₦airaland Forum

SENATOR Dino Melaye, the lawmaker representing Kogi-west Senatorial district has dared the Federal Government over his recent arraignment charges of misinformation.

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Report had surfaced over the weekend that Melaye has been sued for falsely incriminating the Chief of Staff to Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, Mr. Edward David, in an assassination attempt on his life mid April last year.

David alongside the chairman of Ijumu local government, Taofiq Isa, were accused by the senator of masterminding the attack because of his criticism of the state government.

But reacting the senator during plenary on Tuesday at the upper legislative chamber said he was not afraid of going to prison as they were built for human beings.

Addressing his colleagues he said, “Mr. President (Saraki) if this arraignment is to weaken me, to stop me from speaking the truth, to stop me from criticising or talking about the maladministration or perfidy that is going on in Kogi State, to stop me from criticising the federal government, they have committed a capital compound mistake.

“I shall continue to speak, ask questions, criticise any public officer including the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria where he has gone wrong.

“I have conquered fear and I am not afraid of the prison, the last administration arrested me fourteen times, Abacha’s government detained me, Babangida’s government detained me, I am not afraid of the prison, it is built because of human beings but we will continue to speak the truth not minding whose ox is goad.

“In an unjust society silence is a crime, the battle to bring Nigeria back in track from these criminals in power is a battle of no retreat no surrender,” he said aggressively.

The office of the Attorney General of the Federation filed the charges, marked CR/106/18 on January 31, 2018 as Melaye is to appear before the court on March 1.

The case had been assigned to Justice Olasumbo Goodluck, who sits in the Maitama Division of the FCT High Court, HEADLINE understands.

STATES in the country has been warned, in the interest of peace, not to enact and implement anti-open grazing law without provision for Fulani herdsmen.

This warning is coming from the coordinator of the Benue State chapter of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Garius Gololo.

Gololo gave the warning in an interview with Sun Newspaper while detailing the genesis of the recent crisis in Benue State.

He said the state governor, Samuel Ortom, used, by raising the hopes of Fulani herdsmen while soliciting for their votes during his pre-election campaigns, and dumped them after he rode partly on their support to the Government House.

“I am saying that no state should enact or implement anti-open grazing law without making proper provision for the Fulani; if provisions are made, they can go ahead. For now, that is the condition and there will be no end in sight to the problem unless they make provision for the Fulani because they are citizens and have nowhere to go. It appears they want to deny Fulani their legal rights; their business, and from where they were born and bred; it’s not possible,” Gololo was quoted by the publication as saying.

He also asked former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, to apologize over a statement credit to him that herdsmen should be moved to Sambisa forest where they can openly graze their cows.

“I didn’t expect him to make such a comment that herdsmen should go to Sambisa, Obasanjo is against Fulani and we won’t take it. Why doesn’t he carry his cows to Sambisa forest? Obasanjo should apologize to us,” he said.

When asked wether it is true that rather than God, the Fulani worship their cow, he said, “Ah, ah, why won’t you worship what you are gaining from? They worship God, but they depend on their cow. If you want to marry, it’s from that cow; if you are going to the hospital, it’s from that cow, if you want to eat, it’s from that cow. So, for people to say Fulani worship cows, its clear; they must, because it’s from it they eke a living. Fulani does not need road, they don’t need electricity, and they don’t need a big house.”

He also debunked insinuations in some quarters that the spike in herdsmen attacks was because the country has a president from the Fulani extraction, saying not all the attacks in the state were carried out by herdsmen.

He, however, urged the federal government to intervene and take decisive action that will curb farmers and herdsmen clash across the country.

FESTUS Keyamo, lawyer to Stephanie Otobo – the Canada-based musician that accused the general Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries, Apostle Johnson Suleman of breaching a marriage proposal – has withdrawn as legal counsel to her from the case his chamber filed against the cleric.

This information emanates from Otobo who
also deposed an Affidavit of Disclaimer, stating, interalia, that the statement of defence filed at Ikeja high court, purportedly on her behalf by her lawyer was untrue.

According to Otobo, the statement and photographs exhibited in the court processes did not emanate from her.

