₦airaland Forum

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The police has said the rate of kidnapping has dropped since the arrest of billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike popularly known as Evans.

Police spokesman Moshood Jimoh said the International Police (Interpol) was investigating Evans’ activities.

He said: “When we paraded him (Evans) in Lagos, I told the public that the arrest of Evans marked the beginning of the end for kidnapping.

“Since that day, the rate of kidnapping has seriously gone down and that shows that we were able to hit the right target.

“As for keeping him (in custody), we have been able to secure three months’ remand warrant from the Federal High Court, Abuja to enable us round off our investigations.

Read Also: BILLIONAIRE KIDNAPPER, EVANS DENIES KNOWLEDGE OF LAWSUITS FILED ON HIS BEHALF

“At present, the contacts and crimes he committed in other countries, including Ghana and South Africa, are of interest.

“We have series of complaints that border on murder, several kidnappings and armed robberies against him and these are all capital offences that are not bailable at the level of the police.

“They are not even ordinarily bailable in the courts.”

He said it won’t be sensible to rush to court, stating that Evans’ case was peculiar.

“In his alleged offences, the lives of Nigerians were at stake and we must be able to get everything to ensure that we don’t lose the case in the courts.

“For any sensible police force, it won’t be appropriate to rush to court in a complex case like this because investigation is a scientific approach to actually situate a suspect at the scene of crime and convince the court that this is the person that did this and that.

Read Also: WE CAN DETAIN EVANS FOR THREE MONTHS – POLICE REACT TO LAWSUIT BY THE BILLIONAIRE KIDNAPPER

“That is why it is important that we are meticulous in putting details together and explaining how someone committed atrocities such that at the end of the day, Nigerians will be happy with us if the suspect is convicted for all the offences he committed alongside other members of his gang.

“Nigerians will not be happy with us if we rush to court and lose the case on mere technicalities.

“We are mindful of that as well as his fundamental human rights. That is why we approached the courts for a three-month remand warrant to keep him in police custody,” Jimoh explained.

He added, “We are very active on the platform of Interpol. If you can recall, it was revealed that he (Evans) has a Ghanaian international passport and the passport is still very valid.

“There are clear indications of the level of criminality that goes across the border.

“So, we will do what is just in that circumstance and after completing investigations, we will be able to know where we will share experience and ideas with various jurisdictions involved and we will all know how to deal with the matter.

“Yes, Interpol is already fully involved and we are all out to do a thorough job and it is in the interest of the public because such high level suspects should not continue walking the streets and committing such atrocities.

“We hope to ensure that the cause of justice is served at the end of the day,” Jimoh said.

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The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has ordered the immediate dissolution of the State Executive Council.

The dissolution was announced on Sunday by Fayose’s Special Adviser on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, in a statement.

The former commissioners have been directed to hand over to the Permanent Secretaries of their respective ministries.

Governor Fayose thanked the former commissioners for their service to the state and wished them well in their future endeavours.

No reason was given for the dissolution.

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Justice Adeyinka Oyinloye of the Ilorin High Court has ordered the publisher of SaharaReporters, Omoyele Sowore to pay N4 billion as damages to Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki.

The order was due to a series of libelous stories published the medium in 2015.

Saraki had sued Sowore following the publication of series of libelous stories against him.
Both Sowore and Sahara Reporters were joined as defendants in the suit marked as KWS/23/2017.

Saraki’s lawyer, Babatunde Olomu told Tribune that the defendants had refused to defend the case despite the service of the summons on them.

Delivering the judgment, the court agreed with Olomu and granted all the reliefs sought by the claimant in the case.

The reliefs granted are as follows: “the sum of N1 billion as general and aggravated damages for libelous words falsely, maliciously and recklessly published by the defendants of and concerning the claimant in the online issue of Sahara Reporters of October 5, 2015 under the caption “Nigeria at 55: Bukola Saraki and 83 Inmates Are Running the Asylum”

“The sum of N1 billion as general and aggravated damages for libelous words falsely, maliciously and recklessly published by the defendants of and concerning the claimant in the online issue of Sahara Reporters of Sahara Reporters of September 20, 2015 under the caption: “A polished Name for political immorality. Time for Saraki to Go!”

“The sum of N1 billion as general and aggravated damages for libelous words falsely, maliciously and recklessly published by the defendants of and concerning the claimant in the online issue of Sahara Reporters of Sahara Reporters of November 09, 2015 under the caption: “Bukola Saraki On a shopping Spree to Buy Judges…Stop Being a Clown And A Coward Man Up, face The Music”

“The sum of N1 billion as general and aggravated damages for libelous words falsely, maliciously and recklessly published by the defendants of and concerning the claimant in the online issue of Sahara Reporters of Sahara Reporters of December 1, 2015 under the caption: “Arms Contract Scandal: Senator Saraki Blackmailed CBN Officials To Pay N250 Million Hush Funds.”

“An order for injunction restraining the defendants from further writing, printing or causing to be written, printed or circulated or otherwise published of the claimant the said, or similar libel.

“An order directing the defendants to remove the offending publications from its website on the internet within three days from the date of judgment and an order directing the defendants to publish an apology to the claimant on its online newspaper and in three other daily newspapers.”

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Undoubtedly, one of the most intriguing characters in Nigerian politics, especially in the past three years is Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose. Ever since his successful second bid at becoming the governor of his state, Governor Fayose has ensured he remained a constant in the news courtesy of his rambunctious, politically-incorrect way of behaviour.

One person who has been on the receiving end of this behaviour is President Muhammadu Buhari, during the campaign run-up to the 2015 elections, Governor Fayose took out a distasteful advert on the frfront pagef two national dailies where he advised the people of the North-West not to shortchange themselves by letting President Buhari win the elections – as he would die in the office.

He arrived at this conclusion by bringing up examples of the last three Nigerian presidents or heads of states from the region: Generals Murtala Muhammed and Sani Abacha and President Umaru Yar’adua who all died in office (Muhammed was assassinated). It also fed into speculation around the health of then presidential candidate Buhari, as rumours filled town that he was unhealthy.

The advert was roundly condemned across the country, and even the political spectrum by some members and supporters of the Peoples’ Democratic Party. The governor refused to retract the ad and stood his ground, saying he was merely exercising his right to freedom of expression of opinion.

Two years since the election, the rumour about President Buhari’s illness has been verified as a fact. To date, he has been on three medical trips abroad, including two lengthy ones this year, the second of which he is still on.

Through these medical vacations, the nature of the president’s illness is yet to be disclosed and attempts by the presidential media team to downplay the severity of the illness has resulted in contradictions amongst the members, with the biggest contradiction coming from the president himself.

Between the return of his first medical “vacation” and his departing for the current one, President Buhari only made three public appearances, two of which were attending Friday prayers at the mosque and spoke in public once. The curious absence of the president from public events only further fuelled rumours, helped again by the refusal of the Presidency to come clean on the nature of his illness.

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It is now six weeks since the president has been in the United Kingdom for more checkups, and the only time his silence was broken was his Sallah message a few days ago in Hausa, which turned out to whip up controversy. In it, he sounded very sick and not his usual self.

Another controversy from the message was whether it was authentic, the experience Nigerians had with when President Yar’adua’s voice was supposedly faked on a phone call in 2010 still very fresh.

