metro
Aminu said he was arrested, beaten on Aisha’s order –Uncle
An undergraduate of the Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State, Aminu Adamu, has been languishing in detention after security officials comprising the police and men of the Department of State Service, arrested him over a post on Twitter alleging that the wife of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), Aisha, was feeding fat on poor people’s money.
Aminu’s uncle, Shehu Azare, in an interview published by BBC Hausa on Monday, said the victim’s father, Mallam Ádámù, was not aware of his arrest until about five days later.
Appealing to the First Lady to release Aminu, Azare said Aminu’s father was not aware of his son’s condition until one of his friends informed him.
The uncle said, “His father did not know about his arrest. It was five days later that one of Mallam Ádámù’s friends called and told him that his son had not been seen in school for about five days. That was last Monday.
“Then a day after, Aminu called his father and told him what was happening, that he was arrested and taken to Aso Rock by the wife of the President, Muhammad Buhari, beaten, scolded and was arrested somewhere.
“It was a security agent that gave him a phone and told him to tell his parents. Later on, Adamu explained more to me that the school authority called him and told him that it had no knowledge of the incident before, but now they have information on his arrest.”
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Azare said Aminu was about to sit his final exams in school when his whereabouts became unknown, adding that the situation threw the family into confusion.
“We are in tension because you cannot stand your son disappearing like this. Same incident happened in so many places, some you don’t even hear about again. What we are saying is that let her not be offended, let her be patient and release him, because she is a mother, that is what we are hoping,” Azare told BBC Hausa.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the management of Aminu’s school confirmed his arrest on Monday, noting that the undergraduate was arrested during the break.
The spokesperson for the FUD, Abdullahi Bello, in a statement, said Aminu was trailed to Dutse where he was arrested.
“The university authorities have spoken to the parents who have already engaged the services of a lawyer to handle the matter and they are hopeful for an amicable resolution soon,” Bello added.
Contacted, the start Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Lawan Shiisu, said he was not aware of the arrest.
“We didn’t make the arrest. An arrest cannot be made in my area without me being informed,” Shiisu said.
Efforts to reach the spokesperson for the DSS, Peter Afunnaya, proved abortive as calls and a message sent to his phone were not responded to as of the time of filing this report.
However, the Executive Director, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, Emmanuel Onwubiko, said Aminu’s arrest showed the level of rot in Nigeria’s security system.
He said, “It is a very sad development. Whether it was the DSS or police that arrested the guy, it shows that the government has continued to deploy security assets to chase after gossip. They go to websites and social media in search of those gossiping about the President, his wife and his children, to arrest them.”
On his part, the Executive Director, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, Okechukwu Nwanguma, said the arrest violated the right of the student.
He said, “RULAAC is following developments around the arrest and incommunicado detention of Aminu, for posting on Twitter that Mrs (Aisha) Buhari had suddenly added weight after taking part in plundering the nation’s meagre resources as the masses endured hardship under her husband’s regime.
RULAAC condemns the arrest and incommunicado detention of the citizen as being in violation of his democratic right to freedom of expression. If, however, the government believes that it has credible evidence against him to warrant his arrest, he should not be detained illegally. “
“He should have been charged to court before now. This is yet another evidence of an attack on civic freedom and the shrinking civic space. We call for his immediate release and remedies as prescribed by law for violations of civil liberties.”
At the time of filing this report, efforts to reach the spokesperson to the First Lady, Aliyu Abdullahi, failed as he did not respond to calls or a text message from one of our correspondents.
metro
NURTW scribe felicitates Nigerians on Xmas, urges caution
NURTW scribe felicitates Nigerians on Xmas, urges caution
The General Secretary of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Comrade Kayode Agbeyangi, has enjoined Nigerians to imbibe the virtues of peace, love and compassion as taught through the birth of Jesus Christ.
He stated this in his Christmas and end of the year goodwill message to felicitate members of the union and Nigerians in general.
Agbeyangi urged Nigerians to use the festive season to reflect on the values of love, compassion, and sacrifice that Jesus Christ embodied.
“This period is not for merry making alone; we should also spare time to reflect on the birth and life of Jesus Christ.
“His birth teaches humility, love compassion and sacrifice. As Nigerians, we must show love to our fellow county men. We must love our country. As Nigerians, we must be ready to make sacrifices for the nation.”
The NURTW scribe also used the opportunity to appeal to members of the union and other road users to always exercise caution and adhere to all safety protocols while travelling during the festive season.
