THE Nigerian military says it is now monitoring the social media for comments that could be “anti-government, anti-military or anti-security”.

John Enenche, director of defence information, said this when he appeared on Channels TV on Wednesday.

He said the measure became necessary in the wake of hate speeches and comments threatening Nigeria’s unity.

Eneche spoke two days after President Muhammadu Buhari expressed worries that some comments on the social media “have crossed our national red lines”.

Enenche said as part of measures aimed at tackling this, the military has established “strategic media centres”.

“Imagine when the president came back and addressed the nation, not up to 30 minutes later, a fake speech of the commander-in-chief was being circulated in order to do what? To derail the people,” he said.

“If you are not very sharp and if you didn’t listen to the speech or you don’t have a copy of it like I had it almost immediately, you wouldn’t know. So, looking at it from that perspective, it is a challenge everywhere.

“What are we doing? In the military, we are now taking on it more seriously than ever. We have our strategic media centres that monitor the social media to be able to sieve out and react to all the ones that will be anti-government, be anti-military, (and) be anti-security.

“We tackle them appropriately with appropriate responses. Ahead of that, we are also proactive.

“We have measures in place, scientific measures to be able to sieve this information and also to get the public and let them know that some of this information they are getting is not genuine are not true and their objective is an anti-corporate existence of this country.”

THE former militant leader, Asari Dokubo, has on Wednesday mocked president Buhari over what his SSA on Media & Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu said yesterday about his office and rat.

Recall that Garba Shehu was quoted to have said yesterday that the office of Mr. President has been attacked and some valuable items destroyed by rat. As such the president will be working from his office at home.

According to Dokubo, “It is a shame to Nigeria to report Buhari’s rat incident to BBC”,

“They told us that the lion king is coming to chase out hyenas and other animals, little wonder did we know that rat took the challenge and chased him out of his office.

“When my friend told me that the rat incident was reported by BBC, I was ashamed of Nigeria”.

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, who is working from his residence, will today receive the reports on the probe of the director-general of National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), both of whom are on suspension.

This is just as the federal executive council (FEC) which normally holds on Wednesdays has been billed not to hold today.

This is supposed to be the first FEC meeting since President Muhammadu Buhari came back from his 103-day medical vacation.

A presidential panel, headed by vice president Yemi Osinbajo, had investigated Babachir for alleged violations of law and due process in the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on the North-East; and Oke, for the $43.4m stashed away at a residential apartment at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Other members of the investigation panel were the National Security Adviser, General Babagana Monguno (rtd) and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.

On April 12, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) discovered $43.4m, N23.2m and £27,800 at an apartment in Ikoyi.

Oke had said the monies belong to his agency.

Lawal, was suspended over alleged fraud in the award of contract by the defunct Presidential Initiative on North East (PINE).

A former Nigerian president, Olusegun Obasanjo, has explained why Nigeria has not experienced military intervention in its democratic journey since 1999.

Mr. Obasanjo gave the insight in a book titled “Making Africa Work”, launched recently in Victoria Island, Lagos.

The book was co-authored by the former president and three others – Greg Mills, Director of Brenthurst Foundation; Jeffrey Herbst, President of NEWSEUM and Dickie Davis, a retired major general.

Mr. Obasanjo, who first ruled Nigeria as a military head of state between 1976 and 1979, later governed the nation as a democratically elected leader between 1999 and 2007.

While giving insights into how nations of the world can put an end to military interventions, the former president explained that no matter the excuse, military interventions had major negative impact on democracy, governance and unity of Nigeria.

He, however, argued that the often prescribed solution of specifically putting a ban on coups in the constitution was not the answer.

“A coup is a treason punishable by death only if it fails, and yet it puts the plotter in the State House if it succeeds. It was a destructive and destabilising practice, wasteful for the military itself, and undermining in terms of discipline, good order and military conduct,” Mr. Obasanjo wrote.

“A junior officer takes a gun and looks at his political boss and senior officers through its sights, bumps them off and puts himself in the State House.

