metro
Buhari approves more security operatives, arms for Imo
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a fresh range of solutions, including the deployment of more security personnel, arms and ammunition to douse the security situation in Imo State.
Imo Governor Hope Uzodinma, who revealed the outcome of his meeting with Buhari in Abuja, also denied allegations of the culpability of his administration in the reign of terror that had pervaded the state, describing such allegations as illogical.
Buhari invited the Governor over recent security developments within his state, as well as the entirety of the Southeast region.
The President also met with the Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu, and his Chief Economic Adviser, Professor Doyin Salami, in two other separate meetings over the crises rocking the power sector and economy in general.
Disclosing some details of the conversation he held with the President, the Governor said Buhari granted all his requests with regards to solving the security crises.
“You must have heard that the President sent for me and I have gone to see him and based on issues, which we have adequately addressed, particularly the resurgence of insecurity in the Southeast and what is required to ensure that it’s properly controlled.
“We discussed all that and he took seriously my recommendations and indeed I can tell you he immediately gave approval to all that, which includes increase in manpower to security agencies and then other logistics supports, ranging from additional arms and ammunition.
“Also, we are making use of our local vigilante and the involvement of community leaders to ensure that through community arrangement, additional security is provided to the people.
“You will recall that few days ago, the home of the President-General of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo was attacked by bandits and the same night, a police station in Umuguma, Owerri West, was also attacked.
“For a very long time, if you’ll remember, we’ve never had such a situation and this happened at a time that people are already relaxed and thought that insecurity has become a thing of the past.
“But to the glory of God, security agencies rose to it, the second day they were probably repelled by security agencies, particularly men of the Directorate of State Service. They’ve been very useful, working with other security agencies.
“We didn’t also wait, we initiated a community-oriented program where the vigilante approach has been re-enacted and the community leaders have shown sufficient interest. We’ll get there.”
Reacting to the allegation that his administration might be culpable in the crisis in his state, as it had been accused of sponsoring some of the people behind the trouble, including the ‘unknown gunmen’ phenomenon, Uzodinma described such thinking as abnormal.
“Well, thank God that you called us government and I don’t know how a government, with paraphernalia of office available to it, ranging from the army, the police, the air force, the navy, the DSS, the Civil Defense, will now go for non-state actors to be used for governance.
“As civilized people, you also represent the elites, you should be able to advise such minds to reason well and think well because the only person that officially has power for coercion is government. If anything is to go by, we are a God-fearing government, that is why we have not used force as the only way of controlling the violence in Imo State.”
THE NATION
metro
Embrace environmental sanitation during Eid-Fitr, LAGESC boss tells Lagosians
Embrace environmental sanitation during Eid-Fitr, LAGESC boss tells Lagosians
By Dada Jackson
The Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) has urged Lagosians to embrace proper environmental practices and obey the state’s environmental laws ahead of the Eid-l-Fitr festivities to mark the end of the Ramadan fast by Muslim faithful around the world.
Corps Marshal of the agency, Major Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole (retd), sounded the call at the agency’s command headquarters at Bolade-Oshodi.
He said, ‘‘The Ramadan fast is a testament to the willingness of Muslim faithful to adhere to the pillars of their faith and it is enjoined that cleanliness is an important religious practice in all faiths, which is why we admonish Lagosians to imbibe proper waste disposal and keep their environment clean during the celebration.”
Cole also advised Lagosians to make proper use of pedestrian bridges for their safety instead of crossing highways to prevent ‘hit and run’ cases by speeding motorists.
He equally read a riot act to miscreants in the habit of converting pedestrian bridges to sleeping areas which deters Lagosians in transit, pedestrians vowing that anyone caught w be made to face the state Environmental laws as amended
The KAI boss also revealed that the agency had recorded giant strides and would not relent in ridding pedestrian bridges across Lagos of criminal obstructions, traders and hawkers with daily arrests made alongside secured prosecutions by the Courts.
The Corps Marshal also warned Lagosians to desist from street trading, use of Styrofoam pack, hawking in traffic, patronage of cart pushers for refuse disposal, and erection of illegal structures on laybys, setbacks, medians, road verges, kerbs or around public schools in the state.
