The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has accused the Federal Government of deliberately withholding the release of the Paris Club refund to the state as a way of making it difficult for the state government to pay arrears of workers’ salary before the July 14 governorship election.
Governor Fayose, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi in Ado Ekiti today, Thursday, alleged that the Federal Government is deliberately withholding the money after Ekiti and other states had been cleared to get the refund.
“If it is released to other states without the inclusion of Ekiti, people will suspect the federal government of playing politics with it. The federal government used that tactics in Kogi to assist the APC candidate to win.
“I am using this forum to inform Ekiti people that the federal government is punishing and depriving them of their entitlement because of politics. They think that if I am not able to pay the four months salaries owed the workers, they will vote for APC.
“Ekiti people are not fools, they know that the Fayemi administration plunged the state into debt. Fayemi left two months salary unpaid and N1.2bn is being deducted every month from Ekiti allocations to service the debt.
“So far, N35.34bn has been deducted from allocations coming to Ekiti to service debts owed by Fayemi administration.
“If I have N35.34bn, I will not owe workers and I will be able to take care of the needs of the people. Ekiti people are not fools and will not again accept APC. They know that the Fayemi administration is the cause of the unpaid salary.” [myad]
The Saudi Ministry of Health has listed Muslims from all over the world that will not be welcome to participate in this year’s pilgrimage.
They include those who are above 65 years, those with chronic diseases such as heart disease, kidney disease, respiratory disease, diabetes and pilgrims with immune deficiency (congenital and acquired), malignancy and terminal illnesses, pregnant women and children aged under 12 years.
The ministry, in a statement, advised Muslims in these categories to postpone the 2018 hajj pilgrimage for their own safety, saying: “it is not obligatory for anyone with a serious health condition to perform Hajj.”
It said that those in the categories listed are more prone to tragic incidents, hardship and difficulties due to overcrowding, harsh weather, lack of acclimatization, strenuous physical activities, and dehydration while performing Hajj rituals.
The experts warned that some of the main contributory factors from the heartbreaking 2015 Hajj disaster were extreme heat and fatigue, which led to the loss of over 2,000 innocent lives and that most of those who died in these terrible circumstances were elderly, sick, disabled and women.
“The temperatures in Makkah at the time had reached up to 46°C. Pilgrims were already dehydrated and fainting before the stampede began. Horrific scenes from the stampede aftermath caused great grief and distress amongst Muslims all over the world.
“ABH strongly urge the relevant authorities and Muslim scholars to stop people with such conditions from making the hazardous journey.” [myad]
Nigeria’s secret police, known as Department of State Services (DSS), has announced the arrest of two commanders of the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) in Abuja and a member of the terror group in Bauchi.
In a statement signed, the DSS spokesman, Tony Opuiyo said that the arrest, which was made after conducting special operations in some identified targets, thwarted the moves by ISWA and Boko Haram members to attack several targets across the country.
Opuiyo said that special operations led to the successful arrest of Bashiru Adams and Rufai Sajo, both ISWA commanders, on May 5, 2018 at Kukuntu Village, Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
He said that on April 28, 2018, at Muda Lawal Market, Bauchi in Bauchi State, the secret police arrested another member of the ISWA, Umar Dogo.
“The suspects were discovered to have concluded plans to not only perpetuate the ideals of the Movement in the area, but to, in collaboration with Boko Haram, carry out heinous violent attacks on innocent persons.”
The arrests made by the DSS is coming 48 hours after reports that the leaders of ISIS were sneaking fighters from Syria into Nigeria, which had been debunked by the Defence Headquarters.
Opuiyo said that following intelligence reports, Adamu Hassab (aka Bale) and Abubakr Abubakar (aka Alhaji /Buba), experts in Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) assembly, were arrested.
He said that on 12th and 19th April 2018, at Gassol and Ardo LGAs of Taraba State, Mohammed Saleh (Aka Azrak) and Iliyasu Abubakar (aka Ruwa), Boko Haram members and cattle rustlers were respectively apprehended.