Unsurprisingly, Governor Fayose waded into the debate as he always has in all matters Buhari-related, alleging that the phone call was fake as the president was on a life support. While he presented his claim without evidence, it is important to ask: what if he is right?

The Presidency has consistently refused to operate on full disclosure regarding the president’s health, thus creating a vacuum of information. This vacuum has given room for rumours to abound, such as those of Governor Fayose. Considering the fact that his 2015 claim on the President’s ill-health has turned out to be true, it will not be smart to dismiss him again this time.

The only way to prove him wrong is for the Presidency to provide empirical evidence that will prove him wrong.
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Billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike a.k.a. Evans has sued the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris and three others over alleged illegal detention.

The suspect’s lawyers filed the suit at the Federal High Court in Lagos.

Joined as respondents in the motion are the Nigeria Police Force, Commissioner of Police, Lagos State and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Lagos State Police Command.

The fundamental rights suit filed by a Lagos-based lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje prayed the court to direct the respondents to immediately charge him to court.

He also prayed the court for an order compelling the respondents to immediately release him unconditionally in the absence of any offence that will warrant his being charged to court.

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The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Wednesday blasted the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for chiding Nnamdi Kanu and referring to him as an emperor.

The party in a statement on Tuesday had berated Kanu for stating that no election will be held in Anambra.

While responding on Wednesday, IPOB in a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said APGA had killed over 2000 of its members in Anambra State.

The statement said, “We the Indigenous People of Biafra and its leadership worldwide view the childish antics of the All Progressive Grand Alliance as a jealousy laden, derisory attempt to deflect attention away from the fact that APGA as the governing party in Anambra State has been responsible for the death of innocent Biafrans numbering over 2000 since the formation.

“The two notable instances being the infamous Ezu River bodies and the heinous massacres at Nkpor and Head Bridge Onitsha respectively.

“The party employed wholesale slaughter of their people as a way of stopping the agitation for restoration of Biafra not knowing that we are prepared to keep dying until Biafra is restored as we swore.

“In the purported letter written by the party in Anambra State threatening a showdown with IPOB led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu which gave order of no election in all Biafraland starting from Anambra Gubernatorial election come November this year, APGA failed to mention the fact that Biafrans and IPOB, in particular, campaigned and voted for both Peter Obi, Rochas Okorocha and Willie Obiano but were rewarded with shoot on sight orders issued by both men.

“It is very unfortunate that APGA as a political party preoccupied with feathering the nests of a select few, underestimate the desire of every genuine Biafran to be liberated from the slavery and bondage that Nigeria has come to represent. APGA is motivated by personal greed and self-aggrandisement unlike IPOB that is purely focused on the liberation of our people and by extension, other oppressed people in Nigeria.

Read Also: “KANU HAS NO AUTHORITY TO SPEAK FOR THE IGBOS” – APGA

The group added that” The spurious and childish accusation that our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is also the Director of Radio Biafra and Biafra Television to stop parading himself as emperor smacks more of envy borne out of desperation than a reasoned assertion.

“There is no one more humble than the IPOB leader, that is why he is loved by millions, so the little anti-Biafra rant by APGA will only encourage us the more to ensure that the lockdown of Anambra State come 18 November 2017 is total and complete.

“We would prove to APGA that our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has never in his life, since the inception of IPOB, indulged himself or arrogated any powers to himself.

“The perverse insinuation that he made himself a god is a clever ploy designed to appeal to the envious nature of certain individuals who wish to be like him but can never.

“It is insulting for a party that supervised the killing of thousands of IPOB family members, which they connived with the APC Government of Buhari to cover up, to be advising the same people they killed to turn against IPOB. History will remember the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) as the party that murdered those that voted her into power.”

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A mammoth crowd of pro-biafrans are currently gathered in front of the house of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu in Abia State.

In a video posted by investigative journalist, Kadaria Ahmed, thousands of Biafran agitators could be seen chanting in front of Kanu’s house.

During his bail hearing, Justice Binta Nyako had ruled that the Biafran agitator should not be in company of more than 10 people.

Nyako also forbade him from granting interviews.

See videos below:
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Some victims of suspected kidnap baron, Chukwudumeje George Onwuamadike aka Evans, have expressed worry that they may be harmed by members of his gang who have not yet been arrested.

The Nation reports that one of them, Donatus Dunu whose escape led to Evans arrest, decried the release of his worker, Emeka Egbulugha, by the court, who he claimed facilitated his kidnap.

Dunu, said the release of Emeka and others has placed his life and those of his family members under threat. He insisted that he heard Emeka’s voice and also saw him at the Igando den, where he was detained for more than two months.

He said, “Nobody should have allowed those suspected workers in my company to be granted bail in any guise because I have evidence of the active participation of, particularly, Emeka, my pharmacist. Releasing him has worsened my plight and that of my family.

“Why should police release Emeka, the chief accomplice in my kidnap? I not only heard his voice while in captivity, but saw him there few days after my kidnap. He came asking them where I was kept. When they showed him, he opened the door where they kept me in chains and our eyes met. Though I was blindfolded, I was about eating when I heard his voice and I normally remove the blind. That was how I saw him and I had the greatest shock of my life.

“He was always there with my abductors. His voice is unmistakable to me having stayed with him since 2003. The man in charge of the den, Uche, whom he claimed he does not know, speaks the same dialect with him. He is the person Emeka met each time he visited. There was also another member of the gang who spoke the Abakaliki dialect of Yoruba and I don’t know whether those arrested have confessed about his whereabouts to the police.

“I have a strong feeling that Uche and Emeka are from the same town because they speak the same dialect. Those guarding me were initially two. When the Abakaliki man travelled on Easter Monday, they brought another person to replace him. That one is very sick because he was coughing constantly. I knew that the Abakaliki man travelled because I heard Emeka discussing with Uche, asking whether he had travelled and Uche said, yes.

“That same Easter Monday, I overheard Emeka and Uche saying “We will kill him. We have no alternative until chairman comes back.”

“Two weeks after, chairman came back and I knew whenever he visited because they shut all the doors and switch on the generator perhaps, to stifle their discussions. His visit did not last more than 10 minutes and that was the first and only time he came to the den while I was there. That same night, the Abakaliki man brought noodles for my dinner.

“He told me to eat so that I will have enough energy to face ‘us at the canal.’ They later told me that canal is where they use to ‘bath’ their captives and I concluded that it means where they killed their victims. I was made to understand that the Abakaliki man is the one that would kill me if chairman gives the order.

“That was when I realised the killing they were discussing with Emeka was about to take place. Earlier, I thought that the killing they were discussing must be probably another person. But after this canal; discussion, I now knew that I was their target. After that, I overheard Emeka again, about two weeks later, discussing with Uche saying ‘If they want to kill him, they should kill him. In fact, kill him.’

“Then, their last discussion was on Wednesday before my escape on Friday. I heard Emeka again asking whether they had killed me. They said no, it was going to be Friday night. That was when I concluded that it was all over.”

Asked if he had any disagreement with Emeka before his kidnap, Dunu said the only thing he remembered was making some adjustments after he suspected Emeka was fleecing him.

