-minute closed-session before commencing the screening.

Truth, Courage or Nothing!

Family members, an employee, a pastor, and others related to a Nigerian business mogul undergoing trial, Obiwanne Okeke, have flooded a U.S. court with appeals for leniency ahead of his sentencing for wire fraud.

In a series of letters of attestation to character sent to Rebecca Smith, the judge handling the case at a Virginia court, they expressed shock about the involvement of Mr Okeke in the unlawful activities and pleaded he be given a second chance.

They also pledged he would not take part in any unlawful act again.

Also known as Invictus Obi, Mr Okeke will be sentenced on Tuesday.

The 33-year-old and Chairman of Abuja-based Invictus Group, before his arrest in 2019, was listed as one of the influential young entrepreneurs recognised by Forbes.

Mr Okeke was nabbed by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) which alleged he connived with certain individuals, some of whom remain at large, to defraud American companies and individuals over a period of at least four years.

One of his victims, Unatrac, a subsidiary of American heavy equipment manufacturer Caterpillar, lost $11 million in spurious wire transfers, court documents showed.

Agents of the international security agency obtained an arrest warrant and intercepted the fraudster in the airport while returning to Nigeria after a brief visit to the U.S. in 2019.

However, after months of denying his involvement in the crime before a federal judge in the U.S. and argument over jurisdiction, he pleaded guilty to the allegation of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and agreed to cooperate with American authorities last year June.

The guilty plea helped Mr Okeke, who was initially indicted on two counts of computer and wire fraud, to secure the withdrawal of the second charge that carries lesser sentence and fines.

As part of his deal with the U.S. government, he would now enjoy immunity from prosecution on the same matter in the U.S. Eastern District of Virginia.

The district would also confirm the validity of the plea agreement in case Mr Okeke is charged over the same offence in another jurisdiction. Although his sentencing was initially scheduled for October 22, 2020, it was postponed to Tuesday for reasons unknown to PREMIUM TIMES.

The conviction could see him spend 20 years behind bars with up to $250,000 in fines amongst other punishments, this newspaper gathered.

‘Temper justice with mercy’

Meanwhile, Mr Okeke’s lawyer, John Iweanoge, begged the court to sentence him to a substantially lower jail term than required by the law.

In the court documents, detailing the defendant’s position on the sentencing, which was exclusively obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Iweanoge argued that the guideline range of imprisonment of 97 to 121 months or 151-188 months “will be too much for someone of his age and status”.

“A sentence within either guidelines range would be nothing short of overly punitive for a 33-year-old, non-violent, first-time offender who checks nearly all the correct boxes with regard to his low risk of recidivism.

“Moreover, a sentence within the guideline range would be disparate with many sentences imposed for individuals whose crimes had a much more severe and far-reaching victim impact.

“The court is charged with fashioning a sentence that promotes respect for the law, affords adequate deterrence, reflects the seriousness of the offense, and provides just punishment while also avoiding unwarranted sentencing disparities among defendants.”

Attached to his plea were letters of ‘character attestation’ from Mr Okeke’s family, former pastor, mentee and close relations.

In the copy of the letters obtained, the writers also pleaded that the judge be merciful to him.

‘Show mercy for my mentor’

Also, Nwosu Favour Chikadibia, a pharmaceutical technology student studying at Federal Polytechnic Nekede Owerri, Imo State, who claimed the defendant is her mentor and friend, wrote to Ms Smith (judge) on February 4, 2021.

“I have known Mr. Obinwanne Okeke for more than 10 years and he is indeed a good person and a very kind man, and also very generous. He took me in and showed me the fatherly love I never experienced: even when I had lost hope of furthering my education, God Almighty through him blessed me.

“He offered me a scholarship right from my secondary school level till now that I am in a higher institution and he also really helped me and my family in so many ways. It was believed that everyone in this life has a destiny helper, truly Mr Oberwanne Okeke is my own destiny helper, that was why I was really saddened when I heard of his arrest, because this is not the great mentor, father, that I have come to respect and count on. I am really helpless right now without him.

“Please judge, with anguish and a sorrowful heart. I plead with you in the name of our lord Jesus Christ to please show mercy,” Ms Nwosu begged the judge.

