The Taraba State chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Rev. Peter Gambo has narrated how truck crushed to death, Rev. Ben Ubeh, who is the Taraba State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), along the Zing-Yola road today, Sunday.
Rev Gambo, who was traveling in the same car with the CAN chairman, said that the incident happened when they parked to buy some drugs, as he (Gambo) was not feeling well. It was at Zing town, on their way to Yola, Adamawa State capital.
“We parked to buy drugs and the CAN chairman came out and stood at the back of the vehicle (a Toyota Hilux van) we were traveling in when, suddenly, a truck came from behind and crushed him.
“I am still in shock over the incident; but I have come to terms with the fact that God knows best.”
Rev Gambo said that the state governor, Darius Ishaku, immediately sent a delegation to Zing to evacuate the corpse to Jalingo; and it has since been deposited in the morgue of the state specialist hospital.
Rev. Ubeh was elected CAN chairman for Taraba State in 2016 and is the General Overseer of Army of God Glorious Ministries.
The name Dino Melaye, or simply called, Dino, gained unparalleled and national attention when the man was in the House of Representatives. It is a name that became associated with brigandage, rascality and unimaginable notoriety.
Indeed, mischief could be said to be another word you could never dismiss each time the name is mentioned.
Of course, those who were with him in the Ahmed Bello University (ABU), Zaria where he was mainly regarded and treated as a “hired thug” knew the heights the man could go to achieve his objective. But most of his fellow students in the university thought they had seen the worst of the “hired thug” then.
It was therefore a great surprise to see their ex-student in the House of Representatives displaying the same pranks for which he was very notorious in the university. Their surprise knew no bounds when they further discovered that there was no letting up in his capacity for mischief. It was not difficult to spot Dino in a crowd, let alone in the House of Representatives. If he was not raising frivolous “point of order,” he was quarrelling with a colleague, or he was engaging in fisticuffs in the legislative chamber. And he had no scruples descending into the arena once things are not going in his way. He was a poster boy without shame!
No one gave him a chance to return to the House let alone being elevated to the upper legislative chamber. But, he joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) which gave him ticket to run for the Senate. And he ‘won’ against all odds. Perhaps, it was the APC bandwagon effect that enabled him to win.
Interestingly, Senator Dino Melaye representing Kogi West Senatorial District, has not changed his trademark spots. Instead, he has continued to grow in leaps and bounds, making him the “jester in chief” of the upper legislative chamber, with a predilection towards mischief of all sorts. His DNA remains constant as the Northern star.
Undoubtedly, President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki and the leadership of the Senate have found him very useful each time there is a proxy war to be fought. They simply deploy Dino as a hired goon to take on anyone, including Senators seeking to undermine principal officers of the upper chamber.
Our man could be said to have assumed a larger than life stature. Little did he know his nemesis was lurking in the corner.
Of course, there was no way Dino could have predicted or imagined that he would find his match in Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the Governor of Kogi State. Neither could he have thought that anyone, let alone a man he campaigned for and was the master of ceremonies at his inauguration, would end to be his albatross. But, Governor Bello has repeatedly outwitted the Kogi West Senator as far as supremacy battle is concerned. In fact, the relatively young Chief Executive may well preside over the political demise of our dear Dino unless reason prevails and the latter retraces his steps.
It is true that Senator Dino Melaye was one of those who backed Yahaya Bello after the sudden death of Alhaji Abubakar Audu for the governorship ticket of the APC in Kogi State. This support has interestingly made Dino to consider himself a benefactor of the governor. Unfortunately, the governor has rightly refused to submit to the leadership of the Senator, giving that the former is actually the leader of APC in Kogi apart from being the Chief Security Officer of the state. This has led to a game of wits between the two.
Although the governor has refused to admit his role in the recent travails of the Senator, it is obvious that he is the puppeteer behind the attempt to finally rubbish Dino’s political career. And there seems to be no end to the unfolding quagmire confronting our man, Dino.