The KAI head said offenders would be made to face the consequences via prosecution in a competent court of appropriate jurisdiction.
metro
Mother, daughter who stole ponmo, stock fish in Ogun jailed six months
Mother, daughter who stole ponmo, stock fish in Ogun jailed six months
A Magistrates’ Court in Abeokuta, Ogun State yesterday sentenced a mother, Falilatu Amidu, and her daughter, Ayisatu, to six months imprisonment each for stealing dry ponmo, stock fish and dried meat valued N1 million
The defendants, who reside at No 21 Ago-Oko area of Abeokuta, were convicted on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.
The Magistrate, Mrs O.O. Odumosu, held that the evidence presented by the prosecution had proven beyond reasonable doubt that the convicts were guilty of the offence as charged.
Odumosu sentenced both mother and daughter to six months in prison each with an option of N5,000 fine.
She ordered that the convicts should refund N100,000 each to the complainant as restitution before accessing the N5,000 fine option.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp. Kehinde Fawunmi, had told the court that the defendants committed the offence at Lafenwa market sometime in August 2024.
Fawunmi explained that Falilatu conspired with her daughter, Ayisatu, to steal a big sack containing stock fish, dried ponmo and dried cow meat valued N1million, belonging to one Mrs kafayat Alao.
According to him, one of the defendants, Falilatu, used to help the complainant to carry load from her store in Lafenwa to where the complainant sells her items.
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“The complainant asked her to help her pick some goods from the store. She waited for over an hour and did not see the defendant, which made her to go to the store to check on her.
“On getting to the store, she did not find Falilatu, and she noticed a big bag containing dried meat, ponmo and stock fish was missing while the defendant was nowhere to be found,” he said.
Fawunmi further explained that Falilatu stole the goods and gave it to her daughter (Ayisatu) to sell. He said Ayisatu received the goods from her mother, knowing that they were stolen.
The prosecutor noted that the offence committed contravened sections 516, 390(9) and 127 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun 2006.
Mother, daughter who stole ponmo, stock fish in Ogun jailed six months
metro
Ex-Rivers HoS wife cries for help over husband’s safety
Ex-Rivers HoS wife cries for help over husband’s safety
The wife of the immediate past Rivers State Head of Service, George Nwaeke, has voiced concerns over his whereabouts and well-being following his resignation, saying she has been unable to reach him.
Speaking to journalists on Friday, Florence Nwaeke said she became alarmed after seeing an online interview attributed to her husband, which she found suspicious.
“When he got to Abuja, he called that he had landed. I said, ‘Thank God,’” she recalled.
However, after coming across the interview, she began to fear something was amiss.
“I said, ‘That is not my husband. That is not my husband.’
“So I sent him a message. I said, ‘Are you under duress?’ I sent him a message. I said, ‘Have they kidnapped you? Talk to me now. Why are you not talking to me?’ This is the message I sent to him when I saw his interview online,” she said.
Overcome with worry, she made an emotional appeal for help.
READ ALSO:
- Fubara reacts as Ex-HOS, Nwaeke accuses him of bombing oil pipelines, Rivers Assembly
- Natasha: Emmanuel Uduaghan threatens to sue Senator Nwaebonyi
- Five shiites killed in Abuja during clash with soldiers
“Oh, Jesus, help me. Nigerians, help me. My husband is in trouble. My husband is in trouble. My husband is in trouble. My husband is in trouble. Look at the message I sent to him. See the message I sent to him. I said, ‘Daddy, why? Were you in hostage?’ I said, ‘Why didn’t you talk to me?’ These are the messages I sent to him, but he didn’t reply to me. His numbers are not going through. Nigerians, help me! Nigerians, help me!” she pleaded.
Her concerns follow allegations made by George Nwaeke against suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara. Nwaeke had accused the governor of plotting to back Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed for the 2027 presidency and of using militants to attack oil facilities. He also alleged that Fubara ordered the bombing of the State House of Assembly in 2023 to prevent his impeachment.
Florence Nwaeke, beyond raising alarm in the media, also directed a personal plea to the governor.
“Governor, help me. My husband is in trouble. He is in trouble,” she implored, claiming that her husband resigned under pressure.
However, Fubara dismissed the claims, insisting that Nwaeke had been influenced by external forces.
“The truth is that Dr. Nwaeke has been compromised, and whatever he is saying is only aimed at fulfilling his promise to those who may have paid or coerced him to lie against me,” the governor stated late Friday.
Fubara also released screenshots purportedly showing chats between Nwaeke and his Chief of Staff, Edison Ehie, where Nwaeke allegedly requested financial assistance.
Ex-Rivers HoS wife cries for help over husband’s safety
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