President Buhari Urges End To Revenge, Violent Attacks [SUN]
- As gunmen kill 13 in Plateau
President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, warned Nigerians to desist from revenge and violent attacks.
The President, in a statement by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, pledged that terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and associated crimes would be defeated.
“In Plateau State, gunmen launched yet another bloody attack, killing innocent citizens. This shocking and sad incident should be condemned by all citizens.Revenge, hatred and violent attacks should have no place in a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-religious society as we have in this country,” Buhari said.
He called on community and religious leaders to counsel youths on the need for peaceful co-existence.
Fears As Lassa Fever Spreads To Kaduna, Adamawa, Osun, Kogi [SUN]
The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), yesterday, confirmed fresh cases of Lassa fever across the country, with no fewer than seven doctors and five nurses quarantined at the Federal Medical Centre, Yola, Adamawa State, with one dead in Kaduna and Kogi states.
Nasarawa State government has also confirmed an outbreak of Lassa fever in the state, while anxiety has gripped residents of Cross River State.
The NCDC said 195 cases have been confirmed and 29 deaths reported in 11 states as of January 24.
A source at the Yola hospital said a pregnant woman, who lost her foetus, was the primary contact for the spread of the virus.
Amotekun Christian Agenda, Says Supreme Council For Sharia [SUN]
- It has no religious coloration –Osun govt
Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria has adjudged the South West Security initiative, codenamed, Amotekun as a Christian agenda intended to demonstrate power dominance over the Muslims.
Vice President of the council, Sheikh Hadiyatullah, who stated this, yesterday in Osogbo, Osun State, during a press conference, pointed out that the initiative was another “elusive way of establishing a Christian-dominated state police force whose affairs would be designed and determined from the church at the expense of the Muslims majority in the region.”
He lamented that the six South West governors, who created Amotekun, out of whom five are Christians, isolated the Muslims who constitute the majority in the region as well as the faithful of other religions, from the programme as they failed to carry them along before they went ahead to inaugurate it.
Hadiyatullah stressed that the promoters of the security outfit had displayed low understanding of the doctrine of religious tolerance in the country.
Lagos Bans Tricycles, Motorcycles In 15 LGs, 40 Bridges [SUN]
Lagos Government has banned the operation of motorcycles (popularly called Okada) and tricycles (popularly known as Keke) across the state.
Gbenga Omotosho, commissioner for information and strategy, in a statement yesterday said the decision was taken after a “robust assessment” between the government and the state security council.
The assessment focused on the safety of using motorcycles and tricycles as a means of transportation. The statement said the casualty figures arising from their use are “scary.”
“From 2016 to 2019, there were over 10,000 accidents recorded at the General Hospitals alone,” Mr Omotosho said.
“This number excludes unreported cases and those recorded by other hospitals. The total number of deaths from reported cases is over 600 as at date.
“The rate of crimes aided by motorcycles (Okada) and tricycles (Keke) keeps rising. Motorcycles (Okada) and tricycles (Keke) are also used as getaway means by criminals.”
The ban, according to the statement, will be enforced in 15 local governments and local council development areas across the state. They are Apapa LGA and Apapa Iganmu LCDA, Lagos Mainland LGA and Yaba LCDA, Surulere LGA and Itire-Ikate and Coker-Aguda LCDAs, Ikeja LGA and Onigbongbo and Ojodu LCDAs, Eti-Osa LGA and Ikoyi-Obalende and Iru/Victoria Island LCDAs, and Lagos island LGA and Lagos island East LCDA.
NECO Authenticates Ifeanyi Ubah’s Result [SUN]
The National Examinations Council (NECO) has officially confirmed the certificate Senator Ifeanyi Ubah by Obinna Uzoh submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) original and authentic.
In a letter NECO/R/LGS/20/003, dated 23rd January 2020 and addressed to Human Rights Writers Association (HURIWA), Ubah and YPP, the examination body released the result details and cleared the air.
HURIWA had written to NECO, to authenticate or deny the certificate issued to Ubah.
In the letter, responding to the request, NECO confirmed that Ifeanyi Ubah took a total of 8 subjects, had credits in seven and failed one.
NECO further explained that the conventional and obtainable practice among examination bodies is that failed subjects are not recorded in the certificate, although they remain in the examination body’s database.
He said such will continue to appear in both the statement of results and confirmation of results usually sent to educational institutions.
Igbo Presidency: Don’t Repeat Moghalu’s Mistakes, Ngige Tells Ndigbo [SUN]
Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, has appealed to politicians in the South East to re-strategise and make adequate preparations on how to win the 2023 presidential poll.