Former pastor pleads

Also, Ikechukwuka Nwanze, Mr Okeke’s former pastor at Kingsway International Christian Center South Africa (KICC SA), wrote the judge on February 9, pleading for mercy

“I know Mr Okeke, as he was a member of my congregation at KICC SA for a period of 5 years and at the time he was a student at Monash University in South Africa.”

According to him, “Mr Okeke is a quiet young man with keen interest in business, especially Real Estate opportunities”.

“I was quite intrigued at the time that a young man his age wanted to make something of his life. He was involved in youth activities in the church and I had asked him at a time to be a keynote speaker at one of the business seminars for young people.”

The clergyman said “he was in complete shock when he found out the wrongdoings Mr Okeke committed”, insisting that “it was not consistent with the character he witnessed during his tertiary education and the period he was in the church”.

“I want to use this opportunity, your honor, to plead for leniency on your judgement and also on behalf of Mr Okeke, deeply apologise to victims of these nefarious activities and to the government of the United States,” he wrote.

Also, employee begs

Francisca Asuquo, an employee of Invictus Group, in her letter, stated that she worked with the accused for three years.

“We met at a meeting and we had an intellectual discussion about renewable energy, which got my interest and made me decide to get into the renewable energy sector which is emerging in Africa.

“As a female in this industry, it has made people and society have more respect for me seeing that I am sound in the field all thanks to Okeke for roping me in,” she wrote.

Ms Asuquo also pleaded with the judge to give Mr Okeke a second chance.

“I know that he has to attend the court on a theft charge. He is really upset and sorry about what he has done and wishes to spend more time with his new born child & family hoping to be a good father-figure that will excel at raising his family uprightly,” she wrote.

Brother, sister appeal for leniency

In addition, the defendant’s brother and sister, Alexander Okeke and Florence Ozobugha respectively, in two separate letters, appealed to Ms Smith to be considerate in her sentencing.

“I sincerely apologise on his behalf to the victims and I also ask that you consider is predicaments and show mercy to him because he is a young man that have future, young daughter and an aged mother who suffers from diabetics and they will suffer emotionally and otherwise, If you sentence him to a long period of jail,” Mrs Ozobugha stated.

Mr Okeke, who is a traditional chief in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, is also a civil/highway engineer for over 30 years working for the Maryland State Highway Administration in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.

He wrote, “I will humbly plead that the Court tempers justice with mercy at sentencing because he (Obinwanne Okeke) has a long way to go before he can actually be tagged free. In sentencing, I urge that this Honorable Court consider all the mitigating factors before it with a view to striking a lenient or tempered balance in sentencing, taking into account the U.S. sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.”

At least 11 people have been buried on Sunday in the aftermath of Friday’s altercation between Hausa and Yoruba traders at Shasa Market in Akinyele Local Government Area, Oyo State.

Also, about 5,000 Hausa traders, women and children displaced by the violence were still taking refuge at the residence of the Sarkin Shasa, Alhaji Haruna Maiyasin, and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), in Ibadan.

The Sarkin Sasa, who spoke with Daily Trust, said 11 victims were prepared for burial in his compound. A source in the Hausa community 20 killed persons were buried at the Akinyele Graveyard in the state capital.

The charred remains of 8 other people killed during the crisis were still at the police station in the Shasha area, as of Sunday evening.

“You can hear the noise, they are still here,” Alhaji Maiyasin told Daily Trust by telephone. He said the refuges in his residence were up to 3,000.

Our correspondents report that there was still tension in the town and traders from both sides count losses.

Crisis erupted on Thursday when a porter carrying a basket of tomato inadvertently nudged a Yoruba woman. The woman allegedly retaliated and organised a group of Yoruba thugs to avenge. The fight snowballed to Friday during which many people were killed and dozens of shops, worship centres and houses destroyed.

One of our reporters observed that Hausa residents at Mokola area of Ibadan, which is the largest Hausa community in the state were clustering for fear of extension of violence to the area.

Our correspondent observed that police officers were deployed to the house of the Sarkin Hausawa in Mokola to maintain law and order in the Sabo area of the community.

Governors booed in Shasa

Meanwhile, the residents of Shasha on Sunday booed the governor of the state, Engr. Seyi Makinde and his Ondo state counterpart, Rotimi Akeredolu, for Makinde’s lateness to visit the troubled area.

On arrival, Yoruba residents in the area insisted that the governors must not see the Sarkin Sasa, for the leader’s alleged failure to caution his subjects when the crisis started three days ago.