“I was invited to my lawyer’s chambers to sign a bundle of documents but when I asked what the bundle of documents were meant for, I was deceived and told they were to be sent to the Nigeria Police to release my cell phone seized from me in March 2017 when I was arrested by the Police for blackmail and extortion, following the complaint of Apostle Suleman.

She said “with my affidavit of disclaimer, my lawyer quickly ran to Ikeja high court where the civil suit filed by Apostle Suleman against me came up for hearing, seeking to withdraw as my counsel.”

“In the said letter, my lawyer’s chambers surprisingly admitted that they never knew any known address of their client (Stephanie Otobo) despite having defended me so profusely.”

Confirming their withdrawal one of Festus Kayamo Chambers senior lawyers, Mr. Festus Afeiyadion, told newsmen that based on the videos their client, Stephanie Otobo, has released without informing them is the reason for their withdrawal.

Below is the affidavit deposed to by Otobo:

wakaman:
Good one, no amount of sensationalism should save anybody.
Go to court and defend your self or table your case as it may be.

AN arrest warrant has been issued against Innocent Chukwuma, the chairman of Innoson Motors.

The warrant was issued by a High Court Sitting in Ikeji, Lagos State.

Justice Mojisola Dada ordered his arrest for failing to appear before the court to face his trial.

The judge held that he be arrested and brought to court on the next adjourned date of March 14, 2018.

WHILE many people are still missing, three (3) has been confirmed dead in a renewed attack on Benue State community by suspected Fulani herdmen.

The incident took place on Thursday night.

The attackers reportedly stormed Tsokwa village in Anyii, Logo Local Government Area at around 8:00 PM, Channels Television is reporting.

They were said to be in large numbers, shooting at different directions and burning down houses in the village, simultaneously.

The television quoting Nyajo Richard, the chairman of the area council, noted that while one of the villagers died at the scene of the attack, two victims who were rescued died in the process of reviving them.

He added that other survivors are currently receiving treatment at the local NKST hospital in Anyii.

The Divisional Police Officer has reportedly mobilised policemen to the community for recovery operations and to search for those who are still missing since the attack.

This is barely two days after President Muhammadu Buhari ordered security agencies to disarm and prosecute armed herdsmen.

“The security agencies have standing order to arrest and prosecute any and all persons found with illegal arms,” he said while urging Nigerians to refrain from reprisal attacks.

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has been called upon to end the endless suffering, killings and other crimes afflicting Nigerians.

The call was made by Catholic Bishops in Nigeria on Thursday when they paid a courtesy call on the President at the State House, Abuja.

The clerics in an address delivered by Ignatius Kaigama, Archbishop of Jos, and William Avenya, the Bishop of Gboko, said “there is too much suffering in the country: poverty, hunger, insecurity, violence, fear… the list is endless.

“Our beloved country appears to be under siege Many negative forces seem to be keeping a stranglehold on the population, especially the weaker and defenceless ones”.

Read full text of their address below:

Your Excellency,

Preamble We, the representatives of the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria, bring you our cordial greetings and blessings. We desired this meeting, in order to continue the dialogue we initiated with you even before your election as President. We therefore thank you for granting us this audience, which affords us the opportunity to share with you, once again, our thoughts and concerns on some ssues affecting our dear country, Nigeria

First, we thank God for bringing you back to us after a period of ill health.
We hope and pray that you continue to make progress on the way to full recovery, in order to be able to face the enormous challenges emanating from your exalted office

Your Excellency, needless to say that, as President, you are the Father of our dear country Nigeria. It is therefore pertinent that as loyal citizens as well as informed members of the society we come to you from time to time to express not only our willing cooperation with the government in working for the progress of our country, but also to share with you the feelings of the multitude of Nigerians at this moment. We work with the people at the grassroots and therefore, have first-hand information about what they are going through

There is no doubt that when you came into office, you had an enormous amount of the goodwill of Nigerians, since many saw you as a person of integrity who would be able to bring sanity into a system that was nearly crippled by endemic corruption. Nearly three years later, however one has the feeling that this good will is being fast depleted by some glaring failures of government which we have the moral responsibility to bring to your notice, else we would be failing in our duty as spiritual fathers and leaders.

Our Concerns

Your Excellency, there is too much suffering in the country: poverty, hunger, insecurity, violence, fear… the list is endless. Our beloved country appears to be under siege Many negative forces seem to be keeping a stranglehold on the population, especially the weaker and defenceless ones.

