Fulani herdsmen kill five farmers in Benue State

 Suspected Fulani herdsmen on Thursday, killed five farmers at Ukemberagya district, near Anyiin, in Logo local government area of Benue State.

A community leader, Chief Joseph Anawah, who confirmed the incident told The Nation on phone that the attackers who were armed with sophisticated weapons stormed the settlements in Ukemberagya at 6:30 a.m. and operated for about three hours.

“They moved from one village to another, shot sporadically and razed houses,” he said.

Anawah listed those killed as Bem Torjem, Apedzan Chia and Ikpuku Korya.

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Photos: President Buhari in closed door meeting with Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai

 President Buhari today received in audience the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, in the State House Abuja. The Army chief briefed the president on the activities of the Army and how it is tackling the challenges of insecurity. See more photos from the meeting below...

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EFCC detains another PDP Senator for receiving N303m worth of cars as gift

 A member of the Nigerian senate, Senator Albert Bassey who represents Akwa Ibom North East in the senate, has been arrested by EFCC operatives for allegedly receiving vehicles worth N303 million from Babajide Omokore, an oil magnate who is standing trial for allegedly helping ex-petroluem minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke in money laundering.

Akpan was said to have given contracts worth billions of naira to Omokore, who allegedly used the vehicles as payment in return of the favour.

A top source in the antigraft agency who spoke in confidence to The Nation said Bassey has been invited repeatedly to react to the allegations of financial impropriety leveled against him but he has refused to honor all the invitations.

“We have been interrogating Senator Bassey in the last 12 hours on the allegations against him. One of the allegations against him is how N303million worth of vehicles were given out as gifts to Bassey by the owner of Atlantic Energy  Drilling Concept Limited between July 30, 2010 and January 8, 2014.” he said 

A fact-sheet from the EFCC reads

“The Senator as Commissioner for Finance was also the Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Direct Labour Coordinating Committee. About N30billion hit the account managed by the committee during the period. The fund came from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and statutory allocations. Following allegation of massive wiring of the cash into private accounts, the EFCC decided to invite Sen. Bassey to give account. This agency is looking into allegation of money laundering against Bassey. Detectives have uncovered how contracts worth N618million to two companies namely Bay Atlantic Energy Services Limited and Sahel Energy/Power between 2010 and 2014 were awarded. The companies belong to the owner of Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Limited Chief Jide Omokore. At about the same period, vehicles worth N303million were given out as gifts to Bassey by the owner of Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Limited especially between July 30, 2010 and January 8, 2014. From investigation by detectives, there is a correlation between the transactions and the gifts. The Akwa Ibom State Government has refused to make relevant documents available to the EFCC.”

The embattled senator has however denied collecting kickbacks from Omokore.

”The vehicles are gifts from Omokore on the need to ensure my personal safety. I have known him for 19 years. They were also contributions to my governorship campaign in 2014,” he said

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Police officer arrested for extorting N5k from roadusers in Ikorodu

 A police officer who extorted N5, 000 from road users in Ikorodu, Lagos state yesterday has been arrested and is currently undergoing interrogation.

Twitter user @@ife_luv12 lodged a complain to Abayomi Shogunle, the Head Police Complaints Commission Unit who just informed her that the erring police officer has been identified and is being interrogated. See their exchanges below...

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PDP expresses worry over plots to implicate Saraki

Read the press statement from PDP below

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is deeply concerned over reports by Senate President Bukola Saraki of alleged plots by the Police to use suspected cultists, who have been in detention, to implicate him and the Governor of Kwara state, Abdulfatah Ahmed.

The PDP, as a party, has taken judicious note of assertions by the Senate President that the said plot is allegedly being hatched by the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Idris Ibrahim, “to settle scores” with the Senate over its recent declaration that he is not fit to hold public office.

The PDP is alarmed by the trend of brazen assaults on the institutions of democracy, particularly the National Assembly and the judiciary, in addition to unrelenting attacks on dissenting voices, especially as we approach the 2019 general elections.

Nigerians will recall that the PDP had earlier alerted of plots to arrest, harass, detain dissenting voices and opposition members on trumped-up charges, as well as intimidate institutions of democracy and pave the way for a one-party state in our country.

Nigerians will further recall the invasion of the Senate chambers by thugs, who disrupted proceedings and carted away the mace. Only last Friday, hoodlums violently attacked a High Court in Rivers state with guns, in a bid to stop the judiciary from making pronouncements on an electoral matter.

