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Breaking: Dangote Group planning to cause chaos, Kogi alleges

Published

2 years ago

October 8, 2022

Sealed Dangote Cement, Obajana

Kogi State Government says it has uncovered plans by the Dangote Group to cause chaos across the state as a counter-attack against the State Government’s decision to get its own legally supported equity from the Obajana Cement Company.

The alarm was raised in a statement issued Saturday by the State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Femi Fanwo.

Fanwo alleged that the latest strategy came from frustrations occasioned by the failure of the Dangote Group to prevent the state government from sealing the cement factory.

“A top management staff of Dangote Group erroneously called a top government official as the said meeting was going on to hatch their satanic plans against the Government and people of Kogi State.

“The call which came in at 10.06pm went on for 28 minutes, 12 seconds, detailing how the Dangote Group intends to doctor documents to prove they own the cement company, 100 per cent; how they intend to use the DSS and other security agencies to arrest top Government Officials on frivolous charges; how they intend to use the EFCC to arrest some Government officials in order to cow them; how they also intend to use the media to promote falsehood against the Government and people of Kogi State and sundry other satanic plans against the people and Government of our dear state” Kogi government Spokesperson claimed.

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The statement contained alleged resolutions at the claimed nocturnal meeting to include: “Obliteration of the Agreement between the Kogi State Government and the Dangote Group.

“A plan to use the press to attack the governor and the Government of Kogi State. Plan to deploy people to the major TV Stations in the country to attack the Governor and the Government of Kogi State.

“Plan to call the EFCC and DSS today to claim those who sealed the company on the orders of the House of Assembly stole the sum of N207m and that those agencies should arrest them.

“They also resolved to initiate both civil and criminal proceedings against certain Government officials.

“Lastly, they resolved to block all the major highways across the state with their trucks to make it impossible for the Governor to move out of the state capital. In their words: “We will prove to him that his madness cannot match our own.” They said at the meeting that Dangote owns Nigeria and that there is nothing anyone can do to stop him”.

Fanwo’s statement reads in part: “The over 28 minutes recorded meeting typifies the mindset of an economic oppressor who thinks he can use every apparatus of the Federal Government to fight our dear state into submission. Nigeria is what it is today because certain individuals think they own the country and can get away with any attrocity they commit.

“We make bold to say that if the Dangote Group attempts to carry out any of his threats or deny our claims above, which are supported by facts, we will release visuals and audio of the said meeting and the whole world will see the mindset and modus operandi of Alh. Aliko Dangote and his conglomerate. We are a people that cannot be destroyed by the whims and caprices of the capitalist dominance that the Dangote Group stands for.

“One of the plans hatched at the meeting was to use Dangote trucks to block all major highways in Kogi State from today to make life unbearable for the people of the state and also launch attacks on commuters across the state in order to cow the State Government into submission in the ongoing ownership determination battle for the Obajana Cement Company.

“We wish to inform the people of Kogi State that the State Government will stop at nothing legal to defend their rights to movement and safety.

We will take steps that are legal to resist the act of cowardice of the Dangote Group to harass, intimidate or harm the people of Kogi State for demanding their rights.

” Let it be clear to all that the Government and people of Kogi State are united against economic oppression under the leadership of Governor Yahaya Bello. Our resolve to right the wrongs of the past is bigger than those who think they own Nigeria and can get away with anything they do.

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“We call on security agencies to be on red alert to forestall any breakdown of law and order. It is our wish to ensure the agitation to reclaim our equity at Obajana is non-violent as we have all that is required to win the battle. Security agencies should resist the temptation of being used by the Dangote Group to harass officials of Government and our people as hatched at the ill-fated meeting”

To this end, the State government warned Dangote Group that Kogi State will not condone any act of lawlessness and that perpetrators will be made to face the full wrath of the law, no matter how highly placed.

Kogi State also stressed that the present administration has overseen the heaviest influx of investments into the state as a result of the enabling environment created, but “inasmuch as we crave investments and economic expansion in our dear state, it is our responsibility to protect the interest of the people in those investments.

Fanwo declared that the government’s stand was just and fair, adding that it’s decision was to give what belongs to the people to the people and not seek pecuniary interest.

It is for this reason Fanwo said Dangote Group was being repeatedly exposed, insisting that the Group should do what is right and just to stop further drowning in the murky waters of ignominy.

“We urge the people of Kogi State to remain calm as the Government they elected is capable, ready and equipped to fight this economic battle successfully” the statement advised.

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My husband likes sex too much, divorce seeking wife tells court

Published

1 hour ago

March 26, 2025

Trends Admin

My husband likes sex too much, divorce seeking wife tells court

Linda Stephen, a 37-year-old housewife, filed for divorce from her husband, Felix Stephen, on Tuesday at Kaduna Customary Court, citing his unreasonable sexual demands.

The petitioner, a resident of Ungwan Sunday in Kaduna, also accused her husband of hitting her after she resisted his sexual advances.

In her petition, she stated that she and her estranged spouse were married for six years.

While pleading with the court to grant her divorce from her husband, Mrs Stephen stated that she was no longer interested in the marriage because she could no longer deal with his sexual demands.

“I urge the court to dissolve this marriage because I can’t stand his excessive sexual urge. He likes sex too much, and I can’t bear it.