The minister, in an interview with Daily Sun, cautioned the zone against repeating the ‘mistake’ made by the presidential candidate of the Young Progressive Party (YPP), Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, who ran in a relatively unknown party.
Ngige, a former governor of Anambra State, re-iterated an earlier call on Ndigbo to pitch tent with the two main political parties – the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – which he said offered greater opportunity to the zone to actualise their presidential aspiration.
Ngige, who described Moghalu as an illustrious igbo son and eminently qualified for the post of president, said his quest failed because the YPP was an unpopular platform.
He said Moghalu, rather than aspire for the president, would have launched his aspiration by first contesting for the governorship or National Assembly seat.
Senate: Security System Can’t Tackle Terrorism, Killings [NATION]
Senate President Ahmed Lawan on Monday dismissed the country’s security architecture as ineffective.
To the senator, it is time to rejig the set up because of the resurgence of insecurity, criminality and killings across the country.
“The security system has not been working efficiently and effectively, we have to do something about it,” Lawan told reporters in Abuja on Monday ahead of today’s resumption of senators from their end of year recess.
He spoke against the backdrop of a myriad of security challenges at the weekend.
On Sunday night, gunmen killed 15 people in Plateau State.
Also on Sunday night in Kaduna, gunmen suspected to be kidnappers attacked a vehicle carrying travellers after they alighted from a train at Raigasa station.
They kidnapped two people. By yesterday morning, they called the family to demand N20 million ransom.
Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom alleged that herdsmen shot at him at his farm.
Lawan stated on Monday that “the Senate will take a position on how security in this country should be. I believe personally that we should restructure the security architecture.
“The present system does not appear to give us the type of outcome that we need. Whether it is the federal, states, local governments or traditional rulers, the most important thing is to secure the lives and property of Nigerians and we would do that.”
Akeredolu, Oyetola, Fayemi Defend Operation Amotekun [NATION]
Three Southwest governors on Monday clarified the status of Operation Amotekun, the Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN), which is at the centre of a raging controversy.
They spoke at separate fora.
Osun State Governor Adegboyega Oyetola faulted the Supreme Council for Sharia of Nigeria’s claim that Amotekun is a subtle way of ‘Christianising’ the Southwest.
In Akure, Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu said recruitment into the security outfit will soon start.
Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi dismissed the claim that Operation Amotekun will set the stage for Southwest’s secession from the country.
Oyetola, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Ismail Omipidan, said: “If you sit down with those peddling the misinformation they probably do not understand the basis of the argument they are making.
Woman To Be Hanged For Killing Ex-PDP Chair’s Nephew [PUNCH]
A HIGH Court of the Federal Capital Teritory (FCT) in Maitama has sentenced Maryam Sanda, a mother of two, to death by hanging for the murder of her husband, Biliaminu Bello Haliru.
Sanda was said to have murdered her husband, Bilyaminu, described as a nephew of former PDP chairman, Bello Halliru Muhammad, during a scuffle in their Abuja home on November 19, 2017.
Although she was initially charged with her mother, Maimuna Aliyu, her brother, Aliyu Sanda and her housemaid, Sadiya Aminu, who were charged with assisting her to conceal evidence by cleaning the blood of the deceased from the scene of the crime, the court upheld their no-case submission, leaving only Maryam to go through the entire trial on the charge of culpable homicide, punishable by death under the Penal Code law of Northern Nigeria.
Justice Haliru rejected the defence’ argument that the prosecution’s failure to produce the murder weapon, medical evidence in the form of autopsy report, eye witness account and confessional statement were fatal to the prosecution’s case.
From the available evidence, there was no eye witness, the defendant did not confess to killing her husband, no autopsy report, eye witness and no murder weapon was tendered.
“It is not the law that failure to produce murder weapon is fatal to the case of the prosecution. The court can infer the cause of death where there is not medical evidence as to the cause of death, based on circumstantial evidence.
“Even though there was no eye witness, no confession on the part of the defendant, the court is left with no option than to draw inference from the preponderance of evidence, thereby taking the realm of circumstantial evidence.”
Outrage As RMAFC Says Politicians’ Pay May Go Up [PUNCH]
- Cut politicians’ pay, NECA tells commission
- It ‘s anti-masses, illegal – SERAP
- It’s wicked, unacceptable – CDNDC
- Move disappointing, declares YIAGA
The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission says it has started preliminary work on the review of the remuneration of political office holders.
This, however, generated criticisms from the organised private sector, human right groups, among others.
Reiterating that the review would be achieved this year, the Chairman of RMAFC, Mr Elias Mbam, said the pay package of political office holders could go up or down after the process.
