We Are Receiving Threat Messages From Prison Escapees – Police [LEADERSHIP]
As the security situation in Benin City continues to deteriorate with cult-related killings, escapees from the two correctional centres in the Edo State capital have been sending threat messages to policemen who investigated and prosecuted their convictions.
This is just as a medical doctor attached to the Central Hospital, Dr Maxwell Orosanye was shot by Mobil filling station along Siluko road and his Toyota Corolla car snatched from him. He, however, survived with bullet wounds.
Commissioner of Police in the state, Johnson Kokumo said his men are working within existing limitations to restore normalcy to the state.
He confirmed that the three policemen who got shot on Friday by hoodlums were recuperating.
He said: “You can imagine what it means that three police stations along Sokponba road were destroyed and burnt, patrol vehicles destroyed in several other parts of the state capital, all the officers in these stations now operate from the headquarters.
“The #EndSARS protest was hijacked by hoodlums and it took a violent turn in Edo State and prisoners were set free, what do you expect? Some of these escapees have been sending threat messages to policemen who investigated and prosecuted them, one of the escapees who was convicted for murder went that same day to kill the prosecution witness in his village but he was rearrested immediately.
” Everybody must be part of the restoration of sanity. People who know these escapees should avail us information about them”
” But I am assuring you that we are not sleeping but with what has happened to the police in Edo, some of these hitches are expected. But we are not sleeping and we will continue to work. As I speak to you I am on my way to visit three of our personnel, an assistant commissoner of police and two inspectors who were shot, they recuperating,” the commissioner said.
According to him, three persons were yesterday shot dead along Evidence Street by Isior while two dead bodies were discovered near Uselu along Ugbowo road yesterday morning.
We Are Receiving Threat Messages From Prison Escapees – Police [LEADERSHIP]
As the security situation in Benin City continues to deteriorate with cult-related killings, escapees from the two correctional centres in the Edo State capital have been sending threat messages to policemen who investigated and prosecuted their convictions.
This is just as a medical doctor attached to the Central Hospital, Dr Maxwell Orosanye was shot by Mobil filling station along Siluko road and his Toyota Corolla car snatched from him. He, however, survived with bullet wounds.
Commissioner of Police in the state, Johnson Kokumo said his men are working within existing limitations to restore normalcy to the state.
He confirmed that the three policemen who got shot on Friday by hoodlums were recuperating.
He said: “You can imagine what it means that three police stations along Sokponba road were destroyed and burnt, patrol vehicles destroyed in several other parts of the state capital, all the officers in these stations now operate from the headquarters.
“The #EndSARS protest was hijacked by hoodlums and it took a violent turn in Edo State and prisoners were set free, what do you expect? Some of these escapees have been sending threat messages to policemen who investigated and prosecuted them, one of the escapees who was convicted for murder went that same day to kill the prosecution witness in his village but he was rearrested immediately.
” Everybody must be part of the restoration of sanity. People who know these escapees should avail us information about them”
” But I am assuring you that we are not sleeping but with what has happened to the police in Edo, some of these hitches are expected. But we are not sleeping and we will continue to work. As I speak to you I am on my way to visit three of our personnel, an assistant commissoner of police and two inspectors who were shot, they recuperating,” the commissioner said.
According to him, three persons were yesterday shot dead along Evidence Street by Isior while two dead bodies were discovered near Uselu along Ugbowo road yesterday morning.
Varsity Unions At War Over N30bn Allowance [LEADERSHIP]
Unions in the nation’s university system are at loggerheads over the N30billion Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) offered them by the federal government as part of moves to resolve the industrial crisis within the system.
LEADERSHIP Sunday reports that members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have been on strike for eight months, while the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) issued a 14-day ultimatum to embark on a warning strike on October 5.
To meet the demands of the aggrieved workers, the federal government had offered N30 billion to all the unions in the universities and another N20billion as revitalization fund, totaling N50billion during their meeting on October 15.
The federal government had said the contentious allowance promised to be released for the striking ASUU members would be shared with non-academic staff unions.
LEADERSHIP Sunday also recalls that in 2019, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) had complained that ASUU took a whopping 80 per cent of the N25billion earned allowance released to them by the federal government, while the three other non-teaching staff unions were left with 20 per cent.
Reacting to the release of the N30billion Earned Academic Allowance offered by the federal government, ASUU president, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, argued that they negotiated for ASUU and not for other unions, adding that the money would be for only its members.
But the new president of SSANU, Comrade Haruna Ibrahim, yesterday said ASUU had no ground to say that the N30 billion should go to only them.
He said, “This is not the first tranche, the government had given this money earlier and it was shared, everybody got what was due to them, every union member got it.
“ASUU is not the owner of the money and the government is already discussing and dialoguing with the unions and today there is a claim by SSANU on allowances that were withheld and our money that is still with the government”.
