Nnamdi Kanu Yet To Decide Whether To Come To Nigeria For Mother’s Burial – IPOB Spokesman

November 9, 2019

It has been confirmed that the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), is yet to decide whether or not to return to Nigeria to bury his mother who died recently.
A statement today, November 8 the IPOB’s media and publicity director, Emma Powerful, said: “our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is yet to make his intentions public regarding his proposed visit.
“If and when that happens, they should be rest assured that no permission would be sought from the Aso Rock cabal that rule Nigeria or anybody else for that matter.”

14 ISWAP, 2 Boko Haram Members Surrender In Borno

Editorial staff

November 9, 2019

File photo of The repentant Boko Haram members | Credit: ChannelsTv

No fewer than sixteen Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorist have surrendered to troops of the Nigerian Army in Borno State.
In a statement today, November 8, Deputy Director of the Army Public Relations, Col Aminu Iliyasu, said that several Boko Haram logistics suppliers and informants were also arrested by the troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE in Borno State.
Iliyasu said: “On 1st November, 2019 for instance, 16 insurgents and 8 of their spouses surrendered to the troops of Sector 1, Multinational Joint Task Force at Fotokol.
“The surrendered insurgents were later handed over to troops of 3 Battalion (Main) at Gamboru Ngala, a border town NE of Borno State.
“During preliminary interrogation and profiling, they confessed to have actively participated in attacks conducted against both military and civilian targets at various times.
He gave the names of the 14 members of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) who surrendered as Ibrahim Bunu, Abba Sale, Baba Lamba Alhaji, Bukar Isa, Bukar Ali, Rawa Abba Gana, Mustapha Abatcha, Umar Abubakar, Hassan Bukar, Malam Abatcha Ali, Abba Umar Abatcha, Hussaini Babagana, Idris Mohammed and Umar Abba Bayoma while Hassan Kawu and Babagana Bukar Adijabe belonged to Boko Haram (Abubakar Shekau Faction).
The army spokesman said that the surrendered insurgents expressed regrets over their participation in the heinous crimes committed against humanity. Adding that they called on their former colleagues to retrace their steps and also surrender to troops before it is too late.
“In another development, troops deployed at Gajigana in Magumeri LGA of Borno State intercepted some Boko Haram criminals in the early hours of Tuesday 5th November 2019.
“It is believed that the insurgents were on their way to attack the community to source for food items and other logistics for their survival.
“However, the vigilant troops blocked and neutralised 3 of the Boko Haram criminals while several others escaped with varying degrees of gunshot wounds. Unfortunately, one soldier paid the supreme price while 2 others were wounded in action. The wounded soldiers are currently responding to treatment in a military medical facility.
“The troops also captured 2 AK 47 Rifles, one Rocket Propelled Gun 7 (RPG 7), 5 AK 47 magazines, 47 Rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition and some quantities of hard drugs during exploitation.
“Also, another Boko Haram criminal met his waterloo on 4th November 2019 while attempting to cross into the Sambisa Forest at Bama – Banki Road Junction when own troops sighted and neutralized him.
“Similarly, troops of 195 Battalion, while on clearance patrol along Gubio Road on 4th November 2019 recovered a kit bag containing 480 Rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition suspected to have been abandoned by escaping terrorists. In another encounter with the Boko Haram criminals on 6 November 2019 at Muchima in Damboa LGA of Borno State, 9 Boko Haram insurgents were neutralized by troops while others escaped with gunshot wounds.
“Additionally, one insurgent Gun Truck was destroyed, 4 AK 47 Rifles and a cache of ammunition were recovered. Similarly, troops of Sector 2 deployed at Damaturu, Yobe State dealt a decisive blow to the insurgents’ attempt to infiltrate the town on 7 November 2019.
“The attempted infiltration was thwarted by the combined efforts of ground troops, artillery bombardment and precision air strikes by the Air Task Force of Operation LAFIYA DOLE. The encounter led to the decimation of a number of the insurgents in addition to the destruction of one Boko Haram Gun Truck. Unfortunately, one Officer paid the supreme price during the encounter.
“Furthermore, during their exploitation, troops discovered and safely detonated 2 Unexploded Ordnance materials planted by the insurgents as well as the charred remains of some of the terrorists that were hurriedly buried by the criminal insurgents while withdrawing in disarray following the superior firepower of our troops.“

Presidency Confirms Mass Staff Purge, Says No Rift Between Buhari, Osinbajo

Editorial staff

November 8, 2019

The Presidency has confirmed that there is a mass staff purge ongoing as a way of cutting down cost of running the government, even as it waved off media reports of misunderstanding between President Muhammadu Buhari and his Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.

In a statement today, November 8, Senior special assistant to the President on media and publicity , Malam Garba Shehu confirmed that there is an on-going “unprecedented overhaul of the nation’s seat of government, arising from which a number of political appointments have either been revoked or not renewed in the Second Term.”

Garba Shehu said that the exercise, which has been ordered by the President, is to streamline decision-making, cut down multiple authorities and reduce the cost of administration.
He said that the exercise is also an appropriate response to the general perception that the Presidency has an oversized and bloated workforce which acts as a drag on efficiency.
“As may have been noticed by discerning members of the public, a number of political appointees among the few that served in the office of the President were not returned for the Second Term.