One of the predicaments that Dino has to contend with is the attempt by the people of Kogi West Senatorial District, his constituents, to have him recalled from the National Assembly. Despite efforts by Dino to stop Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from triggering the recall process, he has not been able to do so.
In fact, the Court of Appeal has given the nod to INEC to commence the recall. Then there is the arraignment of Melaye for unlawful possession of arms and alleged kidnapping based on a ‘confession’ by suspects claimed to be members of his gang.
As political as the charges seem, it is difficult to see how the man can entirely be absolved for the said crimes especially with the unresolved case of the murder of one Mr. Victor Obafaiye, a principal witness for the Action Congress in the Kogi State Election Tribunal who was said to be in possession of documents that might have shown that Melaye tampered with election results but was murdered before he could appear in court to testify, according to a report.
By and large, it is obvious that Governor Bello has a bag of wits with which he has effectively curtailed Senator Dino Melaye’s machinations, especially as it concerns Kogi State.
Despite outright denials and sometimes mute response from the governor, it is clear that he is ahead of the plot to finally retire the loquacious Senator, unless party elders intervene early. Undoubtedly, Dino has finally met his match.
No one knows who will triumph in the end. But for now, the governor has the head start. It is almost impossible to see how the Senator could turn the tables around.
The cookie is on a roller coaster for Dino and no one seems interested to help.
*Shaibu, a Public Communication Consultant wrote from Abuja. [myad]
The Nigeria Police Force has threatened to declare the Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye and Alhaji Mohammed Audu wanted if they refuse to comply with court order.
Senator Melaye and Audu are expected to appear before the Federal High Court, Lokoja, on March 28 to answer criminal charges against them.
Force Spokesman, Jimoh Moshood in a statement said that the duo’s refusal to appear in court would force it to obtain warrant of arrest or declare them wanted throughout the country and on INTERPOL platform.
A political thug, Kabiru Saidu, a.k.a Osama, had confessed last week that Melaye handed over a bag containing one AK47 rifle, two pump action guns and the sum of N430,000.00 for him to share with his boys.
Moshood said that the indictment of both politicians has led the Force to invite them for questioning.
“Working on actionable intelligence, the Kogi State Police Command personnel and operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad trailed and arrested two suspects – Kabiru Saidu a.k.a Osama, 31, From Dekina local government area of Kogi State but based in Anyagba (Leader of the gang) and Nuhu Salisu a.k.a Small, 25, (a member of the gang), after a gun battle with the police team that lasted for some hours on the 19th January, 2018 at Ogojueje in Dekina LGA.
“During investigation, they confessed to the various criminal roles they played in the commission of several kidnappings and armed robbery, murder and other violent crimes in different parts of Kogi State for which they have been on the wanted list of the police for more than two years now.
“The gang leader Kabiru Saidu revealed that he and his gang had been working as a political thug for one Alhaji Mohammed Audu, a politician in the state and that Alhaji Mohammed Audu invited him to Abuja and introduced him to Senator Dino Melaye and they met on Airport Road, Abuja, inside the Senator Dino Melaye’s Car in December 2017.
“Saidu further confessed to the police investigative team that Senator Dino Melaye handed over a bag containing one AK47 rifle, two Pump Action guns and the sum of N430,000.00 to share with his boys.
“The police conducted investigation into the criminal indictments against Melaye and Mohammed Audu and discovered that the two of them have case to answer.” [myad]
“You must rise to protect yourselves from these people; if you depend on the Arm Forces to protect you, you will all die.”
This was the view of the former Nigerian Minister for Defence, Lt. General Theophirus Danjuma at the maiden Convocation ceremony of Taraba state university in Jalingo, Taraba state capital today, Saturday.
The elder states said that the unnecessary killings by herdsmen across the country are targeted as ethnic cleansing on the people of Taraba and Nigeria at large, advising the people to ‘rise and defend themselves against the killers.”
“This ethnic creasing must stop in Taraba, and it must stop in Nigeria. These killers have been protected by the military; they cover them and you must be watchful to guide and protect yourselves because you have no any other place to go.