Reacting to the development, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, said the federal government was optimistic on resolving the issue this week.
Speaking on Channels Television’s programme, ‘Politics Today,’ Senator Ngige said he was optimistic that the disagreement with the lecturers would be resolved.
“Even if countries go to war, at the end of the day you come back to the negotiation table,” he said.
Ngige further stated that he would be inviting ASUU in the coming week, adding that there had been government’s side meetings where collations were being made to ensure that all pertinent data and pending issues were brought to the place of negotiation.
The minister said he was very optimistic that with the myriad of options available, the matter would be resolved.
Ngige also said NASU and SSANU were opposed to the University Transparency Account System (UTAS) payment platform being canvassed by ASUU instead of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) for the payment of lecturers’ salaries and allowances.
He said; “There are other unions in the university system that are saying they will develop their own systems, and that they are not going to go to UTAS – Senior Staff Association of Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU), National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), … ASUU is not the only union in the universities.”
Ngige stated that the government was making efforts to meet up with ASUU’s demands but warned against the use of different payment platforms in Nigerian universities.
He stressed that it was important for the government to ensure that the concerns of SSANU, NASU, NAAT, and others were addressed while working to ensure the return of the lecturers to the classroom.
The minister hinted that the payment system proposed by ASUU had been forwarded to the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) for assessment.
He said; “If we ignore those people and what they are saying, even if ASUU calls off the strike, they will close the lecture halls, they will close the laboratories, they will close even the gates.
“It has happened before, entry gates into the universities, we don’t want that to happen. That is why we are taking them holistically and going in measure steps to be sure that we carry everybody along.”
Also speaking with journalists in Abuja yesterday on the prolonged strike, the permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Arch Sunny Echono, said the federal government would work with the union to find a solution to the ongoing strike.
“We are very concerned about the strike, many of us believe there are other ways of getting things done like the shared acceptance of so many of the issues. We believe the reason will prevail and that the overall national interest will be the guiding principle in coming to a quick resolution on this and I can assure you that work is going on seriously. Only two days ago ASUU executives were in the ministry for consultations and we needed to tell them exactly what our position is.
“We will look at the overall interest of the Nigerian people and we are operating within the context of various segments even within the university system. We have different unions with different demands and we have to balance it,” he said.
#ENDSARS: We Helped To Evacuate N2bn From Banks, Army Tells Panel [LEADERSHIP]
The Nigerian Army yesterday narrated to the Lagos State judicial panel of inquiry and restitution for victims of SARS related abuses and other matters that how it evacuated over N2billion for banks affected by violence and looting during the #EndSARS protests.
A representative of the Army, Brigadier-General Ahmed Ibrahim Taiwo, stated while testifying before the eight-man panel presided over by Justice Doris Okuwobi.
Brigadier-General Taiwo, who is the Commander of 81 Military Intelligence Brigade, Victoria Island, Lagos, said the decision was the right one given the fact that the #EndSARS protest had degenerated into widespread violence all over the state.
He also stated that the Nigerian Army evacuated over N2billion for banks affected by violence and looting during the protests.
The army officer, who led the deployment of troops, noted that the governor had every reason to call on the military to help quell the violence that trailed the EndSARS protest as the police had been overwhelmed by hoodlums who hijacked the protests.
He also said troops were deployed in every part of Lagos State and not just in Lekki contrary to reports in the media.
He testified that widespread looting followed the protest and that he was most hurt to see even women leading their children to break into private business places to loot.
The military officer, however, maintained that the Nigerian Army was not happy that the governor denied seeking the intervention of the armed forces.
He told the panel that Governor Sanwo-Olu first asked the General Officer Commanding 9 Division in Lagos, Major General Etsu Ndagi, to intervene when the #EndSARS protest was hijacked in the morning of Tuesday, October 20.
He pointed out that because the GOC did not have the power to deploy troops, the governor was asked to reach out to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, who later approved the deployment of troops to quell the protest which had already spiraled into violence in many parts of Lagos.
He also expressed sadness over the claim made by Sanwo-Olu that two persons died from the military engagement at the Lekki tollgate.
Taiwo said, “I spoke with the governor and said the Army was unhappy that he said he did not ask for Army’s intervention but I am sure that after you watched everything (video footages), you saw he had more than enough grounds to ask for Army’s intervention; perhaps it was the way everything went.”
He alleged that on two occasions when the state government lifted the curfew, army authorities were not carried along.
He noted: “On two occasions when the curfew was lifted in Lagos, the army authority was not inform. If the curfew had remained in place, we would have been able to recover the looted items from Shoprite Lekki, Sango-Tedo and its environs
“The situation was so dire and they wanted everyone off the streets. If you like, sleep in your office; if you like, stay at home if you are near your house, but get off the streets and let us deal with the criminals and hooligans.
