₦airaland Forum

The Kogi State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has spoken up on how he sustained injury on his left foot and had his leg bandaged by doctors. He said the incident happened while he was alighting from a vehicle.

The governor made this known on Tuesday through his Media and Publicity Director-General, Kingsley Fanwo, while dispelling speculations that he is “either hospitalised or otherwise incapacitated”.

“The Governor missed his footing last Friday, March 30, 2018 while alighting from a vehicle and injured his left foot. He was treated by his doctors, who bandaged the leg and discharged him.

“We thank all the Governor’s supporters and well-wishers who reached us to inquire after his wellbeing. His Excellency is doing very well and will be at work as usual after the Easter holidays.

“Once again, the Governor sends his best wishes to Kogites for the Easter Season and beyond,” the statement read.

https://www.benuepress.com/2018/04/gov-yahaya-bellos-current-health-status-revealed-by-kogi-govt-after-car-accident/

Senator Dino Melaye, representing Kogi West in the Upper Legislative Chamber of the National Assembly, has advised his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, to stop the blame games.

According to him, it would be a wasted effort trying to change a country by fighting the realities on ground.

Melaye told his party that to change the country, they must build a new model that would make the existing one obsolete.

Melaye said this in a post he shared on Instagram on Monday evening. The embattled Senator entitled his post, “Advice to APC.”

He wrote.... “You never change a country by fighting the existing realities you meet on ground.

“To change a country, you build a new model that will makes the existing model obsolete.

“Stop accusation and start building.”

https://www.benuepress.com/2018/04/dino-melaye-to-apc-you-cant-change-nigeria-by-fighting-accusing-people/

the President General of Tiv Youths Organization, TYO, Timothy Hembaor, has condemned the statement credited to the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency in Benue State over the killings and implementation of the Open Grazing Prohibi-tion Law in the state.

In a statement yesterday in Makurdi, Hembaor urged President Buhari to discountenance the call to avert a major upheaval in the country. He said: “Only last week, the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore as usual called on President Buhari to declare a state of emergency in Benue and Taraba states.

This call cannot be taken for granted, as we all know where it is coming from. “We call on President Buhari to live above board and shun the temptation of throwing the country into a lawlessness.” Hembaor noted that it was very unfortunate that it was the same people who embarked on ethnic cleansing in Benue that are calling for the declaration of emergency rule.

He added: “The declaration of a state of emergency in Benue on the call and directives of those who carried out pogrom on the state will be a direct invitation to an undesirable violence. “We will not only violently and ruthlessly resist its enforcement, which shall lead to the state of lawlessness and anarchy in the land, we shall transmute to or form a deadly insurgency group that the country has never seen.”

https://www.benuepress.com/2018/04/tiv-youth-condemn-statement-by-miyetti-allah-over-state-of-emergency-in-benue/

Governor of Benue State on Monday reacted to the statement by former minister of defence, retired Gen. T. Y. Danjuma that Nigerians should defend themselves from possible attacks by aggressors.

Danjuma, while speaking during the weekend at the maiden convocation ceremony of Taraba state University in Jalingo, urged Nigerians to defend themselves against ethnic cleansing.

According to him, it was regrettable that the Nigeria Army was no more neural in the fight against terrorism in the country.

Reacting, Ortom said the statement making the rounds was a misrepresentation of Danjuma’s statement.

He stated this after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday.

Ortom said “I’m not sure that if you listened to him very well. It is a misrepresentation of what the former minister said.

“He did not tell anybody to take up arms. He only said that people should protect themselves.

“Of course, you know that self-preservation is the first law of nature.

“You can’t just wait in your house and allow someone to come and kill you. You can resist the person, but you don’t necessarily need to have arms. I think that that was what the minister was saying.

“There is need for people to arise to defend themselves not necessarily using weapons that are banned. You can use a stick and disarm someone.