The DSS Spokesman said that the Service in its determination to rid the country of crime, had singularly or in conjunction with sister security agencies embarked on series of operations aimed at degrading or eliminating the capabilities of unscrupulous elements, including suspected kidnappers, cultists, fraudsters, militia members and terrorists.
Opuiyo said that on June 27, 2018 at Karu Village, Abuja, two members of the dreaded Basalube kidnap group, namely Usman (aka Siddi) and Ibrahim Muhammed (aka Ganaja) were apprehended.
According to him, the duo had been involved in several kidnap activities, notably those of Sen. Ayodele Arise on December 5, 2017 in Kogi State and the late Portuguese national, Mr. Emmanuel Machada, earlier on October 24, 2017 during which two Policemen were killed in the same Kogi State.
He said that in order to flush out the Basalube kidnap gang, the Service further carried out an operation in which one of the group’s notorious members, Tambaya Umar, was arrested on April 24, 2018 at Odigie Village, Ovia North-East LGA, Edo State. He noted that Umar was arrested alongside Ibrahim Ali, Abubakar Mohammed, Aliyu Manu and Umar Mohammed for their complicity in the group’s numerous criminal acts.
In the same vein, Opuiyo said the DSS on March 27, 2018, at Calabar town, Cross River State, nabbed five members of a kidnap syndicate namely: Simeon Paul, Emmanuel Anna Etim, Eric John Out, Famous Eket Oleke and Felix Bassey Eshet.
He listed the items recovered from the gang to include: one AK-47 rifle; three empty AK-47 magazines; 38 rounds of live ammunition; two live rounds of 9mm ammunition; Mossberg pump action rifle; and 15 live cartridges of ammunition.
“On April 14, 2018, Adamu Hassan (aka Aiki), the dangerous gang leader of a kidnap syndicate was arrested at Ogbomosho, Osun State. Hassan was responsible for the kidnap of a Pastor at Ibillo, Edo State. Five Pump Action Rifles and Nine loaders were recovered from him during his arrest. Initial investigation and confessions of Hassan led to a follow-up operation on 23rd May, 2018. During this operation, Umar Andullahi (aka Wukari) and Hassan Ahmed, gunrunners and associates of Aiki were apprehended at Ishua, Akoko-South East LGA, Ondo State. The duo was in possession of five pump action rifles.
“Between 9th and 29th May 2018, several associates of the dreaded kidnapper, Terwase Akwaza (aka Gana) were arrested at various locations in Benue State. Those arrested are: Ada Kajo James, Tikaa Ornen Desmond and Joseph Ikpa. A Toyota Venza Sport Utility Vehicle was recovered from the suspects. Similarly, on 29th May, 2018, Umar Ali, leader of a kidnap syndicate notable for operating around Edo and Delta States was arrested at Oghara, Ethiope West LGA, Delta State. Also arrested were some of Ali’s lieutenants, namely: Faruk Bello, Bello Ali, Mohammed Ali and Abdullahi Ali. This gang was responsible for the abduction of a Turkish national in Ifaki, Ekiti State on 6th May, 2018.”
Opuiyo said that on May 14, 2018, the Service rescued a kidnap victim, Bimbo Adebiyi upon a raid of the group’s hideout at Grace Estate, Ajah, Lagos State.
He listed other members of the kidnap gang that were apprehended to include: Tunde Akinsola; Wakil Alade; Olumide Braimoh; Raymond Adingiou; Isiaq Abesin; Victoria Nwabueze; and Zabala Amolokwe.
Opuiyo said that on May 9, 2018, around Katibu Village, Lau LGA, Taraba State, a joint team of the Service, the Military and the Police while on a clearance patrol, encountered an ambush by a group of armed herdsmen, numbering about 100.
