More states set to defy Buhari over naira pronouncements – Newstrends
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More states set to defy Buhari over naira pronouncements

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President Muhammadu Buhari

There are indications that more states of the federation are set to confront the Federal Government over the current impasse over the deadline on the Nigerian currency.
Just last night, Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai, called the bluff of President Muhammadu Buhari, who had earlier approved the re-introduction of N200 bank note which he said will still enjoy legal tender status till April 10, this year.
The president had said that N1000 and N500 notes now stand demised as they are no longer to be accepted as legal tenders.
The president, in his address to the nation Thursday morning, said those who still have the old notes should take them to the Central Bank of Nigeria for deposit.
But el-Rufai fired back in a state-wide broadcast about 12 hours after saying the rejected notes would continue to be legal tenders in Kaduna.
The Kaduna Governor accused the president of breaching rule of law saying his decision runs foul of the subsisting order of the Supreme Court which had earlier on Wednesday said its earlier order given on February 8 that all old notes should continue to be legal tender.
Three states – Zamfara, Kogi and Kaduna – had dragged the Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria to court asking for a suspension of the implementation of the new naira policy.

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The three states were later joined by Niger, Lagos, Ondo, Ogun, Kano, Ekiti and others to press home the demand. Bayelsa, Edo who are under the Peoples Democratic Party also joined but in favour of the Federal Government.
NPO Reports gathered that el-Rufai’s broadcast in Kaduna was part of a joint decision of some governors of the All Progressives Congress to declare their stand on the matter especially with increasing condemnations by the civil society organisations.
Some human rights campaigners and groups have chided President Buhari for violating the constitution with his unilateral pronouncement.
A source close to one of the Governors told the NPO Reports late Thursday that other governors will declare as legal tenders the notes demised by the Federal Government.
“You will see a trend in the next few days. That is the decision of the governors. It is becoming a full blown ‘war’ between them and the president.
“They believe very strongly that the president is being misled and that this will kill the APC at the poll. So, there is an urgent need to act and appear to be on the side of Nigerians especially because of the hardship being experienced by the ordinary people,” said the source.
Recall that el-Rufai had earlier said that he was no longer able to trust the judgement of the people around the president.
It was gathered that some of the governors had instructed the Attorney generals of their respective states to see what options are there for them under the current situation.
The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which contains 68 items in the exclusive legislative on which only the Federal Government of Nigeria can legislate has banking and banking as one of those on the list.

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Rainstorms kill seven, many others injured

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Rainstorms kill seven, many others injured

No fewer than seven people have been confirmed dead as rainstorms affect Houston, Texas, authorities announced Friday.

The three new deaths occurred after Houston, the fourth-largest city in the United States, was slammed Thursday by severe rain and winds gusting up to 100 miles (160 kilometres) per hour, leaving downtown streets coated in glass from broken windows.

Residential areas were littered with downed trees and power wires, and the National Weather Service reported that a tornado had touched down in Cypress.

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According to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, the new victims included an 85-year-old woman who died after her mobile home was struck by lightning and caught fire.

A 60-year-old man was found unresponsive and pronounced dead after going to his truck to try and power his oxygen tank after electricity was cut across wide swaths of the storm-hit area.

A 57-year-old man collapsed and died while trying to move a downed power pole. Houston Mayor John Whitmire said Thursday.

Rainstorms kill seven, many others injured

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Police inspector dismissed, three others demoted over N29.8m theft

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Force Public Relations Officer, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Olumuyiwa Adejobi

Police inspector dismissed, three others demoted over N29.8m theft

Adabo Mohammed, a police inspector has been dismissed over alleged involvement in robbery and kidnapping in the federal capital territory (FCT).

Announcing this on Friday, May 17, the Nigeria Police Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi said Mohammed and five others were members of an armed robbery gang allegedly responsible for the stealing of N29.8 million from a victim during a robbery operation in the Gwagwalada area of Abuja.

The dismissed officer was also part of a gang that kidnapped one Ikechukwu Emmanuel Okafor, in the Tunga Maje area of Abuja and collected N4.4 million in ransom. He further revealed that Mohammed has been charged to court.

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Adejobi also disclosed that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun has also approved the demotion of three inspectors to the rank of sergeant over alleged extortion.

The demoted officers as Osagie Efford, Semiu Agbekin, and Francis Ahuen, who were attached to the special tactical squad (STS) in the FCT. It was gathered that they intercepted an unregistered Mercedes Benz at the Gwarinpa area of the territory and “forced the occupants to part with the total sum of N29.4m”.

Adejobi added;

“While the monies have been returned to the complainants, the officers were subjected to orderly room trial in line with extant laws, and have been demoted.”

Police inspector dismissed, three others demoted over N29.8m theft

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Breaking: Women protest against return of armed Okuama youths (+ Photos)

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Breaking: Women protest against return of armed Okuama youths (+ Photos)

The women of Okoloba community in Bomadi local government area, weekend, protested against what they called the return of armed youths of Okuama in Ughelli South local government area, who they alleged were threatening the peace of the riverine area.

The placard carrying women, led by the chairlady of Okoloba community, Mrs Timipakebi Goodwin, and secretary, Mrs Mary Koibi, staged a peace protest on black attires along the coastal fringe of Okoloba community, chanting against violence and bloodbath, as well as sending an S.O.S. to the federal government to come to their aid.

Some inscriptions on the placards read: ‘We say No to violence’, ‘Enough of the killings on our land’, ‘Armed Okuama youths returning in a commando style’, ‘We say No to the return of armed youths of Okuama’, ‘Resettle Okuama people among their Ewu brothers in Ughelli South LGA’, ‘We mourn the killing of the 17 soldiers’ and among others.

The chairlady of Okoloba, Mrs Goodwin, speaking to newsmen with a written address that was made available to security apparatuses, which include the police, DSS, NSCDC, JTF as well as the acting chairman of Bomadi local government council, noted that the latest killing by the youths of Okuama showed that they could kill human beings at the slightest provocation.

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The women’s presentations as well as the written address read in part: “First, we the women of Okoloba community sympathize with the killing of 17 soldiers and officers of the Nigerian army on a peace and rescue mission to Okuama, following the kidnap of our son. We sincerely mourn their untimely death and pray for the repose of their souls. We also pray for their families.

“However, less than 24 hours after the exit of the troops from Okuama, fresh crisis erupted with another neighbouring community, culminating in the killing of one person while three other persons were seriously injured. The person who was killed and those sustaining machete wounds were alleged to have gone there to loot.

“The latest killing showed that the people of Okuama can kill a human at the slightest provocation; the sanctity of human life means nothing to them. It also shows that neighbouring Ijaw communities like Okoloba are not safe.

“So, resetting the people of Okuama in their present location, which is in-between communities in Bomadi local government area, is an attempt to encourage further communal clashes and bloodbath.

“Just last week, youths of Okuama community came out of the Mein-toruabubor creek, which leads to Ewu, on three speedboats and all of them on camouflage. They shot sporadically in the air before proceeding to OKuama. They moved to and fro the creek three times, and at every time they shot their guns in the air at the entrance of the creek.

“We are calling on the federal government to come to our aid, and the panacea to these incessant clashes and killings is for the government to relocate Okuama to Ewu clan in Ughelli South Local Government Area, where they truly and rightly belong.

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