Why we made emergency landing at Lagos airport – Air Peace
News
Nnamdi Kanu, Igboho should be decisively dealt with – Arewa youths back Buhari
The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum have thrown their weight behind President Muhammadu Buhari, saying those agitating for Nigeria’s disintegration should be decisively dealt with.
National President of the AYCF, Yerima Shettima, stated this, backing Buhari’s decision to deal with agitators such as Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and Sunday Igboho, a Yoruba nation agitator.
Buhari had issued the threat during his speech to mark Nigeria’s 61st Independence Day anniversary.
The President vowed to go after violent agitators such as Kanu and Igboho, accused of threatening the corporate existence of Nigeria.
Shettima in an interview with Daily Post said those whose agitations were endangering the lives of Nigerians should be dealt with in line with Buhari’s directive.
He described Kanu as a blind man who is leading IPOB into a death trap.
Faulting the violent approach of IPOB, Shettima pointed out that the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, go about their agitation peacefully without endangering the lives of Nigerians.
He said, “All of us are victims of the society today in one way or the other, so if, something goes wrong, you don’t have to behave abnormal. When you look at the situation on ground and think the only way out is to become violent at the expense of people’s lives, then such agitation is not worth it.
“Yes, certain things went wrong and we also, in Northern part of the country have suffered the same problem. In fact, we have even suffered more than where the agitation is coming from.
“Can the situation today in the Northwest or Northeast be compared to the realities in the Southwest and Southeast? The answer is no. For over two decades now, we have been suffering from one trouble to another. From poverty to marginalization to deprivation and so on. Even at that, we never deemed it necessary to take up arms against the state; so, no matter how you look at it, their approaches are wrong.
“Don’t we have other groups agitating, like MASSOB? Do you see MASSOB endangering the lives of innocent citizens of the Southeast? The answer is no. Was it not from MASSOB IPOB broke out and is led by that blind man who puts the lives of people in danger? MASSOB goes about their demands which are very genuine by their thinking and feeling.”
Shettima also said, “MASSOB has said it really believes that the South-East is being marginalized and if Nigeria can address some of this injustice meted on them, they are willing to come back and build the nation. However, the IPOB’s approach by this their blind leader who is leading them to death zone is wrong, and two wrongs can not make a right.
“Looking at this situation, you can’t solve problems with problems. We have faith in the country despite the shortcomings. We believe some days we will turn things around instead of balkanizing the country in the name of agitation. Most of those agitators are young elements who should come together and build a synergy within themselves that would fight against those oppressing them.”
“Anybody found disobeying the law of the land should be dealt with decisively; nobody is above the law. If you balkanize the country, where will you go to? You can’t be an American citizen, you will still remain a Nigerian. If you balkanize here, where will you run to? You are a refugee anywhere you run to.”
According to him, many people suffered during the war. “We can’t go back there again. If there is a way we can amend what happened in the past to ensure that the war never happened, we would have done that. It has happened and all we need now is to forgive ourselves and move forward. We can’t continue to reflect on that and expect to make progress.
“Everybody suffered for that, so is that where they want us to return to now that there is arms proliferation? We can’t survive a second war, so Nigerians must learn to stay together. We can agitate without endangering the life of anybody.”
Shettima said, “The statement coming from the President shows he is a leader and people should know that we are not in Banana Republic. I’m not an advocate of the president, neither am I in the government but a victim of the society and I lead a group of people who are already victims.”
News
How ex-Head of Service Oyo-Ita diverted N3bn public funds to private firms
How ex-Head of Service Oyo-Ita diverted N3bn public funds to private firms
Hamma Bello, the eighth prosecution witness in the trial of Winifred Oyo-Ita, a former Head of Service of the Federation, has narrated how N3 billion was diverted to private companies.
The witness stated this while testifying before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday about how the defendant and her subordinates diverted public funds into their private companies.
Oyo-Ita, the first defendant, is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, along with her special assistants; Ugbong Effiok (seventh defendant) and Garba Umar (fourth defendant).
Others are six companies: Frontline Ace Global Services Limited, Asanaya Projects Limited, Slopes International Limited, U and U Global Services Ltd, Prince Mega Logistics Ltd, and Good Deal Investments, on 18 counts bordering on misappropriation, official corruption, money laundering, and criminal diversion of funds to the tune of over N3 billion.
READ ALSO:
- Third Mainland Bridge: Contractors set to return for resurfacing, solar power installation
- Police nab brothers over gang rape
- Why we made emergency landing at Lagos airport – Air Peace
The witness, while being led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Faruk Abdullahi, and H.M. Mohammed, told the court that Oyo-Ita used Slopes International Limited and Good Deal Investments Limited – fifth and sixth defendants respectively, to fraudulently award government contracts to herself through the fourth defendant, Umar.
The first entry transaction of Good Deal Investment Limited. in February 2019 showed that N42,748,201.47 was paid into its Zenith Bank account.
Umar, the witness said, incorporated the company with Oyo-Ita’s full knowledge.
“We called for the account statements of these two companies, and upon analysing them, we realised he (Umar) was paid several sums of money from the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, where he is an employee.
“And upon interviewing the fourth defendant, he admitted that he was also a contractor. He also admitted to have paid the first defendant on several occasions from the proceeds of the transaction,” the witness said.
On April 27, 2019, the witness disclosed that a transfer of N20, 2027, 142 was made in the name of Ibrahim Madu to the Zenith Bank account of Asanaya Projects Limited.
The mandate card of the account bears the signature and photo of the seventh defendant, Effiok.
Investigation, according to the witness, also revealed that the seventh defendant incorporated Asanaya Projects Limited in his name with the knowledge of the first defendant and that approvals were granted and payments made to the seventh defendant either through his personal account or to the account of the company.