“Some years ago, I was able to disarm armed robbers with seven AK 47 without anything. I think that is the kind of thing he is trying to say. Nigerians should rise up to do this.

“Security matters are not just left in the hands of security men, it requires every one of us to put our heads together and be courageous to be able to surmount it,’’ he said.

https://www.benuepress.com/2018/03/benue-state-gov-ortom-reacts-to-danjumas-self-defence-comment/

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has again slammed President Muhammadu Buhari for failing to sign the Africa Continental Free Trade Area agreement.

The former President, however, expressed hope that the President will change his mind before it is too late.

Obasanjo spoke his mind on the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA, during a presidential panel, titled: ‘When Leaders Make History’ at the Africa CEO Forum in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire on Tuesday.

The former Head of State was joined by the President of Zimbabwe, Emerson Mnangagwa.

Obasanjo said, “That President Buhari didn’t sign the free trade agreement in Kigali is disappointing; I hope he signs it before it is too late.

“Egypt started the discussion on the formation of the Organisation of African Unity but didn’t conclude it and Nigeria took over.

“Nigeria was also central to the discussion of the free trade agreement, but I am surprised that the country withdrew from signing.”

The AfCFTA treaty is one of the flagship projects of the African Union Agenda 2063.

It is targeted at creating a single continental market for goods and services, with free movement of business persons, investments and a single currency.

Also, the agreement commits countries to removing tariffs on 90 per cent of goods and to liberalise services.

Also items identified as sensitive, which make up the balance 10 per cent, will also be phased out later as tariff-free.

https://www.benuepress.com/2018/03/obasanjo-slams-president-buhari-for-failing-to-sign-acftaa/

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State said the call for the declaration of a state of emergency in Benue and one other state by the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore was tantamount to punishing those states that have performed their legitimate constitutional responsibilities of enacting laws for good governance.

Ortom said, “The call is unrealistic, untenable and unacceptable because many other states across the six geopolitical zones of the country have been affected by similar crisis, sometimes at a greater magnitude than the two states, yet the call does not include them.”

The governor, in a statement issued by his media adviser, Tahav Agerzua, restated his call for the declaration of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore as a terrorist organisation, while also asking for the arrest and prosecution of their leaders for terrorism.

The governor was reacting to the call by the National President of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Abdullahi Bello Bodejo, where he called for a declaration of state of emergency in Benue and Taraba states on account of crisis between farmers and herdsmen.

The governor said, “Incidentally, what Benue and Taraba states have in common is the enactment and implementation of ranches laws which prohibit open grazing.

“These laws were made in accordance with the 1999 Nigerian Constitution as amended, to curb incessant clashes between farmers and herders that had taken a huge toll on human lives and property in the two states.”

Ortom expressed concerns over the “failure of Police” to arrest the people, warning that “attributing the enactment of the law to non payment of workers’ salaries is untenable,” as several states with salary payment challenges have not resorted to the enactment of a similar law.

https://www.benuepress.com/2018/03/gov-ortom-reacts-to-call-for-declaration-of-state-of-emergency-in-benue/

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday apologized to Nigerians for the “mistakes” it made during its 16 years of governance.

PDP’s National Chairman, Uche Secondus issued the apology at an event in Abuja.

He said the party has learnt from its past mistake.

He said, “We made mistakes. On behalf of my colleagues and members of these party, I apologise to Nigerians.

“We have learnt from our mistakes. It was all part of our evolution process. Without it, there can be no maturity. I believe that PDP is more matured, to provide the best for this country.”

https://www.benuepress.com/2018/03/pdp-apologizes-to-nigerians-over-mistakes-made-during-its-16-years-of-governance/

Sergey Mavrodi, the founder of MMM, a Russian company that ran one of the world’s largest Ponzi scheme, is dead.

According to a report by Moskovsky Komsomolets, the founder of the MMM series of financial pyramid schemes, Mavrodi, died in Moscow at the age of 62.