“After some observation, this timing was shifted to 2100 hours; that is 9pm. However, this timing was not communicated to the Nigerian Army. Be that as it may, the Nigerian army deployed immediately to forestall further violence and loss of lives.”
Brigadier-General Taiwo also denied that the Nigerian Army is looking for Celebrity Disk Jockey (DJ), Catherine Udeh, alias DJ Switch.
He insisted that the military had neither threatened nor was after any #EndSARS protester.
Senate summons Customs boss over plan to concession N3tn revenue collection [PUNCH]
The Senate Committee on Customs and Excise is set to summon the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Col Hameed Ali (retd.), over the move by the NCS to concession its duty collection function to a foreign firm, Sunday PUNCH has learnt.
The vice chairman of the committee, Senator Francis Fadahunsi, who disclosed this to our correspondent on Friday, said the NCS boss was expected to bring all documents relating to the agreement he signed with the foreign firm.
The senator said, “Our committee will write the CG, NCS to demand for the documents with which the agreement was signed. He is expected to bring all the documents relating to the agreement. All of us in the committee did not support the concessioning idea.
“If the CG, NCS refuses to bring the documents, we will write the Minister of Finance who is the chairman of the board, and a centre point of the deal to bring them. We want to see the agreement. We held a meeting on the issue during the week.
“As soon as we go through the documents and we find out that it is almost the same thing which other administrations had done in the past which is just to find jobs for the ‘boys’, or a special interest for some people to steal our money, we will kick against it.
“There is no amount of money we want to generate in the Customs that the personnel of the Nigerian Customs Service, if properly trained and monitored, cannot generate.
“What is the essence of the seven per cent cost of collection? It is to collect maximum revenue. What the Comptroller General of the NCS should do is to recruit more personnel instead of looking for foreigners to come and spend a false N3.4bn, claiming that they will spend the amount on ICT.
“Meanwhile, the NCS had already awarded a contract of almost N384m early this year on the same scanner that the foreign firm said it would invest money on.”
Foreign firm promises to invest $3.1bn, generate $176bn in 20 years
Investigations by our correspondent recently revealed that the Federal Government had perfected plans to concession the Nigeria Customs Service automation project, also known as the e-customs, to a private firm.
The concessionaires were said to have promised to invest $3.1bn and generate $176bn within the 20-year contract period, estimated at about N3tn per annum.
Findings by our correspondent revealed that the Federal Executive Council had approved the controversial concession contract to Messrs E-Customs HC Project Limited.
It was said to have got the job at the cost of $3.1bn for a period of 20 years under Public Private Partnership arrangement.
However, another firm, Messrs Adani Systems Limited/Webb Fontaine, had faulted the contract award to Messrs E-Customs HC Project Limited.
Adani’s management claimed that it had an existing agreement with the Federal Government to do the same project with nearly the same conditions and insisted that the E-Customs HC wanted to hijack the project.
The development drew the attention of the House of Representatives and it subsequently asked its Joint Committee on Finance and Customs to probe it.
The Joint Committee mandated the parties involved in the controversial contract to maintain status quo ante pending the outcome of the public hearing.
In carrying out their findings, the panels invited the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the NCS, the Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission and the two contractors.
The panel in its report cited Section 42(1a) of the Procurement Act 2017, the Bureau for Public Procurement on April 11, 2017, which granted certificate of no objection to the CBN recommending Messrs Adani Mega Systems Limited/ Webb Fontaine for the award of the project contract.
It was also discovered by the committee that CBN-TC on the CISS on behalf of the Federal Government engaged and signed contract with Messrs Adani Systems Limited/Webb Fontaine on a Build Operate and Own agreement.
The document indicated that the proposed concession period would last for 20 years on pro- rata sharing of 1 per cent (CISS and NESS) on phase 1 of ($300m) investment.
The committee held that there was a contract agreement entered between the CBB-TC on CISS.
It also held that, although the new consortium presented a letter of engagement from the office of the Chief of Staff to the President and other documents showing the level of work they had done, it was unfortunate that there was no contract agreement with the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Investigations showed that Messrs Adani Systems Limited/ Webb Fontaine had instituted a court case challenging the cancellation of the agreement in December 2018 at the Federal High Court with suit No FHC/ ABJ/CS/2017, demanding $2.5bn as damages.
Based on the suit, the Solicitor General of the Federation wrote the Minister of Finance, urging her to consider the strength and weakness as well as litigation fees.
Meanwhile, the office of the Chief of Staff to the President had issued a letter engaging the consortium to carry out the same project awarded to Messrs Adani Systems Limited/Webb Fontaine seven months after they were engaged by CBN-CISS. The letter, titled, ‘Presidential Initiatives on Customs Modernisation of e-Customs Project,’ was dated September 17, 2019.