There is a feeling of hopelessness across the country. Our youths are restive and many of them have taken to hard drugs, cultism and other forms of iolent crime, while many have become victims of human trafficking. The Nation is nervous.

Just as we seem to be gradually emerging from the dark tunnel of an economic recession that caused untold hardship to families and individuals, violent attacks by unscrupulous persons, among whom are terrorists masquerading as herdsmen, have led to a near civil war situation in many parts of the country. We are saddened that, repeatedly, innocent citizens in different communities across the nation are brutally attacked and their sources of livelihood mindlessly destroyed. Lives are wasted and property, worth billions of Naira, including places of worship schools, hospitals and business enterprises are torched and turned to ashes.

We are still more saddened by the recent massacre of unarmed citizens by these terrorists in some communities n Benue, Adamawa, Kaduna and Taraba States which has caused national shock, grief and outcry. The silence of the federal government in the wake of these horrifying attacks is, to say the least, shocking. There is a feeling of helplessness among the people and the danger that some people may begin to take laws into their hands.

We therefore earnestly urge the government to take very seriously its primary responsibility of protecting the lives and property of its citizens and ensure that such mindless killings do not reoccur. Herdsmen may be under pressure to save their livestock and economy but this is never to be done at the expense of other people’s lives and means of livelihood. We would like to add our voice to those of other well-meaning Nigerians who insist that a better alternative to open grazing should be sought rather than introducing “cattle colonies” in the country. While thinking of how best to help cattle owners establish ranches, government should equally have plans to help the other farmers whose produce is essential for our survival as a nation

In a similar vein, daredevil kidnappers, who at present are having a field day, with a feeling of invincibility, must be made to understand that there is a government in this country Government should invest more in equipping our Police Force with modern high-tech devices that will help them track down and arrest these criminals and make them face the wrath of the law.

The Federal Character Principle is enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria: “The government of the Federation or any of its and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that government or in any of its agencies (Section 14, Sub-section 3-4). Disregard for this Principle in some federal government appointments as well as perceptible imbalance in the distribution of federal amenities has created the loss of a sense of belonging in many parts of the country, hence the constant cries of marginalization, agitation for secession and calls for restructuring.

These and many more such problems are, in our opinion, grave matters that should be worrying all political leaders in our country today, rather than any bid for re-election.

Conclusion and Assurance of Prayers.

Our Church has always complemented the efforts of government in such areas as providing quality education and primary health care services to our people. We continue to make our contribution to nation-building through our prayers, admonitions and assistance to needy. Nigerians whenever we can. As the voice of the voiceless, we shall continue to highlight the plight of our people and play our prophetic role of sensitizing the government, thus promoting good governance, national unity and cohesion. We strongly feel that everybody in government at this moment has to take more decisive steps to restore the confidence of the Nigerian people in our governments. Our collective efforts must be seen in the desire to return to the fine principles of democracy, such as true federalism negotiation and consensus building, as means of achieving a more equitable distribution of the resources of our country and good governance.

Thank you, Excellency, for the audience and may God bless you.

Most Rev. Dr. Ignatius Ayau KAIGAMA Archbishop of Jos , CBCN President, CBCN

Your Most Rev. Dr. William AVENYA
Bishop of Gboko
Secretary CBCN

VICE President, Yemi Osinbajo, has joined in the call for the creation of State Police.

“State police is the way to go,” Osinbajo said while noting that it would help tighten security across the nation.

Osinbajo stated this on Thursday at the National Assembly summit on security.

The summit which is taking place at the NAF Conference Center, Ahmadu Bello Way, Abuja, is aimed at providing an all-inclusive platform for finding long-term solutions to the security challenges in Nigeria.

Speaking further, Osinbajo proposed that the current number of police in the country be tripled and called for more funding for the police as well as other security agencies.

On the herdsmen killings, he described as false, the insinuations in some quarters that the President has ignored the killings by herdsmen because he is Fulani.

THE suspended Executive Secretary of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Prof. Usman Yusuf has resumed duty but this is without a protest from some employees of the establishment demanding his removal.