The two governors, who arrived Shasha around 2:30pm, were forced to make a retreat to instead visit the Baale of Shasha.

A Hausa resident, Hassan who said many of his friends had been killed in the unrest said the governor forgot that the Hausa community also voted for him in 2019.

Many of the residents informed Daily Trust that they have been informed not to rely on the police for protection, rather they were to prepare for any attack from the hoodlums.

Residents wondered why no arrest has been made since Thursday that people have been killing each other in Shasha area of the state.

Another resident, Haruna Baba, told our correspondent that a reliable source told them that those who perpetrate arson in Shasa are coming to attack them at the main Sabo in Mokola.

“You can see how people are gathering discussing the issue. They have killed many of our people. Those who have gone in seeking for refuge have gone to many places. Some have gone to Oyo while some are in Eleyele. Your source that told you that refugees are up to 5,000 is correct. They are many,” he said.

A resident, Akinyemi Kazeem blamed poor leadership in the state on the crisis, which started since Thursday but was not properly quelled.

Makinde, Akeredolu sue for peace

In their respective speeches during the visit to Shasha, Governors Makinde and Akeredolu appealed for calm and peaceful coexistence between the Hausa community and their Yoruba hosts.

The two governors who spoke at the Shasha market and the palace of the Baale Shasha, urged the residents of the community and Oyo State, to stop taking laws into their hands.

Speaking at the market, Governor Makinde promised to give palliatives to those whose wares were affected during the crisis, adding that the two factions have to eshew violence and allow peace to reign.

He said: “Please, I want you to listen to me clearly. You cannot resort to self-help to solve the issue on ground. All of you who are here are doing business with one another in one way or the other.

“The last time I came here, about six weeks ago, some shops belonging to Hausa and Yoruba people got burnt.

“So, you have been living together peacefully and all I am pleading to you is, no matter what is making anyone angry, we will solve it with patience.

“I was reluctant to declare curfew here because I feel the economic wellbeing of everyone here is important, and because this is where you get what you use to feed yourselves. I will engage with your leaders this evening. One thing is, if you allow those who don’t have anything to lose here to blow this matter out of proportion, no one will be able to say where the crisis will end. By the grace of God, I pray we don’t lose any more lives.

“We must not lose any life needlessly anymore. What the government will do to ensure that those whose houses, shops were burnt, we will rebuilt immediately. “But please, I beg of you, let us stop fighting with ourselves. I can assure you that we will deal with the situation.

“We must continue to maintain the peace here. Those who are hoodlums here will be dealt with but those who are law-abiding will be compensated for what they have lost.”

Similarly, Governor Akeredolu said that he was in Oyo State on behalf of the South West Governors.

He said that every aggrieved party must stop fighting and allow peace to reign.

“Concerning the issue on ground, we have come to beg you. We have been living together for a very long time and this is not the time to start fighting ourselves. So, let us consider that. There are some things that could be making us angry but don’t let us look at that because things cannot be like this forever

“Though we are here in our fatherland, our own sons and daughters are in another person’s fatherland. So, let us think about this and continue to live in peace with one another. We don’t need to fight ourselves.

“We have security agencies that you can call their attention to any issue that could cause crisis. Let us not take law into our hands. I have a brother in Abuja and others living in Hausaland.”

The chairman of South West Governors’ Forum said: “Also, let us cooperate with the governor here. If there are things we have done wrong, forgive us.”

Victims recount ordeal

Abdu Tanko, a trader whose two trucks carrying onions from Sokoto were entrapped in the fiasco said the bags of onions worth N3 million have been looted while part of it was burnt down.

“Security agents folded their arms whilst hoodlums looted our goods. And since two days ago, we’re left idle; no security personnel who came to our aid. It’s unfortunate, is that how life should be?” Asked rhetorically.

One of the women who sought refuge in Sarkin Shasa’s residence told Daily Trust: “We’re forced out of our homes out of hard moments we found ourselves. We don’t know how it all started. We’re chased out of homes. We’re beaten. We’ve been killed. And our houses were burnt down as well as our own properties. We’re starved and battling all sorts of hard times. Our children are crying. We’ve nobody to seek out help except the Almighty.”

Another Sasa resident who did not disclose his name said he and others were starving.

