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Tinubu’s refusal to honour Seyi’s pact with us disappointing – Nnamdi Kanu’s family

Published

2 days ago

January 2, 2025

President Bola ahmed Tinubu and Nnamdi Kanu

Tinubu’s refusal to honour Seyi’s pact with us disappointing – Nnamdi Kanu’s family

The family of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, have expressed disappointment over the failure of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to honour an alleged agreement between his son Seyi , and the family before the 2023 general election.

Kanu’s younger brother, Prince Emmanuel Kanu, in a statement, claimed that Seyi with the approval of his father, personally met with him in Abuja shortly before the election, where both parties entered into agreement concerning Kanu.

According to him, it was agreed that IPOB would not bycott the polls on the condition that Tinubu would release Kanu if elected President.

Prince Emmanuel expressed disappointment that nearly two years after the emergence of Tinubu as President, his brother (Kanu), has continued to languish in detention despite the fact that the presiding Judge, Justice Binta Nyako, had since recused herself from the matter.

He said it was disappointing that those who claimed to be honourable, failed to keep their words.

The statement read:”Before the last election, I received a message from an ex-governor that Seyi the son of President Tinubu wanted to see me. I agreed to meet with him on the condition that the overriding priority and hence the fulcrum of our discussion will be the release of my brother. The meeting was held in Abuja in the presence of another individual whom I asked along to witness the deliberations and if need be provide independent verification should the need arise.

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“Seyi confirmed to me that his father sanctioned the meeting and that I should consider any agreement we reach as binding on the then candidate Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“In good faith we agreed that I shall relay the outcome to my brother to reinforce the long held tradition of IPOB not interfering with the conduct of elections, either through boycott or any other form of civil disobedience. This understanding was duly communicated to my brother and he reaffirmed his commitment not to stop the elections or order any boycott.

“When President Tinubu as a candidate visited Owerri during his campaign, he too reiterated his commitment to facilitate the release of my brother if elected. We took his public statement as a tacit reaffirmation of the understanding I reached with his son Seyi.

“At the end, IPOB did not call for election boycott despite having the capacity to do so. IPOB also made sure that discordant voices urging election boycott were overcome because election boycotts would not reflect well on the reputation of a global movement that prides itself on adherence to democratic tenets.

“It therefore, defies logic that nearly two years after President Tinubu assumed the mantle of leadership in Nigeria, my brother is still in detention despite not having any charge against him. It’s been over three months now that Justice Binta Nyako recused herself from the case yet no new judge has been assigned the case.

“This is on top of the fact that Appeal Court had earlier discharged him of the sham charges and ordered his release which the previous regime of Buhari declined to obey.

“Supreme Court determination that his bail ought not to have been revoked has been ignored by the courts and the government. The latest insult is that Abuja courts of all persuasion are no longer willing to determine the case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu on merit but are rather relying on ludicrous and inapplicable technicalities to stall the timely determination of his cases.

“The truth is that Nigerian courts cannot, will not and do not have both the substantive and procedural jurisdiction to try him. His detention is without the backing of any known law in Nigeria or elsewhere in the world.

“It’s a shame that those who claim to be men of honour cannot honour their word.”

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Man steals goat for daughter’s naming in Ogun

Published

9 hours ago

January 4, 2025

Trends Admin

Man steals goat for daughter’s naming in Ogun

A suspect, Akintoye Wariss, has been arrested by the Odeda Division of the Ogun State Police Command for allegedly stealing and slaughtering a Savannah he-goat, worth N200,000, for his daughter’s naming ceremony.

Omolola Odutola, the spokesperson for the police command, confirmed the arrest, which occurred on January 2, 2024, in the Odeda region of Ogun State. Waris was arrested alongside an accomplice, Ajayi Yusuf.

The two men are accused of breaking into a farm in the area to steal the goat. They reportedly waited until December 25, when the farm owner, identified only as Mark, had taken his cattle out to graze.

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Odutola shared that when Mark returned and discovered one of the goats missing, a search was launched in the community. Villagers soon reported seeing the suspects riding a motorcycle with the missing goat and heading toward Olodo town.

The police acted swiftly on the tip-off, deploying detectives who successfully captured the suspects early on January 2, 2025.

During questioning, the suspects allegedly admitted to the crime, detailing how they stole, transported, and slaughtered the he-goat on December 27, 2024. They also revealed that the goat was used for the feast at Waris’s daughter’s naming ceremony in Olodo.

The two suspects are now in police custody and are undergoing further investigation at the Divisional Crime Branch. Odutola assured the public that the suspects would face prosecution once the investigation concludes and that any new updates on the case would be shared accordingly.

