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How SARS allegedly killed unarmed suspected phone thieves

Abeeb ALAWIYE
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How SARS allegedly killed unarmed suspected phone thieves

A VIRAL video surfaced online on Tuesday, showing operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARs) of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) shooting suspected phone thieves being conveyed in a popular danfo bus at Igando, Lagos State.

In the video which looks like a movie scene, two individuals were handcuffed and a voice (suspected to be that of the person filming the incident) said, “You go collect, you go collect,” he said in pidgin English,  adding that they had a gun.

The third suspect was shown on the floor handcuffed in a yellow minibus that appeared to have been hired for the police operation as he reeled in pain.

Then the policemen, who kept threatening to kill the suspects, ordered them out of the bus.

“Come down! Come down!” they barked at the suspects.

One of the policemen was seen pushing one of the suspects to the cops, who had taken firing squad positions.

  “Leave am, make I kill am,” one of the policemen said.

“Kunle, commot there make dem kill the idiot,” another cop said.

Two gunshots followed.

“God punish you! We no dey waste time,” the killer cop said joyfully.

According to the report by Punch, the offences of the suspects, the man who filmed the action, said they usually operated on Jiji, an online sales platform.

He said they lured their victims by promising to buy advertised phones at good prices.

Afterwards, he said the men would collect the phones at gunpoint.

He said, “They post on Jiji that they buy phones. Then, they will call you and price your phone at a higher price.

“After calling you, they will collect your phone at gunpoint. This happens at Igando.

“So, they collected my friend’s phone. My friend then changed his number on Jiji and posted another phone for sale.

“They called him again and he decided to go there with anti-robbery operatives to arrest them so that he could get his phone back.

“The anti-robbery team got there, caught them and shot them.”

Nigerians wondered why the suspects were killed, saying the policemen might be trying to cover up some things.

 

It will be recalled that over the years, Nigerians are demanding a reform of the Police Force or scrapping of SARS after their involvement in extrajudicial killings of Nigerians which sparked so many reactions in the country.

Some of those who have died in the hands of the rogue officers before yesterday incident are: Emeka Ojinze (23), Linda Angela Igwetu (23), Richard Peter Gora (22), Sofiyat Yekin (23), Mrs Kudirat, Anita Akapson, Kolade Johnson (36), Ademola Moshood (the motorcycle rider who was killed over N200) and  a shop owner identified as Biliki killed recently in Lagos while chasing a suspect.

However, the identity of the policemen have been revealed as Fabiyi Omomayara, Olaniyi Solomon, Solomon Sunday and Aliyu Mukaila.

 

 

 

Cabinet List: Buhari remains petroleum minister, appoints Sylva junior minister

Olugbenga ADANIKIN
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Cabinet List: Buhari remains petroleum minister, appoints Sylva junior minister

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari remains the Minister of Petroleum Resources as he on Wednesday announced Timipre Silva from Bayelsa State as the junior minister for the ministry.    

In his first tenure, Buhari appointed self as the Petroleum Minister, and Emmanuel Ibe Kachukwu as the minister for state.

In a list shared by Tolu Ogunlesi, his Special Assistant on Digital and New Media, via his verified social media handle, Babatunde Fashola got the Ministry of Works and Housing but lost the Power Ministry to Engr. Sale Mamman from Taraba State.

While Fashola would be supported by Abubakar D. Aliyu (Yobe), as a junior minister, Godwin Jedi-Agba from Cross River State would serve as the Minister of State for power.

Dr Osagie Ehanire (Edo) got the Ministry of Health while Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom) was offered the Ministry of Niger Delta.

Amb. Zubairu Dada (Niger) also got the Foreign Affairs Ministry and Hon. Rotimi Amaechi maintains the Ministry of Transportation. Amaechi would be supported by Gbemisola Saraki as the minister of State.

Here is a complete list of the new cabinet members.  