“The last time I ate was on Friday. I am only managing with some liquids. Government should hasten to aid our ordeals. I lost everything inside my shop and couldn’t ascertain its enormity.”

Another victim of the crisis, Akinyemi Kazeem, said houses were burnt by the angry Hausa people, adding that it was not only Hausa residents that fled the area.

“My family house have been burnt. Many of our neighbors have moved out of the community. Many shops have been burnt down. I think both Yoruba and Hausa have to be blamed for the unrest,” he said.

Uban Garin Shasa Alhaji Nalado Isa, said the entire unrest came to him like a nightmare. “We don’t know what had exactly happened. It’s Friday morning when they clamped down on us. Some of us have lived here for over 40 years. All our belongings have been lost.”

Chairman Shasa Market, Alhaji Usman Yako told Daily Trust that miscreants have been lurking around the market for a long time, committing smaller atrocities.

“We wanted government to fish out all these urchins taking refuge inside the market; we’re hopeful that by doing this we can get rid of such heinous things.”

He bemoaned that the order for the market closure came late, when the damage was already done.

‘Shasa symbol of unity’

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said the popular Shasa market has been a symbol of unity for decades, describing the clash as unfortunate.

Speaking in Lagos when he paid a condolence visit to late Lateef Jakande’s residence at Ilupeju, the VP said, “For decades, traders from the North have done business with their brothers from the Southwest and they have lived in peace and even inter-married. Shasa represents unity.”

Osinbajo warned against giving ethnic colouration to any crisis.

“A disagreement arising between individuals or a criminal act is committed by one against the other we must ensure that we see it for what it is, a criminal act, which must be punished according to law. Not an ethnic conflict.

“I have heard about the unfortunate mayhem and the tragic loss of lives at the Shasa market in the past few days. Shasa market has been a melting pot for traders bringing foodstuff from the North to the Southwest for decades,” he added.

Osinbajo also warned individuals against taking the law into their hands, saying, “Every Nigerian has a constitutional right to live, work and enjoy their lives in safety, peace under the law.

“It is the duty of government through the police and other law enforcement agencies to arrest and prosecute any person who commits a crime against a citizen of this nation. It is the role of the citizen to assist the police to identify the criminals.

“We must never take the law into our own hands, if we do, we will be promoting chaos, and a breakdown of law and order, and all of us especially the most vulnerable amongst us, will be at risk. I urge all community leaders to work together to preserve the brotherly co-existence that our people from different parts of the country have enjoyed in Shasa market for several decades.”

The VP however lauded the governor for “his swift and decisive action and all the law enforcement agencies for their prompt intervention.”

Matawalle, NEF, OPC call for action

Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State, Northern Elders Forum (NEF) and The O’odua Peoples Congress (OPC) yesterday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to take action by investigating the mayhem and ending the orgy of violence across the country.

In a statement by signed his Special Adviser on Public Enlightenment, Media and Communication, Mallam Zailani Bappa on Sunday, Governor Matawalle who sympathised with the victims of the attack and called on President Buhari to take decisive action on the spate of violence gripping some South-Western States and gradually turning into criminality.

“It is inexcusable that at this stage of our journey as a nation, we are yet to come to terms with the fact that God has made it a destiny for us to live as one people. It is unfortunate that while our counterparts elsewhere are fusing up from particularity to generality as a people, we are fast sliding backwards from semblance of generality to particularity as a people’, Governor Matawalle lamented.

He noted that hatred and regional dichotomy would not lead us to whatever we think we can gain out of it but backwardness and doom.

Governor Matawalle said President Buhari should to take a decisive step towards ending the ethnic profiling of the Fulani tribe in some parts of the country which is now graduating to include the entire Northern communities especially in Oyo state.

“I also urge my colleague, the governor of Oyo State to take concrete steps in curtailing the ongoing senseless attacks and ensure that such happenings do not occur again. We are battling with insurgency and banditry as a nation and here are supposed law abiding citizens unleashing mayhem on innocent citizens to compound the spate of insecurity in the country’, he said.

“We must eschew primitive hatred against one another and learn to live with ourselves as one people. Our common enemy is not among those we live in the same community, buy and sell from one another, but those who take up arms against us in the name of banditry and insurgency’, he added.

Spokesman for the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, also asked President Muhammadu Buhari to act swiftly, saying the country was being “set on fire”.

