The Nigeria Immigration Service NIS has invited Modupe Odele, a promoter of #EndSARS campaign, to come retrieve her seized international passport.
Ms Odele had her passport confiscated at the airport on November 1 while on her way out of the country.
While notifying the public, she explained that the reason for the seizure was not made known to her. The action coincided with an alleged no-fly list targeting the promoters of the nationwide action demanding extensive police reforms.
She has been invited to come retrieve the traveling document today but the legal practitioner says she is picking it up next week.
“I’ve been told by Immigration that my passport is ready for collection from 4pm today. I’ve respectfully informed them I’ll be there on Monday to pick it up,” Odele announced Friday afternoon.
“Since today is Friday, I asked for an earlier time but was told it will only be ready from 4pm today Friday,” she said on Twitter.
Dahiru Buba, a Nigerian man who trekked over 550 kilometres to celebrate the victory President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 is publicly appealing for funds to treat his broken limbs.
Mr Buba had reportedly walked from Gombe State to Abuja, the nation’s capital to celebrate with the politician who historically defeated an incumbent president to clinch the seat.
The man from Dukku Local Government Area, Gombe, asked for support from Governor Inuwa Yahaya and other ruling party chiefs to come to his aid reports Daily Trust.
“Since the time I conducted the trekking, the limb pain is growing by the day,” Mr. Buba told the national daily.
The supporter of the ruling party said the only reward he got after the trekking was a certificate from Mai Mala Buni, Yobe governor and the current caretaker of the party who at the time was the party’s secretary, acknowledging his status as a good fan of the president and the party.
Buba also sought public support to clear school fees of his children. He is not the first to publicly regret trekking in honour of the president whose economic and social policies have been widely criticised.
Hope Uzodinma, Imo State governor, has backed the resolve of President Muhammadu Buhari to regulate social media in Nigeria.
Mr Uzodinma endorsed the move today while playing host to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu, who visited to access the level of damage done to police formations in the state.
Nationwide protests demanding police reforms turned violent after state sponsored thugs attacked the peaceful demonstrators. Looting of COVID-19 palliatives immediately followed after the protests was suspended over killing of protesters at the Lekki toll gate on October 20 by personnel of the Nigerian military.
“I am strongly advocating that social media should be regulated in Nigeria,” Uzodinma told the police boss who also blamed social media for the escalation of demonstrations nationwide.
The Imo governor said he is supporting the regulation of free speech because it is being used in fomenting trouble.
“Opposition party incited hoodlums to cause trouble in Imo, because the real protesters went off the street after my address and assurances to them,’’ he added.
On his part, Mr Adamu said his men who were armed resisted the temptations of unlawful action but were being killed while the demonstrations lasted.
“I can tell you that our men acted professionally during the protest, they had their guns, they were being killed, yet they respected human dignity,” he said.
“I came specifically to visit vandalised property and to see the level of damage done to police facilities in Imo,” the police boss added.
President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed his Chief of Staff, Ibarhim Gambari, to lead government delegation in finding lasting solution to the demands of the country’s youths.
Youths nationwide had recently complained and called for the scrapping of the now abolished Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
Despite the disbandment, protests continued with many expressing doubts about government sincerity having done so thrice earlier with no action thereafter.
In a statement signed by presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, the president assigned Mr Gambari to lead the federal government’s delegation expected to visit traditional rulers in the country.
Gambari who will be reporting back directly to the president is to lead senior government officials to various parts of the country and directly engage with traditional rulers in the process.
Mr Adesina said his principal made the appointment while playing hosts to a delegation of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria led by the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji (Dr) Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III.
“We have heard the loud cries of our youth and children, and we are attending to their concerns,” the president said.
“To succeed in all of this, we would require your support and voice to help amplify the message. Your proximity to the people places you in a unique position to communicate and ensure that our response is targeted and impactful.
“I want to once again thank you for the role you all have played to calm down our youth with wisdom and authority. By instilling hope and keeping the peace, you have rendered the country great service,” Buhari told his visitors.
Apro-military group, Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights, has issued a 7-day ultimatum to Amnesty International to leave the country over the latter’s report on Lekki shooting which occurred last month.
This is not the first time the international rights group will be asked to leave the country over its activities bordering on human rights abuses by the authorities, TODAY POLITICS recalls.
The last, of the calls which began in 2016, occurred in February when a seizable number of demonstrators, suspected to have paid by state agents, accused the body of sponsoring terrorists groups in its bid to destabilize the nation.
