The Senior Pastor of Daystar Christian Centre, Sam Adeyemi, singer Davido and Burna Boy have been dragged to court over their involvement in the End SARS protests. Also dragged before the Federal Capital High High Court is Aisha Yesufu, Deji Adeyanju, Folarin Falana also known as Falz, Yemi Alade, Tuface, Tiwa Savage, among others. An activist, Kenechukwu Okeke, instituted a suit against the 50 people behind the End SARS protests. The activist said between October 28 and October 30, 2020, the defendants used their Twitter accounts to conspire amongst themselves to “commit misdemeanour, to wit promoting or acting in such…
Author: Emmanuel Anthony
Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has reacted to the exit of Mahmood Yakubu as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Five other national commissioners also bowed out. Yakubu on Monday handed over to Ahmed Mu’azu, a national commissioner of the commission. He will assume office in an acting capacity. The retired Air Vice Marshal was in charge of INEC electoral logistics committee. Mu’azu will be in the position pending the confirmation of Yakubu or otherwise. IPAC, in a statement, said the “timely and well organised peaceful temporary transfer of power” was a sign that Yakubu is a democrat. The body urged…
The Arewa Youths Consultative Forum (AYCF) on Monday said the victory of Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election in the United States would have a positive impact on Nigeria. National President of AYCF, Yerima Shettima, said Biden’s victory would strengthen Nigeria’s democracy with other parts of the world. Shettima, who disclosed this in a chat with newsmen recalled how Biden, a former US Vice President and his principal, Barack Obama played major roles in the emergence of Buhari’s government. According to the AYCF National President: “Biden’s victory is going to have a positive impact on Nigeria because when he…
An Abuja-based lawyer, Nkem Okoro has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, seeking the investigation of the coordinator of a group championing the Igbo presidency project, Rev. Okechukwu Obioha. It was gathered that the petition against Okechukwu is at the instance of Obiezu Nwachukwu, also from South-east of Nigeria, and other members of a group, Youths For Better Nigeria, a non-governmental organization focused on transparency, accountability and unity of Nigeria. They told the IGP that Okechukwu was allegedly using the Igbo presidency project to extort money from unsuspecting members of the society using a cooperative society, South-East For President…
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday met with President Muhammadu Buhari. During the meeting, the governor presented a report on properties damaged by hoodlums in Lagos.“President @MBuhari this afternoon met with Governor @jidesanwoolu of Lagos. The Governor presented a report on the extent of the destruction suffered by Lagos State in the aftermath of the ENDSARS protests. #AsoVillaToday,” Presidency Nigeria tweeted. Meanwhile, global rights organisation, Amnesty International, has said its workers’ lives are in danger in Nigeria. The organisation alleged that the lives of his employees were in danger following its reports of the Lekki shootings of October 20, 2020.Amnesty, in…
President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday appealed to Nigerians to bear with the government adding that those who have not felt the impact of his government should bear with him. He made the appeal in Ilorin, Kwara State at a town hall meeting with the traditional rulers, youths, students, organised labour, market women and other stakeholders on the End SARS protest and its aftermath. Represented by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, the President said his administration has the interest of the youths and the people in general at heart and has been doing a lot to touch their…
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday called on traditional rulers to support his administration in addressing the demands of Nigerian youths. Buhari made the call during his meeting with a delegation of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria led by the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji (Dr) Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The President told the royal fathers that “we have heard the loud cries of our youth and children, and we are attending to their concerns.” A statement by Buhari’s spokesman, Femi Adesina quoted the president as saying: “To succeed in all of…
A new international study has revealed that more Nigerians have become extremely poor. According to data released by World Poverty Check, more than 105 million Nigerians are extremely poor. In September 2020, a total of 40.1 per cent of Nigerians lived in extreme poverty. This number has drastically changed, however, in less than two months. Information from the data seen on Thursday reveals the adverse impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on living conditions in the country. Nigeria has a total population of 205,323,520 people – of that number, 105,097,856 representing 51 per cent of the county live below the poverty…
A former deputy governor of Kogi state, Simon Achuba has won at the National Industrial Court. The court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Kogi State Government to pay former deputy governor Simon Achuba the sum of N180 million as outstanding security votes due to him from April 2018 to August 2019. Recall that Mr Achuba had earlier dragged the state government to court over alleged illegal impeachment from office in October 2019 and the withholding of his allowances, amounted to unfair labour practice. Delivering judgement on Wednesday, Justice Oyebiola Oyewunmi, said the amount is to be paid to Mr…
A young Nigerian man, Oye Owolewa, has been elected into the United States’ House of Representatives. Owolewa also confirmed the news on his Facebook page. Owolewa from Kwara State who holds a doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Pharmacy from the North-Eastern University, Boston, contested on the platform of the Democratic Party as a ‘shadow’ (non-voting) House of Representative member out of the District of Columbia (DC). He polled 164, 026 (81.56 percent) of the votes to beat his rivals Sohaer Rizvi Syed (15,372) and Joyce Robinson-Paul (18,600). The 31-year-old politician is the first Nigerian congressman in the country’s history.…