“The operatives’ superior firepower forced a retreat by the attackers. However, during the confrontation, 10 herdsmen were killed and several others escaped with bullet wounds. The following items were recovered – two AK-47 rifles, one G3 rifle, three dane guns, two cutlasses, and four motorcycles. On May 25, 2018, Abdulhameed Musa and Adamu Abdulkareem, both members of a militia group terrorising villages in Nasarawa State were arrested at Yelwa Village, Doma LGA of the State.
“On May 24, 2018, along Lafia-Akwanga road, Nasarawa Eggon, Nasarawa State, an arms courier, Adamu Hamza was arrested while transporting arms and ammunition to kidnap syndicates operating within the Katsina and Zamfara Axis. The consignment was transported in a Red Volkswagen Golf car with Lagos registration number FK-390-EL. On 1st June 2018, a joint operation with the military at North Bank, Makurdi led to the arrest of Akpenlamun UTO, a notorious gunrunner and kidnap kingpin whose activities have no doubt fuelled violent attacks around this locality,” he added.
Opuiyo said that on June 6, 2018, at the Boys’ hostel of Kogi State University (KSU), Anyingba, 14 suspected cultists were arrested over repeated cult clashes at the institution.
He listed items recovered from the suspects to include: one locally made pistol, browning pistol, shot gun, live cartridges; an axe, a machete and GSM Phones.
On the same date, he said an internet fraudster, Obinomhe Omonjele Daniel, who clones the social media accounts of security personnel, and uses same to defraud unsuspecting members of the public, was arrested at Egbe, Uromi, Esan North LGA, Edo State. He said while his other accomplices, particularly Sabi Boy, were on the run, investigations were ongoing.
He assured that with these arrests, it was envisaged that calmness will return to otherwise volatile areas where these criminals had held sway.
He further assured that the Service was poised to consolidate on these successes and bring about an atmosphere in which law abiding citizens will pursue their legitimate businesses.
The Service also called upon people who may have useful security information not to hesitate to volunteer same to the appropriate security agencies and formations. [myad]
Immediate past governor of Edo State and aspirant for the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has sworn to high heaven that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will collapse the moment he steps into office.
“At least, based on my conversations with people, PDP is happy with some of the problems, but that party will collapse completely when I come in by God’s grace. However, that does not mean that we don’t have a problem.”
Oshiomhole, who spoke to Vanguard in an interview, dismissed the claims in some quarters that he wants to come in as a dictator.
“You see, one of the things I learnt in the labour union is negotiation and never dictatorial because even though I was the President of the NLC, I cannot even control my deputy because he was voted in the same manner I was elected.
The APC chairmanship hopeful said that the party had expanded its house, adding that many people have decamped from PDP to APC after the formation of the party in 2014 and even after the last elections.
“So I think we have lost few, we have gained more, and I believe there are many who will come maybe after I assume office, God willing, if I win.” [myad]
Grassroots Youths for Change (GYC) wing of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has advised the senate president, Bukola Saraki to respect the santity of the Senate as an institution by stepping down.
The group, which accused the Senate President of dragging the reputation of the senate in the mud due to a series of allegations of crime hanging on his neck, said that his alleged criminal acts have brought disrepute to the office, apart from his working against the interests of the party under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari.
A statement by its national coordinator, Orlu Henry Manuchimso said that Saraki’s actions have cast a smudge on the administration’s anti-corruption crusade.
According to the group, “the senate president, Bukola Saraki has been charged to the Code of Conduct Tribunal with alleged false declaration of assets, a development that has weakened the moral basis of his leadership.
“It is ignominious that Saraki has been in and out of the Code of Conduct Tribunal and the court on several occasions; whereas, he should have helped himself and the anti-corruption war by stepping down in order to protect the sanctity and integrity of his office.
“He would rather continue to dig in his feet in monumental denigration of the respect accorded to that office. His self-inflicted travails have rubbed off negatively on the position of the senate president.
“There is no doubt that he is more interested in his personal political survival than in strengthening the office of the senate president and the institution of the senate.
