The Ife Traditional Council has formally announced the death of Oba Okunade Sijuwade.

The chiefs, accompanied by Prince Tokunbo Sijuwade, officially announced the demise of the monarch while meeting with Governor Rauf Aregbesola at the Government House in Osogbo on Wednesday.

One of the chiefs, Oba Solomon Omisakin, told the governor that the Ooni had joined his ancestors.

The monarch, who was flown out in an air ambulance, died on July 28, in a London hospital.

The visit of the chiefs to the governor was the second in about 15 days since the media reported the death of the monarch.

The chiefs led by the Lowa of Ife, Oba Joseph Ijaodola, had on July 29th debunked the reports of the death of the monarch.

The following day, they took their rebuttal to the Government House where they briefed the governor and told him before journalists that the monarch was very much alive.

Earlier in the day, the Isoros were seen in some parts of Ile Ife singing dirges, which is one of the precursors leading to the formal announcement of the death of the Ooni.

The Isoros were said to be dressed in white clothes and carried earthen pots and embarked on a procession outside the palace gate to Enuwa Square.

A hippopotamus that has terrorized residents around Dadin-Kowa dam and environs in Yamaltu-Deba local government of Gombe state for the past two years has been killed by men of the 301 Artillery Regiment, Gombe.

Head of Forestry Yamaltu/Deba Local Government Council, Malam Ismail Umar who confirmed the killing of the animal added that the wild beast had constituted a major threat to the lives of fishermen and farmers as well as destroying their equipments and farm lands for the past two and the half years.

“We discovered it since the last two and half years, but unfortunately it has become very notorious and hazardous to people, farmers and fishermen.

“The people wrote to the local government council authorities complaining about the damages it was causing them, and we forwarded to the ministry, seeking the approval of the Governor.

“We received the approval last week, and we decided to go hunting for it, which we took over a week before we finally got it Wednesday night.
“We were lucky to trap it outside; we used military men to shoot it with the help of the local hunters.

“We shot it yesterday night around 10:30 pm when it came out to eat grasses, and today we butchered it in to pieces.

He said there were about 100 of them in the water, “but the one that was killed decided to cross to the lower side of the dam”.

Mr Adamu Pukuma, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Environment and Forest Resources acknowledged that Hippopotamus is one among the animal that were going instinct and therefore under protection, but that the particular one that was killed had become notorious.

“It killed people around the area as well as destroyed people’s farms and fishing equipment.

“There were complaints and huge outcry from the people of the area that was why we sought for the Governor’s approval and killed it” he said.

Hopes of a rapprochement between President Muhammadu Buhari and Senate President Bukola Saraki have continued to fade by the day.
The No. 1 and No. 3 citizens are still not on speaking terms despite saying the eid-el-fitr prayers together on Friday July 17, TheCable can report.

In a widely publicised photograph, Saraki next to Buhari at the praying ground in Abuja, fuelling speculations that the Ramadan, the Muslims’ holiest month, might have helped to break the ice between them.

But presidency sources have told TheCable that if anything, “the relationship has grown colder and the coming weeks promise to be very tense between the two men”.

There are no phone calls, private meetings or exchanges of correspondence between them, according to presidency insiders.
TheCable understands that Saraki had tried all possible avenues to have a one-on-one meeting with Buhari but did not get the green light, although both men have met in public on a couple of occasions and produced the obligatory handshake and smile.

Efforts by some top members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to broker a truce have failed, with Buhari insisting that Saraki’s “act of betrayal” will not go unpunished.

Saraki, who co-ordinated fund-raising efforts for Buhari for the 2015 presidential election, was controversially elected senate president when the national assembly was inaugurated on June 8.

The party preferred Ahmad Lawan, who is also thought to be Buhari’s choice although the president openly denied having any personal choice.
The situation was further worsened by the choice of principal officers outside of the senators picked by the party hierarchy.

The crisis generated by the national assembly leadership elections has continued to stall legislative proceedings as the APC tries to assert its authority on its preferred candidates.