In a Twitter post, Baba-Ahmed said Nigerians living in any part of the country must be protected. He said there will not be any attack on southerners living in the north as a response to the alleged attack on northerners in the south.

“Attacking innocent southerners living in the north will not be the right response to attacks on northerners in the south,” Baba-Ahmed said.

“We should demand that Nigerians, wherever they are, must be protected. President and Governors: Do something, NOW! They are setting the country on fire under you!”

OPC in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Barrister Yinka Oguntimehin, called on President Buhari and Governor Makinde to investigate the Shasha clashes.

The group expressed concern that a minor misunderstanding between a pregnant woman and a Hausa man later degenerated into tribal crisis leading to death and destruction of properties in the community.

He said, “It is unfortunate that a short misunderstanding between two traders eventually led to killing and destruction. Yoruba are everywhere in Nigeria, especially, in the North, mostly in Kano and Kaduna, however, it is on record that no Yoruba native has ever instigated any crisis in the North.

“Therefore, I am using this opportunity to call on President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate the circumstances surrounding the ugly incident, so as to bring the culprits to book and also forestall further crisis”, he said.

Oguntimehin also condemned the report that a Divisional Police officer (DPO) in charge of Ile-Igbon Division, Surulere Local Government Area of Ogbomoso in Oyo State, Adepoju Ayodeji shot an operative of Amotekun for arresting Fulani herdsmen that allegedly destroyed a cassava farm.

“The police officer should be made to face the music for shooting an Amotekun corp. No matter who was involved and the circumstances surrounding the incident, the police boss should be professional enough to know when to pull the trigger.”

Northern Governors, Elders meet

The leadership of the Northern Governors Forum will today meet with the Northern Elders Forum in Abuja to discuss the current killings and destruction of properties in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The meeting, according to the Director, Publicity of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, will discuss the current situation in Oyo State and the safety of northerners in other parts of southern Nigeria.

“We will be meeting under the leadership of the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, the Governor of Plateau State, Simon Bako Lalong and we will make our position known at the end of the meeting,” he said. While giving further clarification to his tweet asking for action to avert the looming danger, Baba-Ahmed told our correspondent that anyone who takes a life must be ready to account for his actions before the Almighty.

“People need to know that you can’t just go around attacking people, you must account for your actions before Allah. You can’t just kill an innocent Yoruba man in the north because another Yoruba man has killed a Hausa man in the south, what will you say when you stand before Allah, that you killed him because a northerner was killed?”

Residents of Shasha, Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State on Sunday booed the state governor, Seyi Makinde, and his Ondo State counterpart, Rotimi Akeredolu, over their lateness to address the ongoing crisis in the area.

SaharaReporters gathered that the governors arrived at Shasha, where the clash occurred, around 12pm on Sunday but the Yoruba residents there inisited that the governors must visit the Yoruba traditional leader in the council before going to the Seriki Shasha.

Our source said after Makinde left the palace of the Yoruba traditional leader, he left without seeing the Seriki Shasha, which generated angry reactions from the Hausa community.

Muhammed Kabiru, who is Hausa, told SaharaReporters that Makinde "did not do well today".

"The Yoruba community did not allow Makinde to see Seriki Shasha. After they booed him, some Yoruba leaders ushered him to the Yoruba traditional leader and the governor did not go to see the Seriki Shasha. As someone who is Hausa, I feel betrayed.

"Makinde as a leader, is a governor for both Yoruba and Hausa people. We voted for him but he treated us badly," Kabiru added.

However, a Yoruba resident, disagreed with Kabiru on the issue, saying "The crisis was induced by Hausa leaders because they did not caution their children.

"It is true we did not allow him to talk to the Seriki Shasha. Where was he when they attacked our people? Hausa people killed many people here. Why must the governor visit him?"

The 1999 Nigerian constitution, as amended (Section 40) guarantees the right of citizens to peaceful protest. The courts have also affirmed that right. Anything contrary to that is not acceptable and stands condemned.

It is the security agents' responsibility to provide a secured conducive environment for citizens to protest peaceably in line with constitutional provisions and the African Charter on Human rights.

The continued closure of Nigeria-Niger border at Jibia town, Katsina State by the officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) despite President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive for its reopening is not yielding any positive results as smuggling of contrabands into Nigeria remained a daily occurrence at the border town. On December 31, 2020, Buhari approved the immediate reopening of all land borders in Nigeria following the earlier reopening of Seme, Illela, Maigatare and Mfum after 15 months of outright closure that stoked stern criticism across Africa.