On October 20, personnel of the Nigerian military were caught on camera opening live rounds on peaceful protesters demanding nationwide police reforms at Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos State.
Although the military initially denied the claim, it later admitted its men were on ground and at the scene on the time of the attack dismissing claims of opening fire on the demonstrators.
In its report, Amnesty International indicted the force and this has led global notable figures and groups including the International Criminal Court (ICC) calling for probe of the incident.
Ms Ajibola who leads the pro-military group accused Amnesty Nigeria of providing unconfirmed death toll to rally international support for condemnation of the massacre. At a press briefing in Abuja today, she threatened grave consequences against Amnesty Nigeria and its staff members.
“For Nigeria to rebuild, Amnesty must be out of the way and out of the way for good,” Ajibola said, adding that Amnesty’s “failure to leave Nigeria will attract civil disobedience at its offices based in Abuja and in Lagos on a scale that would make the campaign of looting and arson it facilitated appear like child’s play.
“The protesters might have made a misleading claim of a massacre at Lekki Toll-Gate and the lie that 78 people were killed, but it took Amnesty International’s amplification of that lie for the international community and super-national organisations to wrongly accuse and condemn Nigeria and its government.
“Amnesty International’s offices and those of all its affiliated organisations and known supporters in Nigeria will be set upon the same way that its agents destroyed critical assets of the country.
“Its staffers will be treated that innocent policemen and our children lynched by mobs were treated. The countdown for the seven-day ultimatum begins now,” she threatened.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says citing fake news as reason behind moves by the All Progressive Congress (APC) led administration to regulate social media is not tenable.
The opposition party in a Wednesday statement while rejecting moves to regulate the free speech said this is because there are already laws to tackle dissemination of false information.
Its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the move is targeted at silencing dissenting voices, a claim reiterated by Nigerians and civil society organisations among others who have jointly rejected the initiative.
Lai Mohammed, information minister said President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has resolved to go ahead and regulate free speech as leaving it unchecked endangers the country’s unity.
The party also described the move as unconstitutional, anti-people and a suppressive design to asphyxiate Nigerians.
“The PDP asserts that the renewed frenzy to censor the social media is ostensibly targeted at muzzling outspoken Nigerians, particularly the youths, media and civil society organizations, from demanding for accountability and competence, as well as exposing the widespread corruption, unbridled treasury looting, barefaced injustice, human right abuses, constitutional violations and divisive actions of the APC administration,” the party wrote.
“Our party rejects the claims that the regulation bill is targeted at checking fake news. This is because our nation already has enough implementable laws to counter the dissemination of fake news and punish offenders.
“It is clear that the APC administration is rather xenophobic of criticisms from citizens against its manifest atrocities that it seeks to surreptitiously reenact the obnoxious military decree 4 to suppress Nigerians.
“Instead of this desperation to gag the citizens and curtail their constitutionally guaranteed rights, our party counsels the APC administration to rather take steps to reassure Nigerians by ending its manifest corruption, treasury looting, abuse of human rights, nepotism and unaccountability for which the citizens demands answers,” the statement partly read.
Mohammed Adamu, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) has announced the formation of a new unit in the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
The new unit of the force named, Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT) replaces the scrapped Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) dissolved on Sunday.
This was made known in a statement by police spokesman, Frank Mba, in a Tuesday statement wherein officers of the abolished police unit were asked to report at the force headquarters for screening.
“The Inspector General of Police, IGP M.A. Adamu, NPM, mni has, today, 13th October, 2020, in accordance with Section 18 (10) of the Police Act 2020, ordered all personnel of the defunct SARS to report at the Force Headquarters, Abuja for debriefing, psychological and medical examination,” Mba wrote.
“The officers are expected to undergo this process as a prelude to further training and reorientation before being redeployed into mainstream policing duties.
“The medical examination will be carried out by the newly set-up Police Counselling and Support Unit (PCSU), a Unit, which henceforth shall engage in psychological management, re-orientation and training of officers of the Force deployed for tactical operations and other duties.
“The Unit, which is domiciled with the Force Medical Department and coordinated by the Force Medical Officer, has its membership drawn from amongst psychiatrists, psychologists, medics, pastors and imams, Public Relations practitioners, Civil Society and other Human Rights groups with relevant qualifications and expertise.
“Meanwhile, the IGP has set up a new Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team that will fill the gaps arising from the dissolution of the defunct SARS. Prospective members of this new team will also undergo psychological and medical examination to ascertain their fitness and eligibility for the new assignment.