Mbam said the review would align the remuneration of the political office holders with “current realities” in the country.
Nigerian political office holders are reputed to be among the highest paid in the world despite the country’s revenue challenges.
Nigeria is rated as a ‘lower middle-income country’ by the World Bank.
The Federal Government had said that the country was not generating enough revenue, and, despite misgivings over the rising debt stock, planned to take more loans to fund part of the 2020 budget.
How Herdsmen Shot At Me – Ortom [LEADERSHIP]
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom on Monday revealed that some Fulani herdsmen who invaded his farm in Makurdi shot at him and some livestock guards.
Ortom who stated this on a program, “issue of the moment” he featured in on the state radio aka Radio Benue said he had to invite troops of Operations Whirl Stroke before the marauding herdsmen left.
The governor who decried the influx of Fulani herdsmen into the state said that they were armed with sophisticated weapons.
“I was on my farm within Makurdi town last week when some herdsmen shot at me and shot the livestock guards who were on the farm.
“I have to inform the Operation Whirl Stroke before the herdsmen ran away.
The governor expressed deep concern that the herdsmen carry more sophisticated weapons than the security men.
“Many of these herdsmen carry AK47 and even AK49, you know that the latter is superior to the former and this is what some of the herdsmen are carrying.
Community Policing: Confusion At Commands Over IG’s Directive [PUNCH]
There was confusion on Monday over the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu’s directive to state police commands on the recruitment of constables for community policing.
While some commands including those of Ogun and Oyo states said they would soon begin the process of recruiting the constables, the Plateau State Police Command stated that it had yet to get the signal on the community policing recruitment, four days after it was sent to state commands.
The Ebonyi State Police Command said it was awaiting guidelines on the recruitment from the Force headquarters, but the Ekiti State Police Command said area commanders had been directed to liaise with community leaders to work out the recruitment modalities.
Husband Killer, Maryam Sanda,To Die By Hanging [LEADERSHIP]
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court yesterday sentenced Maryam Sanda to death by hanging for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello.
Justice Yusuf Halilu gave the sentence yesterday in Abuja while delivering judgement on the protracted trial of Sanda.
She was sentenced after she was convicted for stabbing late Bilyaminu to death, son of former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Haliru Bello.
Upon her conviction by the judge, Sanda broke down in tears and wept uncontrollably.
The situation worsened for her after Justice Halilu sentenced her to death, causing a sad atmosphere in the courtroom for sympathisers.
Tearful Sanda was later comforted by her lawyer amid some officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) in the courtroom.
Following the judge’s sentence, she was whisked away from the court by NSC officials who were accompanied by security operatives amid wailing friends and family members of Sanda.
PMB’s Integrity Will Reverse ‘Oil Curse’ – Middle East Report [LEADERSHIP]
President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has been rated high on economic reforms and anti-corruption war.
Two separate reports published by media organisations in the Middle East declared that the president’s integrity and leadership style will fuel his efforts to reverse the “oil curse’’ which they said had pervaded the country since 1958.
The first report was published by Amwal, a Qatari business news website under the poser: “During The ‘Buhari’ Era…Will Nigeria Become the Strongest Economy in Africa?’’
It asserted that President Buhari, who has spent less than a year from his four-year second term in office, is better positioned to deliver the strongest economy on the African continent with the ongoing multiple reforms.
The favourable rating of the president by the Middle East media entities was contained in a statement issued in Abuja, yesterday, by Buhari’s senior special assistant media, Garba Shehu.
Again, PDP Rejects Change Of Name [LEADERSHIP]
For the second time in a year, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has turned down moves by its top leaders to change of its name. Rising from its 88th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja, yesterday, the party told those canvassing for the change of its name to forget the idea because the brand remains the best in Nigeria’s political firmament.
LEADERSHIP recalls that in the build-up to the 2019 general elections, the PDP had rebuffed similar moves by some politicians to change its name as part of the conditions for their return to party. The party argued then that the time was too short for it to undertake the exercise.
The latest attempt, which also failed yesterday, was championed by former presidential spokesman, Dr Doyin Okupe.
Okupe was quoted in a newspaper (not LEADERSHIP) as saying that ‘‘you know that the APC controls 21 states while the PDP controls 15 out of the 36 states in the country. The PDP in its present state and form cannot win comfortably the presidential election in 2023.
‘‘To defeat the APC in 2023, I want the PDP leaders to think of changing the name of the party. They must also make the party itself the arrowhead of a national movement to oust the present administration. We should not forget that this is exactly what the component factions of the APC did in 2014,” he said.