“He instantly becomes superior and senior to all political and military officers. Such was the situation existing in Nigeria between 1966 and 1999.”

Giving specific insight into how he handled the challenge when he was in office, Mr. Obasanjo revealed how he cleverly placed senior military officers on compulsory retirement.

“On assuming office as president, I decided to put an end to these incessant coups. I asked the military to submit the list of all officers who had either participated in coups in the past or benefited in the dividends of coups by being appointed to political office as governors or ministers,” the former president wrote.

“Not knowing what the list was meant for, the military faithfully compiled it and submitted to me as the commander-in-chief and chairman of council of each of the arms of service. Ninety-three officers in all were given six hours’ notice of retirement on a Friday, and ordered not to spend the Friday night in uniform or in barracks to prevent adverse reaction.

“The following Monday, the service council met to ratify the retirement of all the officers. From my vantage position and background as a battle-tested and war-victorious general, I knew that an officer out of uniform and barracks is like a fish out of water, and their power and influence would be greatly diminished.

“The retirement of these 93 officers all in one day was salutary. It meant that taking part in a coup ot benefitting from one could catch up with you, no matter how long it would takes, and for as long as you are alive,” he explained.

Mr. Obasanjo, however, noted that the officers’ retirement did not stand in the way of any of them entering public life or making progress in it.

“Some of them later entered politics and became elected governors; some went into parliament; others got appointed as ministers and ambassadors,” he wrote.

“The idea was not to punish them for life but to exclude them from positions in the military where they could be coup planners, coup plotters, coup executors or coup beneficiaries.

“And once an officer has tasted the trappings of a political life, of living in a government house, with free food and so on, he would easily look for excuses to want more if he is in a position to make it happen.”

Explaining why the nation hasn’t experienced such incidence of coup d’etat, the former president said the measure was quite effective even if it wasn’t perfect.

“The fact that since 1999, there has not been a coup or an attempted coup in Nigeria speaks to the effectiveness of the measures taken to put an end to the destabilizing influence of coups on the political life and dispensation of Nigeria.

“Before 1999, and since independence, the longest that a democratic dispensation had lasted was six years –from 1960 to 1966.

“It has neither been easy nor perfect, but there are improvements and evidence of learning among the political class. Any bad signs and misconduct would have to be carefully monitored,” he argued.

He also urged countries with similar experiences to find an effective and relatively painless way of curbing the incidence of coups and corruption by the military.

Until 1999, Nigeria had experienced several military interventions in its politics, beginning from 1966.

Recently, there were reports of rumoured coup plots in the Nigerian army but the military authorities said such alleged plots had been nipped in the bud.

THE Presidency has described the “Return or resign’’ group as an illegal assembly formed to frustrate the ongoing Federal Government’s campaign against corruption in the country.

Maverick musician, Charly Boy is the leader of the protest group.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, stated this when he addressed members of the Centre for Civil Society and Justice (CCSJ), at the precincts of the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, on Thursday.

Members of the Centre, a civil society coalition, staged a rally in support of President Muhammadu Buhari, who is on medical vacation in London.

Shehu dismissed the “return or resign” agitation as an illegal assembly stealthily organized to deliver a body blow to the war against corruption.

According to the presidential aide, any attempt to derail the war against corruption using subterfuge and bluff will not succeed.

Shehu praised members of the coalition and other Nigerians for rising against “the chaotic rout of protesters’’ who assembled at the Unity Fountain demanding the return of President Buhari, dismissing such demands as unlawful.

“It might be taken for granted that the beneficiaries of the old order are fighting back. We have been warned that corruption will fight back.

“In a country where just one woman for having the opportunity to serve as minister has N47.2 billion and 487.5 million dollars of public resources in cash and property traced to her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) you don’t expect the beneficiaries of that order to allow the Buhari administration some peace.

“They want to distract us. But what the Presidency wants to assure patriotic citizens is that the government will not bend.