He said, “I suspected that he and some of my boys were stealing goods from my warehouse and I made changes, which I suspect did not favour him. I strongly suspect that this must be his motive to connive with those kidnappers. In fact, before my abduction, we had a meeting with a foreign partner and I remember vividly that during one of my telephone conversations with their chairman whom I suspect is Evans, he asked me who the two ladies in my office were the same day I was kidnapped.

“Emeka came to the office that same day and those ladies were with me. Why did the chairman ask that question? Who told him that I was with two ladies in my office? These are the unanswered questions police should have asked.

“Secondly, my kidnappers told me that they have a group picture of my staff which we took last January. We use to meet every January and all the sales representatives including Emeka attended. They also claimed they went to take inventory of the goods in my warehouse. Yes, they did but we are still auditing to know whether goods were missing or not.

“Even, an account opening document was found in Emeka’s official car before he was taken to the anti-kidnapping unit after his arrest. Emeka was the only visitor that came to the den while I was there. He was not an ordinary friend to those that guarded me.

“I feel so bad that the police allowed the court to set him free thereby endangering my life. I don’t think the police carried out a thorough investigation after the so-called identification parade which was simply a charade. I am calling on the police authorities to do the needful by re-arresting Emeka and investigating him thoroughly.”

Another victim, who wishes to remain anonymous, said the other gang members are on the streets.

He said, “I am yet to get over the shock of m y kidnap. Honestly, I am afraid to talk about it because I believe a lot of his members are still walking free. The police have done well by arresting him but they should round up all his other gang members.

“I was detained for six months until my family paid the last dime demanded. I have been hiding since my release. I know the trauma Evans and his members put me through. Till this day, I get scared when his name is mentioned. It took me two months before I could sign my cheque.

“Now, I heard that criminal is begging for forgiveness and that people are even campaigning for his release. Has he forgotten the damage he did to my family and many others? The police should please ensure his other members walking free are caught. That’s the only way I can feel safe.”

In reaction, the police have explained how Emeka was released.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Administration, Dansuki Galandashi, said Emeka and two others, Kingsley and Tochukwu, were arrested and charged to court on May 17. The suspects, he said, were remanded in prison custody before court granted them bail on June 23.

“Before they were granted bail, Evans was arrested. We did an identification parade and they said they did not know Evans. Evans also claimed not to know any of them. “Since the Inspector-General of Police (IGP’s) creed is to inspire openness, we had no choice than to charge the case to court. The court looked at the evidences and released the suspects. The police did not release them, the court did,” Galandashi said.

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he Spanish Government on Tuesday reportedly deported 23 Nigerians for committing various offences in the country.

The spokesman of the Lagos Airport Police Command, DSP Joseph Alabi, who confirmed the development, said the 21 males and two females arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at about 6:40am.

They were received by officers of the Nigerian Immigration Service, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, the Nigeria Police Force, officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

Alabi said nine of the deportees, who were deported for drug-related offences, were handed over to the NDLEA.

Read Also: 34 NIGERIANS DEPORTED BY 6 EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

Two others deported for criminal offences, were handed over to the police.

While the remaining 12 deportees, accused of breaching the country’s immigration rules, were profiled and allowed to go to their respective destinations.

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Former President Goodluck Jonathan says tension disturbs the progress of a nation.
Speaking in Abuja on Monday when he played host to a delegation of former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ministers, Jonathan called on Nigerians to pray and work towards the nation’s unity, TheCable reports.

“We should always use this period to know that the unity of the country is paramount,” he said.

“We cannot develop as a nation, no matter how people demonstrate, and no president can do magic if there is tension in the land.

“This is because immediately there is a sense of insecurity in any country, investors will go back and when investors go back, of course, the economy will dwindle.

“What improves the economy is confidence and what makes investors have confidence is peace.

“Nobody wants to invest where there is no peace, except those that invest in arms and ammunition.

“We should all pray and work toward that peace, that is the only way we can grow our economy.”

YNAIJA

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About 38 universities in the country have increase their tuition fees.

The institutions cited poor funding by the federal and state governments as rationale behind their decision.

Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Ibadan chapter, Deji Omole made this known in a statement made available to journalists on Monday.

The statement lamented that the current government had made Nigerians poorer.

Omole said that the public education was not taken seriously because most children of the rich and those in high offices do not attend school in Nigeria.

“The latest increment might be attributed to poor funding by the federal and state governments as ASUU poorly rated the President Muhammadu Buhari in the area of funding of university education,” read the statement..

The University of Lagos (UNILAG) students whom were paying N14,500 now pay N63,500 as tuition fees.

Other institutions that increased their fees include Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), from N27,000 to N41,000; University of Nigeria (UNN), from N60,450 to N66,950; Obafemi Awolowo University, from N19,700 to N55,700.

Others are Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), from N20,100 to N65,920; Bayero University, Kano, from N26,000 to N40,000; University of Abuja, from N39,300 to N42,300 and Usman Danfodiyo University, from N32,000 to N41,000.

National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) increased tuition from N36,000 to N41,000; University of Benin (UNIBEN), from N12,000 to N49,500; University of Ilorin, from N16, 000 to N75,000 and Federal University of Technology, Akura (FUTA), from N13,560 to N83,940.

Also in the list are Federal University, Minna (FUTMINNA), from N20,000 to N37,000; University of Calabar, from N30,500 to N42,750 and University of Uyo, from N71,000 to N84,250.

Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka, from N16,000 to N40,000; Osun varsity, from N95,000 to N135,500; Anambra State University, from N76,000 to N139,000 and Lagos State University, from N96,750 to N158,250.

Ibrahim Badamosi Babangiga University, Lapai, from N25,000 to N52,000; Imo State University, from N120,000 to N150,000; Plateau State University, from N50,000 to N100,000 and Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, from N57,000 to N75,000.

Others are: Ibadan Polytechnics, from N30,000 t0 N50,000; Abia Polytechnics, from N56,550 to N61,000; Auchi Polytechnic, from N14,800 to N28,000 and Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, from N70,000 to N80,000.

Enugu State University of Science and Technology, N104,900 to N124,900; Kwara Polytechnic, Ilorin, from N28,000 to N44,000; Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), from N65,000 to N72,500 and Tai Solarin University of Education, from N66,500 to N76,500.

Afe Babalola University, from N675,000 to N1,075,000; Igbinedion, from N540,000 to N820,000; Crawford university, from N400,000 to N600,000 and Redeemers University, from N545,000 to N605,000.

Also in the list are Covenant University, from N774,500 to N814,500 and Benson Idahosa University, from N284,300 to N1,150,000.

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Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu has said he does not hate the North as widely believed.

In an interview with The Sun, Kanu said he loves former Presidents Shehu Shagari and late Umaru Yar’Adua than Nnamdi Azikwe.

He described both northern leaders as unique, stating that Shagari built the Port Hacourt expressway while he was growing up.

“People think I hate the North; that’s not true, but the only thing is that I say things the way they are, I don’t know how to tell lies to curry favours. People do not know that I love (former presidents Shagari and Yar’Adua more than I love (former president, Nnamdi Azikiwe) Zik. I’m saying this because when we were young and were growing up, the only notable person that built any notable infrastructure I saw with my two eyes was Shagari. The Enugu/Igwuocha (that the white man named Port Harcourt) Expressway, was built by the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) government of Shagari and then you can travel with joy because it was smooth and very clean.

“Now, tell me who has ever done that since after Shagari, no, tell me. Which other infrastructure will you be proud of, nobody has ever done anything again.”