“As we celebrate, let us not forget the importance of road safety. The roads can be treacherous, especially during the festive season.
“I urge our members and all road users to drive safely, avoid overspending, overtaking at dangerous bends and overloading, and be courteous to other road users,” he stated.
He also advised drivers that all their vehicle papers should be up to date to avoid embarrassment from law enforcement officers on the highways.
Comrade Agbeyangi prayed for a peaceful and joyous celebration, and wished members of the union and Nigerians, a happy prosperous New Year.
metro
Why we displayed ‘Jesus Christ is not God’ banner at Lekki mosque -Imam
Why we displayed ‘Jesus Christ is not God’ banner at Lekki mosque -Imam
The Chief Imam of Lekki Central Mosque in Lagos, Ridwanullah Jamiu, has said the “Jesus Christ is Not God” banner placed on the fence of the mosque was not intended to provoke anybody. The banner became a source of controversy after a picture of it was shared on social media, with many calling it an…
The Chief Imam of Lekki Central Mosque in Lagos, Ridwanullah Jamiu, has said the “Jesus Christ is Not God” banner placed on the fence of the mosque was not intended to provoke anybody.
The banner became a source of controversy after a picture of it was shared on social media, with many calling it an attack on the Christian faith.
Addressing his congregation, Jamiu said the banner was displayed to educate Muslims.
He said, “When you come to Lekki Central Mosque, at least you should learn something. You pass by the banners outside, you look here and there, you learn something because Islam treasures knowledge.”
The Imam said all the banners displayed outside the mosque contain Quran and Hadith verses.
He said after a photo of one of the banners went viral, he “received calls from the government, local government, and area command appealing to us to please remove the banners because of the festive period.”
He said the display of the banners was not to provoke anyone, noting that there’s a difference between propagation of Islam and provocation.
“It was not placed there just yesterday. It has been there for about two months or thereabout. We are peace loving people, we don’t provoke anyone. We only propagate our name,” he said.
Jamiu further stated that nobody can monopolise Jesus because Muslims also have what they believe about him as backed by the Quran which calls him Isah.
“If you don’t believe in Jesus, you are not a Muslim. We are Muslims and anything we believe must be in consonant with the Quran and the Quran says Jesus Christ is not God, he’s a messenger of God. We quoted this verse in the banner. Is there anything wrong if we paste what we believe on our territory to educate our congregation? It’s a verse of the Quran. This is freedom of religion, freedom of speech,” he said.
On the removal of the banner, Jamiu said he received multiple calls ascribing the gesture as cowardice.
“It is not cowardice. We removed it to let peace reign, to obey our government because we are peace-loving people and also because we know it’s a festive period, people may think it was actually calculated to enrage others. We are going to modify it and put it back. We are not cowards,” he said.
The banner has since been replaced with another which says “A
llah is the lord of Jesus.”
Why we displayed ‘Jesus Christ is not God’ banner at Lekki mosque -Imam
metro
CBN fines bank found hoarding cash N150m
CBN fines bank found hoarding cash N150m
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has imposed a N150 million fine on a commercial bank for failing to dispense cash through its Automated Teller Machines (ATMs).
This action follows an unannounced inspection by the apex bank, which uncovered deliberate cash hoarding and ATM manipulation by the erring bank.
Sources within the CBN revealed that the sanctioned bank was caught disabling its ATMs, thereby denying customers access to their funds while prioritizing cash disbursements to select VIP clients.
A staff member of the CBN stressed that the apex bank would not tolerate such practices.
“The Bank will not spare any Deposit Money Bank (DMB) caught in the act of hoarding cash or found favoring VIP customers over other customers,” the official stated.
To this end, the CBN has intensified spot checks on banks nationwide, exposing various illicit cash-handling practices by some unscrupulous financial institutions.
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For now, the CBN is imposing financial penalties on defaulting banks. However, according to the official, the next phase of enforcement will include publicly naming and shaming offending banks and prosecuting implicated bank officials.
“This fine is just the beginning. The CBN is determined to hold banks accountable for any actions that undermine public trust and the integrity of the banking system,” the official added.
Despite the ongoing challenges, the CBN has reiterated its commitment to promoting cashless banking in the country.
Another senior official disclosed that the apex bank’s management is intensifying efforts to encourage the use of electronic channels for transactions.
“The frustration faced by account holders is undermining our push for a cashless economy. We are doubling down on initiatives to restore public confidence in electronic banking solutions,” the official said.
CBN fines bank found hoarding cash N150m
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