“As far as the President is concerned, he has done the needful by handing the reins of authority to the Vice President. Since the law of the country does not give a time limit for the President’s return, it cannot be imposed by a saber-rattling musician,’’ he added.

The Presidential spokesman commended the CCSJ for being orderly in their demonstration and urged them to shun all provocations by opponents of government.

He said: “By divine intervention, Muhammadu Buhari unexpectedly got elected with the ostensible mandate of reversing national decline and securing its future.“

“He got into the Villa through democratic victory at election. Anybody desiring to replace him, whether you are wrestler, a hairdresser or a musician, you should go through that process.

“In a democracy, threats don’t work.’’

Speaking on behalf of the demonstrators, the convener, Comrade Prince Goodluck Obi said his group had “absolute faith and trust in President Buhari’s administration not machinations of corruption and destabilization.

“We are saying from today, Aug. 10, we will be holding a rally/protest march here at Unity Fountain for the next one month and beyond in order to send clear and unambiguous message to agents of chaos and unity, that Nigerians are solidly behind President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration based on our democratic mandate entrusted to him on March 28, 2015.’’

The Senate on Tuesday via a statement signed by its spokesman, Sen Sabi Abdullahi, reacted to the protests by a coalition of civil society organizations, who are demanding for the resignation of President Muhammadu Buhari over his medical vacation in the United Kingdom.

The Senate maintained that President Buhari had broken no law as he complied with the provisions of the nation’s constitution which stipulated that he must handover to the vice president and duly inform the two chambers of the legislature about his medical vacation.

According to the statement, the National Assembly is satisfied that the president’s absence left no vacuum, and therefore cautioned the protesters against creating unnecessary tension in the country.

lalasticlala

THE protest led by the popular musician, Mr. Charles Oputa (Charlie Boy), at the Unity Fountain in Abuja to demand President Muhammadu Buhari’s immediate return to the country or his resignation, continued on Thursday with another group of protesters in support of the President.

The protesters under the aegis of #OurMumuDonDo#, as early as 9am were holding their protest when another group, Buhari Support Group under the auspices of Coalition for Good Governance and Change Initiatives arrived the scene putting up their own tent at the other end of the Unity Fountain.

The police and other security operatives on ground immediately took over the arena to avoid any clash and break down of law and order.

While the protesters against Buhari were monitored till the end of the activities, the other group for the President was allowed to carry placards chanting the goodwill of President Buhari.



The police authority also allowed them to move around town singing from the Unity Fountain through to the secretariat road.

The Buhari support group, the Coalition for Good Governance and Change Initiatives, led by Comrade Okpokwu Ogenyi while condemning the activities of the #OurMumuDonDo#, said there is no cause for alarm over the President’s health.

The group also said there was no provision in the constitution that stipulates for how long the president can stay out of office while on medical vacation.

According to the group, what the President needed to do which is stipulated in the constitution was to transmit power to the Vice President through a letter to the National Assembly, which President Buhari already did before leaving for the UK.

At the other end of the Unity Fountain the #resume or resign protesters called on President Muhammadu Buhari to demonstrate integrity by resigning from office, saying he is incapacitated and cannot rule the country.

The civil society coalition members reminded Buhari that he asked late President Musa Yar’Adua to resign or be impeached when the latter was sick in 2010, stressing that he should toe the path honour by doing so.



Speaking to journalists on the fourth day of their protest at the Unity fountain, Maitama, Abuja on Thursday, the convener, Deji Adeyanju said Buhari should leave office if he knew what integrity meant.

He insisted the President should have done so within one month of leaving the country on medical leave.

Charlie Boy urged the youths to fight for their future by joining the campaign to compel Buhari to resign, insisting that Nigerians had the right to demand the health status of the President whose medical bills, he said were being paid by the public.

CHAIRMAN Capital Oils Limited, Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah took to his heels on sighting newsmen few minutes ago at the National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Ubah who is under investigation by the Department of State Services (DSS) over allegations of illegal sale of petroleum products kept in his farm tank by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was at the party secretariat to attend the screening of candidates who obtained the PDP nomination form for the Anambra election.