He also described late Yar’adua as a gentleman who handled the agitation well.

He said Yar’adua was “a good and perfect gentleman. That was why you had the agitations cooled during the time of Yar’Adua. The man was a gentle man; he knew how to deal with people. I never met both men one on one, but these are good people. I’m not saying we don’t have other good people in the North, no, we have many of them, even in the judiciary, who are nice.

“But the few terrible, horrible ones won’t allow them to emerge, that’s the problem.”

YNAIJA

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The embattled senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West) has alleged that the signatures of his constituents, which were collected for his recall, were forged and fraudulently forwarded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Addressing newsmen at the press centre of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Lokoja on Sunday, Melaye reiterated that signatures of dead persons were among those purportedly seeking his recall from the Senate.

Meanwhile, on Twitter, the senator wrote, “No weapon formed against me shall prosper. When God is with you,you are a winner.

“Those who laugh at me will soon laugh with me.

“It is easier to wake a man who is asleep than a man who is pretending to be asleep. Yahaya Bello is pretending to be asleep.”

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he Kwara State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has said that the appeal filed by the Federal Government against the judgment of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT),that discharged and acquitted President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, would dim the chances of the party in 2019 general elections.

Vanguard reports that the party advised the government to wade into the matter to curtail the excesses of those it described as “desperate agents of government and their external collaborators” who didn’t contribute to the success of the APC during the 2015 general elections but were out to do irreparable damage to the government and the party.

Kwara APC in statement signed by the state Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Sulyman Buhari, in Ilorin, on Sunday, noted, “In the last two years, facts have shown that some desperate agents of the Federal Government, who made no significant contribution to the victory of the APC in the 2015 presidential election and their external collaborators had in no small measure distracted the executive from delivering electoral promises to Nigerians due to the unpatriotic drive to persecute the head of the second arm of government and a strong pillar of the APC.

“In the next two years, Nigerians believe the executive would have learned some lessons and fully concentrate on issues of governance.

“However, with the continued persecution of the Senate president, it is clear agents of the executive have made the Senate president the only agenda of the executive.

“We are concerned that the continued persecution of the Senate president by desperate agents of the government and their external collaborators will dim the chance of the All Progressives Congress in the 2019 presidential election.

“The FG should wade in to curtail the excesses of these saboteurs before they would have done irreparable damage to the government and the party.

“The ruling of the CCT will be sustained by higher courts because the ruling represents the true position of law.

“If the agents of government who instigated the appeal decide to remove their veil of desperation, it will be clear to them that the CCT has done justice to the matter.

“The APC in Kwara State wishes to restate its firm belief in the independence of the Judiciary. We are confident the Judiciary will, indeed, demonstrate its independence by upholding the ruling of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), that discharged and acquitted the Senate president.’’

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Five Star Music act, Kcee played into our hands yesterday.

The Limpopo singer granted an interview with Punch newspaper and because God is so good, Kcee touched on the rumours of his billionaire brother, E-Money’s dealings in shady activities.

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In defending his brother, Kcee shared a very familiar grass to grace story and laced it with the trite rhetoric “we are from a Christian home and we are very careful with our lifestyle“, forgetting himself that it is in these times of our lives we read that Evans, the infamous billionaire kidnapper has a strong penchant for reading Psalm 23.

Kcee also said, “My brother is not into drugs or anything illegal, my brother is a hardworker” and the story read good until he put a bullet to his own foot when he said, “For 17 years, people have been saying that we do drugs or 419 but why have we never been caught? Why haven’t we made a mistake? Why hasn’t someone come to expose us?“.

We apologise for we know how damaging it can be for your reputation to have been plagued with “rumours” for nearly two decades but if the narrative hasn’t changed for so long, then it’s probably true and that’s why we’re very worried for Kcee and his brother, E-Money. We’re not making any accusations as we hardly have any proofs and we’re not even concerned about digging deep but if Nigerians have been persistent about their suspicions for 17 freaking years, we have reason to believe them.

To be fair on E-Money, Kcee admits he’s into clearing and forwarding and it didn’t take long to find proof. E-Money, other than being the boss at Five Star Music, is the Managing Director/CEO of a shipping company, Emy Cargo.

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Although we were able to corroborate that part of Kcee’s story, something still doesn’t add up and we’re definitely curious as to why a clearing and forwarding boss needs to move around town with armed policemen. We know President Buhari ordered the removal of police attachments from private individuals but a businessman like E-Money still has them on his payroll, fully-armed and ready for war. But that’s a Nigerian problem, so we’ll let E-Money off.

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From where we stand, Kcee’s interview nosedived at the point where he asked the following questions, “why haven’t we been caught?”, “why haven’t we made any mistakes?”, “why hasn’t anyone exposed us?”. Three telling questions that are almost pushing us to say “it’s only a matter of time”. But that’d be a digression from the point.

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What we simply want from Kcee and E-Money is to be clear on the source of this immense wealth that they so love to flaunt. A grass to grace story is incomplete until it inspires. How about show us how you multiply your millions especially in these difficult times? E-Money owes it to the young people, thousands of them who crawl around his Instagram page thirsty for answers.

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by Chude Jideonwo

Who would have thought: that one of the things the Twitter Outrage Machine – a small minority of vocal people who are easy to quote, and quick to offer judgement – would eventually turn on something as innocuous as a group of young people coming together to worship?

Of itself, it sounds ludicrous. This is easily the most harmless thing a group of people could do – come together, without obstructing anyone, making a noise, proselytising, or in anyway consuming any form of illicit energy, to bond together in a common, empowering activity.

But the criticism speaks to a truth.

Yes, it means that many of the critics who speak on social media are often facetious and reflexively cynical. The first public critic, Joy Bewaji, after all confirmed that indeed, she was looking for attention. But the bigger truth it speaks is, quite simply, the power that the Nigerian church has – and its vulnerability to claims that it uses that power only for itself, and not for the larger society.

The church – especially the evangelical (Pentecostal) church – has been claiming for decades that it is a force for good, and that its God and its prayers will change Nigeria.

Yet here we are, decades after, and that promise has not been fulfilled. If anything, the church is often seen as colluding with the same vehicles of oppression it is supposed to be praying against. What gives?

In response, predictably, members of the Christian tribe turned on the critics – dismissing them as naysayers, atheists (though why that would be a pejorative confuses me), close-minded, shallow. The responses were understandable, and in some cases even true. But nonetheless, they were not very useful.

First, even though it is a hard temptation to avoid, matching critics derision for derision is decidedly un-Christian.

Second, the critics had a legitimate launch pad. The convener of the revival (and a revival it certainly is) clearly spoke of a generation rising to change Nigeria, a constant theme of the sessions and oft repeated by his congregants. Considering that as a young boy who grew up in the church, I have been hearing about this same prophetic transformation for at least two decades, the frustration with more rhetoric is perfectly understood.

Thirdly, it is very tempting to charge – what have you done to change the country before attacking whatever efforts we are making? But, so what? Critics, even unconstructive, derisive ones searching for foil rather than engagement, are yet useful.

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have,” Peter told the church in his first letter. “But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience.”

Instead, in this case, we have ignored Peter and responded as a tribe offended by dissent. Unfortunately, this is how the church globally has often responded to cultural wars – ‘us’ versus ‘them’. And, often, that is why we lose the argument.