The Oyo State House of Assembly on Tuesday suspended Chairmen of 13 local government areas and Local Council Development Areas over failure to submit their performance reports. The Assembly had earlier informed the council bosses to submit report of earthmoving equipment in their councils. The Assembly had threatened to suspend the council bosses if they failed to submit the reports. The decision to suspend the caretaker chairmen was taken at the plenary session following the failure of the Chairmen to meet up to October 23, 2020 deadline. The affected LGAs and LCDAs include: Akinyele East LCDA, Ido Local Government, Oluyole Local Government, Ibadan…
Lagos State Government has appealed to citizens to strictly adhere to measures against COVID-19. The government warned that a second wave of the pandemic may cause another lockdown of the economy. Akin Abayomi, Commissioner for Health, spoke to the media on Tuesday. Abayomi decried continuous flagrant disregard for protocols, warning that violation of safety guidelines portends danger. He advised citizens against unnecessary movement and social gatherings, and unnecessary foreign trips. “The first wave of coronavirus started in December 2019. The first case of COVID-19 in Nigeria was recorded in Lagos on February 27. Lagos has since become the epicentre of…
The former Chief Judge of Ebonyi State Justice, Alloy Nwankwo, on Monday vowed to ensure that any security officer or agencies that violated rights of citizens in the state are prosecuted without fear or favour. Justice Nwankwo is the state chairman judicial panel of enquiry made this known during the panel’s inaugural sitting in Abakaliki. He assured the panel’s commitment to look into all cases of police brutality, human rights violation or related extra-judicial killings that took place in the state. The chairman revealed that the panel has so far received five petitions from the public. Justice Nwankwo noted further…
Founder of the Citadel Global Church, Tunde Bakare, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari may end up not leaving any legacy behind after ruling Nigeria as a military and democratically elected President. Bakare, Buhari’s running mate in the 2011 presidential election, charged the President to work hard on the legacy that would outlive him. The cleric said though Buhari still has enough time to rewrite his name on the sands of time, he is surrounded by a group of bad counsellors. Pastor Bakare, however, noted that said Buhari can make a difference only if God delivers him from the “bad…
Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State on Friday disclosed that about N75 billion worth of properties were looted and destroyed during the recent looting spree orchestrated by hoodlums in the state. The governor also said the destruction meted on 32 public and private properties during the looting had nothing to do with the End SARS protests, “but a clear act of criminality and unpatriotic behaviour”. Lalong disclosed this during an interactive session with youths in the state. He said, “On Tuesday, I went round some of the affected areas together with members of the National Assembly Caucus from Plateau State…
President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday held a video conference with President of the European Council, Mr Charles Michel, during which the latter reiterated Europe’s support for Nigeria’s Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the next Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The President is leading Nigeria’s charge for Okonjo-Iweala, the country’s former Minister of Finance, to emerge as the first Black and female WTO DG. President Buhari thanked the European Council for its support for Nigeria’s candidate. Also discussed during the conference were issues bordering on debt relief for Africa, EU-African relations and recharge of Lake Chad, which has currently shrunk…
The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, CP Joseph Mukan has declared total war against the miscreants who attacked and looted Police Stations in Oyigbo LGA. CP Mukan made the declaration during a meeting with DPOs and the Heads of Tactical Units in the Command. He gave the senior police officers the marching order to deploy both Intelligence and Patrols across the Command within the next 48 hours, to ensure that the items looted are recovered and perpetrators arrested with immediate effect. The charge comes days after the Command paraded twenty-one suspects who are being prosecuted. The CP further warned members…
The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday lambasted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), calling them frustrated and being the brains behind the mayhem and lootings in the country. Reacting to threats made by the state PDP in a statement it issued on Wednesday to take laws into their hands, the ruling party in the state said PDP had already taken laws into its hand by sponsoring the latest violence in the state which resulted in the arraignment of some PDP leaders. It added that nobody is too big to be dealt with by security agents. The party’s statement signed and released…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday okayed the reappointment of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu as chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), charging him to act on the aphorism that “to whom much is given, much more is expected.” PDP also urged Yakubu to immediately look into issues that aid manipulations, rigging, violence and inconclusive elections which marred most of the exercises conducted in his previous tenure. The party stated this while reacting to Yakubu’s reappointment as Chairman of the INEC. President Muhammadu Buhari had on Tuesday re-appointed Prof. Mahmood Yakubu as the Chairman of the INEC. Reacting to the development,…
Reactions have begun pouring in over the emergence of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as new Director-General of the World Trade Organization. Reacting, former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, congratulated Okonjo-Iweala for emerging as the new Director-General of the WTO. The former Minister of Finance defeated her fellow finalist, Ms Yoo Myung-hee from South Korea by a wide margin for the keenly contested position. Fani-Kayode who took to his Twitter account congratulated Okonjo-Iweala for being the first African to head WTO. He wrote, “Congratulations to our very own @NOIweala who has just been elected as the first African to ever head the World Trade Organisation. Great news for…