“While false assets declaration case is yet to be resolved, he has now been accused of complicity in the recent banks’ robberies in Offa, Kwara state, involving some of his political thugs, for which the police have called on him to state in writing what he knows about the crime.
“Prior to his official invitation by the police, Saraki had himself on the floor alerted that there were plots to use arrested cultists in Kwara state to frame him up.”
The group said that these developments did not augur well for the image of the senate and lamented that the senate president’s alleged criminalities were responsible for this public relations deficit.
According to the group, “if Saraki were altruistic and patriotic as he claims to be, he would have been at great pains to allow his personal travails to discount the integrity capital of the office he occupies.
“He would have done the needful by stepping down as senate president; but since he has found it difficult to step down, we deny him the respect of that office and declare that he is not a fit and proper person to continue to preside over the senate.
“It is fraudulent for Saraki to deploy the institution of the National Assembly over which he presides as chairman to fight his personal battles.”
The group said that were it not for Saraki, the national assembly would have enjoyed a smooth relationship with President Buhari and his executive arm of government.
“Saraki, with the support of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has continued to undermine the president and the party structure. His insistence on contesting for the position of senate president was a betrayal of the trust the party reposed in him.
“Apparently lacking sufficient support of the APC and the party caucus in the senate, he had to leverage on the fraudulent alliance with the PDP, thus riding on the back of a willing horse to become a prisoner of the opposition party.
“The senate president, in his disdain for the president, has resorted to legislative filibustering, blackmail and intimidation, particularly through the use of Electoral Act 2010 Amendment Bill 2018 on reordering of election sequence against the president.” [myad]
The Grand Khalifa of Tijjaniya Islamic sect from Senegal, Sheikh Ahmed Tijjani Ibrahim Inyass, has assured President Muhammadu Buhari that over 40 millions of its members are praying daily for his success.
Sheikh Ahmed Tijjani Ibrahim Inyass, who visited the President yesterday, Wednesday, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, commended Buhari for the good job he is doing in Nigeria, saying: ‘‘it is evident for all to see.’
‘‘More than 40 million Tijjanyia’s are praying for your success because we believe the Almighty Allah has chosen you to lead Nigeria at this time and to actualise the dream of a great country.’’
The Grand Khalifa, who is in Nigeria to commiserate with the late Isyaku Rabiu family, paid tribute to his soul, describing him as a great man and nationalist who was dedicated to knowledge, Islam and prosperity of Nigeria.
The Sheikh offered prayers for the progress, prosperity of the nation and good health, wisdom, strength and success for the President.
This was as President Buhari assured the visitor that he is committed fully to the rapid development of Nigeria, beyond ethnicity, religion and geographical lines.
Buhari, who acknowledged the overwhelming support of Nigerians and the confidence reposed on his administration, told the Sheikh: ‘‘we are very pleased with the prayers and support of the Tijjaniya to this administration and I assure you our interest is for all Nigerians, across ethnicity and religion.’
‘‘I know you are praying for the stability and prosperity of this country.”
President Buhari thanked the highly revered religious leader from Senegal for the visit underscored the importance of the religious group in promoting good governance in the country.
‘‘I feel highly honoured, on behalf of my country, that the Sheikh has found time to come and see us while he is here to commiserate with the families of late Sheikh Isyaku Rabiu.
‘‘The Sheikh is in Nigeria where he has vast followers and we have people across families who go to Senegal every year, as much as a lot of people go to Mecca, to visit the tomb of your great father.” [myad]
One Udo Ibe from Abia State has approached a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, asking that it (the court) should, among others, compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognize the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as a political party under the 1999 constitution or the Electoral Act 2010 for any purpose stipulated under the said constitution or the electoral act.
Udo, who dragged the APC and the INEC before the court, prayed for an order of mandatory Injunction for the INEC to comply with his prayer.