But in that case, how is the church different from any attacked tribe of people anywhere in the world?

In place of ‘us’ against ‘them’, how about we try listening to what these guys are really trying to say beneath the derision and the frustration, and then see if we, by ourselves, can reason together?

Big, wide, deep

I haven’t joined any edition of the #HallelujahChallenge. This would be surprising news who know me or follow me on social media.

I have after all been called a “worship junkie”, going from church to church, looking for any excuse to join congregations in absorbed, involved music. ‘The Experience’, held every year, is my most important event of the year and Nathaniel Bassey one of my three favourite musicians in the world. He even led worship at my 30th birthday service only two years ago. So, evidently, I stand with the worshippers.

But, I suspect, I have been unable to connect with the worship on a spiritual plane because I have been so consumed with its character and consequence on a cultural and social level.

This, the #HallelujahChallenge, is the most fascinating thing I have ever seen in a long, long time. It is so big, and so wide, and so important that it just… quiet-ens me.

Nathaniel Bassey has started a revival.

That revival is in the way that a new generation of Nigerian Christians are engaging with the church and the way that they are expressing both their identity as Christians and their relationship with God.

This revival is both spiritual and cultural.

In the case of the former, he has brought God’s children back into the church in the most powerful way (the bible says God is “fearful in praises”) possible by breaking down the boundaries of tradition and convention and ushering in a digital dispensation. This is more important than it first appears.

Pope Francis delivered a seminal 261-page exhortation called the ‘Amoris Laetitia’ in 2016. In it, he identified the biggest crises facing this generation is one of identity. “Francis’s catalogue of the cultural factors gnawing away … includes ‘extreme individualism’, the ‘pace of life’ that militates against decisions for permanent relationships, and the mantra of “choice” as the highest of human goods,” noted a summary in America’s National Review last year.

The global movements to upset political establishments, expand the definitions of gender, and fight institutional inequality, all of which I am sympathetic to, are centered on this crucial question of identity.

These movements are a revolt against centuries of institutions and conventions that have insisted on the way people should live, eat, have sex, worship, pray, dance – all without good reason, and most to the detriment of the mass.

Many young people are revolting against that institutionalized repression of which the church, sadly, has historically been at the forefront of, with faith imperatives often subverted by human, political considerations. Cheated by institutions, many young people have retreated into themselves, and are re-asserting their individual identities.

To win back (and bring back into a spiritual community) those young people who have left the church physically, or disconnected with it emotionally, I believe God is making a new move – one that dispenses with the prejudices and discriminations of the past, and that breaks down its barriers.

This is a move that, for instance, expands the definition of prayer to include praise, one that opens its arms to those traditionally excluded and stigmatised, and one that returns the church to its true purpose – not as an expensive building that keeps some in and others out, but as an ever-expanded organism saving as many souls as it possibly can – without condemnation, without restriction, only with the purpose of establishing personal, intimate relationships with God.

That is the spiritual dimension of this revival.

Then there is the cultural. And here I will make a possibly contentious statement: The church is the most powerful institution in Nigeria, outside of politics.

This is not a religious statement. It is a cultural statement. It is not about being Christian or the superiority of the religious content. It is a simply a statement of observable fact for students of social engineering.

Because of the agility of its expressions, the attractiveness of its message, and the allure of its ambassadors, Christianity has become the most important singular influence in the mainstream culture – for proof you need look no further than how many Nollywood movies have had dominant Christian themes, how many Nigerian artistes must include the obligatory chant to ‘Baba God’ in their albums, and how pastors and their brands are dominating internet search and social content.

Churches have become the nation’s biggest charitable organisations, each of them having extensive outreaches to widows, orphans and the homeless (though we can debate proportion); they have become the biggest investors in education from Covenant University to Redeemers University. They have even become the biggest builders of our human resources, the biggest platforms for career training in the country belonging for instance to the Daystar Leadership Academy.

That is the cultural statement that Nathaniel’s revival makes – as you will see from the glut of celebrities, the biggest ones we have – struggling to associate with him, and swelling his Instagram followers from barely 100,000 two weeks ago to over 450,000 as I write.

“You are the light of the world.” Matthew reports Jesus having said. “A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.”

The church is here to stay, and to lead.

But while this might be something for the tribe to celebrate in ‘us’ versus ‘them ‘battles – boasting about the number of worshippers as we often do about the size of church congregations – this is sadly not enough in terms of the assignment that God has given his children.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works,” Matthew writes, just two verses down. “And glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

This, it appears, is where Christians have failed in their duty.

Our brand is strong and it is powerful – but to what end?

God is not the problem

Now, of course, there are those that say religion is one of Nigeria’s biggest problems. They are wrong.

Nigeria had already murdered the children of Biafra in a brutal war, suffered permanent secretaries dipping their hands into public monies, and welcomed successive military coups long before religion exploded as a mainstream cultural force in the country, and certainly long before the Pentecostal invasion of the 80s and 90s.

Nigeria didn’t get bad because of religion. Nigeria got bad in spite of religion.

Saudi Arabia is a country run by religion yet it has often posted budget surpluses and has the 14th largest Gross Domestic Product size in the world, according to the World Bank. The United Arab Emirates is a religious country, yet its unemployment numbers are less than 5 percent, and is projected to lead its region in economic growth this year. The United Kingdom evolved from an apparent theocracy, even as it spread its empire across the world. And, America, the world’s most powerful superpower, is so defined by religion that its Vice-President campaigned on being a vocal born-again Christian; and debates over everything from the economy to abortion are defined by aggressive religious disagreements.

The Nordic countries eschew religion and they succeed. Arab nations have religion and they succeed. Religion is not the reason why we are here.

Still, the question is relevant: why has religion not helped us, like it has other nations in the world? How can we, as the cliché now goes, have so much God and yet so little good?

What’s the point of faith and the triumphal Christian identity if it doesn’t improve morality, inspire the body politic; improve society?

If we spend all this time praying for our nation, how can it be that our nation continues to plunge downwards, while the churches continue to post surpluses? Why should society have faith in the church if the church appears to do nothing for society but cause traffic jams, provide cover for thieving politicians and condemn sexual agency?

That is a question the critics are asking between the lines, beneath the pain and through the cynicism. And it is a question worth answering.

I am Christian. I like to speak about my faith publicly. I allow my faith guide my private and public decisions and I have a lot of respect for the men and women that God has used to build my spirit and build the church in Nigeria, yet I have to acknowledge that we have done a very poor job in answering this question, both in words and with deeds.

The church can choose to answer by saying its assignment is only to take people to heaven, and that is a valid answer. But that is not what it has chosen to say in Nigeria. If anything, many churches have insisted on getting involved in the media, in the culture, in the economy and in politics.

So now that it has chosen to get involved, why has it been ineffective in shining its light? Surely, if Nigeria has the most number of churches in the world, this has to count for something, yes?

I believe the problem is that we have refused to rise up to the challenge, and it is time for that to end.

A revival of action

The time is now for the church in Nigeria to stop pretending only to be a charitable organisation and face up to its reality. Business theorist, Jim Collins calls it the ‘genius of the AND’ – in this case, that the church is a spiritual institution AND a social, cultural and, yes, economic institution.