“The office of the Vice President, His Excellency Yemi Osinbajo has, in compliance with the directive of the President, equally been shed of a number of such appointees.
“In carrying out these exercises, the overriding objective is to save taxpayer money and deliver needed service to the public. As far as the President is concerned, there is no scope for an excuse for administration after getting a huge mandate to run the country for four more years.

“In the light of this, the Presidency wishes to strongly deny rumours of a rift between President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. The relationship between the two leaders remains excellent and trusting. Together, they will script a glorious future for the nation.

“The media reports of a soured relationship are originating from the minds and mouths of mischief makers, who are desperate for entertaining stories from the Aso Rock Villa with which to titillate the public. This ulterior motive is the basis of the wrong interpretation given to the recent exercise in the Presidency.
“There has been a streamlining of staff going on for a while. The President has always had fewer staff than the Vice President, and there were always plans to reduce the number of staff at the Villa.

“The streamlining was not personal or targeted to undermine the Vice President’s office, as the so-called insider sources quoted by the media appear to make it seem.

“The President is in absolute control of his government. The media should stop attributing non-existent powers to some people. There cannot be anyone too powerful for President Buhari to control.”

Executive Corruption: Court Orders Donald Trump To Pay $2 Million Over Charitable Foundation ‘Misuse’

Editorial staff

November 7, 2019

New York judge, Saliann Scarpulla has ordered President Donald Trump to pay two million US dollars to settle a lawsuit alleging he misused his charitable foundation to further his political and business interests.
The judge also signed off an agreement to close the Trump Foundation and distribute about 1.7 million US dollars in remaining funds to other nonprofit groups.
A request for comment was emailed to Mr Trump’s lawyer.
New York’s attorney general had filed a lawsuit last year alleging Mr Trump and his family illegally operated the foundation as an extension of his businesses and his presidential campaign. The attorney general, Letitia James, sought about 2.8 million US dollars in restitution from the president.
Ms Scarpulla later reduced the amount to two million US dollars.

Sports Minister Sacks Athletic Federation Boss

Editorial staff

November 7, 2019

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has sacked the technical director of Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Sunday Adeleye.
The special assistant to the Minister, Kola Daniel, said in a statement today, November 7 that Dare also ordered the recall of AFN Secretary General, Elijah Ademu, to the ministry, while a new secretary would be announced in due course.
“Adeleye’s removal followed the report of the Advisory Committee on the Poor Performance of Team Nigeria at the IAAF World Athletics Championships, Doha – Qatar 2019.
“A letter from the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development to AFN President, Shehu Gusau, directed him to inform Adeleye of his sack.
“Consequent on the recommendation of the Advisory Committee, I am further directed to convey the directive of the Honourable Minister for the immediate removal from office of Adeleye as Technical Director of the AFN.
“This is on the account of ascertained gross misconduct. Accordingly, you are directed to convey to Adeleye in writing this directive and evidence of compliance delivered to the honourable minister.”
The statement said that the Advisory Committee had in its report indicted Adeleye in varying degrees in the handling of the Federation’s affairs in Doha.
Source: NAN

APC Chairman Accuses Bayelsa Gov Of Over Inflating Airport Project

Editorial staff

November 7, 2019

The National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has accused Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson of over Inflating the N100 billion expended on the construction of the state airport runway project.

Oshiomhole, who described the project as most expensive in anywhere in the world, spoke today, November 7 when APC governorship aspirant in Bayelsa, Heineken Lokpobiri, paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.
“That contract, I put it to my dear friend and brother, Dickson, that it has entered Guiness Book as the most expensive runway ever built anywhere in the world.
“Even the one they built from the river, from the sea, it didn’t cause of half of that. So, it is an endless project. He shouldn’t throw blame.”
The ruling party’s chairman insisted that the construction of runway is an endless project, even as he advised the governor to stop accusing the Federal Government of not granting license to the airport to operate.
“You know the fact that Bayelsa airport has been flooded. Is it President Muhammadu Buhari that flooded the airport?
”Because the runway is below the ground level, they ought to have carried out proper survey. So, the runway is flooded with water because it was not built properly.
“Now, if President Buhari was to stop it, what stopped Gov. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa by himself?
“We challenge Dickson to use his own plane to test-run and land on that airport.
”We challenge Dickson to prove that when the airport was flooded, that the flood was caused by Buhari.”