Not a single motion has been passed by either of the chambers since the inauguration which also produced Yakubu Dogara as speaker as against Femi Gbajabiamila preferred by some key APC figures.

Saraki and Dogara, both defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), were endorsed by their former party in the national assembly leadership race.

Both chambers are expected to resume on July 28 after shifting the date from July 21 in order to allow for tensions to die down and outstanding matters to be resolved.

Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi was for some minutes the cynosure of all eyes at the APC presidential rally in Lagos today when he danced to Davido’s Aye. Asides his dance steps, his outfit also stood him out. Amaechi was decked in the APC-customized agbada and ‘abeti aja’ cap, complemented with the APC-crested reflective sunglasses.


http://citypeoplegroup.org/i/pictured-rotimi-amaechi-in-his-apc-customised-reflective-sunglasses/

. BY CHIOMA IGBOKWE

Operatives of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Ikeja police command, Lagos State have finally hunted down the alleged master­mind of the kidnap of Durodola Muwalu, man­ager and younger brother of the owner of Dam-jay Hotel located in Ikorodu, Prince Jacob Araba. He is Adekoya Oni, a native of Agbowa Ikosi in Epe Local Government Area and a herbalist with about 27 years experience.

It was reported two weeks ago that SARS tracked and arrested a four-man gang of kidnapers in their hideout in Ijebu Ode area of Ogun State. In the process, they also rescued their latest victim, Durodola Muwalu, who had been in their custody for 11 days.

The suspects were Felix Ikuomola, Gbenga Popoola, Sunday Akibi and Azeez Olowu. In their confessional statement, they alleged that a certain man, known to them as Baba Agbodi (Adekoya) was the one who gave them the contract and also provided all necessary details and logistics.

On the circumstances surrounding his arrest, Saturday Sun gathered that Adekoya, on realising that his game was up, left town with an excuse that he went to visit his sick mother. Two weeks later, he returned in the hope that police had stopped searching for him. He was said to have bragged to the community that, although the gang mentioned him during their confession, no policeman would dare enter his shrine. He was later arrested inside his shrine while attending to his customers.

Face-to-face with his accusers, Adekoya claimed that the only reason he allowed them to go ahead with the kidnapping was because Prince Jacob Araba, who is known as a generous philanthropist, bought cars for the community leaders and exempted him. “I am the son of the former baale (traditional ruler) in our community and a renowned herbalist. I deserve all the respect I should get in this community. So, I felt bad that Prince Araba shared cars and did not give me. I was happy when these boys consulted me. I did not give them the contract, I only consented to the kidnap.”

He admitted that the gang met with him twice in his office. “I have known Gbenga for a long time. We met when his mother brought his pregnant wife to me for prayers. I told them what to do and they failed to abide by my instruction. The baby died at birth.

“So, I was not surprised when he came with four other young men to seek my consent. I only told them that it was a good idea and advised them that it would be better to kidnap his brother, Muwalu. The person that I have issues with is the brother of Prince Araba; he is the one who advised Prince Araba not to include my name in the list of those who he bought cars for. Muwalu is a wicked, greedy man and I know that Prince Araba will pay any­thing to save his brother. My only crime here is that I did not report to the police, but it was their idea,” Adekoya said.

However, members of the gang, who are still in police custody, insist that he was the mastermind of the abduc­tion.

Daring him to refute their claim, Azeez said that dur­ing the meeting, when they raised the issue of police, he assured that he would exonerate them. “He is lying. I dare him to refute his statement during our last meeting that if we were arrested, he would stand and ask for our release. He said that policemen fear him. This was why, as soon as we were arrested, we mentioned his name. I am shocked that he could deny us even while alive.’

On what really transpired, Azeez alleged that Oju called them that there was a need to arrange a job so that he could raise money for his child’s naming ceremony. “He was desperate and as friends who had done jobs (robbery) in the past, we decided to help him if he could get any contact. Two days later, he called and told us that Baba Agbodi had a good deal for us. He scheduled a meeting and myself, Gbenga and Oju went to his office in the Itoki area of Ikorodu. He is well known in the com­munity. He told us that our target is very rich and would pay anything to secure the release of any of his family members. We agreed to share the loot equally, even as he provided all the necessary information. We tried twice to pick him at the hotel but left out of fear of being caught.