Ubah is alleged to have sold petroleum products valued at N11 billion, kept in his tank farm by NNPC without authorization and converted the money to personal use.

He has paid back N2 billion of the debt.

When the list of candidates for the election was made public by the party, Ubah had denied his involvement in the race as he allegedly picked the form through proxy.

In making his appearance at the party secretariat for screening purposes, Ubah incurred the wrath of the screening committee headed by Maina Waziri for coming late to the event and was seriously tongues lashed by the committee chairman.

Five aspirants were screened by the committee

The business mogul who spent days in the detention of the DSS over the oil deal spent hours with the screening committee at the National Working Committee (NWC) hall of the party secretariat behind doors, answering questions on his eligibility for the party ticket in view of his recent brush with the law and other salient issues.

Upon being released by the committee, Ubah on seeing journalists who had waited for hours for him outside the screening room, rebuffed all attempts by newsmen to speak with him.

He was guarded by about 6 bodyguards.

Alighting at the ground floor of the building into the waiting hands of praise singers who had gathered awaiting his arrival, Ubah took to his heels and literally jumped into a waiting heavily tinted Range Rover SUV parked within the premises of the party secretariat.

His driver who probably was on instructions, drove dangerously out of the party secretariat in a bid to ensure that Ubah escapes the myriad of questions journalists who were on hot pursuit would have asked him.

Recall that the business mogul had defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) shortly before the illegal oil deal for which he was arrested by the security operatives, became public.

It is not known if he has resigned his membership of the APC before joining the race for the PDP ticket for the Anambra governorship contest.

allrightsir:


I am from from the south west, Let me make a prediction: if we all go our way Sw will be the biggest beneficiaries, SS will finally be able to use their OIl to develop their region...although a lot of it will be looted, they will still be massively better off. North will finally be forced to develop the many agricultural and mineral potentials in the North though it will take a while but they will eventually be better off too. and the SE will be in constant turmoil because as a nation you have no moral values left and the Ibo man is always in constant confrontation even with his own shadow. The countdown has begun......Mark my words, the SE will be the worst hit because you are fundamentally selfish people guided by greed and an insatiable quest for money at all costs. You can never have peace living with a man who wants to get the most out of you every time....that's the Ibo pysche.

jstbeinhonest:
It shall not be well with the Niger Deltans if they do not chase us come Oct 1st

sarrki:
FG should rise up to occasions

This is what Igbos wanted

They want trouble and trouble they must get

A coalition of Niger Delta agitators on Thursday threatened to resume bombing of oil installations in the region and warned the federal government to stop dealing wit the Edwin Clark led Pan Niger Delta Forum, (PANDEF) on their behalf saying “the group can not resolve the crisis in the region”

The group, in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja also asked Northerners and Yourbas from South west resident in the region to vacate the Niger Delta before October 1, while oil companies operating in the area and the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation must relocate their headquarters to the the region.

The coalition which is made up of eight different militant groups dissociated themselves from the recent meeting help between Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo and PANDEF, describing the meeting as another ploy to deceive the people of the Niger Delta.

The signatories to the statement included General John Duku (Niger Delta Watchdogs and Convener Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators); General Ekpo Ekpo ( Niger Delta Volunteers); General Osarolor Nedam (Niger Delta Warriors) and Major-Gen. Henry Okon Etete (Niger Delta Peoples Fighters).

Others were Major-Gen. Asukwo Henshaw for Bakassi Freedom Fighters; Major-Gen. Ibinabo Horsfall for Niger Delta Movement for Justice; Major-Gen. Duke Emmanson for Niger Delta Fighters Network and Major-Gen. Inibeghe Adams for Niger Delta Freedom Mandate.

It will be recalled that PANDEF led by Chief Edwin Clarke met twice with Acting President Yemi Osinbajo recently at the Presidential Villa to articulate lasting solution to the challenges of the people in the region.

