News
Senate wants bandits locations bombed, brand them terrorists
- Bandits abduct 27 in Sokoto
The Senate on Wednesday asked President Muhammadu Buhari to wage a total war against bandits terrorising the nation through bombing of all their locations to eliminate them from the society.
It also advised the President to declare bandits as terrorists in order for the military and other security agencies to go all out to rout them out.
Daily Trust in a report notes that bandits have been terrorising Kaduna, Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, and Kebbi in the North West and Niger in North Central.
They have killed thousands of people, displaced many and crippled social and economic life while different measures taken by governments could not produce the desired results.
The latest intervention was the stoppage of telecommunication services in areas worse hit by banditry with varied opinions on the efficacy of the action.
The Senate while calling on Buhari to declare banditry as terrorism, also urged him to declare known leaderships of the bandits wanted and track them wherever they could be for arrest and prosecution.
The resolutions followed a motion by Senator Ibrahim Abdullahi Gobir (Sokoto East) and eight others.
Gobir noted that Sokoto East Senatorial District had now become a haven for bandits due to the current onslaught against them in Zamfara State.
He recalled the killing of 21 security personnel last Saturday in Dama and Gangara and yet to be ascertained number of civilians from the neighbouring villages by rampaging bandits.
The gruesome murder, the lawmaker said, portrayed the seriousness of the problem, which required concerted and urgent action by the declaration of total war on banditry.
The lawmaker said he was worried that most of the bandits had now relocated to Sabon Birni and Isa Local Government Areas due to the sustained military operations at the Zamfara axis.
Senator Kabiru Gaya (APC, Kano) said the security situation in the country required a holistic approach, warning that the bandits may soon invade the nation’s capital if urgent and decisive action was not taken.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan, in his remarks, called for an upward review of armed forces allocation to N1 trillion to procure needed equipment to secure the country.
“They are giving their lives to secure this country. We need to give them needed resources. We need to improve annual appropriation for them. I see no reason why we should not increase armed forces allocation to N1 trillion,” he said.
Bandits abduct 27 in Sokoto
Many policemen were feared missing as bandits attacked another community in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
Daily Trust gathered that 27 persons including women and children were abducted from the Gatawa community.
The attack reportedly took place around 5am on Wednesday.
Confirming the attack, the member representing Sabon Birni East Constituency at the State House of Assembly, Sa’idu Ibrahim, said the bandits were now targeting security formations in the area.
“They are now looking for where security operatives are stationed because their morale was boosted by their recent successful attack on a military formation at Dama where many soldiers, policemen and civil defence officers were killed,” he said.
“They raided Gangara village twice on Tuesday, first around 5 am and when they could not find any security operative to kill, they came back around 3 pm shouting ‘where are the soldiers who claimed to be on our trail, where are they!”
“As I am talking to you now, many policemen are still missing. We don’t know whether they were abducted or they fled,” he said.
News
Late COAS Lagbaja gets CFR honour, buried amid tributes
Late COAS Lagbaja gets CFR honour, buried amid tributes
The late Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, was on Friday laid to rest in Abuja, amid tears and tributes.
President Bola Tinubu conferred a posthumous award of the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) on the late Chief of Army Staff.
The burial took place at the National Cemetery in Abuja to end two days of funeral rites that began in Lagos earlier in the week.
His body was lowered into the grave at exactly 4:41pm after the ceremony that lasted over two hours.
Lagbaja’s casket, draped in Nigeria’s green and white colours, arrived at the cemetery around 3pm in a white funeral wagon after a funeral service at the National Christian Centre in Abuja.
Dignitaries were led to the event by President Bola Tinubu. Others are Vice President Kashim Shettima; the Acting Chief of Army Staff, Lt.Gen. Olufemi Oluyede; the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa; Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, and other top government officials and military brass.
President Tinubu announced the conferment of the CFR on the late COAS during the interment at the National Cemetery in Abuja.
The President extolled the virtues of the late warrior, especially his contributions to national security.
According to him, the appointment of Lagbaja as the COAS was one of his finest made so far.
“As an eternal symbol of our appreciation, I have granted the late Chief of Army Staff, the posthumous national honour of the Commander of the Federal Republic of the Niger (CFR),” Tinubu declared.
He thereafter invited the wife of the late COAS, Mariya, to collect the award on behalf of the Lagbaja family amid applause from the congregation.
News
Supreme Court dismisses 16 govs suit challenging EFCC legality
Supreme Court dismisses 16 govs suit challenging EFCC legality
The Supreme Court has dismissed the suit by 16 states challenging the constitutionality of the acts establishing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and two others.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the other agencies are the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).
In the lead judgment by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji delivered on Friday, the Supreme Court resolved the six issues raised for determination in the suit against the plaintiffs.
The court held that the laws establishing the anti-corruption agencies were validly enacted by the National Assembly within its legislative competence.
It faulted the claim by the plaintiffs that the EFCC Act, being a product of the United Nations convention on corruption, ought to be ratified by majority of the state houses of assembly.
Delivering judgement on Friday, Justice Abba-Aji ruled that “the EFCC Act, which was not established from a treaty but a convention, does not need the ratification of the houses of assembly.”
News
Executive Secretary FCDA Hadi Ahmad suspended indefinitely
Executive Secretary FCDA Hadi Ahmad suspended indefinitely
Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority FCDA, Engr. Shehu Hadi Ahmad, has been suspended indefinitely.
His suspicion was on the order of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media to the Minister, Lere Olayinka, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday evening.
No reason was given for the suspension.
Ahmad was directed to hand over to the Director, Engineering Services in the FCDA.
The statement read: “The Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority FCDA, Engr. Shehu Hadi Ahmad, has been suspended indefinitely.
“According to a statement on Thursday, by Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory FCT, Nyesom Wike, the suspension of Engr Hadi Ahmad is with immediate effect.
“The suspended Executive Secretary has consequently been directed to hand over to the Director of Engineering Services, Engr in the FCDA.”
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