“They are to commence training at the different Police tactical training institutions nationwide, next week. While personnel from the Police Commands in the South-East and the South-South will be trained at the Counter-Terrorism College, Nonwa-Tai, Rivers State, those from the Police Commands from the North and the South-West will be trained at the Police Mobile Force Training College, Ende, Nasarawa State and the Police Mobile Force Training College, Ila-Orangun, Osun State, respectively,” the statement read.
Nigerians in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Tuesday joined their colleagues nationwide in demanding the disbandment of the now-dissolved Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
This is coming hours after the state governor, Nyesom Wike, issued an edict aimed at preventing them from demonstrating.
Mr Wike said they was no need for the protest since the government a the center has scrapped the police unit often accused of brutality, extortions, killings and violations of human rights.
But chanting ‘End SARS’ the demonstrators trooped out in large numbers and are currently marching across streets in the state capital.
They had different placards with inscriptions: ‘End Police Brutality’; NPF protect us don’t kill us; Say no to police brutality among others.
As at press time, the protest is going on smoothly with no security agencies harrassing them at the moment.
Attempt by Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State governor, to address protesters demanding the disbandment of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) today in the state earned him stones and bottles being hurled at him and his entourage.
The incident occurred when Mr Sanwo-Olu went to address demonstrators whose activities caused gridlock in Lekki area of the state.
According to African Independent Television (AIT), the governor approached the protesters to see reasons with him on why they should mellow down their actions.
They initially resisted, demanding that President Muhammadu Buhari must address Nigerians on the issue, but finally succumbed to give the governor a listening ear.
Sanwo-Olu promised to convey their demands to the Nigerian leader but that further angered the protesters who demanded an executive order from Mr. President, saying the scrapping of SARS by the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu yesterday holds no water.
The broadcast station reports that the protesters thereafter hurled stones, bottles and other dangerous items at the governor who immediately left the scene.
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has reacted to the killing of one Jimoh Isiaq, who joined in demonstrating against police brutal unit codenamed (FSARS) today in Ogbomosho, Oyo State.
Nigerians earlier in the week took to the streets and have continued to demand the disbandment of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad over allegations of extortions, killings and violations of human rights.
They discarded pleas from President Muhammadu Buhari that the outfit should be reformed rather than being scrapped. Mr Buhari will speaking yesterday urged citizens not to doubt his administration’s resolve to reform the unit of the NPF.
But defiant Nigerians refused and have continued demonstrating, an action that has now gone global. Today, youths trooped out across major cities nationwide to continue their demands.
In Oyo, Mr Isiaq was reportedly gunned down while the protest was on. But the police denied killing the protester, saying only teargas was fired in a bid to disperse the seemingly angry mob.
“According to the information I gathered from the officers monitoring the protest, the police did not fire shot(s) at anybody,” says Olugbenga Fadeyi, the Public Relations Officer of Oyo command of the force.
“The protesters were allowed for over one hour to carry out their protest and express their grievances until when some of them wanted to forcefully enter the police station with a view to attacking it.
“The police only fired teargas to disperse the protesters; they did not fire shot at anybody as widely reported,’’ Mr Fadeyi said in a Saturday statement.
The daughter of Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has declared their support for the ongoing campaign to scrap Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS).
The call for the scrapping of the police brutal unit which began in 2017, recently resuscitated due to the killing of a man in Delta State about weeks ago.
While the online version of the campaign began immediately after the incident, demonstrators, earlier in the week, took to the streets nationwide. At the weekend, it went global with Nigerians in diaspora protesting in support.
Demonstrations went on today despite the president’s plea and his intention to reform the unit of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). The vice president shares same opinion as his principal.
The daughter of the vice president, Kiki Osinbajo, declared her support Saturday afternoon on Instagram, an action which defies her father’s stance supporting SARS reform.
The daughter of President Muhammadu Buhari also reportedly declared her support but when TODAY POLITICS checked her social media accounts for verification, nothing of such was found.
President Muhammadu Buhari has called on Nigerians to calm down and watch his administration reform the alleged brutal Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS).
The president’s advise came amidst global demonstration by Nigerians demanding the disbandment of the brutal squad.
Calming frayed nerves, Mr Buhari said Nigerians should not doubt his administration’s willingness to reform the unit of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
“I met again with the IGP tonight. Our determination to reform the police should never be in doubt,” Mr Buhari said Friday night.
“I am being briefed regularly on the reform efforts ongoing to end police brutality and unethical conduct, and ensure that the Police are fully accountable to the people.
