Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, has released a new video saying the government’s claim that the sect would be defeated in three months is not possible and that his members were not in disarray as the Nigeria military have been saying.
In a 25-minute recording in Hausa and Arabic, Shekau said:“They lied that they have confiscated our arms, that we have been chased out of our territories, that we are in disarray’.
‘’We are alive, I am alive, this is my voice, more audible than it was before. This is Shekau. Buhari is a liar and has deceived you. The army spokesman is also lying. He and his footsoldiers always run helter-skelter whenever we come face to face with them…’’
“Buhari, you once claimed that you will crush us in three months. How can you crush us?” he asked.
While affirming his loyalty to the Islamic State, Shekau stated that he was ‘’loyal and subservient’ to the group’s leader, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi. [myad]
The Matriarch of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief (Mrs) Hannah Idowu Dideolu, popularly called H. I. D, is dead. She died today just a few weeks to her 100th birthday. This is even as President Muhammadu Buhari condoled with the children, grand children and great grand children of the woman whose husband, Chief Awo, described as “Jewel of Inestimable Value.” Reports had it that she died shortly after a meeting with her family members today and that she has been part of the meeting for the planning of her 100th birthday. Mrs. HID Awolowo was born in Ikenne, Ogun State on November 25, 1915, and was the grand mother to Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo, the wife of Nigeria’s Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo. She celebrated her 99th birthday on November 25, 2014 amidst pomp and glee with ex-president Goodluck Jonathan in attendance. A successful businesswoman and astute politician, she was the First Lady of the old Western Region. She played an active role in the politics of Western Nigeria. She stood in for her husband in the alliance formed between the NCNC and the AG, called the United Progressive Grand Alliance (UPGA), while he was tried and jailed. The plans were that she would contest the elections, and if she won, would step down for her husband in a by-election. To fulfil his dream of becoming president in the Second Republic, she toured the length and breadth of the country with her husband campaigning. She also coordinated the women’s wing of the party and was always present at all party caucuses. A successful businesswoman, she became the first Nigerian distributor for the Nigerian Tobacco Company (NTC) in 1957. She was the first to import lace materials and other textiles into Nigeria.
In a condolence message, President Buhari said that Chief (Mrs.) Awolowo will be long remembered and celebrated as the famous spouse and pillar of strength of the late nationalist, political leader and sage. President Buhari believes that Chief (Mrs.) Awolowo will always be honoured too for the indelible legacy of very significant, behind-the-scene contributions to communal, state, regional and national development which she has left behind. The President prayed to God to comfort Chief (Mrs.) Awolowo’s family, relatives, friends, associates and admirers, and grant them the fortitude to bear her irreparable loss. He also prayed that God will receive the late matriarch’s worthy soul and grant her eternal rest from her long, earthly service to her renowned spouse, family, community and country. [myad]
President Muhammadu Buhari has commended former President Olusegun Obasanjo for what he called the laudable role he played in the resolution of the recent political crisis that left Guinea-Bissau without a government for 37 days. He also commended President Jose Mario Vaz and the people of Guinea-Bissau for the peaceful resolution of the crisis. Obasanjo was President Buhari’s Special Envoy and was also adopted by ECOWAS as the regional body’s Special Envoy on the political dispute in Guinea-Bissau. A statement by special adviser to the President on media and publicity, Femi Adesina quoted Buhari as thanking Obasanjo for a job well done and commended the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government for its steadfast commitment to peace, security and progress in Guinea-Bissau and the entire West African region. President Buhari praised President Jose Mario Vaz for accepting the solution to the recent political crisis, proffered by Chief Obasanjo and congratulated Mr. Carlos Correia on his emergence as the new Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau. He urged President Vaz and Prime Minister Correia to work together harmoniously to move the country forward as envisaged by authors of the Guinea-Bissau constitution that split the executive arm of government into the Presidency and the Premiership. President Buhari implored all stakeholders in the development and progress of Guinea-Bissau to desist from any further actions that can jeopardize the stability of the country and its democratic future. [myad]
The Nigeria Police has given assurance that its officers would arrest the Senate President as directed by the law before Monday to face charges of corruption and false declaration of assets.