1) Dr Uchechukwu Ogah – Abia, Mines and Steel Development, State

2) Muhammed Musa Bello – Adamawa, FCT

3) Sen. Godswill Obot Akpabio – Akwa Ibom, Niger Delta

4) Chris Ngige – Anambra, Labour & Employment

5) Sharon Ikeazor – Anambra, Environment, State

6) Adamu Adamu – Bauchi, Education

7) Amb Maryam Katagum – Bauchi, Industry, Trade and Investment, State

8) Timipre Sylva – Bayelsa, Petroleum, State

9) Sen. George Akume – Benue, Special Duties

10) Mustapha Baba Shehuri – Borno, Agriculture, State

11) Godwin Jedi-Agba – Cross River, Power, State

12) Festus Keyamo – Delta, Niger Delta, State

13) Ogbonnaya Onu – Ebonyi, Science and Technology

14) Dr. Osagie Ehanire – Edo, Health

15) Clement Ikanade Agba – Edo, Budget and National Planning, State

16) Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo – Ekiti, Industry, Trade and Investment

17) Geoffrey Onyeama – Enugu, Foreign Affairs

18)Dr. Ali Isa Pantami – Gombe, Communication

19) Emeka Nwajuba – Imo, Education, State

20) Suleiman Adamu – Jigawa, Water Resources

21) Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed – Kaduna, Finance, Budget and National Planning

22) Dr. Mohammad Mahmoud – Kaduna, Environment

23) Mohammed Sabo Nanono – Kano, Agriculture

24) Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (rtd) – Kano, Defence

25) Hadi Sirika – Katsina, Aviation

26) Abubakar Malami – Kebbi, HAGF and Minister of Justice

27) Ramatu Tijani Aliyu – Kogi, FCT, State

28) Lai Mohammed – Kwara, Information and Culture

29) Gbemisola Saraki – Kwara, Transportation, State

30) Babatunde Raji Fashola – Lagos, Works and Housing

31) Adeleke Mamora – Lagos, Health, State

32) Mohammed A. Abdullahi – Nasarawa, Science & Tech, State

33) Amb. Zubairu Dada – Niger, Foreign Affairs, State

34) Olamilekan Adegbite – Ogun, Mines & Steel Devpt

35) Sen. Omotayo Alasuadura – Ondo, Labour, State

36) Rauf Aregbesola – Osun, Interior

37) Sunday Dare – Oyo, Youth and Sports

38) Dame Pauline Tallen – Plateau, Women Affairs

39) Rotimi Amaechi – Rivers, Transportation

40) Mohammed Maigari Dangyadi – Sokoto, Police Affairs

41) Engr. Sale Mamman – Taraba, Power

42) Abubakar D. Aliyu – Yobe, Works and Housing, State

43) Sadiya Umar Faruk – Zamfara, Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development

Tax dodgers: Firms owned by Obasanjo, Omisore among others implicated by FIRS

Amos ABBA
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Tax dodgers: Firms owned by Obasanjo, Omisore among others implicated by FIRS

THE Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, on Wednesday released a list of publicly-quoted and privately owned businesses on its website listed among the namely Obasanjo Farms, owned by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, Davido Music Worldwide Ltd, owned by singer David Adedeji Adeleke amongst others.

Chairman of the FIRS Babatunde Fowler, who had been questioned recently by the presidency over the dwindling rate of tax collection for the past four years released the list of unwieldy tax defaulters.

Obasanjo Farms Ltd is listed as No. 17705 on the list, Davido Music Worldwide as 2387, while five outlets of Addide supermarket chains located on Lagos mainland areas of Oko-Oba, Ekoro, Fagba and Itire were listed on numbers 13137-13141.

Iyiola Omisore, a former gubernatorial candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, was another high profile tax dodger whose firm Iyiola Omisore & Par was also included in the list.

Click to see the Full: FIRS

Abba Kyari, Chief of Staff to the President had, in a letter dated August 8, which he personally signed, asked Fowler to explain alleged discrepancies in budgeted collections and actual collections of tax from 2015 to 2018 when the actual amount collected as tax fell below the budgeted target.

The FIRS chairman was directed to submit a comprehensive variance analysis, which should also state the reasons for poor tax collections between 2015 and 2017, a period when the actual collections turned out to be ‘significantly worse’ than what was recorded from 2012 and 2014.

Fowler, in his response, blamed the decline in tax revenue on the 2016 recession and lower crude oil prices in recent years.

The Federal Government has announced its decision to conduct revenue assurance and Information Technology audit on the FIRS and the Nigerian Customs Service.

The audit is part of the fiscal governance and institutions project, a collaborative programme of the Federal Government and the World Bank.

‘How scavengers, area boys fight almost snowballed into ethnic crisis’

Abeeb ALAWIYE
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‘How scavengers, area boys fight almost snowballed into ethnic crisis’

The Police in Lagos on Sunday arrested five suspects over clash between scavengers and area boys at Oke Odo in Lagos.