The plaintiff, who is a member of the APC, also prayed the court for an order of perpetual injunction, stopping APC and its agents from excluding him as a contestant to the office of the chairman of Ania Ward, Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State, through the process of “guided Congress” or any manner inconsistent with the constitution of the party.
He said that the tenure of officers of Ania Ward had expired at the time they planned the congress and as such the ward congress was illegal and unlawful, even as he said that he was aggrieved with his alleged exclusion from participating as a chairmanship aspirant for Ania Ward.
When the matter came up Wednesday, counsel to APC, Ayotunde Ogunleye, informed the court that processes had just been served on the APC and that he needed time to peruse the papers and respond to them accordingly.
Ogunleye, therefore applied for an adjournment to enable him file his response on behalf of APC as required by law.
However, counsel to the plaintiff, Kalu Kalu, who did not object to the request for an adjournment, prayed the court to order parties in the matter to maintain status quo, pending the resolution of the originating summons of his client.
Kalu drew the attention of the court to the fact that the APC as the 1st defendant had slated its national convention for this Saturday and that the case of his client would be destroyed if status quo was not maintained by the parties.
But counsel to the APC urged the court to decline granting the request on the grounds that it would affect others who are not parties in the suit.
Ogunleye further argued that the order requested by the plaintiff was not related to the main suit.
Justice Oriji however disagreed with him on the request for status quo, adding that the order sought if granted would affect parties who were not parties in this suit.
The judge subsequently adjourned the matter till July 5 for hearing of the originating summons.
In a related development, the Abuja division of the Federal High Court also refused to stop the Hon. Babatunde Balogun led executive committee (Exco) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from participating in the forthcoming National Convention.
Justice Binta Nyako, who declined to stop the Balogun group, said that the principle of fair hearing will be breached since only one person instituted the court action.
Delivering ruling in an ex-parte motion filed by an aggrieved contestant in the May 12, 2018 Lagos APC Congress, Bunmi Tayo Church, Justice Nyako said that it will be unfair to stop the Balogun faction in view of the limited time to the convention, slated for June 23, 2018 in Abuja.
In declining to grant the exparte motion, the Judge held that the plaintiff was just one out of 1,885 aspirants vying for positions during the congress.
Justice Nyako said that the plaintiff did not help himself in his claim that he was prevented from participating at the state congress, adding that it is a law that anyone who did not participate in an election cannot challenge the outcome of that election.
The court held that, Church, having not participated in the May 12 Lagos State APC congress, cannot use the ex-parte application to challenge the outcome of the congress.
Besides, Justice Nyako said that hundreds of others who participated in the congress will be denied fair hearing if the application is granted because they were not brought before the court by the applicant (Church), who instituted the court action in his personal capacity.
Justice Nyako therefore ordered that the Originating Summons filed by the plaintiff/applicant, through his counsel, Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN), will be given accelerated hearing.
However, Justice Babatunde Quadri, who read the ruling on behalf of Justice Nyako, who was said to be bereaved, however, did not give a definite date for the hearing of the Originating Summons, saying that Justice Nyako will fix a convenient date for the matter to be heard.
Atiku Abubakar in a warmed handshake with Goodluck Jonathan
Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar has described former President Goodluck Jonathan as a hero of democracy in Nigeria.
Atiku who spoke today, Wednesday when he paid a courtesy call on ex-President Jonathan at his country home, Otuoke in Bayelsa State, recalled Jonathan’s exemplary decision to hand over the reins of power without qualms.
He said that that singular historic decision set him apart as a Democrat of unimpeachable credentials, reflecting on Jonathan’s action that doused tension in the country at that time.
Atiku said that the situation in Nigeria might have been different if he (Jonathan) did not voluntarily relinquish power.
“I want to say without equivocation that history will be very kind to you. As the democrat that I have always been, I want to say you have truly excelled! If you did not excel as a democrat par excellence, I wonder what the situation in Nigeria would be today.”
Responding, ex-President Jonathan commended Atiku for appointing former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel as Director General of the Atiku Presidential Campaign Organization.