The Public Relation Officer of the Nigeria Police Force, Mrs. Olabisi Kolawole, said in an interview that the Police will arrest and produce the Senate President in court on Monday.
“We are going to promptly arrest the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and produce him before the Code of Conduct Tribunal on Monday. Since it is a bench warrant issued by a competent court, the order will be carried out without delay. We don’t want to pre-empt anything.”
The Code of Conduct Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, on Friday, issued a bench warrant for Bukola Saraki’s arrest, for failing to appear in court over his ongoing trial for alleged false declaration of his assets.
Prior to the issuance of the arrest warrant by the CCT, Saraki had approached a High Court which gave ruling faulting the process of his planned arraignment at the of Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). [myad]
Governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, Prince Abubakar Audu has described the Senator representing Kogi Central, Alhaji Mohammed Salami Ohiare as having outlived his political usefulness.
According to Prince Audu, Senator Ohiare has no reason to complain, along with other politicians, about the choice of Honourable James Abiodun Faleke as his running mates in the November governorship election under the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC).
Reacting to Ohiare’s earlier statement condemning him, Prince Audu’s media aide, Suleiman Abdulmalik said the accusations by Senator Ohiare and his group are baseless and lacked substance.
He said that politician like Senator Ohiare has outlived his usefulness in the state politics, adding that majority of the defeated aspirants are working tireless for the success of the party whereas some of them were blinded by their naked ambition.
“So they should leave Audu out of their political predicament.”
The statement said that politics is all about dialogue and consultation and that, Prince Audu’s door is wide open to all stakeholders in the state in the interest of the party.
On the defection of Alhaji Yahaya Bello to Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Audu said that such move would not affect the chances of APC.
“Politics is all about grass root and that is where Prince Audu’s strength lies, Bello is just a rabble rouser seeking for attention, Audu defeated him in primary and he will still defeat him again at the general election” he said. [myad]
Dubai has announced the death of a 33-year old Prince, Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Sheikh Rashid is the son of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
He died in morning of today, Saturday, of heart attack.
Meanwhile, the Court of the Ruler of Dubai has declared three days of mourning in Dubai from today during which flags will be at half-mast at government departments and institutions.
State news agency, Wam, reports that President Sheikh Khalifa expressed his heartfelt condolences and solace to Sheikh Mohammed.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, also mourned the death of Sheikh Rashid and expressed condolences to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and Al Maktoum family.
Prayers were scheduled for the evening of today after which the remains of the deceased will be buried in Umm Harir cemetery in Bur Dubai. [myad]
Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose has asked people living in structures constructed on waterways and river banks to vacate them immediately to prevent loss of lives and properties that may arise from flooding.
The Governor, who gave the directive when he visited some flooded areas in Ikere-Ekiti warned that his government would not hesitate to resort to pulling down any structure that is obstructing the free flow of water.
The governor, who was accompanied on the assessment visit by state officials including the Commissioner for Environment, Chief Bisi Kolawole, expressed displeasure with the attitude of some residents to environmental issues.
He said that despite the proactive steps taken by the government by dredging rivers, streams and water ways across major towns early this year, some people still deliberately blocked drains with refuse.
“We have spent so much money this year on the dredging of rivers and streams in major towns in the state. In fact, we covered about 50 kilometres before the heavy rains set in.
“But unfortunately, some people are still recalcitrant and would not stop dumping refuse in unauthorised places. That must stop. We are playing our own role as a government and the people must also play their roles.
“We are concerned about the development of our state and the welfare of our people. Those living close to river banks should evacuate immediately. We cannot continue to sustain disobedience in the land.
“All houses and structures on water ways will be removed. You have to save your own lives and we won’t fold our arms and allow lives and properties be lost needlessly.”
The governor appealed to the people to cooperate with the government for it to help them. [myad]
A group identified as the Northern Ethnic Nationalities Unity Congress (NENUC) has called on the embattled Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki to resign honourably in view of the heavy evidence of corruption that has been made against him.
The group which made the call yesterday insisted that Saraki should resign before he further drags the image and reputation of the office of the Senate President which he presently occupies into the mud.
The convener of the group, Bako Benjamin, said, when he spoke to newsmen, that it is disgusting that the Senate President would rather be seeking court’s protection than going before the anti-graft agency to clear his name of the charges.