The church is the biggest, most well resourced institution in Nigeria, outside of (or perhaps equal to, since it won’t be transparent about its numbers) business. It has become, in essence, Nigeria’s biggest competitive advantage.

With that much power, must come much responsibility. What this means is that the church can and must pray for Nigeria, but the church must also work for Nigeria. Its revival of words must be matched with a revival of action.

Because the church in Nigeria is not like the church everywhere else in the world – combining an aggressive character with robust, inspiring enterprise – it cannot behave like the church everywhere else in the world.

It needs to be repeated: the church in Nigeria has become its biggest competitive advantage.

The one thing that attracts Africa’s presidents to the Synagogue Church of All Nations and Britain’s Prime Ministers to the Redeemed Christian Church of God is not something that our nation must take lightly.

Rather than see it as the enemy, critics should see it for what it is – an asset. Rather than see it as a primordial possession, adherents should see it for what it is – a gift.

And from this re-focused perspective, we can all begin to demand from it as much as it capable of.

We need to hold our pastors to higher standards. We need their institutions built to past – with proper boards, and defined structure. We need congregations awake and engaged. And we need the capacity of the church expanded to meet its potential.

If faith is a key driver for our actions as a nation, then we must face that truth for what is and ask ourselves – now that we have this, what can we do with it?

“Like America, every society has its character; its inbuilt essence – the collectivity of its peoples’ behaviours and worldviews; the intangibles that inexorably define the way they engage themselves and the world,” I wrote in a 2013 piece.

“To actually deliver a society that is, apologies to Jim Collins, built to last; we will have to construct it; brick by brick. We will have to mentally and then physically build our country based on an understanding of where we are coming from and where we can go: based on a set of ideas and concepts that are inspired by and guided through sociology (who we are), history (where we are coming from), philosophy (how we think), even cosmology (how we view the unseen) of both our constituent parts and the constructed whole.

“(This) will lead us in building what system of government we need, what theories our economy should follow, the relationship between church and state, the place of our traditional institutions in a modern society; the grund-norm of our legal system; the philosophy for our education.”

This is the challenge and the opportunity that faces the church today, and it is one that presents itself to serious-minded nation builders who understand the power of a national competitive advantage.

Churches have become bastions of excellence. Hosting half-a-million strong concerts at the Tafawa Balewa Square that have become a model of modern management, expanding rapidly across communities in ways businesses have been incapable of, building protocol operations and running operational efficiencies that Nigerian banks can learn more than a thing from, and building a chain of sub-institutions that reflect the minds of global entrepreneurial genius.

The time should come when we begin to see the incredible mind that built a chain of Apple Stores in the same light as the incredible mind that promised to set up a Redeemed church in every street corner and did.

And to do that, the church needs to hold itself to higher standards. Its finances need to be transparent; its institutions need to be systematised, its brand ambassadors subject to minimum standards.

It should begin to think seriously of the enlightened self-interest of tax paying, succession planning and corporate social responsibility.

It may need to open up its large spaces for society’s benefits. For instance, turning the former factories it has repurposed into auditoriums into human factories by partnering with governments and companies to host massive capacity building programmes that teach people to fish. How about deploying those massive resources not just for revivals that end up in offerings and tithes, but revivals that end in transformed lives, and equipped hands?

How can we match the power of the church with its potential to truly change society?

These are the most important questions for a true building of our nation, and in this mission, unquestioning devotion and derisive heckling will both be useless.

Let’s all take a break from our version of the global cultural wars that make us feel better about our echo chambers and think about the real thing that Nathaniel Bassey’s #HallelujahChallenge is saying to us, and about us.

Especially the gloating critics.

Going on your knees may not rebuild Nigeria’s education system or repair its roads, true. But neither does screaming in the wind.

Or, for that matter, preaching to the choir.

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Senator Gbenga Ashafa representing Lagos East Senatorial district in the upper chamber of the National Assembly is apparently still in a celebratory mood as he speaks on the milestones achieved by the Eighth Senate in the last two years.

A major part of Sen Ashafa’s speech was dedicated to singing the praises of senate president Bukola Saraki and we learn that the historical success of the senate hinges largely on the relentlessness of “driver and headmaster” Saraki who looks out for all the members of the House and ensures all set goals are achieved.

May not be what we hoped to hear from the Senator but watch all the same:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ak-jty9u6M

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Nigerian governors have said the unity of the country is sacrosanct and non-negotiable.

Oyo State governor, Abiola Ajimobi who spoke on behalf of his colleagues said this at the end of a meeting called by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo as part of consultations for peace on Wednesday.

He made the appeal against the backdrop of rising hate speeches and secessionist agitations in the south-east.

Ajimobi said the governors do not want a repeat of incidents in Rwanda and Somalia.

He added that the areas of poverty, unemployment and hardship which led to secessionist agitations will be addressed.

“It has been unanimously agreed that the unity of this country is sacrosanct, it is non-negotiable and we have all agreed to work together to educate people,” he said.

“Any time you have agitation, usually there will be poverty, there will be unemployment, there will be hardship. So, we should address fundamentally these areas of poverty, unemployment and hardship.

“Nigerians are by nature a united people; nobody cares whether you are from the north, south or the east.

“There unity must be there and we cannot play with the unity of this country. The consensus has been that there must be unity.

“The message is for Nigerians to work more together and collaborate. We have more to gain when we are united. We cannot afford to break, and anybody is thinking of that is wasting his time and we will not allow it, not in this country. All of us are unanimous about that.

“To you the media look for what unites us and not sensational news. If we fight everybody will lose, have you ever seen a country that fought a civil war and remained the same? We don’t want to be another Rwanda and Somalia and all these places. The government is doing its best.”

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After graduation, Nigerian graduates a‎re mandatorily required to serve their fatherland under the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme. This is a scheme established after the civil war in other to integrate and reintegrate Nigerians. People are posted to different parts of the country to serve, interact and learn the culture and tradition of the people.

The government on its part pays a monthly stipend for the upkeep of corp members. Although this is hardly enough considering the realities of present day Nigeria, it goes a long way to facilitate their transport fair to their places of primary assignment and sometimes feeding. Considering the fact that one is prohibited from working while serving, their monthly stipend is thus, the only means of survival for corp members. ‎ It should, therefore, be paid regularly and timely too.

Corp members in Plateau State are not having the best of times. Many of them can no longer go to their places of primary assignment. The ability to get a meal in a day is left to fate or miracle to decide. Why is this so? Many of them, if not all of them have not been paid their monthly stipend for the month of May. The month of June has gone half way already!

The issue of late or no payment of corp members in Plateau State is a recurring decimal. For the month of April, their monthly allowance did not come on time; many of them are still being owed for that. Again, they are faced with the same situation for the month of May, who knows what will happen with the salary of June? Maybe it would be paid in September!

Given the fact that corp members depend on this allowance for survival, it doesn’t make sense to owe them. If you ask me, it is sheer wickedness to send people to an area where they don’t know anyone and abandon them to their fate.

If we don’t pay corp members, we cannot get the best from them. We would also lose the moral right to reprimand corp members who abandon their places of primary assignment; since we have refused to pay them, what do we expect?

This is a plea to the National Youth Service Corp to make the welfare of corp members its primary responsibility. It is wrong to owe corp members their monthly stipend. I doubt if any staff of the NYSC have not been paid their salary for the month of May. Corp members are frustrated. More frustrating is the fact that officials of the scheme are keeping a sealed lip over this issue, leaving corp members in the dark on what is, or has happened to their monthly allowance.