While the President directed immediate reopening of the land borders, he did not approve the importation of rice, vegetable oil, second-hand clothes and other contrabands, but the items are discreetly smuggled into the country via illegal routes at the border towns in Katsina under the cover of darkness. Buhari’s directive was conveyed in a three-paragraph circular issued by the Comptroller General of Immigration Service (CGI), Mr. Muhammed Babandede and addressed to all comptrollers of Immigration in all border states of the federation, including Katsina.

The circular christened, “Presidential Directive on Reopening of all Land Borders and Submission of Status reports on its Implementation”, was received by the Katsina State Comptroller of Immigration, Abdulrazak Mu’azu on January 13, 2021. It reads: “I am directed to convey the approval of His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the reopening of all land borders with effect from 31st December, 2020 following the earlier reopening of the four land borders (Seme, Illela, Maigatare and Mfum).

“Consequently, all comptrollers of Immigration Service in all border states as well as Officers in Charge of all border control posts (Mega, medium and mini) are hereby directed to work in close synergy with other relevant agencies towards the successful implementation of the President’s directive. You are further required to forward a report of immediate compliance with this directive”.

Consequently, there was ceremonial reopening of the Nigeria-Niger border on January 14, 2021 which was well-attended by traders within and outside the country, including the Deputy Comptroller of Immigration in charge of the border, DCI H. Ibrahim, customs officers and police at the frontier of the border in Jibia town. However, investigation by THISDAY revealed that officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service stationed at the frontier of the border have flouted the presidential directive by closing the border few hours after it was reopened by the Immigration boss. The flouting of Buhari’s directive also affected three other recognised border posts with Niger Republic—Kongolom in Mai’Adua, Babban Mutum in Baure and Dankama in Kaita Local Government Areas of the state, while smuggling of counterfeits still persists in the areas.

THISDAY uncovered the contravention of the directive during a visit to Jibia border post in Jibia Local Government Area of the state, with residents alleging that the customs officers closed the border to continue their illegal activities in the area. During the visit to the border town, THISDAY also observed that the officials of the Customs service restricted human and vehicular movement across the border post while its main entrance was under lock despite the directive of the president. Investigation further revealed that the operatives of the Service denied traders and travellers entry and exit at the border town, including selling of fuel in communities close to the border post.

There was restriction of movement as checking of goods and vehicles remained in place at the more than 30 checkpoints mounted by armed customs and police officers along Katsina-Jibia highway. The customs service, however, justified its action on the ground that it had not received a formal directive from its supervising ministry to reopen the border. An official of the customs service, who spoke privately with THISDAY, said security agencies at the border post were still expecting official directives to reopen the border.

Concerned about the conflicting directives, some traders in separate interviews in Jibia lamented endless extortions by Customs officers, insisting that the officers closed the border to continue with their illegalities in the area. They claimed that smugglers were being aided by security personnel, including policemen, Customs and Immigration officials, who allegedly collected money from the smugglers to allow a free passage at checkpoints between Jibia and Katsina metropolis.

One of the traders, Tijjani Kabiru lamented that the border closure had contributed negatively to the socio-economic imbalance of the state and the country in general, calling for its reopening for business to thrive. He said residents and traders of the border town, who were rejoicing when the border reopened, were disappointed at the action of the Customs Service.

He said: “Immigration officers came to Jibia Thursday morning; that was on January 14, 2021 where they announced the official reopening of the Nigeria-Niger border and directed us to commence commercial activities with our brothers in Niger. Unfortunately, around 2pm that same day, some heavily armed customs officers came and locked the gate of the border. As I speak to you, the frontier of the border is under lock and key. The officers are even threatening to kill us if we go there”.

Another trader, Jamailu Muhammad, alleged that the prevailing extortion by customs officers and other security personnel was detrimental to trade facilitation and ease of doing business and also crippled the economy and impacted negatively on residents of the state. He said: “There are more than 30 checkpoints between Jibia to Katsina being manned by officers of the NCS, the Nigeria Police, the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps. But they are doing nothing but extortion that is why they don’t want to reopen the border”.