“The ethnic cleansing must stop now otherwise Somalia will be a child’s play.
“I ask all of you to be on your alert and defend your country, defend your state.”[myad]
A 40- year-old Fausat Idowu, a divorcee and mother of four, has died in the arms of her lover, a 36-year-old man, Owolabi Musiliu at a hotel in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, where they had gone for sexual pleasure.
Musiliu, a mechanic at the Mechanic Village in the Camp Area of Abeokut, who was arrested by the Ogun State Police Command, told news men that it was the first time he and the deceased attempted to have sexual intercourse since they started dating about six months ago.
The mechanic said that they “were just removing their clothes, when the woman suddenly started running temperature and later slumped,” adding that it was when he was taking her to the hospital in his vehicle that he discovered that she had died.
Musiliu, a father of three, was paraded before the news men by the Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, Ahmed Iliyasu , who said that the suspect failed to report the incident either to the police or the family of the deceased.
The Commissioner of Police said that instead, the suspect buried the remains in a shallow grave at Osara village, close to the house of the deceased, off Abeokuta- Ibadan Expressway.
Ahmed Iliyasu said that the suspect led the police to the shallow grave in an uncompleted building when he was arrested.
When asked why he did not inform the police or the family of the deceased, the suspect said he was afraid, so he decided to hide the corpse and he later buried her at midnight, adding that the deceased ’s younger brother, Hammed Idowu , had on February 1 , 2018 reported to the police that the deceased had gone to attend a christening at Bode Olude Area but did not return home.
“On interrogation, the suspect admitted taking the deceased to a hotel at Iyana- Apakila, Abeokuta, for pleasure, where he claimed she fell ill. He said he took her in his vehicle but she died in the car mysteriously.
“He further confessed that he took the corpse to a nearby bush, dug a shallow grave and buried it without disclosing same to anybody.
“This made the circumstances of her death mysterious as well as questionable, which is condemnable. The suspect will soon be arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction.” [myad]
The Presidency has said that the leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) should cover their faces in shame for their abysmal past record of failures and stop raising false alarms in order to gain public sympathy.
The Presidency said that the leadershp of the opposition party should address the concerns raised about their role in the mass data harvesting at the heart of the Facebook and Cambridge Analytica scandal, following the revelation that they hacked into Candidate Muhammadu Buhari’s personal data in the run up to the 2015 general elections.
In a statement today, Saturday, by the senor special assistant to the Prsident on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said that the PDP has embarked undermining the country’s democracy with unfair practices.
“That is why President Nixon resigned to avoid impeachment when they hacked into the opposition, Democratic Party records, and this is why a Special Counsel is investigating the alleged Russian interference in the US presidential election, and if President Donald Trump’s campaign is complicit in the attempted subversion of democracy in that country.”
Garba Shehu said that PDP’s decision to drag the All Progressives Congress (APC) and INEC to the United Nations over alleged plan or plot to rig the 2019 general elections are not only laughable and puerile, but they also demonstrate the level of desperation that is haunting the opposition leaders.
He stressed that President Buhari is passionately committed to free and fair elections in the country, adding that for a man who joined forces with local and international observers to ensure a free and fair election which brought him to power in 2015, he would under no circumstances tolerate any attempt to derail constitutional democracy.
He recalled that the outcome of the gubernatorial elections in Edo, Ondo and Anambra States were clear examples of President Buhari’s commitment to free and fair elections in the country, advising Nigerians to be wary of PDP’s desperate propaganda.
“For the PDP to be preaching free and fair elections is like a street-walker preaching about chastity.
“We must recall that the PDP postponed the 2015 general elections in the guise of national security challenges because defeat was staring it starkly in the face. However, despite the delay tactics, it was resoundingly defeated when the polls finally held.
“The PDP has lost every moral ground and it is mortally afraid of facing the 2019 general elections because Nigerians will always remember their past and punish them one more time for economically plundering the country.