Mr. Yusuf was reinstated by President Muhammadu Buhari after he was suspended by the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, in July 2017, following allegations of gross misconduct.

A panel commissioned by the minister after Mr. Yusuf’s suspension later found him culpable of infractions that ranged from nepotism to theft of public funds.

The protest which began at the headquarters of the agency in Abuja on Thursday, saw protesters who describing the reinstatament saga as ‘Yusufgate.’

They said it was a mockery of President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption war.

Addressing journalists on the premises of the agency, the Chairman of the NHIS arm of the union, Mr. Razaq Omomeji, said the protests would continue until Buhari reversed Yusuf’s reinstatement.

Omomeji said Yusuf had bastardised the scheme and his return would only worsen affairs at the agency.

KASSIM Afegbua, the spokesman of former military president, Ibrahim Babangida, has queried the Department of State Service (DSS) on why he was invited to appear before it.

The police declared Mr. Afegbua wanted on Monday evening, a development he responded to by turning up at the Force Headquarters with his lawyers Wednesday morning.

After spending about 25 minutes in a closed-door discussion with the commissioner for police in charge of Inspector-General Monitoring Unit as well as the head of legal department at the Force Headquarters, Mr. Afegbua was released without charges as the force also tendered an apology to him.

On Wednesday evening the DSS in a phone call invited Afegbua to appear before it on Thursday.

On Thursday morning, Afegbua, through his lawyer queried the reason for his invitation.

Although he had accepted to honour the invitation on Wednesday evening, HEADLINE could not independently verify as at press time, wether he will go ahead with his decision as he has requested that the DSS should tender an explanation why he is being invited.

He made the request through his lawyer who wrote the DSS.

“We act as Solicitors to Prince Kassim Afegbua, hereinafter referred to as “Our Client” and on whose firm instruction we write you.

“Our client, a renowned Journalist, former Commissioner of Information in Edo State, a patriotic and law abiding Nigerian only last night got information that he has an invitation to honour with the Director General of the State Security Service at the Department of State Service Headquarters, Abuja.

“In availing us of the above development, we have accordingly advised our client and, true to character, he has indicated his readiness to honour the said invitation even as he expressed curiosity over the unusual invitation, especially coming on the heels of recent events pertaining to the discharge of his duty to his principal, General Ibrahim Babangida, GCFR.

“Our client’s concerns are wary and valid, as very little information has been availed him on the context of the said invitation.

“While bound by his sense of duty as a citizen of Nigeria, and with a clear conscience eager to meet with your Director General in due course, we must on his behalf demand that the shroud of ambivalence surrounding his invitation be quickly cleared.

“This is achievable by extending a verified formal invitation, whose content should specify the reason(s) for his invitation.

“Accept please the assurances of our high esteem,” the epistle said.

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday paid a condolence visit to the government and people of Benue, over the recent killing by alleged herdsmen.

The opposition’s delegation led by its Deputy National Chairman, South, Mr Yemi Akinwunmi, was received by the State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Mr Michael Gusa, on behalf of the state Governor, Samuel Ortom, at the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Makurdi.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan; National Youth Leader, Udo Okoye; and Deputy National Secretary, Dr Emmanuel Agbo, among others were also members of the delegation that visited the state.



“We are here to our show love and concern over the unfortunate incident that happened.

“We are not unmindful of the scarcity of food for the people that were forced to leave their homes at various places.

“We felt these relief materials will go a long way in solving the problems that they have not created for themselves, but by the situations that they found themselves.

“We want to enjoin you to help us commiserate with the families of the deceased. We pray that this type of ugly incident will not happen again.

“The politics of 21 century is different when your brother is mourning, you mourn with him. When he is rejoicing you rejoice with him.

“We are all Nigerians and we are all politicians. Politicians are one all over, be it in the North, South of the East,” Akinwunmi said.

He urged the state government to help in onward distribution of the relief materials to affected persons who were currently in two IDP camps within the state.

Akinwunmi had also urged the people of Benue state to get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ready for the next election.

Items donated included 100 bags of local rice, 50 bags of beans, 30 bundles of mats and mattresses each; and 300 blankets and plastic buckets each.

Receiving the items, Gusa appreciated the PDP leadership for the show of love, saying the state government commended the kind gesture.