“On the day Muwalu was abducted, he was the one who called and informed us that the target was close by. He advised that we should pick him close to his house as the road is very bad and he would surely slow down. He was watching from afar, so that he would not be caught since he was well known. He even called to congratulate us as soon as we succeeded.

“When we were running out of cash, we called him to assist us with small money since there was delay in pay­ing the ransom. He was angry and said that we were not putting much pressure on Prince Araba. We even called to inform him that the police were looking for us and he advised that we should relocate,” Azeez alleged.

Also, Gbenga, laughing sarcastically at Adekoya’s de­nial, said he was the brain behind the kidnap. “We have been arrested, the best thing is to tell the truth and make peace with God. It was my mother who took me and my pregnant wife to his office for spiritual consultation. Un­fortunately, I lost the child. He is a herbalist and well respected. In the past, he had done a lot of prayers for me and my family and it worked. If you want to do any illegal job, he was looked upon for spiritual guidance. I was happy that he was the one who brought the job. This meant that it would be very successful. This was why I quickly made all the necessary arrangements. He was the one who chose the victim and gave us direction on how to go about it. Stop lying,” Gbenga screamed at Adekoya.

The man who was rescued, Muwalu was grateful to God for sparing his life and said that he had finished the day’s work and was heading home in his brother’s car (the owner of the hotel) when the kidnappers blocked him close to his house.

“I was heading home in my brother’s car at about 8.30pm, when a car blocked me and about three men, heavily armed, stepped down and asked me to get out of the car. They dragged me out of the car into another one and tied me up. They also blindfolded me. They later took me to a house after several hours of driving.

“They were calling me Chief Araba and I told them that I am not the one. I told them that I am his manager and they started beating me mercilessly. I pleaded for my life and they said that I should give them my oga’s num­ber so that they would call him. I was there when they called him, demanding N60million. I told them that they were carrying the wrong person. I have not seen N6mil­lion not to talk of N60million in my entire life.

“The more I pleaded, the more beating I got. They kept me tied up in the room and only gave me water to drink. This was what sustained me till I was rescued,” Muwalu narrated.

Surprised at the identity of the man behind the kid­nap, Chief Jacob Araba, who was the initial target, said he knew little or nothing about Adekoya, the suspect. “I am a philanthropist and by the special grace of God, I have enough to feed my family. I do not know the man but I was told that he had benefitted a lot from my ges­tures to the community. I always ensure that I encourage the leaders of the community to keep the area safe. I am happy that they have been arrested except Oju, who I learnt is still on the run. I have confidence in the Nigeria police for once in my life. I thank CP Kayode Aderanti for allowing his detectives, led by SP Kyari, to rescue my brother and arrest the criminals.”

Confirming the arrest, Lagos State Command Police spokesman, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, said that police are still on the trail of the remaining member of the gang, Oju. “The Commissioner of Police is determined to rid the state of all criminal elements. It does not matter how far you go, the hand of the law must surely catch up with you. We also encourage residents to be conscious of who their neighbours are and report any criminal activities in their area.”

A suicide bomber who rammed into a military check point in Bajoga, Gombe State Wednesday, failed to achieve his mission.

According to Major General Chris Olukolade, Director Defence Information, he said the bomber attempt to escape also failed as he was brought down by vigilant soldiers when he tried to flee after hitting a military Armoured Personnel Carrier with his IED laden Honda car. The explosives which failed to detonate have been evacuated and handed to the police.

Also in Kano, security forces have raided the terrorists’ hideout in Nasarawa Local Government Area leading to the arrest of bomb making experts who are already helping in the investigation into activities of bombers lately. Officers believe that the efforts will yield useful clues.

Troops deployed in all locations of the counter terrorism campaign have been directed to sustain the tempo of operations all through the period of seasonal celebrations and ensure that the intention of terrorists to attack civilian target while avoiding troops is duly frustrated.