Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai has dismissed as mere noise making the claims in a new audio by Abubakar Shekau, the Boko Haram leader, describing the audio as “another desperate move by the group to find relevance.”

He said that the group no longer has the capacity to hold any ground or plan co-ordinate attack on strategic locations or key public facilities.

“I think the new Boko Haram leader, in the latest audio is just trying to sound relevant; but as far as I am concerned, he is irrelevant in the scheme of things, he is irrelevant to me.

“Have you seen any of them coming out apart from the suicide bombings? You can see the number of terrorists that are escaping from their camps; he is just making noise to remain relevant.”

The Army chief who also reacted to Sunday’s bomb blast in Maiduguri, advised residents of the area to remain calm as measures were being taken to forestall recurrence.

He said that the bomb attack had provided clues of the remaining areas the insurgents were operating from in the state.

“Sunday’s bomb blast will be among those that will be the last, you can be counting them; it has opened up another window where we can now focus where these attacks are coming from.

“It will not be possible for them to penetrate other areas; for now we have knocked them off areas along from Yobe and some parts of Borno.

“Immediately this incident happened yesterday, I gave directive, and we will comb that area thoroughly to identify where they are operating from,” Buratai said. [myad]

The Police Command in Borno State has confirmed the killing of at least 54 persons in the Sunday night multiple explosions in Maiduguri, capital of Borno state.

The spokesman for the command, Mr Victor Isuku, said while speaking to newsmen in Maiduguri that the first explosion occurred at about 7.45 Pm on Sunday at Ajilari Cross Evening Market in Ngomari area of the city.

“At about 19.45 hours on Sunday, a female suicide bomber blew herself up in the busy market.”

Isuku said that another bomb was detonated inside a mosque while Muslim faithful were observing their evening prayers while a third explosion occurred when some suspected insurgents threw explosives into a viewing centre.

According to him, a total of 54 people died while 90 others suffered various degrees of injuries. [myad]

Unknown gunmen in the early hours of today, Monday kidnapped the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae in his farm at Akure, the Ondo State capital. Already, his captors have made contact with his family, demanding N100 million ransom.

Police source said the gunmen were in possession of ‎dangerous weapons, including charms and high calibre rifles. But a source said his kidnappers may be herdsmen who have always caused havoc in that area.
A family source, who earlier reported the news to the Police in a terse message, said family members were shocked by the incident.
“Baba has been kidnapped” the family member said in a message.
Falae is a high chief and one of the kingmakers in Akure. [myad]

The Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has declared that he will appear before the Code of Conduct Tribunal tomorrow, Tuesday 22 to demonstrate his respect for the rule of law, in spite of his personal reservation on the process of his trial and the purpose it may be intended to serve.
Saraki, on his Facebook Wall today, assured Nigerians of his absolute belief in the judicial process and is therefore confident that the course of justice would be served at the end of this matter.
The Senate President had earlier said that he is ready to submit himself to due process of the law on any issue concerning him, even as he believes that he has an inalienable right to resort to the same judiciary for protection when he feels his fundamental rights are about to be infringed upon.
He made it clear that he is a law abiding citizen, explaining again that his absence from tribunal last week was based on legal advice he received from his counsel, that it was not necessary for him to appear before the tribunal at this stage since the jurisdiction of the tribunal and the process of initiating the matter were being challenged before the federal High Court Abuja.
According to him, despite the adjournment for the determination of the motion on notice and the substantive suit before the Federal High Court to 30th of September and the appeal pending before the Court of Appeal adjourned to the 29th of September 2015, he has decided, as a law abiding citizen, to appear before the Tribunal in the interim.
Earlier today, the Court of Appeal has stopped the Police from implementing the warrant of arrest issued against Senator Saraki by the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

The Tribunal had on Friday issued the order for Saraki’s arrest for failing to honour its invitation.
The Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Danladi Umar, had directed the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, to effect the arrest of Saraki and produce him before the Tribunal on Monday (today).
As at Sunday, the police said it was yet to receive official communication from the Tribunal for Saraki’s arrest. [myad]