“The IG already has my firm instructions to conclusively address the concerns of Nigerians regarding these excesses, & ensure erring personnel are brought to justice. I appeal for patience & calm, even as Nigerians freely exercise their right to peacefully make their views known,” the Nigerian leader said on Twitter.
Atiku Abubakar, former vice president, has reacted to ongoing nationwide demonstration demanding the disbandment of the brutal Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS).
Mr Atiku, an opposition candidate in the last general election, in a Friday statement, backed youths who have taken to the streets to register their displeasure.
The call to disband the security outfit resuscitated after one of its operatives killed a man in Delta State.
“I woke up to the peaceful #EndSARSProtests going on in Lagos and other cities in the country,” Atiku said in a statement reproduced across his social media accounts.
“First, I would like to commend the tenacity of our brave youths who have stayed out on the streets all day and night to make their voices heard. I stand with you all.
“Protests are an essential part of any democracy as we have seen the world over, and should be seen as an opportunity for dialogue between our people and our leaders.
“Thus, it is essential that the fundamental rights of Nigerians to freedom of assembly and freedom of expression must be protected at all costs.
“I strongly condemn any disproportionate use of force on protesters across the nation. I also call on the relevant authorities to ensure our youths are heard, and all incidents of excessive use of force by security agencies against protesters are investigated,” the opposition presidential candidate added.
Meanwhile, the presidency has said President Muhammadu Buhari has been briefed and will soon act in the interest of Nigerians.
Presidential aide, Bashir Ahmad, says his principal, Muhammadu Buhari, has been briefed on the ongoing nationwide demonstration demanding the end of brutal Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS).
Earlier this week, Nigerians across the country, took to the streets to demand the disbandment of the security outfit often accused of brutalising innocent citizens.
Although this is not the first time such demand will be made, the recent killing of a Delta man, by one of the force operatives, resuscitated the call.
In a tweet Friday evening, Mr Ahmad said the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu, briefed his principal yesterday and he is hopeful action will be taken to ameliorate the situation.
“Good people of Nigeria have every right to protest the #PoliceBrutality or anything they see is not going on well,” the presidential aide, whose colleague opined that fraudsters were behind the call, said.
“The President was briefed yesterday by the IG of Police, I am very sure action will be taken and in the best interest of Nigerians. #EndSARSProtests” he added.
The governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-rufai, says Hisbah, an Islamic religious police, does not exist in his domain.
This is in response to a report by an online news medium, Sahara Reporters, which claimed ladies and girls have been barred from using mobile phones and sun glasses in Chikun local government area of the state.
“Hisbah is punishing youths for keeping afro hair and sometimes it is accompanied with beating,” the news medium quoted a resident of the area as saying.
“They have also prevented women and girls from using smartphones, claiming that it is used to spread unIslamic behaviours. They are just terrorising us,” the source added.
Another resident who collaborated the above remark added that, “They also sometimes storm houses where ceremonies are taking place and punish playing of music, dancing and any form of entertainment.”
But in series of tweets Thursday, the office of the governor said no such thing exist in the state.
“There is no hisbah in Kaduna State. If there is criminal conduct anywhere, a responsible medium should report it accurately, not coat it in religion or use events and photos from other states to prop up a false story,” the tweet read.
“The Kaduna State Traffic Law Enforcement Authority (KASTLEA) and the Kaduna State Vigilance Service (KADVS) are the only KDSG agencies with direct law enforcement and community level security mandates. All other official agencies in the sector are federal,” it added.
Abdulrasheed Maina, a former chairman of the Pension Reform Task Force, standing trial for alleged theft of pension funds, has denied jumping bail.
Mr Maina stated this in a trending video clip circulating on social media yesterday.
The accused, facing 12-count charge of diverting N100 billion of pension funds and money laundering, has not been present in court twice before the Justice Okon Abang Federal High Court.
His surety, a serving senator, had claimed he knows nothing about his whereabouts.
But in a six-minute and thirty seconds video, the former pension boss who said he was in a hospital he refused to name, denied jumping bail.
Maina who in the clip wore leg braces, promised to return for his trial when his condition gets better. TODAY POLITICS could not immediately verified when the video was shot.
“I am not on the run and have not jumped bail as being speculated by detractors. I am on a hospital bed,” he said.
“I am nursing a serious knee injury and the doctor said I need up to 6 to 7 weeks of recovery to be on my feet,” Maina added.
Ayodele Fayose, former governor of Ekiti State, has reacted to the attack on his personality while at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rally in Ondo State yesterday.
Mr Fayose was seen being harrassed in a video clip obviously captured from a televised broadcast of the party’s campaign in Ondo State. Electorates in the state will elect a new governor on October 10.