The Niger Delta agitators said that they had resolved to declare Republic of Niger Delta on October 1 and congratulated the Yourubas on their intention to declare an Oduduwa Republic, saying that they would work in tandem with the South East and Middle Belt to achieve economic and diplomatic developments.

The statement read in full: “At the general council meeting of the Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators (CNDA) involving surveillance department, intelligence department and commanding officers held today to deliberate on the recent development in the Niger Delta and Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) meeting with the Acting President, after hours of careful deliberations, we unanimously resolved to commence Operation Zero Oil in the Niger Delta from September 10, 2017 as a preparation for the actualization of Niger Delta Republic

“We totally condemn the recent meeting between PANDEF and the Acting President; we see it as another plot to deceive the Niger Delta people. First and foremost, the meeting was marred with inordinate greed of the PANDEF as they did not involve the representatives of the Agitating groups and youths leaders.

“We wish to let the Acting President to know that those he met have no capacity and cannot solve the current crisis in the Niger Delta; therefore they cannot represent the militants or speak for the Niger Delta people.

“The Coalition unanimously adopts to stand by the previous demands, which are: 100% percent control of our resources. The Federal Government should hand over all oil blocks owned by the Northerners/Yorubas to Niger Delta indigenes. All Oil companies operating in such oil blocks/wells should vacate October 1st, 2017.

“Relocation of NNPC to any of the Niger Delta state and replacement of the Group Managing Director with an indigene of region. All the Multinational Oil, Gas, Servicing and Marine Companies must relocate their operational base to the Niger Delta, sign a new Memorandum of Understanding with Niger Delta people which would include Niger Delta indigenes being paid same salaries with foreigners.

“We demand independence and sovereign Republic of Niger Delta, all the companies and business owned by the Northerners / Yorubas in Niger Delta should be vacated before 1st October 2017, we accept and congratulate the Yorubas for demanding Oduduwa Republic and we wish them success.

“We hereby call on all agitating groups to resume attacks/bombings on all oil/gas pipelines, especially the exporting lines across the Niger Delta region from September 10, 2017. This is to ensure zero oil/gas production before October 1, 2017.

“We shall work to interface with more patriotic and zealous Niger Delta people to work out new collective approach that will ensure total freedom and complete control of our resources by any means necessary.

“We shall from henceforth, fight to liberate ourselves from the shackles of neo-colonialism and rule ourselves under a Niger Delta Republic, with diplomatic and economic relations with the peoples of the South East and Middle Belt.

“Finally, we want to inform the federal government of Nigeria and the general public that we no longer recognize PANDEF under the present leadership as they are working against the interest of the Niger Delta people.”

AN active supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari in Kano, Ibrahim Al-Amin, has defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

A former chairman of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in Kano, Al Amin said he decided to dump the APC over its “inability to redeem all its campaign promises”.

He said he could not remain in a party that “is doing what it accused other parties of”.

“Although I do not regret supporting and voting for Buhari, I cannot remain in the party because it is not running the country properly. I hold Buhari in high esteem but he is not in control of the present government,” he told reporters on Wednesday.

“President Buhari has lost control of his government since he fell sick. Some people took advantage of that and are now controlling the government.

“I am highly disappointed in the APC because it has reneged on the promises it made to Nigerians. What we have been accusing other political parties of doing, the APC is now doing them. There is poverty everywhere and the APC is not doing anything to bail-out the masses.

“I am in politics to serve my people directly or indirectly and I am not comfortable with the way the ruling party is handling the affairs of Nigerians.

“Our major problem is that our political parties are not based on ideologies.”

He said despite the massive support which the current administration got in the north, it has not done enough for the people from the region.

“I am disappointed with the administration after all the votes provide to Buhari by north-west but the region shortchanged in term of execution of developmental projects,” he said.

“My expectation is government will reciprocate the region with laudable project but unfortunately the government is being under control of some southerners.

“I have no regret of campaigning for Buhari in 2015 because I respect him so much but the party disappointed people that voted it into power.

“All my cross carpeting has been from the ruling parties to oppositions and on three occasions I held a party to win election. I am not in politics to use political office to make financial gains but I am in politics to have the opportunity to serve the people.