Mavrodi was taken to a city hospital from a bus stop overnight Monday, March 26, after he felt weakness and pain in the chest area.

“The emergency team has failed to save his life. He died this morning,” the report said.

Sergei Mavrodi created the company “MMM” in 1992. It quickly gained popularity and became the largest financial pyramid in the history of Russia.

The income of the members who joined it was paid out of the contributions of new arrivals, and when the flow of customers ceased to grow, non-payments began.

According to various estimates, the number of victims of MMM has reached 10-15 million people.

In 1994, Mavrodi became a member of the Russian parliament. Then he announced that he was giving up his privileges: salaries and cars. Mavrodi stressed that he became a deputy only for the sake of immunity.

https://www.benuepress.com/2018/03/mmm-founder-sergey-mavrodi-reportedly-dead/

Nollywood Actress, Jojo Charry, has opened up on why she posted her n*d* images on social media to celebrate her birthday.

The actress’ n*d* birthday photos went viral online with lots of backlashes last week.

Speaking in an interview, the actress said it had always been her wish to share her n*k*dness online because God has blessed her with sexy body.

Charry said people spend money, go under the knife to get her kind of body, wondering why she should cover herself.

She said, “To be honest, I have always thought of doing a nude photo shoot for a long time. When I was younger, I felt my body was too sexy and it scared me.

“I was ashamed of my body, it was too grown. Now that I’m older, I saw that it’s a trend; everybody craves to have a sexy body.

“Even people are paying, some going under the knife to have my kind of body, so why am I covering myself?

“I had to embrace myself. Like, this is who I am; the body is not going anywhere. It is going to be mine forever.

“So, the last time I came to Nigeria, I was like, let me do a nude photo shoot. I love my body just like I love myself.

“So, I wanted the world to see what I have got in me. However, it’s not like I was totally nude, because I wasn’t showing anything.

“But Nigerians are taking the matter too seriously. I am not mad at them; I am just enjoying it all. I don’t care.

“People must talk, complain, regardless of what you do or didn’t do. That’s the kind of world we live in! I just do whatever makes me happy.”

https://www.benuepress.com/2018/03/nollywood-actress-jojo-charry-reveals-why-she-shared-her-nd-photos-online/

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom says he is committed to the security of lives and property of Benue people.

He gave the assurance on Sunday at the Catholic Youth Centre in Makurdi, during the dedication of Lutor Samuel Isho Adanyi, by the family of Chief Benjamin Adanyi, Majority Leader of the House of Assembly.

Ortom said the need for ranching, as being championed by his administration, had recorded progress, especially with prominent Nigerians condemning the killings by Fulani herdsmen.

He said God had heard the prayers of Benue people, and hoped that the “displaced persons would soon return to their homes to continue with their normal activities”.

The governor also said salary problems would soon become a thing of the past, as regular payments had begun since the beginning of the year.

He promised that money would be sourced and arrears cleared.

In his sermon, Rev. Celestine Tyowua urged Christians to humble themselves and trust in God, and they would never be disappointed.

https://www.benuepress.com/2018/03/gov-ortom-speaks-on-security-in-benue-over-herdsmen-killings/

Governor Samuel Ortom, has stated that protracted attacks on Benue communities by suspected herdsmen was causing humanitarian and food crises.

The governor warned that if the development is not checked, it could result to famine across the land.

He stated this on Thursday when he visited Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs in Abagena, Daudu and Gbajimba camps.

According to Ortom, the continued displacement of the people could affect the next planting season, which will lead to food shortage in the state and the country at large.

Governor Ortom appealed to those in position of authority and capable of putting an end to the crisis to do so, saying the displaced children forced out of school could be those of anyone.

While assuring that he would do everything lawfully possible to ensure the return of the displaced to their homes, the Governor expressed optimism that God would rise and wage a war against the invaders.

He promised to sustain the supply of food and other relief materials to the displaced persons, stressing that medical attention would never cease in the camps.