While governor Rotimi Akeredolu is seeking re-election on the platform of the APC, his deputy, Agboola Ajayi, seeks to oust his principal by using the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) while Eyitayo Jegede of the PDP is not leaving any stone unturned in a bid to defeat the duo.
On his way to the podium at the event, the master of ceremony is heard addressing Fayose by his nickname, Osoko. The former governor who wore a green face cap with a yellow inscription on it while being accompanied by his orderly suddenly stopped when a hand pulled off the cap he had on.
In a matter of seconds, other political thugs surfaced pushing back the former governor while his orderly prevented them from obviously attacking him.
In a statement by Lere Olayinka, the former governor said the attackers were out to kill him because they followed the same pattern in annihilating Bola Ige, a former Justice Minister murdered in 2001.
Mr Olayinka said the matter will be reported to the police, party authorities and his principal won’t stop talking on how the affairs of the party in the zone is being piloted.
“That’s how late Chief Bola Ige’s cap was removed in Ile Ife, Osun State then and we all know what happened later,” he said yesterday’s night.
“So this one will not be ignored and treated as one of those things.
“The masterminds had it all planned and they followed it up by celebrating what they saw as the success of their plot. They even capped it up by circulating the video.
“So it was not an accident, it was planned. But those who planned it only succeeded in advertising their political myopism because popularity of the brand Ayo Fayose, Osokomole cannot be rubbished by such childish act,” Olayinka added.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan on Wednesday warned the Buhari administration to minimise its borrowing by considering other alternatives to fund projects.
The Debt Management Office estimated Nigeria’s debt to have hit N31 trillion as of June.
This marks an increase of N18.89 trillion over the N12.12 trillion in 2015.
Mr. Lawan, in a statement on his Twitter page, said the Senate is considering plugging waste by the amendment of Sections 21(1) and 21(2) of the Fiscal Responsibility Act and other laws to enhance operations of all revenue generating agencies.
“While we put in all necessary measures to enhance government revenue, the Federal Government would need to reduce its borrowing by seeking alternative ways of implementing infrastructural projects not funded through local and foreign loans”, Lawan said.
The Senate during Wednesday’s plenary passed the 2021-2023 medium term expenditure framework and fiscal strategy paper.
This was done ahead of President Muhammadu Buhari’s presentation of the 2021 Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly scheduled to hold on Thursday.
Bashir Ahmad, the personal assistant on new media to President Muhammadu Buhari has reacted to claims of him using one of the presidential jet for his wedding.
Mr Ahmad was pictured standing with some persons at the Umaru Musa Yaradua airport in Katsina with the aircraft as it’s background.
This drew criticism to his principal whose daughter, Hanan, had earlier in the year, flew one of the aircrafts in the presidential fleet for her private study.
Dismissing the claim that he flew the Nigeria Airforce Carrier for his wedding, the presidential aide said the jet had the president’s representatives as occupants.
He explained that he travelled by road and will again use the medium when returning to his base at the nation’s capital.
“Bashir Ahmad and his friends traveled to Katsina on Thursday by road, proceeded to Kano after the wedding on Friday and they will leave Kano for Abuja by road after the events,” Mr Ahmad said in a Saturday tweet.
“This was when I led my friends to receive President @MBuhari’s representatives at the airport,” he clarified.
Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, has distanced himself from a 2023 campaign poster trending on social media.
In the poster seen by TODAY POLITICS, the vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last year general election, was paired with Rabiu Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State, as his running mate.
Sponsored by Equity group led by one Nonso Jonathan, its national coordinator, the group said the pair of the duo who are currently members of the opposition party, will bring equity and justice.
Distancing himself, the former governor said he is not part of the material in circulation.
“I am not a part of the poster being circulated. -PO,” Mr Obi tweeted Saturday evening while attaching the said poster.
There have been calls for power to shift to the southern part of the country in 2023 when incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari, completes his tenure.
But some persons in the North, where Buhari hails from, who consider themselves influential are working to retain power in the area. In the southern part, it is believed to be a race between the South-East and South-West geo-political zones.
While Orji Kalu, a former Abia governor, from the Igbo predominantly area, has indicated interest for the exalted position, Bola Tinubu, a national leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC), from the Yoruba area, is rumored to be nursing to the ambition to succeed Mr Buhari.
Politics › #EndSARS activist Odele invited for retrieval of seized passport by sharpden(op): 4:07pm On Nov 06, 2020*. Modified: 4:45pm On Nov 06, 2020