“The Cambridge Analytica hacking scandal committed against Candidate Buhari by the PDP in 2015 in which billions of Naira was paid out to the Israelis and others hackers has shown that the former ruling party lacks both the integrity and credibility to talk about election rigging.
“Instead of explaining their role in the scandal, the nation is greeted by stunning silence. Do they think this will simply blow away?
“Rigging is PDP’s main area of core competence and its party leaders are drowning men who won’t mind clutching at any straw for political survival.
“By dragging the United Nations into its political propaganda, the PDP is indirectly suggesting that it is afraid to face the voters in 2019.
“Rather than hiding behind allegations of a plot to rig the elections, the opposition party should work harder to win back the trust of voters instead of spreading false alarm to gain international sympathy.
“It is unfortunate that the PDP is desperately trying all dirty tricks, including the exploitation of tragedy, for political advantage.” [myad]
The Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, has written the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, alleging that police from Kogi State are out to abduct him, whisk him to the State capital where he would be arrested, detained and murder in detention while awaiting trial over what he called spurious charge.
In a five-page letter written by his counsel, Rickey Tarfa, Senator Melaye said that he will submit himself to the police on the condition that he is investigated by police officers from Abuja, and not Kogi.
“Our client told us that from information made available to him by his supporters, the intention was to abduct him and whisk him to Kogi State where he would be at the complete mercy of the governor and where plans had been perfected and were being implemented to frame him on spurious charges, arrest and detain him, and then murder him in prison while he is awaiting trial.
“It is worthy of note that our client has severally stated in the media that he is aware of this nefarious plan and the involvement of Kogi State Police Command in implementing the same. The sheer number of armed policemen and security personnel deployed from KogiState on 1st March 2018 to abduct our client from the FCT High Court premises gives credence to our client’s fears. Our client was however lucky not to be noticed by the policemen laying siege, as he left the court premises.
“Sir, as the chief law enforcement officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we urge that you intervene in the circumstances. It is obvious to our client that there is no plausible reason for him to believe that his personal safety is guaranteed in the hands of Kogi State Police Command.
“Sir, we urge for your urgent intervention in this matter. As we have stated, our client, convinced of his innocence is ready to submit himself for investigation and to answer any charge against his person but by police officers of whose neutrality he is confident in this matter, police officers from Abuja.
“Our client being a prominent serving senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chairman, Senate Committee on FCT, Chairman, Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Publicity and member of several other senate committees, will not and cannot run from justice, but balks at being delivered directly into the hands of people who have made public threats against his person.
“We anxiously await your intervention sir, to secure the life of our client, and to avoid any breakdown of law and order.” [myad]
President Muhammadu Buhari has narrated how he tasked all the appropriate security agencies to safely bring back Dapchi school girls who were abducted by Boko Haram insurgents on February 19 this year.
“We also reached out to our contacts at home and abroad. We embarked on back-channel shuttles with a clear view to bringing to an end this tragedy.
“We entered into negotiations solely to make sure that no single girl was hurt. This strategy paid off as the girls have been released without any incidents.”
The President spoke today, Friday, when he formally received 107 Dapchi students previously abducted by Boko Haram who he said were “unconditionally released by their abductors.”
Buhari said that he had never been in doubt about the focus and direction of his Administration since his assumption of office, saying that security, anti-corruption and revamping of the nation’s economy are the main focus of his government.
“You will recall that on 14th of this month, I paid a visit to Yobe State during which I sympathized with the parents, families, Government and people of the State for the tragic abduction of the students in Dapchi.
“I made a solemn pledge on my word of honour that this Administration would do everything possible to ensure the unconditional release of the girls.”
President Buhari use the opportunity to emphasize his Administration’s commitment to the fight against terrorism and insurgency, even as he called on all Nigerians to join in this task.
“The security services have since been directed to put in place further measures around all schools vulnerable to attacks to ensure the safety of our pupils/students and teachers and school workers.
“I have tasked all the security agencies to work to ensure that we do not witness any recurrence of these incidents. Security Chiefs have been warned in clear terms that any lapse on their part will be viewed seriously.