The PDP therefore charges the National Assembly to defend the nation’s democracy by sparing no energy in pursuing its resolution of engaging President Muhammadu Buhari on these assaults, in addition to putting in motion, all legislative instruments available to it, to curtail all excesses in government before the situation finally gets out of hand.

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EFCC closes case on N49m cash found in Kaduna airport

 
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Kaduna Zonal Office today, Thursday May 17th 2018, closed its defence in the N49 million civil matter with five others claiming ownership of the money which was intercepted at the Kaduna International Airport on the March 13, 2017.

Lead counsel to EFCC, Joshua Saidi informed Justice S. M Shuaibu of the Federal High Court Kaduna, that the Commission by presenting it's only witness had closed it's case. 
In his testimony, DW1 identified his sworn affidavit and adopted same, while counsel to the five plaintiff, E. I Dapo didn't object to it's admissibility. 

The Court further admitted a Certified True Copy of teller depositing the said sum in the custody of the CBN.

It would be recalled that operatives of the EFCC on the 13th of March, 2017 intercepted five 750kg bags filled with crispy naira notes at the Kaduna International Airport. Further investigation revealed that the bags contained a total sum of N49 million bound for Lagos. 

Upon an exparte order granted by the Federal High Court, Kaduna in respect to the intercepted cash, five individuals came forth claiming ownership. They are: Oyebanji Plaits Steve, Taiye Omoniyi Oluwaleke, Risikat Taimiyu Titilayo, Fausat Oni and Joshua Kisabo.

Justice Shuaibu has adjourned the matter to the 28th of June, 2018 to allow for adoption of final written addresses and reply on points of law.

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Photos: President Buhari leads Ramadan Tafsir session at the State house, Abuja

Today, President Buhari joined the Muslim faithfuls all over the world who thronged neighbourhood mosques for the Ramadan Tafsir - the translation and explanation of the Holy Quran.

At the Mosque in the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, the Chief Imam, Abdulwaheed Abubakar opened the exercise with gratitude to Allah for freeing the President of the ailment that kept him away from the country throughout this period last year.

He wished President Buhari full health and the energy he needs to discharge the requirements of his office.

The Imam thanked Nigerians for their prayers for the President and the nation, urging them to submit to the will of their creator. Imam Abdulwaheed also prayed to Allah for peaceful elections in the coming year.

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''Buhari, APC taking Nigerians for fools'' ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo says

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says President Buhari and his party, APC, have in the last three years been taking “Nigerians for fools.”

The former president said this at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta the Ogun State capital, where he announced that his Coalition for Nigeria Movement (CNM) platform has adopted the African Democratic Congress(ADC) as a political platform to achieve the dream of changing the current state of governance at all levels in the country come 2019.

The former president lamented that the fortunes of most Nigerians have taken a turn for the worse in the last three years despite claims by the Buhari-led government that the economy was booming.

He also warnedNigerians not to accept the call for forgiveness by the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP). According to the former president who was a chieftain of the party until he tore his membership card in 2015, the party had sought forgiveness but has not deemed it fit to discipline its members who used eight years to bring woes upon the country through poor governance.

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THE PEOPLE OF NKPOLU NEEDS THE GOVERNMENT HELP

The people of nkpolu really need the intervention of the Nigeria government as owners of stores cry over flood that happened after the rain that fell yesterday night at nkpolu sellers now using rain boot to attend to costumers across the road living their store unattended to when attending to the costumers who can't dip their legs in the water

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Uche Secondus' letter to the UN Secretary General accusing President Buhari of several allegations confirms PDP as a bad loser and desperate - Garba Shehu

Garba Shehu, the senior special assistant to President Buhari on media and publicity has reacted to a letter written by the National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Uche Secondus to the United Nations Secretary General accusing President Buhari of several allegations.

According to Garba Shehu, the letter simply confirms that the opposition is a bad loser and 'desperate for another chance after they were kicked out for failing the nation and its people'.

See his full response below...

The letter written by the National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Mr. Uche Secondus to the United Nations Secretary General accusing President Muhammadu Buhari of several allegations confirm the opposition party as a bad loser, desperate for another chance after they were kicked out for failing the nation and its people.

In the said letter which is no les preposterous and comical, the opposition accused the Nigerian government of “destroying Nigeria’s democracy.”

PDP’s lecture on democracy and the rule of law coming from a party with a tradition of undemocratic rule is a desperate attempt to pervert history and the course of justice. The sermon, is both trite and hollow, coming from a party with intolerance for dissent as its hallmark. A party that humiliated opposition parties and stunted their growth. This was the atmosphere that nurtured the birth of the All Progressives Congress (APC.)