“Let the Senate President come to equity with clean hands. Let him defend himself against all the charges levelled against him in the spirit of the new wind of change blowing across the country.”
Benjamin maintained that the anti-corruption war spearheaded by the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration would be futile if people like the Senate President continue to seek protection from the law courts rather than presenting themselves for the acid test.
He said that the recourse to the court itself is an admission of guilt, saying: “Seeking protection from the law courts is sending a strong signal that he (Saraki) has something to hide.”
The group, he said, has therefore given the Senate President a three-day ultimatum to honourably resign to prevent impeachment proceedings against him for his eventual removal from the exalted office.
NENUC insisted that Saraki’s continued stay in office is “capable of sending wrong signals to the international community and pose a huge question mark on President Buhari’s commitment to ridding the nation of corruption.”
The Convener said that his group will mobilize other well-meaning Nigerians to march on the National Assembly in protest, should the Senate President refuse to honourably resign from office within reasonable time.
It will be recalled that the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) had secured a bench warrant for the arrest of the embattled Senate President by the CCB Tribunal over allegations of false declaration of assets dating back to 2003. [myad]
The Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sadique Abubakar has warned the Boko Haram insurgents to surrender or face death from the combined forces of the nation’s military might.
“My message to the insurgents is simple; it is either they give up their insurgency or they are going to face the force.
“We are putting together everything in place and we hope that they will keep to this advice and surrender their arms.”
Abubakar who spoke today while addressing newsmen at the end of 2015 Annual 10-kilometer Walk/Jog exercise organised by the Admin Branch of the Nigerian Air Force, in Abuja, asked the remaining members of Boko Haram to surrender so as to bring war to an end, saying: “if not, the consequences will be terribly unbearable.”
He said that the Nigerian Air Force is working closely with all the forces to achieve the deadline to end insurgency in the North-East, adding: “the deadline has been set and we are going to achieve that deadline.
“It is not only an Air Force war; it is a war that is jointly fought by all the forces.
“Our responsibility is to make it easy for the surface forces to move around to conduct their operation without any hindrance and that is exactly what we have been doing.
“It is a very coordinated operation between the air elements and the land elements and that is why we are beginning to see the result of that coordination.”
The chief of air staff said that the significance of the exercise was to keep the minds and body of officers and men fit and ready to combat insurgency.
“In trying times such as now, you need not only a sound mind but you also need a very sound body.
“Certainly, somebody that has weak body is not likely to do well in the battle, so it is an opportunity for us to remind ourselves that we have very trying times.
“We have challenges and responsibilities as members of the Nigerian Air Force and you cannot do that with only a sound mind, you need a sound body as well.
“We are likely going to introduce additional exercise that will keep our men in good shape so that they are able to discharge their constitutional responsibilities without any difficulties.” [myad]
No fewer than 551 victims of flood in Jigawa State have taken part in the large heartedness of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) with N7.48 million disbursed to them.
According to the Executive Secretary of the agency, Alhaji Yusif Sani, when he spoke to newsmen in Dutse, the state capital today,the financial assistance has been rendered to those whose houses or farmlands were destroyed by the flood in six local government areas of the state.
He listed the affected local government areas as Birnin Kudu, Dutse, Gwiwa, Guri, Ringim and Kazaure.
The executive secretary said that the assistance was given to 54 victims from Babaldu village in Birnin Kudu Local Government Area; 93 from Warwade in Dutse Local Government Area; and 36 from Malamawa village in Gwiwa Local Government Area.
Others were, 249 victims from Musari village in Guri Local Government Area; 25 from Dabi, 33 from Dubun and 19 from Almajirawa, all in Ringim Local Government Area; and 42 from Katogi in Kazaure Local Government Area.
According to him, each of the beneficiaries was given 30 per cent of what he lost, depending on the number of farms, rooms or property destroyed by the flood.
He said the assistance was provided by the state government to alleviate the hardships the victims encountered.
The SEMA boss said the agency had set up committees in its seven zonal offices to assess the level of damage caused by flood in all the 27 local government areas of the state.
He said available statistics in the agency showed that over 35,000 houses and 23,000 farmlands were destroyed by flood across the state. [myad]
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