This was disclosed in a press statement by the Lagos command Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bala Elkana.

According to the Spokesman at about 10.00am, one Alhaji Adekunle Habib who is a trader at Ilepo market reported at Oke Ode Police Station that there was a misunderstanding between one Hausa scavenger and an Area Boy from Yoruba ethnic group in which the area boy carried some goods on his head and was pushed by the scavenger leading to a fracas.

“The area boy was carrying some goods on his head and was pushed by the Hausa boy in error and the goods fell down.

“Arguments ensued between the two parties which led to an exchange of blows. Friends of the two parties joined in solidarity fight and other miscreants took advantage of the moment to steal and loot.”

The Lagos/Abeokuta expressway was in disarray during the fight before sanity was restored by law enforcement agents.

“What started as a fight between two miscreants almost snowballed into ethnic crises, if not for the timely intervention of the police,” Elkana said.

Police teams from Oke Odo Division , Rapid Response Squads, Taskforce, Tactical Units and Police Mobile Force.  Divisions within the Area Command equally sent reinforcements.

The situation was brought under control and traffic cleared. No dead recorded but four persons sustained various degrees of injuries and are receiving medical attention.

However, five suspects namely, Kabiru Mohammed m’, Kabiru Adamu ‘m’, Bashiru Mohammed ‘m, Saliu Madu ‘m’ and Yusuf Amuda ‘m’ were arrested in connection with the breach of peace.

Normalcy has been restored and patrols are ongoing in the affected areas while suspects will be charged to Court.

Save FUOYE now, set up visitation panel, ASUU urges Buhari

YEKEEN Akinwale
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Save FUOYE now, set up visitation panel, ASUU urges Buhari

THE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to set up a visitation panel to examine the crisis in Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

The academic union at a press conference held at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, stressed that the visitation panel, would help “correct all ills and anomalies and transform the university that both staff and students can be proud of.”

Zonal Coordinator, ASUU Akure Zone, Olu Olufayo who addressed journalists said the union would continue to cry out to the public until a solution is found to the undue hardship and victimisation meted out to the critics in the system.

He said the university which ought to be a solution centre has been hijacked by greedy individuals whose intention contradicts the lofty objectives of the ivory tower.

Touching on some of the problems bedevilling the university, Olufayo said gross violations of the law has become a norm in the university.

He cited case of the acting Bursar, Bolatito Akande, who according to him, has acted for more than 20 months contrary to six months acting period recognised by the university law.

The ASUU leader also alleged that the university has continued to pay salaries to those who have retired, including the dead.

“The University was still paying the salary of (i) a staff that left the University since 2016 (ii) a staff that died in 2016 was paid till 2018 (iii) HOD responsibility allowance to a staff that was not appointed as HOD,” he revealed.

He also blamed the Vice-Chancellor, Kayode Shoremekun for playing politics with the welfare of the students.

“It is un-charitable to play politics with the future of the students to gain popularity. We have it on good account that Vice-Chancellor; Kayode Soremekun went on radio to boast that he had increased the number of programmes in the university,” Olufayo said.

While the Vice-Chancellor had boasted to have increased the number of programmes in the university, the available lecture rooms and laboratories are inadequate to accommodate the population surge of the admitted students, he said.

“It is unfortunate that his acclaimed growth has not translated to appreciable and enviable development in line with the expectations of a 21st century university,” he added.

“It is important to inform the general public that students of the University protested over basic needs on several occasions. Unfortunately, the welfare of these students seems to be of no priority to the university administration as the cost of a bed space in the students’ hostels in the University is N50,000.”

The ICIR had reported that the Federal University is bogged down by crises and power tussle between its management and leadership of the academic union.

FUOYE was one of the nine Federal Universities established by the former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011 to address low access to tertiary institutions. The University currently operates five faculties and 45 departments.

How I was freed by Soldiers – Kidnapped Taraba Kingpin

Nneoma BENSON
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How I was freed by Soldiers – Kidnapped Taraba Kingpin

THE operatives of the Nigerian Police on Tuesday re-arrested suspected kidnap kingpin Hamisu Bala Wadume in his hideout at Layin Mai Allo Hotoro area of Kano state.