Okorocha Wins At Appeal Court,Says He Forgives Who Sabotaged His Election

Editorial staff

November 7, 2019

The Court of Appeal in Owerri, Imo State has affirmed the election of the immediate past Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha as the senator, representing Imo West, even as he said that he had forgiven those who Sabotaged and blackmailed his electoral victory on February 23.
Okorocha, who contested the election on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, called fellow Senators, Osita Izunaso and Jones Onyereri of the Peoples Democratic Party to join him to deliver the dividends of democracy to Imo West people.
In a statement he issued today, November 7, Okorocha said that his victory at the Appeal Court is for his two brothers, Hon Jones Onyeriri and Senator Osita Izunaso, candidates of PDP and APGA respectively, in the Imo West Senatorial District election, who had challenged his victory up to the Appeal Court.
Senator Okorocha said that his Appeal Court victory is equally for the good people of Imo West Senatorial District and indeed, Imo people in general, who he said, have remained supportive irrespective of their political affiliations.
He said that the Appeal Court judgement has also added fibre to the nation’s democracy, because it was able to detach blackmail from the home truth.
Barely one month after the National Assembly Election Tribunal had authenticated the election victory of the distinguished senator, the Appeal Court on Thursday, November 7, 2019 (today) also upheld the judgement of the tribunal in favour of the former governor.
Okorocha described the judiciary as a blessing to the nation’s democracy and said that he would remain thankful to the judiciary for playing a leading role in deepening the nation’s democracy and its ethos.
The former governor assured that he would continue to use God-given positions to serve God and humanity.

Court FaultscINEC, Clears Natasha Akpoti, SDP Candidate, To Contest Nov 16 Kogi Guber Poll

Editorial staff

November 7, 2019

Abuja division of the Federal High Court has cleared the coast for the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Natasha Akpoti to participate in the November 16 governorship election in Kogi State after holding that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) lacks the constitutional powers to disqualify her from contesting the election.
In her judgment today, November 7, Justice Ogunbiyi-Giwa held that INEC has no power to disqualify any candidate for an election as it is the exclusive preserve of a competent court of law.
She relied on the provisions of sections 31(1) and 83 of the Electoral Act which says that INEC cannot disqualify or reject candidate nominated by a political party for an election is aimed at ensuring that it does not lie within the executive realm of INEC to determine who participates in an election, adding that the intention of the law is to make INEC a truly unbiased umpire.
She, therefore, ordered the electoral body to include her name and that of her running mate, Adams Khalid on the ballot paper for the November 16 polls.
The judge further granted reliefs 1-7 of the plaintiffs and ordered INEC to include the names of the governorship and deputy governorship candidate of the SDP as well and the party’s logo on the ballot in the November 16 governorship polls in Kogi State.
Akpoti, his deputy, Adams Khalid, and the SDP had approached the court to challenge their exclusion from the 2019 Kogi State governorship election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The commission had refused to accept the candidature of Khalid in replacement of the earlier nominated deputy governor, Mohammed Yakubu, on the grounds that Yakubu was not qualified in the first place to be fielded as a deputy governorship candidate in the election on account of his age.
But in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1129/2019 and filed on October 3 by their lawyer, Ola Olanipekun SAN, the plaintiffs sought a declaration of the court that INEC’s declaration vide a letter with reference number: LEG/PP/23/T/107 that the nomination of Mohammed Yakubu as the deputy governor of the SDP in the November 16 gubernatorial election was “invalid” on the grounds of qualification was ultra vires and therefore null and void.

Presidency Apologizes To Journalist Assaulted By Security Aide

Editorial staff

November 7, 2019

The Presidency has apologized to the photo journalist, Abayomi Adesida who was physically assaulted today, November 7 by security aide attached to the office of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

On his twitter handle today, Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on media and publicity, Laolu Akande wrote “the needless scuffle btw a villa accredited photographer, Mr. Adeshida & one of our security aides earlier today has since been resolved. Incident is regretted & I have apologized to him for any embarrassment caused.”

Presidency’s Security Details Go Berserk, Physically Attack Journalist

Greenbarge Reporters

November 7, 2019

Security aides attached to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo went berserk today, November 7, physically attacking a photojournalist with the Vanguard Newspapers, attached to the Aso Rock Villa, Mr. Abayomi Adeshida.

The incident took place at the State House Banquet Hall, Abuja during the opening session of the Nigeria Diaspora Investment Summit organised by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission NiDCOM, chaired by Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

Narrating his experience to journalists, Adeshida said he was taking photograph of the Vice President taking a tour of the exhibition stands at the event, when five personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS) suddenly pounced on him as Osinbajo was being presented a copy of magazine as souvenir at a particular stand.

Adeshida said he was not told his supposed infraction as he was not in any way obstructing the event or doing anything out of the ordinary before the security details started hitting him, dragged him over the floor and damaged his professional camera, right in the presence of the Vice President.

“I was shocked when these DSS started beating me for no apparent reason. They tore off my Presidential Villa accreditation tag on the shirt and dragged me on the floor while hitting me and kicking me.

“I believe they would have done much worse if not for the intervention of the Vice-President’s Aide-de-Camp (ADC), who I noticed was making hand movements for them to leave me alone.

“I am feeling pains all over my body and a particular sever pain on my right leg on which I don’t even know what they hit me with”, the Adeshida before he headed for the hospital for treatment.

No other aides of the Vice-President made efforts to stop the humiliation of the journalist in the presence of Osibanjo, who may have been embarrassed by the situation.

The incident happened a day after 35 aides of the Vice-President wer bye reported sacked on the orders of President Muhammadu Buhari, who is away on a private visit to the United Kingdom.

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