The governor said the visit was to reassure the displaced persons that they were not abandoned in their predicament and that everything was being done to ensure that they return to their homes as soon as possible.

Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Emmanuel Shior, in an address, appreciated the commitment of the Governor in catering for the IDPs, even as he called on the Federal Government to step up support in that regard.

https://www.benuepress.com/2018/03/herdsmen-attacks-gov-ortom-cries-out-over-looming-food-crises-in-benue/

National Chairman and presidential aspirant of the National Action Council (NAC), Dr. Olapade Agoro, on Thursday described the abduction and release of abducted students of Dapchi Government Secondary School, Yobe State as “a celebration of fraud”.

Agoro in a statement made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital while describing the abduction and release as “an arranged abduction and celebration of fraud” however, advised President Muhammadu Buhari “not to allow himself to be rubbished with the issue of the just released Dapchi girls by the Boko Haram insurgents.”

He said, “Obviously, the best language of a fool is self delusion, this summarises the narratives of the arranged abduction and thereafter playing to the global gallery with an arranged freedom of the innocent 104 Dapchi schoolgirls.”

Agoro said, “Somebody, somewhere is fooling somebody somehow with the unexpected dreaded Boko Haram suddenly becoming Father Christmas freeing the 105 Dapchi abducted 105 schoolgirls with parting gifts.”

The NAC National chairman emphasized that, “Going by the dramatic return of the abducted students by the Boko Haram insurgents, there are many questions for the presidency to answer to be able to convince Nigerians on the matter.”

“The questions begging for urgent answers from President Buhari and his APC led government are how was the arranged abduction carried out unnoticed by the military and the Nigeria Police? What pre-emptive actions had been so far taken by the federal government to unearth the full details of the abduction.”

“How many of the Boko Haram vehicles and their types were involved in the abduction? What route did the Boko Haram vehicles take to abduct the girls and from where were the freed girls brought? Who and who negotiated with the Boko Haram prior to the freedom of the Dapchi schoolgirls?

“Who and or what killed the five of the abducted girls rumoured to have been buried in the bush and in fact who buried their remains?”

“The nation shall need a clear cut answers to these questions.”

https://www.benuepress.com/2018/03/release-of-dapch-school-girls-a-celebration-of-fraud-nac-chairman/

Big Brother Naija 2018 housemate, Cee-C, has continued to insist that she’s a virgin. She said this during a game with Alex and fellow housemate, on Wednesday night.

Alex asked her, “Before you came into this house, when was the last time you had sex?” Responding, Cee-C said, “Never. At 25 I had never.”

Surprised at her response, Alex said said, “Cee-C say the truth and shame the devil.”

Cee-C reiterated her earlier remark, “Never.”

Recall that Cee-C had few weeks ago declared that she had never had sex.

https://www.benuepress.com/2018/03/bbnaija-2018-at-25-i-remain-a-virgin-cee-c/

Idoma youths, under the auspices of Idoma Youth Assembly, have issued herdsmen resident in Benue South notice to quit.

The youth group said it was giving three-week ultimatum to all herdsmen currently residing in any part of the zone to leave or have themselves to blame.

Patriot Ocheya Patrick Ekre, president of the youth group, said they would no longer fold their arms and watch herdsmen maim their people, destroy their crops and still walk freely.

The group also faulted the Nigerian government for not doing enough to end the endless killings in Idoma land and Benue State at large.

IYA, therefore, asked all herdsmen resident in Idomaland to vacate before or on April 15 to avoid trouble.

He said, “We’ve carefully observed the role and the body language of the federal governments and it’s quite disheartening to note that they practically failed the electorates of their primary mandate, which is to give them protection.

“It shows how nonchalant and insensitive this government is to the plight of the populace.

“Benue state was one of the states that gave President Muhammadu Buhari overwhelming support that paved the way for him to enter that office and all we can receive in return is killing and molestation.