“To the rescued students, we want to reassure you as our daughters, that you will freely live and pursue your dreams in Nigeria of peace and order, without fear of violence or molestation.
“While parents of the Dapchi girls rejoice because of the reunion with their children, I want to appeal to the Chibok Community never to lose hope or to despair. We are determined as never before, to bring back our remaining Chibok daughters. And this, we must accomplish. And that will be soon by God’s grace.
“While further efforts are being made to secure the release of every abducted citizen in Nigeria, Government is ever ready to accept the unconditional laying down of arms by members of the Boko Haram group, who show strong commitment in this regard. We are ready to rehabilitate and integrate such repentant members into the larger society.
“This country has suffered enough of hostility. Government is, therefore, appealing to all to embrace peace for the overall development of our people and the country.”
The President warned politicians and other negative elements who have chosen to make political fortune of the citizens’ misfortune that his government would not tolerate any attempt by any person or group to trivialize or politicize security issues for politically motivated ends.
He said that security agencies would not hesitate to decisively deal with such unscrupulous characters even as he thanked all Nigerians, “who in spite of political differences, prayed and showed solidarity with families of the abducted students, during the period of the captivity.
“This, undoubtedly, is the Nigerian spirit. We can and should sustain it beyond moments of sorrow. I remain thankful to the International Community and our friends who offered varying degrees of assistance during the back-channel communications.”
The President also extended appreciation to the security agencies for their loyal and tireless efforts in making this day a reality. [myad]
Senator representing Anambra North, Stella Oduah has promised to partner with her colleagues in the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly to find ways of putting an end to abduction of school girls in the Northeast by Boko Haram insurgents.
“I look forward to consulting with my colleagues in the North East, Security Agencies and Civil Society towards proffering a legislative solution to the issue of School Safety.
“I intend to take this up with the women affairs and police committees so we can get to the root of the matter and bring back Leah as well as the Chibok schoolgirls who remain in captivity.”
In a statement today by her spokes person, reacting to the abduction and release of Dapchi school girls in Yobe state, the Senator stressed that she would push for a permanent legislative solution to the issue of school safety.
She expressed happiness that the girls have been released eve n as she also expressed concern over the none release of one of them, Leah Sharibu on account of her religious belief.
“I am gladdened to hear news of the return of over 100 schoolgirls abducted in Government Science and Technical College Dapchi, Yobe State.
“But I am also concerned about Leah Sharibu – one of the female students abducted in Dapchi who was reportedly left behind with the abductors on the account of her faith and religious beliefs. This leaves many questions hanging.
“Let us all remember the saying: “Until we are all free, we are none of us free.” [myad]
The Rivers East Senatorial District caucus of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has mounted pressure on the former State commissioner of education, sports and currently chairman of Rivers State Senior Schools Board, Chief Allwell Onyesoh to run for Senatorial seat in 2019.
The Caucus, at a meeting today, Friday, in Port Harcourt, the State Capital, insisted that Onyesoh is the right man for the job to the satisfaction of the stakeholders in the Senatorial District. The meeting, which was also attended by the various leaders from the eight local government areas that made up Rivers East senatorial district, said that the marginalization of Etche Ethnic Nationality in representing the senatorial Seat is too huge for them to continue to bear, adding that what they need is for someone from Etche to be given the opportunity to adequately represent the them.
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The Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, has written the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, alleging that police from Kogi State are out to abduct him, whisk him to the State capital where he would be arrested, detained and murder in detention while awaiting trial over what he called spurious charge.
Finally, Dino Melaye Meets His Nemesis, By Phrank Shaibu
The name Dino Melaye, or simply called, Dino, gained unparalleled and national attention when the man was in the House of Representatives. It is a name that became associated with brigandage, rascality and unimaginable notoriety.
Indeed, mischief could be said to be another word you could never dismiss each time the name is mentioned.