Man steals goat for daughter’s naming in Ogun

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Privatise Port Harcourt, Warri refineries, PETROAN tells FG

Published

10 hours ago

January 4, 2025

Trends Admin

Port Harcourt Refinery

Privatise Port Harcourt, Warri refineries, PETROAN tells FG

The Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has requested the Federal Government to privatise the Port Harcourt and Warri Refineries in 2025 to firms for efficiency and reduction of government spendings.

It made the request in a document titled: “To whom It may concern,” which The Nation obtained from Abuja on Saturday.

The document was signed by the National President, Billy Hary; Secretary, Barr Adedibu Aderibigbe, and Public Relations Officer, Dr Joseph Obele.

In its recommendations, the association said: “Based on PETROAN’s observations, the following recommendations are made to

ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of the downstream sector in 2025:. “Privatization of Nigerian-Owned Refineries: Privatize Nigerian-owned refineries, such as the Warri and Kaduna refineries, to reputable private companies to improve efficiency and reduce government spending.”

It further noted that privatisation of the plants would foster a competitive market by encouraging new entrants and promoting a level playing field to prevent monopolies and ensure fair pricing.

It said it would enhance transparency and accountability.

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PETROAN also requested President Ahmed Tinubu to save the businesses of 10,000 oil and gas marketers with N100billion intervention.

This followed the perceived job losses due to the removal of the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) petrol subsidy.

The document said: “PETROAN request for a grant of ₦100 billion from President Bola Tinubu to help prevent the closure of 10,000 marketers’ businesses.

” The request is in response to the threat of job losses that would result from the removal of the fuel subsidy.”

PETROAN also urged the government to address cross-border smuggling of petroleum products by collaborating

with neighbouring countries to strengthen border security and prevent

smuggling, and also utilize digital tracking systems to monitor petroleum

products from refineries to retail outlets.

The association further asked the government to prioritise local refineries’ access to crude oil to boost Nigeria’s refining capacity and reduce reliance on imported petroleum products.

Privatise Port Harcourt, Warri refineries, PETROAN tells FG

metro

How I escaped death after my 14-year-old bride poisoned my meal – Jigawa man

Published

10 hours ago

January 4, 2025

Trends Admin

How I escaped death after my 14-year-old bride poisoned my meal – Jigawa man

A 34-year-old man has shared the story of how he narrowly escaped death while his friend lost his life after his 14-year-old bride poisoned their meal two days after their wedding.

Kamisu Haruna recounted that the incident occurred on December 22 at his home in Albasu village, Jahun Local Government Area of Jigawa State.

According to Haruna, after marrying Zahra’u Dauda on December 20 in Kiyawa Local Government Area, he brought his young bride to his residence.

Two days later, as the wedding guests had departed, Zahra’u reportedly sent some of her friends to deliver food to him and his companions around 10pm.

“On Sunday night (December 22), after the wedding guests had dispersed to their various homes, my friends were preparing to take me to the bride’s room. Suddenly, we saw her friends coming towards a nearby shop where we were sitting. They came with cooked spaghetti with beef and said the bride sent them to give us the food.

“While eating the food, we noticed a taste of chemicals and stopped eating, suspecting the food was poisoned. Then we started feeling stomach ache.

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“We took milk, but our condition kept worsening. We were rushed to the hospital where my friend, Muhammad Alpha, was confirmed dead,” the groom narrated to a reporter who visited the village.

Haruna alleged that his wife had been influenced by her former lover, who he claimed supplied her with the poison.

“After the wedding in Kiyawa, she (the bride) told me she would go back to her town to collect her belongings. It was there that her former boyfriend gave her the poison and asked her to put it in my food,” he alleged.

The groom also denied accusations of coercing his bride into the marriage, maintaining that Zahra’u genuinely loved him but was misled by her ex-boyfriend due to her inexperience.

“Everyone can testify that we are true lovers. What happened is just our destiny and due to her little experience of life.

“She is still my wife even though her action led to the death of my friend. We prayed for the repose of his soul, and the law enforcement agencies should do justice for all of us,” Haruna said.

Jigawa State Police spokesperson, Lawan Adam, confirmed the incident, stating that Zahra’u, a resident of Bagata Gabas village, conspired with her former lover, 22-year-old Lawan Musa of Bagata Gabas Yamma village, to poison her husband’s food.

“The husband and his two friends ate the food together, and as a result, they both developed stomachaches.

“Victims were rushed to the hospital, where one of the groom’s friends was confirmed dead by the medical doctor on call. The case is under investigation,” the police spokesperson said.