Dear Director-General of the NYSC, your children in the Plateau are suffering and are in need of your urgent intervention.‎ The federal government should also ensure the timely release of funds meant for the payment of corp members.

SOURCE | YNAIJA

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The first comment on BellaNaija says it all:
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Who do these people think they are?

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Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has threatened to expose Rivers governor Nyesom Wike’s wife “if he (Wike) does not shut up his mouth.”

Amaechi said this on Tuesday at the sidelines of an inspection programme at the Kaduna Dry Port while reacting to an allegations made by Wike against his wife.

Wike had alleged that each commissioner and local government chairman in Rivers State paid the erstwhile governor’s wife, Judith, N3m and N2m monthly, respectively.

Amaechi however said, “By accident of Goodluck Jonathan, I don’t want to attribute it to God, but by the accident of Jonathan, the man takes office and talks rubbish. My wife and family, including my younger brothers and sisters, no one had access to government when I was governor.

“Even as minister, nobody will have such because it is not a family business. It is government business. But the problem with Nyesom Wike, and I want you to state this if he doesn’t shut up his mouth and do his work I will bring his wife to the focus. You see I’ve been very matured not to talk about his wife.

“But if Wike does not close his mouth and talk about my wife anymore, I will bring out his wife. My wife will never do such, we don’t do family business. I care about transparency. My wife is a trader. She buys and sells and Wike knows that.”

On the allegation that he siphoned N30bn belonging to the state, Amaechi said, “And you believe that? The man who says he has about $50m in Lagos and could no prove it is the same man you believe. The man who said I didn’t pay salaries until I left office and now he is saying no, it is pensioners that I didn’t pay. Do you believe such a man?

“Do you think such a man is well? You believe Nyesom Wike is well? First, he doesn’t know how to speak English, he is poorly dressed, he is a thug, and you bring me to focus with that kind of a man?”

He added that his team was not given fair hearing by the panel set up in the state.

Amaechi said, “Which court, okay let him go to court. He has no fact and he maligns people’s character. The process is that you set up a tribunal, but we’ve questioned the tribunal, we were not given a fair hearing.

“Again, how do you know how the court came to its decision? We were not even informed. There is a panel of justices in Rivers State, which is the Court of Appeal. But by the time we knew it, they took away that matter from them and gave it to a panel that came from Adamawa.”

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Former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Obanikoro, a former chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party announced his defection at a press Conference in Lagos on Tuesday.

He was received by a former chieftain of the PDP, Lukman Ajose who recently defected to the APC.
Obanikoro had earlier apologized and reconciled with National leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Details later…
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Stephen Onwuamadike, father of billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudi Onwuamadike popularly known as Evans has narrated how his son derailed.

While speaking to The Nation in his hometown in Nnewi, Stephen said his entire business collapsed in 1985 when he was defrauded.

He said Chukwudi’s mother abandoned her children and left his house.

Stephen added that he enrolled the now fearsome kidnap kingpin in the beat schools at the time but decided to stop school after writing his ordinary level examination.

Read Also: I REGRET MOVING TO IGANDO…JAKANDE WAS GOOD FOR BUSINESS – BILLIONAIRE KIDNAPPER, EVANS

He said, “My son (Evans) insisted that he would trade in spare parts and I made arrangement with Cosmas Maduka, through his elder brother, to take him to Lagos, but the boy later rejected the plan, not knowing that he was being negatively teleguided.

“But in 1998, I left Nnewi for Lagos and I was living at Ikotun and started worshipping at T.B Joshua’s church, Synagogue, and when the boy came to me, I gave him money to go back to Nnewi after he found his way to Lagos where he said he had started learning a trade

“So, in 2005 again, he called me that he wanted to marry and I asked him how manage, because I was aware that he was not doing anything tangible, but he told me not to bother, that he needed my presence, which I obliged him.

Read Also: “PLEASE FORGIVE HIM, HE WILL REPENT” | BILLIONAIRE KIDNAPPER, EVANS’ WIFE BEGS FOR MERCY

“Chukwudi Onwuamadike who is being paraded as a kidnapper is my first son; there are other 10 of my children; eight boys and three girls, they were to be 12 but one died.

Stephen said he did not hear from his son for a long time but knew he was communicating with his mother.

“After his marriage in 2005, he moved back to Lagos with the wife and since 11 years, my brother, I will tell you that I don’t know his whereabouts.

“The only person who can tell you in and out of his movement, his connections and his dealings is his mother (Chinwe) because they are always discussing on phone and he does not call me.

“Anytime he wanted to call me, he would hide his phone number or any time his mother would be around, he would instruct his mother to give me her phone for me to answer.

“I met him in 2006 when I went for prayers at TB Joshua’s church (in Lagos). the last time I set my eyes on him was in 2012 during the birthday party of Prophet T.B Joshua in Lagos and I asked him what he was doing, he told me he was dealing in drugs.

“My son was a nice young man before he came under strange influences.”
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Multiple suicide attacks in a Maiduguri suburb has led to the death seventeen persons, the police has confirmed on Monday.

Spokesman of the Nigeria Police in Borno State, Victor Isuku in a statement said five female suicide bombers attacked a settlement, Kofa in Konduga local government area of the state.

He said 11 others were injured while the suicide bombers also died.

The statement read: “Multiple suicide bomb attacks happened yesterday Sunday 18/6/2017, at about 2030hrs, five female suicide bombers detonated IED strapped to their bodies in Kofa community, which is about 8km from Maiduguri town and situated along Maiduguri- Konduga road.

“The first suicide bomber, detonated near a mosque, killing seven persons. The second detonated in a house killing five persons.

“While two other suicide bombers detonated within the same vicinity, killing themselves only.

“A total of seventeen persons including the five suicide bombers died, while eleven persons sustained injuries and were rushed to University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.

“EOD team were mobilised to the scene and normalcy has since been restored.”

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Let me start with the story of a poor man who married into a rich family. He didn’t have anything as a man but was loved all the same by the lady. Even though her family objected to her choice of a partner, they caved in due to her insistence. She married him and made him the centre point of her life. He became the coordinator of her affairs and remained answerable to her, with her family as the ultimate influencer. He barely took any decision without referring and deferring to her.‎ There was a time he took some decisions concerning her affairs which didn’t go down well with her family, they teamed up and harassed him, reminding him of whose son he is; the son of a nobody. As a result, he avoided taking any decision. In fact, he lost his confidence to think, let alone decide.

During the first medical vacation of President Muhammadu Buhari in January, he transferred power to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as the Acting President. The Acting President swung into action; bringing a vibrancy that was lacking in the administration‎. He visited different parts of the country including the Niger Delta, met with their leaders and sought for a peaceful resolution to the problem of militancy. The naira gained strength against the dollar, with a number of positive steps taken, which earned the Acting President accolades and praises all around. Although he kept attributing the successes recorded within that period to the president who was in London, his popularity and fame grew among Nigerians, which did not go down well with some people.

