Attack in Igboland: IPOB should redeem self by disbanding ESN — Ohanaeze Youth wing – Newstrends
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Attack in Igboland: IPOB should redeem self by disbanding ESN — Ohanaeze Youth wing

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3 years ago

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The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Youth wing, has called on the leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, to redeem itself from the reports of the attacks in the Igboland by disbanding the Eastern Security Network, ESN, an armed group of the IPOB.

The acting National Leader of the Ohanaeze Youth wing, Jones Onwuasonya, made this call in Owerri on Friday, regarding the level of violence recorded since the formation of the group.

He said despite the denial by IPOB, of not being involved in the killings that “The situation leaves no doubt that the leadership of the IPOB has either lost control of the situation or some fifth columnists have hijacked the initiative and are now hiding under its the Biafran agitation to wreak havoc across the Southeast.”

To start to address the issue, the Ohanaeze urged IPOB to order their genuine members to be recruited to the official security outfit of the South East, the Ebubeagu.

Ohanaeze said: “Going by ongoing security breaches and undeniable cases of terrorist acts in the Southeast, it has become unavoidable to make the following observations and demands;

“Even though the perpetrators of these terrorist acts on Southeast soil have variously and unabashedly made it clear that they are advancing the ideologies and programs, which were initially championed by the Indigenous People of Biafra, the leadership of IPOB has vehemently denied authorizing any of the recent killings, arsons, destructions, economic sabotage and glaring terrorist activities being perpetrated across the Southeast.

“This situation leaves no doubt that the leadership of the IPOB has either lost control of the situation or some fifth columnists have hijacked the initiative and are now hiding under its the Biafran agitation to wreak havoc across the Southeast. It, therefore, becomes pertinent to invite the IPOB leadership to take steps towards quickly redeeming herself.

“By disbanding the Eastern Security Network (ESN), as it remains an illegal militant and armed group. Encourage all members and volunteers who are genuinely interested in the security and safety of the Southeast to make themselves available to be recruited into the official Southeast Security Network, the Ebubeagu.”

“It is disheartening that more than five months since the idea was first mooted by Southeast governors, it is only in Ebonyi State that one could confirm the presence of Ebubeagu, the other four Southeast governors have either reneged from the agreement to set up this regional security outfit or are reluctant to release the funds and logistics necessary for the effective takeoff of the outfit.

“Let me, therefore, advise the governors that steps should be taken immediately to empower, recruit and equip personnel for Ebubeagu, as the continued delay in getting the outfit running is emboldening criminals to continue to wreak havoc in the region,” Ohanaeze said.

Vanguard News Nigeria

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BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

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5 hours ago

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November 14, 2024

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BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

The federal government has unveiled a proposed budget of N47.9 trillion for the 2025 fiscal year.

Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, disclosed this to journalists on Thursday following the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu.

Bagudu revealed that the council had approved the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) for 2025-2027.

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According to the minister, the government has pegged the crude oil benchmark at $75 per barrel, with an oil production target of 2.06 million barrels per day (bpd).

The budget also sets the exchange rate at N1,400 per dollar and aims for a gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 6.4%.

 

BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

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EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

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6 hours ago

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November 14, 2024

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EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) told FIJ that they have arrested Timber Wabote, the former executive secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCMB), on the grounds of a failed $35 million Bayelsa refinery project fraud.

Dele Oyewale, the EFCC’s spokesperson, confirmed this to FIJ on Thursday.

“It is true,” Oyewale responded to FIJ’s inquiries.

Wabote is accused of misappropriating public funds for a refinery project that should have improved local energy production.

Vanguard reported that the NCDMB under Wabote paid $35 million to support the development of energy infrastructure in the Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa, yet there was nothing to show for it.

The EFCC picked Wabote up following the arrest of Akintoye Adeoye Akindele, the Managing Director of Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited, for alleged misappropriation, money laundering and diversion of $35 million in public funds.

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“NCDMB under the watch of Wabote allegedly paid the $35 million to Akindele to build a 2,000 barrel per day (BPD), refinery, jetty, gas plant, power plant, data centre and tank farm at Brass free trade zone (FTZ), Okpoama Community in Brass LGA of Bayelsa State,” a source with the EFCC had explained.

Since December 2020 when the payments were made, Akindele abandoned the project with little or nothing to show for the huge sum he received.

Preliminary investigations showed that Wabote’s NCDMB financed 17 different projects, including the 2,000 BPD refinery in Brass LGA.

There has been a series of public fund misappropriation cases in the energy sector in recent times.

FIJ earlier reported that members of the House of Representatives summoned three ministers to defend how over $2 billion was spent on renewable energy with not much to show for it.

A recent FIJ report also recently detailed how residents of Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa, have not had power in their homes since July due to the vandalisation of the Ahoada-Yenagoa transmission towers caused by unidentified persons.

The Bayelsa state government told FIJ it was the federal government’s responsibility to provide electricity for residents. The state has no renewable energy options reliable enough to power its capital despite the multi-million-dollar NCMB energy project.

Transparency in the energy sector has become necessary at a time when Nigerians have suffered power instability due to frequent grid collapses.

EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

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Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

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6 hours ago

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November 14, 2024

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Yahaya Bello

Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has requested an adjournment in the new case against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, stating that the 30-day window for the previously issued summons is still active.

The commission has granted administrative bail to his co-defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, and asked the court for an extension of time for Bello to appear.

At the resumed hearing before Justice Maryann Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, EFCC Counsel Jamiu Agoro noted that the court’s order from October 3rd had not yet expired.

“In that wise, we feel it will not be appropriate for us to take proceedings while that 30 days is still running. So we have discussed and agreed to come back on the 27th day of November, 2024, my lord,” he told the court.

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He also mentioned that the previously set date of November 20th was not convenient for the prosecution counsels.

Counsel to the second defendant, Aliyu Saiki, SAN, confirmed that his client had been granted administrative bail by the prosecution and had no objection to the adjournment request. The third defendant’s counsel, ZE Abass, concurred.

The prosecution counsel also requested the court to allow the notice of hearing to be pasted on the last known address of the first defendant.

After hearing from all counsels, the judge granted the EFCC’s application for adjournment and the issuance of the hearing notice.

“I have considered the application for adjournment by the complainant and issuance of hearing notice and the submission by the second and third defendants. The application is granted,” she said.

Justice Anenih then adjourned the case to November 27th for arraignment.

The former governor, alongside Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, are being prosecuted as 1st to 3rd defendants, respectively, in a fresh 16-count charge instituted against them by the EFCC.

Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

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