Of course, those who were with him in the Ahmed Bello University (ABU), Zaria where he was mainly regarded and treated as a “hired thug” knew the heights the man could go to achieve his objective. But most of his fellow students in the university thought they had seen the worst of the “hired thug” then.
It was therefore a great surprise to see their ex-student in the House of Representatives displaying the same pranks for which he was very notorious in the university. Their surprise knew no bounds when they further discovered that there was no letting up in his capacity for mischief. It was not difficult to spot Dino in a crowd, let alone in the House of Representatives. If he was not raising frivolous “point of order,” he was quarrelling with a colleague, or he was engaging in fisticuffs in the legislative chamber. And he had no scruples descending into the arena once things are not going in his way. He was a poster boy without shame!
No one gave him a chance to return to the House let alone being elevated to the upper legislative chamber. But, he joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) which gave him ticket to run for the Senate. And he ‘won’ against all odds. Perhaps, it was the APC bandwagon effect that enabled him to win.
Interestingly, Senator Dino Melaye representing Kogi West Senatorial District, has not changed his trademark spots. Instead, he has continued to grow in leaps and bounds, making him the “jester in chief” of the upper legislative chamber, with a predilection towards mischief of all sorts. His DNA remains constant as the Northern star.
Undoubtedly, President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki and the leadership of the Senate have found him very useful each time there is a proxy war to be fought. They simply deploy Dino as a hired goon to take on anyone, including Senators seeking to undermine principal officers of the upper chamber.
Our man could be said to have assumed a larger than life stature. Little did he know his nemesis was lurking in the corner.
Of course, there was no way Dino could have predicted or imagined that he would find his match in Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the Governor of Kogi State. Neither could he have thought that anyone, let alone a man he campaigned for and was the master of ceremonies at his inauguration, would end to be his albatross. But, Governor Bello has repeatedly outwitted the Kogi West Senator as far as supremacy battle is concerned. In fact, the relatively young Chief Executive may well preside over the political demise of our dear Dino unless reason prevails and the latter retraces his steps.
It is true that Senator Dino Melaye was one of those who backed Yahaya Bello after the sudden death of Alhaji Abubakar Audu for the governorship ticket of the APC in Kogi State. This support has interestingly made Dino to consider himself a benefactor of the governor. Unfortunately, the governor has rightly refused to submit to the leadership of the Senator, giving that the former is actually the leader of APC in Kogi apart from being the Chief Security Officer of the state. This has led to a game of wits between the two.
Although the governor has refused to admit his role in the recent travails of the Senator, it is obvious that he is the puppeteer behind the attempt to finally rubbish Dino’s political career. And there seems to be no end to the unfolding quagmire confronting our man, Dino.
One of the predicaments that Dino has to contend with is the attempt by the people of Kogi West Senatorial District, his constituents, to have him recalled from the National Assembly. Despite efforts by Dino to stop Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from triggering the recall process, he has not been able to do so.
In fact, the Court of Appeal has given the nod to INEC to commence the recall. Then there is the arraignment of Melaye for unlawful possession of arms and alleged kidnapping based on a ‘confession’ by suspects claimed to be members of his gang.
As political as the charges seem, it is difficult to see how the man can entirely be absolved for the said crimes especially with the unresolved case of the murder of one Mr. Victor Obafaiye, a principal witness for the Action Congress in the Kogi State Election Tribunal who was said to be in possession of documents that might have shown that Melaye tampered with election results but was murdered before he could appear in court to testify, according to a report.
By and large, it is obvious that Governor Bello has a bag of wits with which he has effectively curtailed Senator Dino Melaye’s machinations, especially as it concerns Kogi State.
Despite outright denials and sometimes mute response from the governor, it is clear that he is ahead of the plot to finally retire the loquacious Senator, unless party elders intervene early. Undoubtedly, Dino has finally met his match.
No one knows who will triumph in the end. But for now, the governor has the head start. It is almost impossible to see how the Senator could turn the tables around.
The cookie is on a roller coaster for Dino and no one seems interested to help.
*Shaibu, a Public Communication Consultant wrote from Abuja. [myad]