The president returned and power reverted to him. He resumed work and things returned to status quo, taking the usual snail pace until 7 May 2017, when he hurriedly travelled back to London, few hours after meeting with the Chibok girls who had just been released from Boko Haram’s captivity since 2014.
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Since 7 May was a Sunday, the president’s letter was transmitted to the Senate on Monday, 8 May 2017. In that letter, the president chose to use the phrase ‘coordinator of the country’s affairs’ instead of Acting President. From the wording of that letter, it was obvious that those who felt that the Vice President had stolen the show from the president during his stint as the acting president did not want a repeat of that, and were determined to cut him to size. They chose to work on his psyche by calling him “Coordinator”!

Although that phrase does not possess the capacity to contaminate the meaning and intent of section 145 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, or the status of Professor Yemi Osinbajo as Acting President, one cannot say it has not affected him psychologically. What we have seen in recent time is an acting president who is shy and reticent; slow to take decisions and quick to dish out unsolicited smiles in the midst of pressing issues. The agility we witnessed during his first stint as acting president seems to have evaporated.

The actions of those in government have not helped him in any way. While deliberations on the 2017 budget were still on in the National Assembly, Presidential Adviser on Legislative Matters said the budget once passed, would be transmitted to the President in London for signing.

How ridiculous!

A newspaper also reported on Sunday 18 June 2017, that people were taking files to the president in London for signing.

As a result of all these, the acting president has lost his steam, and that is bad for the country. Although there is no vacuum in the presidency, there is a leadership vacuum. This is as a result of the unwillingness of the acting president to act.

It is really an irony that individuals who nearly brought this country to a stand-still because power was not transmitted to the then vice president, Goodluck Jonathan after his boss travelled on health grounds, are the same stock frustrating the acting president today even though power has been transferred to him. It says one thing: the motivating factor for some of our political leaders is, and has always been their interest. To protect their interest, they can do anything, even the unthinkable!

Goodluck Jonathan as acting president faced the same thing as acting president. He chose to be cautious because he didn’t want to be in the bad books of the cabal that held sway during the days of late President Yar’Adua’s. Unfortunately, after he became president, he carried on with that mentality and it cost him dearly. The rest, like they say, is now history

Professor Yemi Osinbajo must rise to the occasion and assert his authority as acting president. As long as the president remains in London, he remains in charge as acting president with the full powers of the president. Being power or authority-shy will only cause more harm for this administration.

With the absence of the president, fate has placed the chance of this administration continuing beyond 2019 on his shoulders. The earlier he realises that, the better for all of us.

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Six members of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS have resigned, on the premise that President Trump doesn’t care about HIV, TheHill reports.

In a joint letter published in the Newsweek titled, “Trump doesn’t care about HIV. We’re outta here”, the six members Scott Schoettes, Lucy Bradley-Springer, Gina Brown, Ulysses Burley III, Michelle Ogle and Grissel Granados announced their resignation. In the letter, the group said the Trump administration “had no strategy” to address HIV/AIDS, did not consult experts for policy and “pushed legislation that will harm people living with HIV and halt or reverse important gains made in the fight against this disease.”

They wrote, “As advocates for people living with HIV, we have dedicated our lives to combating this disease and no longer feel we can do so effectively within the confines of an advisory body to a president who simply does not care”. A major grouse of the group is that the President shut down the Office of National AIDS Policy website when he assumed office and has since not appointed anyone to lead the White House Office of National AIDS Policy.

Obamacare repeal also had a role to play, they said that repealing the bill will have a ripple effect that would dramatically hurt those with HIV/AIDS, making it the final straw for us.

“We will be more effective from the outside, advocating for change and protesting policies that will hurt the health of the communities we serve and the country as a whole if this administration continues down the current path. We hope the members of Congress who have the power to affect healthcare reform will engage with us and other advocates in a way that the Trump Administration apparently will not.”

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The Presidency has said the government does not see leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) as a leader of thought in the south-east region.

Special Adviser to the President on Political matters, Babafemi Ojodu said this while explaining the reason Kanu was left out of the meeting Acting President Yemi Osinbajo held with leaders of the south-east.

IPOB had described the meeting as a waste because its leader was not invited.

But Ojodu said on Sunday, “Well, the thing is that we were looking for leaders of the people, leaders of thought and we do not see him as a leader of thought in the east. May be opportunity will come at one time or the other for him to be engaged.

Read Also: OSINBAJO’S MEETING WITH IGBO LEADERS WAS A COMPLETE WASTE – IPOB

“But so far, what we have done is to look at people who have influence in the communities, whether it is religious, whether it is traditional, whether it is political, social or governance. These are the people we brought in for discussion.”

He added that calls for secession and a referendum were not discussed in the meeting.

“Nobody has tabled that in all the discussions we have had. Nobody, I can tell you. Ohanaeze came with a prepared document. They never talked about referendum. They never. They never even talked about secession,” he said.

“They made complaints about police harassment at road blocks. They made complaints about losing some key positions, not being appointed into security positions and all those kinds of things.

“And these are things that can easily be addressed. Nobody canvassed secession at those meetings, nobody canvassed referendum.”

The presidential aide further noted that the south-east leaders were in agreement with the federal government that Nigeria should remain as one.

“So, for us, and that was the conclusion that everybody came to in the consultations we have had that we should all agree that we can live together peacefully.

“We should address injustice where we find it and the government should be equitable in the distribution of resources across the country snd then, find solution to youth unemployment and the frustration that is confronting most of the young people across this country.”

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Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has asked those making hate speeches to desist from it.

The minister gave the advice on Saturday at the “Lai Mohammed 10th Annual Ramadan Lecture” held in his country home, Oro, Kwara.

He expressed concerns over inflammatory statements being made lately, while urging those involved to quit in the interest of the nation’s unity and safety.

“In the last couple of months, we have witnessed the increase inflammatory and hate speeches.

“Hate speeches have been responsible for wars. Rwandan genocide where more than 800,000 people were killed was started by hate speeches.

“Like people say, wars are not really started by bullets, they are started by words of mouth.

“Nigeria is too big and God has a purpose for making us one and we shall remain united.

“There will be differences, but like the Yoruba says, “Ori bibe ko ni ogun ori fifo” (beheading is not antidote to headache).

“We have been living together peacefully and we will continue to live together, because we have a lot to gain by being united.

“If there is war today, none of us will escape whether you are young or old whether you are Yoruba, Igbo of Hausa ,” he said.
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We have been quite alarmist about Donald Trump on the Sexuality Blog. We have have had good reason to be, considering his policies on female reproductive health, abortions and LGBT rights (we are the sexuality blog after all) but it seems things are finally turning the corner with the Trump administration, especially as it regards Nigeria.

The United States Country Operation Plan has just set aside N17.5bn to support the Nigerian Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA)’s HIV Prevention and Care plan. The agreement was signed on Friday, June 16, 2017, by Deborah Birx, the U.S’s Global AIDS co-ordinator and is a continuation of American AIDS prevention and control efforts in Nigeria which started in 2014.

Presidential Emergency Plan For Aids Relief (PEPFAR) is the legacy of Republican President, George Bush jr. whose efforts in Africa was the most extensive in decades. President Obama helped preserve this Legacy, and it seems President Trump will too. This unallied fund is a big reason why Nigeria has been as successful as in controlling the spread of AIDS, especially in LGBT communities that the Federal Government would rather pretend don’t exist, and continues to discreetly fund LGBT centric healthcare.

This is good news. We need good news, even if it is from Trump.
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