According to him, Daniel’s choice as DG was the right decision, adding that the same person was DG of his own (Jonathan’s) Campaign in the Southwest and that he performed creditably, leading to him electoral success in the zone.
He said that his relationship with Atiku dated back to more than 16 years ago when he was Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State during which time the Waziri Adamawa showed him friendship and support.
On his own part, Daniel paid tribute to Jonathan as the most educated President Nigeria has ever had, who made it through the ranks as Deputy Governor to becoming Vice President and subsequently President of Nigeria.
Aisha Buhari, the wife of the President, Muhammadu Buhari, has called on caregivers to employ modern methods to raise children with special needs.
She spoke yesterday, Monday, at the commencement of a one-week training programme for teachers, health workers and care givers of children with special needs at the FCT School for Handicapped Children, Kuje, Abuja.
Mrs. Buhari, who was speaking through the Administrative Secretary of the Aisha Buhari Foundation, Mr. Saidu Suleiman, said that most of these children do not reach their full potential.
“There is the need to discover the individual qualities of each child with special needs so that this could be harnessed and the child could reach their full potential.”
She said that training can best be achieved through modern techniques.
Mrs. Buhari called on the caregivers to take advantage of the new methods and improve the way they teach and raise children with special needs. She also called on all institutions training such children to embrace such modern methods.
Speaking earlier, an administrator with Nika Project, Dan Philips applauded the partnership with Aisha Buhari Foundation saying the expertise they have to offer should be available to all schools in the country. He called on other well-meaning Nigerians to support initiatives like these.
“Children with special needs learn differently and therefore they require different tools in order to retain that knowledge and learn successfully” he said, stating that the modern methodology aims to reach kids in ways never believed possible.
The aim of Nika Project in this partnership, he said, is to “plant a seed and provide a new path of educating our kids.
The Principal of the School for Handicapped Children, Mrs. Musili Yusuf, thanked the wife of the President for this gesture and hoped that other well-to-do Nigerians will come in strong and assist.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has refused to stop the Babatunde Balogun led executive committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from participating in the National Convention of the party, slated for Saturday in Abuja.
Justice Binta Nyako, who declined to stop the Balogun group, in her ruling today, Wednesday, said that the principle of fair hearing will be breached since only one person instituted the court action against hundreds of thousands others.
In the ruling on an ex-parte motion filed by an aggrieved contestant in the May 12, 2018 Lagos APC Congress, Bunmi Tayo Church, Justice Nyako said that it will be unfair to stop the Balogun faction in view of the limited time to the convention slated for June 23, 2018 in Abuja.
In declining to grant the ex-parte motion, the Judge held that the plaintiff was just one out of 1, 885 aspirants who vied for positions during the congress.
Justice Nyako said that the plaintiff did not help himself in his claim that he was prevented from participating at the state congress, adding that it is a law that anyone who did not participate in an election cannot challenge the outcome of that election.
The court held that, Church, having not participated in the May 12 Lagos State APC congresses, cannot use the ex-parte application to challenge the outcome of the congress.
Besides, Justice Nyako said that several hundred others who participated in the congress will be denied fair hearing if the application is granted because they were not brought before the court to defend themselves by the applicant (Church), who instituted the court action in his personal capacity.
As a way out, Justice Nyako ordered that the Originating Summons filed by the plaintiff/applicant, through his counsel, Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN) will be given accelerated hearing.
However, Justice Babatunde Quadri, who read the ruling on behalf of Justice Nyako, who was said to have been bereaved however did not give a definite date for the hearing of the Originating Summons but said that Justice Nyako will fix a convenient date for her to hear the matter.
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One Udo Ibe from Abia State has approached a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, asking that it (the court) should, among others, compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognize the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as a political party under the 1999 constitution or the Electoral Act 2010 for any purpose stipulated under the said constitution or the electoral act.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has refused to stop the Babatunde Balogun led executive committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from participating in the National Convention of the party, slated for 