“I have no reason to remain in the party that disappointed Nigerians and the party failed to improve the economic development of the people of the country rather contributed to serious hardship among the populace.”

holatin:
and ow sure are you that you will live to see him dead ?

UK Doctors Yet To Diagnose President Buhari’s Ailment
*Why He Is Being Kept Under Close Watch

Despite several months of medication and intensive care in the United Kingdom (UK), President Muhammadu Buhari’s doctors are yet to diagnose what the president’s illness is all about, INDEPENDENT has learnt.

According to credible source in the presidency, despite series of tests and treatments from renowned medical practitioners both within and outside the UK, nobody has been able to pinpoint what ails the president except that he has completely lost his appetite for food.


The failure of the presidency to tell Nigerians the actual state of health of the president has fueled speculations in the country with many alleging that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is guilty of what it accused the then ruling party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) when the late President Umaru Yar’Adua held sway.

But according to our source, “Those accusing the presidency of being economical with the truth on the actual state of health of the president are missing the point because you can only disclose what you know.

“As at today, nobody knows the kind of ailment battling Mr. President. Even his doctors in the UK don’t know what is wrong with him. Lots of tests have been done; in fact they have done everything humanly possible but they still can’t detect what is wrong with him. That is why the doctors have decided to place him under long observation to see if they can diagnose what is wrong with him on the long run.

“For those of us who are close to President Buhari, he can’t stay for a long time without food. He doesn’t have the endurance for long fasting and that is why those referring to him as a religious fanatic are wrong. Here is a man who doesn’t joke with his food but suddenly once he takes a spoon, he throws up. And you know if you don’t eat for a long time, you become weak and emaciated.

“When the condition became critical, they have to devise other means of feeding him, but we’re happy at the level of significant progress he has made in the last couple of weeks”, he said.


He also debunked the claim by some online news media that the president is being treated for acute prostate cancer or battling with Crohn’s disease, a medical condition that could have affected his digestive system.

“From the information we have, every organ of the president is working perfectly. The only problem is his inability to eat well due to loss of appetite. That is why some people are alleging that the president may have been poisoned or under some kind of spiritual attack”, he noted.

Although President Muhammadu Buhari’s first active year in office which was from May 29, 2015 to 2016 was frost with some minor challenges, especially delays associated with appointing his cabinet members, the frustrations and criticism that greeted it left much to be desired.

No sooner had he sorted out some of these issues to settle down to the business of governance came his health challenges.

The first time he took a vacation to undergo medical check-up in London, the United Kingdom was in February 2016.

He left the shores of Nigeria for the United Kingdom for a six-day vacation from

February 5 to February 10, 2016. After a formal letter was written to the National Assembly leadership he transferred powers to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, had explained that the letter to the National Assembly was in compliance with Section 145 (1) of the Nigerian Constitution.

The spokesperson had assured Nigerians of the well-being of the president and the need not to panic over the state of his health.


He had hinged the vacation on the need for the president to take a break from work as he had worked non-stop for eight months and could break down like every other person.

On January 19, 2017, shortly after resolving the leadership crisis in The Gambia, where Yahaya Jammeh was recalcitrant to hand over power to his successor, President Buhari fell ill again and had to leave the country on another vacation.

As usual, he wrote Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, before bidding Nigeria goodbye to examine his health on January 23, 2017 to be precise.

Nigerians were sympathetic and in fact showed understanding that the president needs to take care of his health issues so that he could function maximally as the nation’s leader.

However, when the 10-day medical leave began to extend to several weeks, rumours began to fly over the actual date of his return, deepening suspicions that his health was far worse than officials were publicly admitting.


Finally, on March 9, 2017, the president returned to wild jubilations in some parts of the country and to the relief of Nigerians.

Despite attempts by his spokesmen to conceal his health challenges, Buhari revealed to Nigerians when he came back that he had never felt “so sick” in his entire life.