READ ALSO:
- Why we made emergency landing at Lagos airport – Air Peace
- Police intervene as mob attempts burning two one-chance robbers alive
- PDP, LP kick as US report says 2023 polls reflect people’s will despite irregularities
The witness said, “The seventh defendant, upon interview, confirmed he had never travelled for most of the funds he received and that the first defendant was aware of and benefitted on several occasions from the funds. The account of U and U Global Services Limited was also opened by the seventh defendant.
“In summary, from 2015 to 2018, U and U Global Limited received several payments in the form of Duty Tour Allowances and estacodes. Sometimes, payments from the federal government were made directly to the account, for instance, on March 24, 2016, he received N40, 313, 453. 58. This particular payment was from the federal government.”
Further in his testimony, the witness stated that, “Exhibit O is the Fidelity Bank account of Prince Mega Logistics Ltd. On March 27, 2018, and April 6, 2018, there were four entries, N4, 950 000; N3,946,000, N4,676,000 and N1,478,000, from Thomson Titus Okure, who used to be a colleague of the seventh defendant in the Account Department.
“There were also outward payments to Ignom, Minaro Blessing, Winifred Oyo-Ita, Olarenwaju Godman Olushola and the seventh defendant is the sole signatory of this account.”
Speaking further, he said, “I also want to add that we invited the first, second and seventh defendant at different times to our office and interviewed them. In the case of the first defendant, we printed chats from her phone and saw conversations she had with contractors, subordinates, and permanent secretaries. She also voluntarily made a statement to the EFCC.”
The matter was adjourned till April 30, 2024.
(SAHARAREPORTERS)
How ex-Head of Service Oyo-Ita diverted N3bn public funds to private firms
News
Why we made emergency landing at Lagos airport – Air Peace
A statement by Stanley Olisa, the airline’s Corporate Communications Lead, explained that some minutes before landing, the Captain noticed a fire warning indicator in the cockpit.
News
PDP, LP kick as US report says 2023 polls reflect people’s will despite irregularities
PDP, LP kick as US report says 2023 polls reflect people’s will despite irregularities
The US Department of State in a report has affirmed that Nigeria’s 2023 general elections, despite irregularities, reflected the will of its people.
Published in the 2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour, the document scrutinizes human rights practices and violations worldwide, including in Nigeria.
“National elections, though plagued by technical and logistical challenges alongside irregularities, were broadly deemed to represent voters’ intentions,” the report asserts.
Even as the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) hailed the report, the two major opposition parties, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) criticised it.
Independent observers concluded that outcomes of presidential, legislative, and state-level elections mirrored voter sentiments, notwithstanding instances of voter suppression, vote buying, campaign activities at polling stations, compromised ballot secrecy, violence, and intimidation.
In the March 18 state election in Lagos, supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) allegedly intimidated and suppressed voters in Igbo-dominated regions, won by Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi in the national election on February 25.
READ ALSO:
- Patrol officers intercept 6,240 dynamites around borders
- NNPC, private firm to build 100,000bpd refining facility within PH refinery
- NNPC, private firm to build 100,000bpd refining facility within PH refinery
Social media footage depicted APC supporters in Ojo menacing ethnic Igbo voters perceived to favour Obi. In Eti-Osa, APC supporters assaulted journalists and impeded non-Yoruba voters’ access to polls, with reported property damage and physical obstruction of voters in Amuwo-Odofin. Despite police presence, no intervention occurred, and no arrests or prosecutions of alleged perpetrators were documented.
The report highlights the low participation of women and marginalized groups in the electoral process. Women’s political engagement averages 6.7 percent in elected and appointed roles nationwide. Civil society organizations have noted that religious, cultural, and economic hurdles hinder women’s leadership prospects within major parties and government.
A gender-based violence survey by ElectHER NGO underscored the use of religious and cultural barriers, including double standards, blackmail, and media defamation, against female politicians.
Media outlets perpetuated stereotypes, labeling women politicians as “promiscuous” or “cunning” and, in some instances, refrained from covering their campaigns purportedly under directives from opposition figures.
Moreover, the report criticized Nigeria’s inconsistent implementation of anti-corruption laws, citing pervasive corruption across the country, including within the judiciary.
Reacting the PDP, through its national spokesman, Debo Ologunagba, said despite the outcome of the elections, the party remained committed to ensuring that Nigeria would not become a one-party state or slide into dictatorship.
The Labour Party, through Obiora Ifoh, said, “To say the outcome of such an election reflects the majority view of Nigerians is left for the people to judge. Our commitment to the development of democracy in Nigeria remains unshakable.”
PDP, LP kick as US report says 2023 polls reflect people’s will despite irregularities
International30 mins ago
Nigerian man kills wife months after relocating to UK
Business35 mins ago
Anxiety as dollar exchanges for N1,420/$ on parallel market
metro1 hour ago
Nigerian Army loses another major to bandits’ attack in Katsina
-
Education6 days agoWhy we charge N42m fees for primary school pupils — Charterhouse Lagos
-
Auto6 days agoWe expect massive roll-outs of Nigeria-made cars by December 2024 – Minister
-
metro6 days agoJUST IN : Borrow pit collapses, kills seven Qur’anic school pupils
-
News5 days agoWe’re not part of Yoruba Nation agitation, says MKO Abiola family
-
metro4 days agoHow gunmen killed Babcock university lecturer, abducted two – Police
-
Politics6 days agoOndo APC primary: Ododo, gov aspirant in open confrontation
-
News7 days agoIGP orders withdrawal of police attached to Yahaya Bello
-
Business6 days ago
N50,000 presidential grant: 100,000 small businesses benefit in first phase