The police confirmed this in a statement, signed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Frank Mba in Abuja.

Wadume escaped from the custody of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT) operatives when they came under attack from soldiers attached to Battalion 93, Takum, Taraba State, as they conveyed the kidnap suspect from the scene of his arrest.

The Nigerian Army later in a statement said that soldiers attacked the IRT operatives when they mistook them for criminals, following a distress call they had received.

In the said attack, three policemen and a civilian were killed, while five other operatives sustained injuries.

Wadume also disclosed in a now trending video of how he was released by men of the Nigerian Army.

He said, “I am Hamisu Bala also known as Wadume. The police came to Ibi and arrested me.

“After arresting me, they were taking away when soldiers went after them and opened fire and some policemen were killed.

“From there the soldiers took me to their headquarters and cut off the handcuffs on my hands and I ran away.

“Since I ran away, I have been hiding until now that the police arrested me.”

The Police in the statement announcing his arrest said Wadume was re-arrested in the late hours of yesterday, Monday, and he’s currently being held at the force headquarters in Abuja.

Wadume who was arrested on August 6, after a massive man hurt by the police, had incited the unfortunate incident which led to the clash between soldiers and operatives of the police.

Consequently, the clash led to the brutal murder of three police officers and two civilians, and five injured in the process.

Wadume was however restrained at the time of the incident and “subsequently released by “rescuers” after they had destroyed the restraining handcuff”.

Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, (IGP) Muhammed Adamu, while commending the Police operatives for their perseverance and painstaking efforts, has expressed his profound gratitude to all Nigerians for their unparalleled show of love and empathy to the Force and the families of the officers and patriotic civilians who paid the supreme price in the service of their fatherland.

Adamu noted that the re-arrest of Wadume, “will no doubt, help in bringing answers to the numerous but hitherto unanswered questions touching on the incident and the larger criminal enterprise of the suspect”.

 

Supreme Court strikes out Atiku, PDP’s appeal to access ‘INEC Server’

Olugbenga ADANIKIN
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Supreme Court strikes out Atiku, PDP’s appeal to access ‘INEC Server’

THE Supreme Court on Tuesday struck out rulings on an appeal by the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, an ex-presidential candidate and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), asking for permission to access the purported Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) server.

The apex court struck out the appeal marked SC/738/2019 challenging the decision of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal on the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Presidential election petition court had earlier denied applications of the PDP and its presidential candidate where the petitioners sought to access the INEC’s central server in the last presidential election.

The election petition tribunal also held that PDP and its candidate lack response to an application filed by the opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) on May 14, 2019.

The 5-man panel of the Supreme Court led by Justice Datijo Mohammed, however, struck out the application.

He said the appeal has become statute-barred.

While Eyitayo Jegede, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) stood for the appellants, Yunus Usman (SAN) represented the electoral commission; Wole Olanipekun (SAN) represented President Muhammadu Buhari and Charles Edosomwan (SAN) for the APC.

The election petition tribunal noted that since INEC denied non-existence of the claimed election server, as against claims by the PDP and its presidential candidate, granting prayers of the appellants would amount to upholding the position of the opposition party.

According to Justice Mohammed Garba, the presiding judge who read the ruling, granting the application would mean that the court had “indeed recognised and found out that there is a central server into which results of the held on February 23, 2019, were electronically transmitted by the 1st respondent (INEC).”

Festus Keyamo, a lawyer and human rights activists on March challenged the Department of State Security (DSS) and the police to investigate the PDP claims on the server.

In June, the PDP and Atiku prayed the presidential election tribunal to allow them access the server but the electoral commission insists there was no server anywhere.

Who is Makinde’s 27-year-old commissioner?

Abeeb ALAWIYE
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Who is Makinde’s 27-year-old commissioner?

IN what appears to be a break from the norm, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has nominated a 27-year-old graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, Seun Fakorede, as commissioner for youths and sports.

This follows the earlier appointment of Temilolu Seun Asamu, a 32-year-old UK-trained as commissioner for energy a few days ago.

The Speaker of the House, Adebo Ogundoyin, confirmed Fakorede’s nomination in his Facebook post on Monday.

“Let’s clear the air, the Oyo State House of Assembly has received the name of the 27-year-old Seun Fakorede of Ibarapaland as commissioner-nominee from the Oyo State government led by Governor Seyi Makinde,” Ogundoyin wrote.