However, despite the closure of the border by the Customs officers, smuggling still remains a booming business in the state as smugglers have resorted to the use of illegal routes to ferry in bags of foreign rice, bales of second-hand clothing and other contrabands. Findings by THISDAY revealed that while strict compliance appears to reign at the main border post between the two countries, illegal businesses still thrived at some bush paths and sundry illegal entry points where “unscrupulous” security operatives, work hand-in-glove with smugglers to smuggle contraband goods into the country.

Some of the illegal routes the smugglers used to ferry in the contrabands from Niger Republic to Jibia Local Government Area includes Bayan Bariki, Government Day Secondary School, Magama, Dan Arau, Rainin Wayo, Alele , Korama, Gadirge, Sabon Garin Magama, Makada and Mai Dabarau. These illegal routes also served as bypass for Nigeriens coming into Nigeria.

The smugglers go through the laborious route of offloading the contrabands from trailers few meters away from the official border security post and use J-5 buses, Gulf 4 and 5 vehicles and motorcycles to ferry the items from their hideouts into Jibia for onward transportation to their warehouses in Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara, Jigawa States and some other parts of the country.

The smugglers are sometimes seen in large numbers or individually, passing through longer routes to evade Customs officers. Instead of going through the Jibia-Katsina road, they move to Batsari Local Government before linking Katsina to deliver the smuggled rice on request.

Some of them who go directly to Katsina from Dan Faru or Dan Issa in Niger Republic, using Peugeot cars popularly called Gwarama by locals, charge between N1,500 to N2, 000 to deliver a bag of rice to shops and depots. Most times they drive through farmlands to get to Katsina town.

Sadly, women are not left out in this illegal trade. They employ several tactics to smuggle rice. For instance, they divide a bag into three or four places and back them, using their Hijabs to conceal it and pass security checkpoints along the 30km Jibia Katsina road in commercial vehicles. Meanwhile, at Kongolom border town, Maiadua Local Government Area, most smugglers of rice are using local routes from Maimaje, Botsotsuwa, Tsatsumburum and Yekuwa settlement, all in Niger Republic, to ferry their commodities into the country, using motorcyclists.

In Dankama, a border town in Kaita local government, rice is smuggled through farm lands from MaiKani village. It was observed that youths in the area are paid N6,000 for a five kilometer trip to ferry rice from the said village, using Peugeot J5 buses and Golf cars. While in Babban Mutum, (Baure LGA) most of the shops are not displaying foreign rice but sells on request to customers. The goods are usually delivered to customers’ houses for fear of harassment by security, particularly officers of the Nigeria Customs Service.

But one of the smugglers, who pleaded anonymity, told THISDAY that those of them engaged in the business understood the risks and dangers involved but affirmed that they would not encounter any problem unless they refuse to cooperate with security operatives at the checkpoints. He said: “Unless one refuses to pay the bribe for each category of items or when it is time for the officials to sacrifice you to prove that they are working. That is when they will arrest you in the name of smuggling”.

The source, who is into smuggling for four years, said business had been booming for them because they do convey a bag of rice from Maradi (Niger Republic) to Katsina at the cost of N4,000 each. “We used to charge rice merchants N4,000 for each bag of rice carried from Maradi to Katsina State. Although, we do follow bush paths and sometimes custom officers do arrest us. But once we give them some monies, they allow us to pass even though some of them are very stubborn,” he added.

The Nigerian Bar Association has started legal action against President Muhammadu Buhari over his extension of the Mohammed Adamu’s tenure as inspector-general of police.

Buhari, Adamu and the Police Service Commission are named as respondents in the suit FHC/L/CS/214/2021 filed by NBA’s public interest litigation committee before the Federal High Court in Lagos.

NBA wants the court to determine the constitutionality of Buhari’s extension of Adamu’s tenure as IGP for three months after Adamu on February 1 attained the mandatory 35 years in service.

It said it is guided by an urgent need and sacred duty to reassert the supremacy of the rule of law in the face of growing impunity and the seeming reluctance of Law Officers in Government to give proper counsel.

NBA’s position is that Adamu ceased to be a member of the Nigeria Police Force when he attained the mandatory 35 years of service.

It called extension of his tenure “unconstitutional”.

The end of Adamu’s tenure came when he clocked 35 years in service on Feb 1.

Workers retire upon clocking 35 years in service or reaching the age of 60, whichever comes first, according to service rules.

Speculation regarding his replacement was rife, and some had been tossed out before the presidency announced a three-month extension to Adamu’s tenure.