“Consequently, we want to categorically state here that we are highly disappointed at the President Buhari’s recent visit to Benue.

“It is obvious that his trip to the state was not to proffer solution to the killings, rather it seems we’ve been mocked and pushed to the wall.

“It is quite unfortunate and amazing to hear from Mr. President, who claimed that he never knew the IG of police flouted his orders.

“For how long can we live in deceit and shift blames? Who is to be blamed, the IG or Mr. President? And now that he’s aware that IGP disobeyed his orders, what then is the sanction?

“Conclusively, we give all Fulanis herdsmen between now and April 15, 2018 to leave of Idoma land since the government is not ready to protect us from their swords and bullets.

“We are no longer asking Fulani herdsmen not to attack us, but we are giving them final quit notice. We have publicly sounded our warning,” the group added.

https://www.benuepress.com/2018/03/idoma-youths-give-herdsmen-3-week-quit-notice-over-benue-killings/

Former Big Brother Naija 2017 housemate and Singer Jon Ogah has revealed why he sees BBNaija 2018 housemate, Nina as the winner of N45m.

Ogah in a post on his Twitter page said Nina’s ways of handling situations in the house had distinguished her.

He applauded her for maintaining calmness in the house despite gossip and provocations from housemates.

This is following her refusal to insult and exchange words with Cee-c during a heated argument on Monday night.

Recall that Cee-c called Nina all sorts of names on Monday night after she accused her of being a cheat over sharing of food.

Ogah defending Nina wrote: “I haven’t really spoken about Nina proper since #BBNaija began. I realized that she has a very calm way of handling situations.

“She has a mind of her own, so even when people gossip others, she is distinguished.

“Regardless of anything, I see her as a winner.”

https://www.benuepress.com/2018/03/bbnaija-jon-oga-reveals-why-nina-will-win-the-n45m/

A Non-Governmental organisation, Vanguards for the Defence of Democracy, yesterday described former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo laying of wreath over the graves of Benue people who were allegedly killed by Fulani herdsmen as an exercise to score a cheap political goal.

Addressing reporters in Abuja, the National Coordinator, Mr. Sharon Faliya Cham urged the ex-president to stop using the people’s moment of grief as an opportunity to whip up sentiment for his political advantage.

Recalling that Obasanjo’s administration was never crisis-free, he noted that the former president directed the military to massacre the people of Zaki-Biam and those in the adjoining villages.

He said that since the people have been critical observers of the past, who could recall the enormity of killings during his administration, they know that the visit was in bad fate.

His words: ’’Since Obasanjo is now interested in laying wreaths of flowers over the graves of those killed in various clashes, it is now clear that the immediate past president’s recent visit to Benue State is heavily loaded with mischief and ulterior motives.

‘’Chief Obasanjo ordered the massacre of the people of Zaki-Biam and surrounding villages so he consequently resigned

‘’But the good people of Benue are not stupid. They know Obasanjo was shedding crocodile tears, they know that he was there on a political mission. He was not there to commiserate with them but his mission was to pull them out of the league of the President Buhari supporters.

‘’It is clearly staged-managed to send negative political signals that can balloon and escalate into serious problems in Nigeria’’

Meanwhile, a member of the Group, Mr Anthony Udah, said Obasanjo’s mission to Benue State was supposed to be a mission for reconciliation, reconstruction and reuniting the people in love.

He condemned the hypocrisy that the visit signified, stressing that the nation recorded the highest number of extra-judicial killings underObasanjo’s watch as a civilian president.

Udah alleged:“Nigeria is suffering from leadership deficiency and if there is anybody that has cheated this nation, it will be Obasanjo. Obasanjo used the government to kill a lot of people during the time of his civilian regime.The enlightenment in Nigeria is so poor that people like Obasanjo is supposed to be behind the bars.’’

https://www.benuepress.com/2018/03/group-accuses-obasanjo-of-playing-politics-with-benue-killings/