He said that the items would have been received by SEMA Executive Secretary, but he was attending to the IDPs.

“We assure you that these items would be judiciously utilised and transmitted to the affected persons.”

He said that the government was doing it best to bring a permanent solution to the killings in the state.

The PDP Benue Chairman, Mr John Ngbede, commended the party leadership for the visit, describing it as a show of love and demonstration of what the party stood for.

emilfischer:
please who knows should tell me.

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari on Monday vowed to deal with culprits responsible for the recent massacre of Nigerians across the country.

This is as he promised not to shield or protect any killer herdsman who maimed and killed the people of the Benue State, ordering the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators of the recent killings in the state.

He stated this after meeting with leaders of thought from Benue State over the recent killings in the state by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

President Buhari, who made the vow via his Twitter handle, after the meeting, said further: “I have just finished a meeting with stakeholders from Benue State.

“My message to them: I will fully keep the oath I swore to protect all Nigerians. The Police, Army and DSS are working hard to keep Benue safe, and to bring all the perpetrators of the killings to justice.”

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, who is a Benue indigenes, however, has been busing explaining the need for colonies that would solve the continued herdsmen/farmers conflict in parts of the country.

On his part Governor Samuel Ortom said even though he now understands the difference between colony and ranching, but Benue State does not have 10,000 hectares the Federal Government was requesting for the establishment of colonies for cattle rearing.

THE Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has justified the recent killings of residents of Benue and Taraba States by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

It described the incidents as a payback time saying this is why it is not sympathizing with the two states.

The movement said it’s reason is based on the facts that the states connived with the Hausa/Fulani to kill its Igbo extraction during the civil war.



MASSOB Director of Information, Sunny Okereafor on Sunday said, “This is just pay back time for them and this is just the beginning. All those who took part in the unjust killing of the Igbo from 1967 to 1970 will have no peace until they apologise for their misdeed”, he was quoted by Sun Newspaper to have said.

The organisation also warned against the establishment of cattle colonies in parts of South East.

It said intelligence gathering revealed that some state governors and traditional rulers from the zone were negotiating to give out some portions of its land to Fulani herdsmen, promising to employ every available civilized means to ensure no portion of land in the region was given out for cattle colonies.

MASSOB said it is a known fact that the North has large expanse of land, far more than the South East, adding that it would be callousness for anybody to contemplate to cede any portion of the little land, that is not even enough for the Igbo to do their farming, to Fulani herdsmen.

“Anybody doing this dangerous negotiation should be aware of the consequences of giving out Biafraland to Fulani herdsmen, which we see as abomination, and which not only them will pay for, but, also, their children’s children,” Okereafor warned.

HEADLINE reports that one among the South East States has already rejected the proposed plan for the establishment of cattle colonies in it domain.

One of such state is Abia State which cited unavailability of land and civil disorder as reasons behind their rejection.

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has been described as a ‘shithole’ president.

This description is coming from the former minister of aviation, Olufemi Fani-Kayode.

On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly hurled on black countries as “shithole countries.”

Mr. Trump singled out Haiti, El Salvador and parts of Africa as “shithole countries” during a meeting with U.S. lawmakers about immigration according to the Washington Post.

The comments came during a White House meeting held to explore a bipartisan immigration deal, said the Washington Post, which broke the news.

The paper reported that Mr. Trump favoured immigrants from Norway and Asia, saying they helped the country economically.

But he wondered “why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?”

“Why do we need more Haitians? Take them out,” the Washington Post quoted Mr. Trump as saying.

This came about three weeks after the New York Times reported that Mr. Trump slammed Nigerians during a June 2017 cabinet meeting that they don’t “go back to their huts” once they enter America.

Mr. Trump’s latest comments drew worldwide outrage this weekend, especially leaders from black countries. Nigeria is yet to react to the comment.

Checks by HEADLINE has seen the White House deny that Mr. Trump ever made derogatory remarks about Haiti.

Reacting, the former minister fondly called FFK described Mr. Buhari as being qualified to be a ‘shithole’ president.

He hinged his reason on the fact the President values the life of cows more than human beings.

Tweeting on his twitter handle, @realFFK, on Sunday, he added that Mr. Buhari takes delights in the slaughter of his own people.