The war against corruption, for which many more politicians may soon be docked, cannot be misrepresented as an attack on human rights and Mr. Secondus should not try to mislead the UN. Nigerian politicians at all levels have been used to dispensing with state funds in whatever manner they please, and to have someone, an administration, finally saying, “No. It doesn’t matter how big or important you think you are; the law must come against you...” That is not something they are used to at all. For the PDP, as has now emerged, national security was the major source of their funding.

The PDP Chairman and all other politicians against whom the country’s anti-corruption agencies have on-going investigations, should be assured that it is only a matter of time before the law catches up with them, and makes them pay for the grief their mismanagement of the past has caused, and is still causing Nigerians. Nigerians suffered because of the poison sowed by the PDP.

If the public were privy to some of the facts and figures on corruption that President Buhari and the anti-corruption agencies are, they would understand the passion that drives the determination to nail these callous men and stop them in their corrupt tracks. 
Regarding the accusation that President Buhari is behind the spate of herdsmen and farmer clashes in the Middle Belt of Nigeria, all we will say is that it as an embarrassing charge that the PDP would make, conveying an allegation from the beer parlours of Nigeria to an international body like the UN.

The PDP certainly has no shred of evidence to make such an allegation. These are comments driven by tribalism and that age-old trick of balkanisation in a bid to score political points. This should not surprise anyone given the politics of anger, violence and polarisation that are the stock-in-trade of the PDP.

The various lengths to which President Buhari has gone to end the spate of killings, such as mobilising state resources against the attackers, approving the setting up of new police and army formations in the affected areas, and the recruitment of thousands into the police and other arms of the military, are a few of the several steps taken which a more reasonable opposition will acknowledge.

What can President Buhari possibly gain from the killings? There is no intelligent angle from which you analyse the matter and see any possible gain for this government in the wanton destruction of life and property going on. For the “new” PDP leadership on the other hand, incapable of thinking big about the nation, they see and treat the unfortunate spate of killing of innocent Nigerians as political gift, about which they seem very happy to cite as the basis for a return to power. They feel bad at every turn the country improves, which is beyond comprehension. They should bury their heads in shame.

GARBA SHEHU
Senior Special Assistant to President
(Media & Publicity)
May 7, 2018.

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President Buhari in closed door meeting with Saraki, Dogara

President Buhari is right now in a closed door meeting with Senate President, Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara. The meeting is holding at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. 

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Real Madrid rally for draw against 10-man Barcelona with late Bale goal

Gareth Bale’s equaliser helped Real Madrid rally for a 2-2 draw against 10-man Barcelona in a combative affair on Sunday night at the Camp Nou.

With Barcelona having wrapped up the league and Real preparing to play in the Champions League final later in the month, the Clasico lacked some of the hype that normally precedes it, but the match was thrilling encounter across the 90 minutes.

Barcelona were on the front foot from the off and found their opener on 10 minutes when Luis Suarez smashed a first-time volley from an inch-perfect Sergi Roberto cross past Keylor Navas.

But Real struck back before the quarter-hour through Cristiano Ronaldo, who tapped home a headed Karim Benzema pass from close range after some nice build-up play from Zinedine Zidane’s team.

The strike from Ronaldo put the Portuguese level with Real legend Alfredo Di Stefano for the second-most Clasico goals of all-time at 18. Lionel Messi has the most with 25.

The match grew testy as the first half wore on, with Messi handed a yellow card for a hard tackle on Sergio Ramos and Roberto being shown straight red for violent conduct after throwing a punch at Marcelo before half-time.

In between those two cards, Bale escaped punishment after a late tackle on Samuel Umtiti that had the Barcelona dugout crying foul.

Ronaldo, who picked up a knock while scoring his goal, was substituted at half-time, with the team telling reporters he suffered a slight ankle sprain, and would not be risked in the second half.

Down to 10 men, Barcelona took the lead against the run of play when Suarez picked out Messi at the top of the Madrid penalty area and the Argentine took two touches to his left and curled a shot in at the near post to make the score 2-1.

Messi nearly had his second on 70 minutes, but Navas did well to keep hs shot out after Suarez had sprung him behind the Madrid defence.

And the miss would prove costly for Barca when Bale scored with a spectacular first-time shot two minutes later, curling the ball around Marc-Andre ter Stegen from a Marco Asensio assist.