“In the grand scheme of things, the NBA is wary that the more government officials casually violate the law, the harder it would become to expect citizens to be compliant. Citizens take their cues from their leaders and public office holders who flout the laws of the country that they are meant to uphold will discover sooner or later that their examples will be followed by those that they purport to govern,” it said.

“The ubiquity of acts of impunity, especially by those in high public offices, portends an existential threat to the survival of this country and her hard-won democracy.”

Imo state government has taken over Eastern Palm University at Ogboko in Orlu, said to be owned by former governor Rochas Okorocha.

In an announcement today, government warned all those it called ‘fraudulent claimants’ to stay away from the university.

It said its right to ownership is based on the fact that state money was used to build the school.

It warned that if they failed to stay away, they would be made to face the full weight of the law.

They have also been reminded that the government has been empowered to deal decisively with anyone or group of persons ready to test the will of government over ownership of the University.

The Executive Council of Imo State took the decision at its weekly meeting of Wednesday, February 10, 2021, presided over by Governor Hope Uzodinma.

The Council accepted the White paper Report on Land Use and Related Matters which recognises that the Eastern Palm University is owned by the state.

It therefore resolved that all necessary steps must be taken to recover the University from fraudulent claimants.

Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, said the Eastern Palm University has been accredited by National Universities Commission (NUC) as the second Imo State owned University.

The White Paper, according to the Commissioner, recommended that the University should be recovered and appropriately designated as a State University in accordance with the laid down guidelines of NUC.

Consequently, Council has directed the relevant ministries to take immediate steps to implement the decisions of the Executive Council, in accordance with the White Paper Report.

The Council noted that the university was built with Imo State tax payers money.

Former Super Eagles defender Yisa Sofoluwe died on Tuesday evening at the Intensive Care Unit of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital.

The PUNCH broke the news of Sofoluwe’s ill-health on Friday, after the Maroc ’88 Africa Cup of Nations star was diagnosed with mild cerebral atrophy, a brain disease.

According to healthgrades.com, cerebral atrophy is the progressive loss of brain cells over time and can lead to decreased brain mass and loss of neurological function.

Ex-international Waidi Akanni, a close friend of Sofoluwe, told The PUNCH, “Sofoluwe is gone. We lost him this evening. May God rest his soul. We will go there (LUTH) tomorrow (Wednesday) to get his remains.”

Dosu Joseph, an ex-Eagles goalkeeper and Atlanta 1996 Olympics gold medallist, also confirmed Sofoluwe’s death to The PUNCH in a WhatsApp message.

“Thanks for your support, we lost him, another icon is gone. To God be the glory.”

Sofoluwe was earlier admitted at the Prince and Life Medical Hospital, Ikorodu, Lagos, before he was rushed to LUTH on Friday, after his medical condition became worse.

Born on December 28, 1967, Sofoluwe won 40 caps and scored one goal for Nigeria and was a member of the Eagles squads which reached the finals of the 1984 and 1988 AFCON tournaments.

The retired left-back, popularly known as Dean of Defence, also had an illustrious club career playing for some of the countries biggest clubs like 3SC, Abiola Babes, where he won two FA Cups in 1985 and 1987, and Julius Berger and Gateway United.

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Benin Zonal Office today, Tuesday, February 9, 2021 arrested  nine suspected internet fraudsters in an early morning operation in Benin City,  Edo State.

The suspects who were arrested following intelligence received by the Commission are Okosun Godspower, Imo Harry Hamilton, Efosa Desmond, Odiase Aifuwa, Idoko Onakpa, Dogìo Samson, Okukoje Godstime, Onuigbo Julius and Osamulu Sunday.

Items recovered from them include laptop computers, mobile phones, a Toyota Camry car and a Luxus Jeep.

The suspects have made useful statements and will be charged to court as soon as investigations are completed.

The Federal Ministry of Education has approved the suspension of all meeting of the Governing Council of the University of Ibadan (UI), Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

This was conveyed in a letter to the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission by the Permanent Secretary of the Education Ministry, Mr. Sonny Echono on Monday.

DAILY INDEPENDENT recalls that following multiple allegations of malpractices, the selection process for the appointment of a new Vice Chancellor of the University was suspended in November last year and the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academics, Professor Babatunde Ekanola was elected in acting capacity for the next six months