News
Boko Haram sacks 50 Niger communities, Abuja not safe – Governor
Boko Haram terrorists have sacked 50 communities in Niger State and hoisted their flag in Kaure village, the state governor. Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, has alerted.
He stated that the operation of Boko Haram terrorists in the state was spreading and had hoisted their flag in Kaure, one of the 50 villages deserted as a result of several attacks by bandits.
Indeed, he said Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, might no longer be safe because of its proximity to Niger, just some 100 kilometres away.
Governor Sani Bello warned that the Boko Haram terrorists were trying to make Kaure their headquarters as they made Sambisa forest their base in northeast.
“While Sambisa forest is several kilometres away from Abuja, Kaure is only two hours’ drive to Abuja,” he said.
The governor also said the group had been making gradual incursion into more than 50 villages in the past three weeks, forcing the villagers to abandon their ancestral homes.
The governor told journalists during a visit to an IDPs camp at IBB Primary School, Minna, that over 50 villages had been overrun by the terrorists.
“I am confirming that there are Boko Haram elements around Kaure in the Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State. They have taken over the territory. They have installed their flag. I am confirming to you now that they have taken over the wives of the people by force,” the governor said.
He described the situation in the state as critical and pathetic, as over 3,000 villagers, who abandoned their villages, had moved to Minna, the state capital.
Bello said, “A majority of the displaced persons will have to remain in this camp in Minna because their villages have been taken over by Boko Haram terrorists/bandits. Their wives have been seized from them and forcefully attached to Boko Haram elements.”
He also said, “I have been engaging the Federal Government and, unfortunately, it has got to this stage and if care is not taken even Abuja is not safe. We have been saying this for long and all efforts have been in vain.”
A youth leader at the IDPs camp, Bulus Esu, said his people in Kuchi in the Munya Local Government Area had been locked down by the terrorists for the past three weeks.
He said, “For three weeks now, there is no person living in Kuchi town and there is no food for the fleeing villagers. The bandits have entered very deep into the area and have overrun several villages. They have occupied Kuchi where they now sleep as their homes.”
According to him, two weeks ago, the bandits demanded N5m ransom from the people of Kampana to avert being kidnapped.
“The people did this to avoid being kidnapped. However, when they came back the next time, they asked the women to cook food for them after which they still raped the women,” 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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