With both teams chasing a winner, Marcelo had a legitimate penalty shout waved off before Navas again kept Messi at bay, parrying away the Barca striker’s shot from a difficult angle on the right side of goal.

The result keeps Barcelona’s record 35-match unbeaten season in La Liga going with three games remaining in their season. No team has finished a La Liga season unbeaten since 1931-32, when Real Madrid did so over 18 games.

Both teams are in action on Wednesday, with Barcelona hosting Villarreal and Real heading to the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan for an away match against Sevilla

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President Buhari won’t hesitate to fire corrupt officials – Presidency

The Presidency on Sunday said President Muhammadu Buhari would not hesitate to sack any government official found culpable in any shady deal the same way he fired a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, and a former Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ayo Oke.

It also insisted that a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke, Jide Omokore and Kola Aluko allegedly made away with $3bn in a strategic alliance contract with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, disclosed these in a statement on Sunday evening.

While saying the present administration was aware of attempts to raise unsubstantiated claims about the government and its officials, Akande said this administration has proven itself to be above board.

He said, “What Nigerians know is that this administration has shown itself clearly to be above board, and has ensured no sacred cows at all where evidence have been tabled.

“For instance, the President has fired the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation when a case was established, and an EFCC investigation is ongoing.

“This is also the same for the former NIA DG, who was removed and investigations are ongoing. There would be prosecutions; these are top members of the administration who have been shown the way out because of the cases established against them.”

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President Buhari's aide Bashir Ahmad vows to resign and report himself to EFCC if...

President Buhari's personal assistant on New Media, Bashir Ahmad, has vowed to resign and report himself to the EFCC if anyone has evidence to show he has enmassed wealth since picking up his appointment with this administration. Replying someone's tweet, Bashir wrote

''Your claim that every single person around Mr President is amassing wealth, it shouldn’t just be said, ‘EVIDENCES’ can you kindly provide an evidence against any of them, as his PA, if you’ve such evidence against me, I swear to Allah, I will resign and report myself to the EFCC''.

 

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''Stop with your cosmetic patriotism, your second term will further divide, impoverish Nigerians'' PDP tells President Buhari

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has told President Buhari that his quest for re-election, if permitted by Nigerians, after a horrible first term, will further divide and impoverish Nigerians.

Recall that yesterday at the APC ward congress in Daura, Katsina state, President Buhari said he was seeking re-election for the good of Nigerians. 

Reacting to President Buhari's comment, PDP in a statement released by its party spokesperson, Kola Ologbodiyan today, said President Buhari's first term score card showed anti-people policies and failure to serve the good of the ordinary citizens. Read part of the statement below...

It is unfortunate that the same President, who, in an interview with Voice of America (VOA) last week, could not present any agenda to justify his re-election bid, is attempting to sway Nigerians with cosmetic patriotism.

What President Buhari’s handlers fail to understand is that Nigerians, being direct victims of his misrule, are aware that the harsh and reckless policies of his incompetent administration, coupled with his body language, are expressly responsible for the untold economic hardship, ethnic division and daily bloodletting currently ravaging our nation.

If, indeed, the President was out to serve, as he claimed at the APC congress, we challenge him to show any of his 2015 campaign promises he has fulfilled or any development project initiated and implemented to the benefit of the people in the last three years.

President Buhari’s second term agenda is directly a quest to continue to enrich the Presidency cabal, promote nepotism and protect cronies and corrupt members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the long arms of the law.

President Buhari's second term is also a quest to continue to ignore and destroy democratic principles; to continue trampling on the rights of citizens and persecution of opposition and perceived political opponents; to continue the derailing of democracy with manifest disdain for constitutional order; to continue with the intimidation and harassment of the legislature and the judiciary; perpetuation of mediocrity in governance; de-marketing Nigeria at international fora and to blame everyone else but himself for manifest incapacity to govern.

Nigerians know that the agenda is being pushed by members of the Presidency cabal, who are desperate to protect huge economic empires and to cover their atrocities in government.

Nigerians do not need clairvoyants and psychics to know that another term for the President will lead to decimation of the middle class, over-taxation of the poor, the complete erosion of freedom and secret fight against free enterprise.

It will surely lead to the complete destruction of our economy, our democracy and most importantly the unity of our nation.

On our part, the repositioned PDP stands with Nigerians in the unwavering determination to rescue our nation and restore democratic order. Our platform therefore remains open for all citizens to rally irrespective of creed, ethnicity and class to produce that selfless and truly Nigerian President that has the interest of all at heart.