“Most times, he would have sex with me from midnight till early hours of the morning. Even when I am crying, he will not stop.

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“It has been three months since I moved out of his house; his relatives have been pleading with me to go back to him, but they do not know what I am facing,” she said.

She further added that her husband cannot control himself when he craves sex and that if she refuses his sexual advances, he will beat her up in front of their two children.

Stephen, the respondent, stated in his defence that he was willing to suppress his sexual urges.

He informed the court he loved his wife and begged the court to help him appease her rather than satisfy her demand.

“I took my uncles and friends to her parents’ house to plead with her. But she refused to listen to us, so she walked out on us,” he said.

He also asked the court to grant him time to figure things out and reconnect with his wife.

After hearing the couple’s statements, Court President John Dauda deferred the case until May 6, 2025, for feedback and the conclusion of the reconciliation while advising them to maintain peace.

My husband likes sex too much, divorce seeking wife tells court

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Security operatives stop another pipeline bombing in Rivers

Published

1 hour ago

March 26, 2025

Trends Admin

Security operatives stop another pipeline bombing in Rivers

Operatives of the security agencies including the police, Army, Navy and Air Force have foiled an attempt to blow up another pipeline in the Ikwerre and Emohua local government areas of Rivers State.

The police in revealing this bombing attempt on Tuesday however vowed to protect all critical infrastructure of government and ensure total security of lives and property in the state during the emergency rule.
Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, Olugbenga Adepoju, at a press briefing on Tuesday said their joint operations had led to stoping the criminals.

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He disclosed that the security team foiled attempts by criminals to take advantage of developments in the state to vandalise critical assets of government.
He added that one suspect died while attempting to detonate an explosive on the pipeline.
He said, “Over the past week, the joint efforts of the security agencies in Rivers State have, among other successes, thwarted attempts by miscreants to vandalise pipelines which led to the death of the vandal in the process of trying to detonate a pipeline at Aluu- Rumuekpe in Ikwerre LGA but for the quick intervention of security agents.”
The CP urged members of the public to provide the Police and other security agencies with credible intelligence regarding individuals or groups and their conspirators engaging in vandalism.

Security operatives stop another pipeline bombing in Rivers

metro

Constitution amendment: Reps move to stop gov’ship election cases at A/Court

Published

2 hours ago

March 26, 2025

Trends Admin

House of Representatives

Constitution amendment: Reps move to stop gov’ship election cases at A/Court

The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed for second reading, a bill seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to make the Court of Appeal the final arbiter in disputes involving governorship, National and State House of assembly elections.

The bill is among the 39 constitution amendment bills that were passed through second reading on the floor of the House.

The passage of the bills comes as the House prepares to go on Sallah and Easter breaks and on the heels of the controversy that trails the adoption of the declaration of state of emergency declared by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Rivers State last week.

The bills were passed after they were presented for second reading through a motion by the House Leader, Rep. Julius Ihonvbre and referred to the House Committee on Constitution Review, chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, for further legislative actions.

The proposed legislation was sponsored by the lawmaker representing Ndokwa East/Ndokwa West/Ukwani Federal Constituency of Delta State, Nnamdi Ezechi.

Daily Trust reports that before now, electoral disputes involving governorship election are decided by the Supreme Court as the final arbiter, while that of the National and State Assemblies end at the Court of Appeal.

However, the proposed amendment seeks to abridge the timeline involved in deciding governorship election disputes by making the Appeal Court the final arbiter.

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Leading the debate on the general principles of the bill, Ezechi said the proposed legislation seeks to alter the provision of sub-section (3) of Section 246 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

He said the bill seeks to delete the existing subsection (3) and substitute a new subsection (3) to read, “The decisions of the Court of Appeal in respect of appeals arising from the Governorship, National and State Houses of Assembly election petitions shall be final.”

He said, “Mr Speaker, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Second Alteration) Act of 2010 altered Section 246 subsection (1) by providing in paragraphs (b) and (c) that appeals to the Court of Appeal shall be as of right from the decisions of the National and State Houses of Assembly and decisions of the Governorship Election Tribunals as to whether a person has been validly elected as a lawmaker or a governor or whether his tenure has ceased or his seat has become vacant.

“The second alteration specifically provided in Section 246 subsection (3) that the decisions of the Court of Appeal arising from the National and State Houses of Assembly election petitions shall be final.

“However, the amendment did not say anything about the Governorship Election Petition, thereby allowing all governorship election petitions to proceed to the apex court (Supreme Court). This bill is trying to amend the present provision of Section 246 subsection (3) by making the Court of Appeal the final appeal court for all election petitions.”

Justification for amendment

According to the PDP lawmaker, “This would enable the final winner of a governorship election to be known without delay. If the person declared as winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission wins in the Court of Appeal, it would allow him to settle down and face the business of governance without distraction.”

He also noted that terminating election disputes at the appellate court would save costs, saying, “If such petitions end in the Court of Appeal, it would reduce the financial resources being wasted by the parties in prosecuting such cases to the Supreme Court.”

He continued, “We should note that the original provision of Section 246 (1)(b) stated that an appeal shall lie as of right from the decisions of the National Assembly Election Tribunals and Governorship and Legislative Houses Tribunals on the issues mentioned above.

“Subsection (3) of the said section clearly stated that the decisions of the Court of Appeal in respect of appeals arising from election petitions shall be final.”