Who is Seun Fakorede?

Fakorede, a native of Idere in Oyo State, attended Government College Apata Ibadan and later Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria where he studied Civil Engineering. He also studied Art of Management at Swiss E-Learning Institute, Switzerland.

While in Ife, Fakorede contested as the Students’ Union President and lost the election to Tayo Akande popularly known as TY.

He together with his team runs Home Advantage Africa (HAA), a non-profit devoted to promoting local dominance and global stardom in Africa through digital storytelling and other projects.

HAA is an international community at the forefront of a shift towards the creation and strengthening of the African narrative, welcoming Africans from every culture and discipline — from science to business to global issues — who desire to stand tall and tell their stories to the world.

According to information shared on his Facebook page, he had worked at Lagos State Development and Property Corporation.

He is the founder & executive director at Home Advantage Africa.

 

Ambode, other former governors under investigation—EFCC

YEKEEN Akinwale
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Ambode, other former governors under investigation—EFCC

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it is currently investigating former governors in the country including the immediate past governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode.

The EFCC did not state the identities of other former governors that are currently under investigation since they left office on May 29 and lost their immunity.

News filtered in early Tuesday that Ambode’s home in Epe area of Lagos was raided by operatives of the EFCC.

However, in a reaction, acting Spokesperson of the Commission, Tony Orilade said operatives did not raid the former governor’s home.

“We need to state for the records that the EFCC did not raid Ambode’s house. It is instructive that his administration, like other former governors is under investigation, since they no longer constitutionally enjoy immunity against prosecution,” Orilade said.

In a statement titled “We Did Not Raid Ex-Gov. Ambode’s Residence,” sent to The ICIR, the EFCC spokesperson said he was inundated with calls that operatives of the Commission raided the residence of the former governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode.

“The Commission hereby states with high sense of responsibility that the operatives did not raid Ambode’s residence,” he explained.

Orilade said whatever the “Commission is presently doing with regards to the investigation is in line with its mandate and the rule of law.”

He urged the social media to be circumspect in the reportage of any news with regards to investigation activities of the Commission.

Noting that the Commission will never engage in illegal act but remains committed to the war against corruption, he stressed that the EFCC does not carry out investigation on the pages of the newspapers or through the media.

“Our operations are always covert until at a time when we file charges in court,” he added.

 

Don’t expect ‘hand-outs’ from development partners, Buhari warns ministers designate

Olugbenga ADANIKIN
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Don’t expect ‘hand-outs’ from development partners, Buhari warns ministers designate

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari on Monday warned the cabinet-elect members not to depend on supports from development partners to fulfil their responsibilities, even as he described Nigeria’s growing population as ‘frightening’.

Buhari said, quoting the United Nations (UN) estimates that Nigeria would become the third-largest population on earth after India and China with 411 million people by 2050.

He spoke at the Presidential retreat for Ministers-designate, Presidential aides and other top government functionaries, held at the State House, Abuja.

The President, who acknowledged likely implications of the population surge, noted that solutions to fixing numerous challenges confronting the nation still lies within.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we are all aware of the looming demographic potential of our country. By average estimates, our population is close to 200 million today. By 2050, UN estimates put Nigeria third globally behind only India and China with our projected population at 411 million,” Buhari said.

“This is a frightening prospect but only if we sit idly by and expect handouts from so-called development partners. The solution to our problems lies within us.”

The President reminded the ministers-elect of three major areas his administration focused during the first term in office. They include securing the nation, improve on the economy and to fight corruption.

Though several reports have claimed that Buhari’s anti-corruption fight is almost same with past administrations, he boasted to have made headway on the selected areas stressing that it is addressing other challenges such as kidnappings, farmer-herder violence, improving road safety, railways, air traffic and fire control capacities.

Buhari claimed his government had recovered billions of stolen assets and still pursuing control measures to tackle leakages in public resources.

“We will not let up in fighting corruption.

“As Ministers, I am counting on you together with Advisers and Nigerians willing and able to contribute to build upon our road map of policies, programmes and projects that will lift the bulk of our people out of poverty and set them on the road to prosperity,” Buhari added.

The president, however, charged the ministers-designate they would be responsible for the development and implementation of policies, programmes and projects at the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in line with government priorities.

“You must also ensure that agencies under your ministries are effective, efficient and accountable in the discharge of their responsibilities.”

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