The Kano State Governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has presented 2021 budget proposal of N147.9 billion tagged budget of Economic Recovery and Sustainable Development to the State Assembly. The Budget size which is lower than the 2020 Budget of Sustainable Development with 60 percent is also higher than the 2020 Budget Capital Expenditure by N14.155 Billion. The 2021 Budget proposal is having N74.661 Capital Expenditure while N73.273 Billion was allocated to Recurrent Expenditure. The Budget proposal is to be financed from the expected Internally Generated Revenues of N24.226 Billion while N52.252 Billion will come from Federal allocations. Governor Ganduje allocated…
The National leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu has been asked to abandon his ambition to run for the presidency come 2023. The advice was given by Olusegun Bamgbose, a chieftain of the New Nigerian Peoples Party as he described Tinubu as a daydreamer, who is unfit to preside over the affairs of the nation, adding that the presidency is not for sale. The senior lawyer stated this in a statement on Monday. He said that Tinubu will fail woefully if he dares to contest, noting that the APC leader’s statement on the Lagos #ENDSARS crisis showed clearly…
Human Rights lawyer, Femi Falana, on Monday said his group has identified the barracks where the soldiers who shot End SARS protesters at Lekki toll gate came from. Some soldiers had shot and killed some unarmed End SARS protesters seated at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos State. Following the outcry that greeted the incident, the military had denied the involvement of soldiers in the shooting. However, Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Falana insists that soldiers were present at the Lekki toll gate and shot at protesters that day. Speaking on Television, Falana maintained that there was evidence…
Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has restated his condemnation of the shooting of End SARS protesters adding that those in power are products of protests. “Those in power today are products of protests by the people of this great country”, he declared in a statement on Saturday. Men in Nigerian Army uniforms believed to be military personnel had last Tuesday fired at unarmed protestors at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos. The unprovoked attack has been denounced by the international community. The United States not only demanded prosecution of the soldiers, the world power sent a delegation to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.…
There was massive looting in Osogbo, Ede, Ikirun, Iwo and other parts of the Osun State on Saturday. Earlier, it was gathered that hoodlums on Saturday, forcefully entered a private warehouse at MDS, Old Garage, Osogbo where they looted motorcycles, television and among others. The hoodlums with all sorts of dangerous weapons, burst into a private company owned by Osun business mogul, Chief Tunde Badmus and carted away valuables. However, it was also gathered that miscreants looted the constituency office of Hon. Bukola Oyewo, representing Irepodun/ Olurunda/Osogbo/Orolu Federal Constituency at Oroki estate, Osogbo. In a video, the hoodlums were seen…
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has arraigned Hon. Oghuma Johnson Egwakhide, a member of the House of Representatives for reportedly collecting N1.6 million bribe from three contractors. ICPC, in a four-count charge, filed before Justice Adebukola Banjoko, of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Jabi, said the member who represents Etsako East/West/Central Federal Constituency, Edo State, in the National Assembly, allegedly collected kickbacks from contractors handling school projects in the state. The charge sheet revealed that Egwakhide, who had sponsored the construction of one block of three classrooms at Fugar Mixed Secondary…
In a bid to address the demand of the End SARS protesters currently going on in Nigeria, the Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki yesterday with youths in the state. The meeting attendants were mostly of the civil society members and the National Association of Nigerian Students. After deliberations, the governor lifted the curfew imposed on the state. The Governor said the move is to contain the activities of hoodlums who have hijacked the peaceful protests in a bid to end police brutality. While briefing the youths in Benin on Thursday, he said the curfew will now be relaxed…
Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to take quick actions on the unrest in different parts of the nation. In a statement on Wednesday, the former Nigerian leader said Buhari “must act now before it is too late.” “This time demands leadership and mature leadership as such”, he noted. Obasanjo also appealed to the youths and End SARS protesters to give peace a chance. Admitting that they have a right to make legitimate demands, the retired General enjoined them stay calm. Obasanjo said his heart was heavy and that he was deeply concerned about the ongoing situation…
A senior advocate of Nigeria and human rights activist, Femi Falana, has revealed that he and other lawyers are putting together pieces of evidence to try the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai before the International Criminal Court.The Senior Advocate of Nigeria who made an appearance on a TV programme commended the young #EndSARS protesters for capturing photo and video evidence before and after the shooting at Lekki Toll Gate last night.Falana also recalled how Shiites members were allegedly shot dead in Kaduna state by soldiers who claimed they were blocking same COAS. He added that while compiling the evidence…
The House of Representatives Committee on Civil Society Organisations and donor agencies has given a 48-hour ultimatum to the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Mr. Clem Agba to appear before it. The committee chairman, Hon. Kabir Idris made the statement during the committee’s session on Tuesday, where the minister was represented by a Director of the ministry, Oluseyi Fatuyi and an assistant Director Abdullahi Yakubu at an investigative hearing. He said the Minister has refused to appear before the Committee on CSOs despite countless invitation letters written to his office. Fatuyi while reacting to the lawmakers said that…