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Photos: President Buhari receives governor Okorocha in his home in Daura

President Buhari today received in audience Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State at his home in Daura, Katsina state. See more photos below...

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'Buhari has never recognized or honored Umar Yar'Adua's memory because he defeated him in 2007'' Reno Omokri

Yesterday was the 8th year remembrance of former president Umar Musa Yar'Adua. According to Reno Omokri, President Buhari has refused to honor or remember the former president since assuming office because he defeated him during the 2007 election.

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2019: Ensure No Candidate Gets Easy Pass – Ezekwesili Admonishes Nigerian Youths

Former Nigeria’s minister of education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, has called on Nigerian youths not to freely give their votes to any candidates in the 2019 elections.

Ezekwesili, who is also an activist was reacting to a recent speech in which Vice President Yemi Osinbanjo commended Nigerian youths over their roles in economic and nation-building.

But Ezekwesili asserted that no Nigeria government has the right to glory in the individual capacity and successes of Nigerian youths because the government has failed the youths.Dr. Oby Ezekwesili

The former minister noted that the best resource of a country is the human resources as represented by the youths. She also noted that most Nigerian youths did not believe that government played any role in whatever successes and achievements they may have recorded in their endeavors.    

“Our people & nothing else represent our best endowment forever.”

“Do our Young Ones feel that any Government in Nigeria has a right to glory in their respective individual successes?" considering their constant refrain that Nigeria failed, fails and continues to fail them? she asked.

Ezekwesili added that Nigerian youths now have the opportunity of strategically deliberating on problems that matter most to them and which leaders in states and federal, executive and legislative arms of government must solve as the country is heading towards the 2019 general elections.

She lamented that Nigeria political contest is still at a base level where matters of the stomach are deemed more important than issues that matter to the poor and rural business.

Ezekwesili, however, warned Nigerian youths to be wary of selling off their votes or freely voting for any political aspirant.

She urged them to look out for competent and capable leaders who can solve the different problems confronting the country.

She said, “No candidates of political parties should get an Easy Pass anymore from the electorate -especially the young segment of our Voting population- who have URGENT & SERIOUS ISSUES that only Competent, Capable people with Character CAN SOLVE in the Legislative &Executive arms of Govt.”

The former minister also advised youths to channel their anger about the current Nigerian leaders to take the right political decisions that will help in tackling the challenges they are angry about.

“Our Young are ANGRY. Anger can sometimes be USEFUL. Useful Anger is the one I call "Effective Anger". Effective Anger is the type of Anger that pushes the one who is angry to TAKE THE RIGHT COURSES OF ACTIONS that could become Catalytical to tackle the ISSUE that got them angry.”

Ezekwesili also called on the youths to refrain from hurling insults, resorting to violence or embracing criminality, which she described as ‘wrong kinds of anger.’

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Offa Robbery: Police release photos of four of the robbers, announce N5m reward for anyone with information that will help in their arrest

The Nigerian police has declared wanted four of the robbers that participated in the bloody bank robbery incident that took place in Offa on April 4th. The state police command released the photos of the robbers from the CCTV footage of the bank.

The Kwara State Government has also announced a N5 million reward for anyone that can help with information that would lead to the arrest of the suspects. The number to be contacted are 08062080913, 08126285268, 08032365122, 07056792065, 08088450152.

Speaking on the recent development, the Assistant Commissioner of police, Moshood Jimoh, said

“All the suspects are cooperating with the Police in the investigation into the incident. Currently, some of the other gang leaders and principal suspects at large are being identified and their pictures obtained for further investigation. Other sister security and safety agencies are equally implored to arrest them and hand over to the nearest Police Station or Formation across the country or avail the Police with any information they may have or come across about these suspects” he said

The police asked for public help to apprehend the gangsters still at large and said they have also been placed on INTERPOL Watch list and Red Alert.

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Billionaire businessman, Muhammadu Indimi despite having no formal education, delivered speech at Harvard University

Billionaire businessman and chairman of Oriental Energy Resources, Muhammdu Indimi delivered a speech during an event at Harvard University few days ago.

The Maiduguri oil mogul never had any formal education and learnt English Language by listening and associating with people.

In a recent interview, Indimi, whose son is married to President Buhari's daughter, said he now supervises people with master’s and Ph.D.s who work in his organisation. Read  here

Meanwhile his family members took to social media to praise him for the accomplishment.

See their posts beow....

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