Upon returning, his absence in public functions, including skipping the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meetings gave room for more speculations, prompting concerned Nigerians to suggest he take another leave to rest more and recover fully.

Upon return, he said, “I deliberately came back towards the weekend, so that the Vice President (Yemi Osinbajo) will continue and I will continue to rest. All I will need is to do further follow ups within some weeks.”

Having weighed options available to him and sensed that Acting President Yemi Osinbajo was doing well in the governance of the country, Buhari jetted out again, shortly after he took inventory of 82 school girls abducted by the dreaded Boko Haram sect in Chibok, Borno State in April 2014.

He left on Sunday, May 7, 2017, and has spent about 94 days undergoing medical care also in the UK.

Despite the fact that the acting president, some caucus members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), including the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and selected governors who have gone to pay him solidarity visit and came back with assurances that he would soon return, the date for his eventual return is still unknown.

THE National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, on Wednesday described perpetrators of hate-speeches, images and songs as worse than Boko Haram.

He was reacting to an audio recording that is currently being circulated, especially in the north.

Describing the audio recording as “dangerous and despicable,” he called on security agencies to promptly apprehend those behind the recording and other similar acts.

In a press statement signed by the APC Assistant Director of Publicity, Edegbe Odemwingie, the APC National Chairman was quoted as saying, “Every ethnic based crises of whatever nature had started with hate speech. When people within the same country frame and define one another in the manner intended to set them up for violent attack, then they are setting themselves up for a major disaster.

“The “merchants of hate” don’t know or just don’t care about the consequences of the fire they are stoking in the country. But they have the experiences of other countries to learn from. Rwanda remains a classic example on our continent. However, even as terrible as Rwanda was, it would be nothing compared to what could happen if a huge country like Nigeria is allowed to fall into the disaster of hate-driven conflict. This is why we must all rise, regardless of our political differences and condemn these ugly and shameful acts with one voice.”

Condemning the rising wave of hate speech, negative religious and ethnic utterance as part of fallout of the 2015 presidential election, the APC National Chairman added, “Anyone participating in an election knows that there could only be two outcomes, you win or you lose. When you lose, you prepare for the next election. What we have seen however is that since 2015, some politicians and political groups have carried on as if they wish the country itself to collapse just because they are no longer in power. This is tragic indeed.”

He called on Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to direct the security agencies to ensure that those behind these odious acts are promptly arrested and swiftly brought to justice, adding, “We cannot sit idle and watch a few disgruntled individuals to destroy our democracy, and God forbids, the nation that we all fought hard to achieve and build”

THE man mentioned as a suspect in the massacre of worshipers in St Patrick Catholic church, Ozubulu, Anambra State, Aloysius Ikegwuonwu better known as Bishop has reacted to allegations that he is a drug lord.



Bishop, who is based in South Africa and was reportedly the target of the attack, which also claimed the life of his father, said he, knows nothing about the killing.

In a statement he personally signed and made available to reporters, Bishop, who is said to have single handedly funded the Ozubulu church, said he has never been arrested or convicted for any drug related offence before.

His statement said, “My attention has been drawn to a social media campaign where it is alleged that I am connected to the Ozubulu church killing over a drug problem.

“For the avoidance of any doubt I wish to inform the general public that I know nothing about the church killings and I have never been involved in drugs.

“I have never been arrested or convicted anywhere in the world. My businesses are legitimate businesses, duly registered. Apart from warehousing and wholesale of goods I am also a contractor involved in the construction of roads and infrastructure in Nigeria.

“It’s shameful that Nigerians and the media don’t verify any story before running with them.

“The handwork of those who are jealous of my success and who are determined to tarnish my image is evident.

“The Church killings is an unprecedented evil that deserves full investigation to unmask the perpetrators.

“We await investigations and full police report of the church attack.

“In the meantime I request all social media and media houses to retract my name from the defamatory stories linking me with the church killing.

“Failure to do so and any further linking of my name with the church killings will force me to take legal action against the purveyors of the defamatory false story.”

lalasticlala