The Reps Joint Committee concluded that the Presidency was not duly informed of the existing contract agreement and litigation filed by Messrs Adani Systems Limited/ Webb Fontaine.
It also said there was no evidence before the committee that a contract was signed between the consortium and the Federal Government or CBN- CISS.
The Joint Committee in its recommendations therefore said Messrs Adani Systems Limited/ Webb Fontaine should be allowed to continue with the project so as to avoid unimaginable possible revenue loss to the country.
Lekki shootings: Buratai ordered deployment of trainee soldiers, general tells panel [PUNCH]
The Commander of 81 Military Intelligence Brigade, Victoria Island, Lagos, Brigadier General Ahmed Taiwo, said on Saturday that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, ordered the deployment of soldiers undergoing training at military schools for the Lekki exercise due to the shortage of troops.
This was part of the revelations at the ongoing Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry probing the alleged shooting of unarmed #EndSARS protesters by soldiers on the night of October 20 at the Lekki tollgate. The soldiers were deployed to enforce the curfew imposed on the state by the governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
When he appeared to testify before the panel, Taiwo said because “the 81 Division was short of troops, the Chief of Army Staff gave an extraordinary order that all Army schools should be shut down and everybody should be brought to the operation.”
He said incidentally he had only a day before, as an examiner of the Nigerian Army Intelligence, taught the trainee soldiers about internal security techniques, adding that he pointed out to them on the operation day how it was unbelievable that only a day after learning the rules, they were going for an operation in internal security.
…says army unhappy Sanwo-Olu denied inviting soldiers
Taiwo added that the Nigerian Army was unhappy that the governor denied inviting the army, adding that it was also unhappy that the governor said two persons died from the military operation at the tollgate.
The general, who made power-point presentation and showed video footages before the panel, described the #EndSARS protest, particularly from October 18 as “nothing but violence and lawlessness,” stressing that the protest plunged the state into a state of anarchy.
He said he believed that inviting the army was the best decision the governor could have taken given the burning of police stations and looting of firearms and ammunition; killing of policemen, blockage of roads and extortion of money from innocent citizens by hoodlums, who, he said, hijacked the #EndSARS protest.
Taiwo said since the police had been overrun, the intervention of the army was justified, but he said the Army frowned upon Sanwo-Olu’s denial of calling on them.
While showing the panel the footage of a scene where a mob killed someone, set the body ablaze and hoodlums talking about sharing body parts, he said the anarchy was reminiscent of the Liberian civil war.
He said, “These scenes are reminiscent of the Liberian Civil War when the fighters believed that once they consumed human body, they would be fortified, they would be strong.
“It was these incidents that made the governor of Lagos State to ask for military intervention and, in my opinion, that was the correct thing to do since the police had been overrun and policemen were fighting for dear lives.”
Taiwo said, “There are two things the Nigerian Army is not happy about. First is his denial that he asked us to intervene. I spoke with the governor and said Army was unhappy that he said he did not ask the Army to intervene. But I am sure that after you watched everything (video footages), you saw he had more than enough grounds to ask for Army’s intervention; perhaps it was the way everything went.
“The second was that he said two people died and he said, yes, one person died at Admiralty Road due to blunt force trauma. Admiralty Road is about 3 Kilometres from that place (Lekki tollgate).”
He said in trying to seek military intervention, Sanwo-Olu first called the Commander of the 9 Brigade, who told him that he had to follow the correct procedure by contacting the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, and the General Officer Commanding.
He said Sanwo-Olu subsequently called Buratai, the GOC and the Chief of Staff to the President.
He said, “He called the Chief of Army Staff, following which 81 Division, Nigerian Army was ordered into Phase four of internal security operation. The call was in the afternoon, before 4pm.”
Gov didn’t communicate change in curfew commencement time to us –Army
The general said the army was told that the 24-hour curfew declared by Sanwo-Olu would start from 4pm and that the military was not informed after the commencement time was shifted to 9pm.
He said, “Due to the urgency of the situation, it was no wonder that the governor declared a 24-hour curfew, which was supposed to start by 4pm. Analysing that further, it shows that the situation was dire and they wanted everyone off the streets; if you like sleep in your office, or at home, just stay off the streets and let us deal with the criminals.
“After some observation, this timing was shifted till 9pm. However, this timing was not communicated to the Nigerian Army. But be that as it may, the Nigerian Army deployed immediately to forestall further violence and loss of lives.
“The deployment, contrary to what is out there, was done throughout Lagos State upon receipt of instruction to activate Phase four of internal security. The deployment was all over Lagos State, not only Lekki tollgate and the rules of engagement for internal security were strictly followed.”
Edo cult war: Shot police commissioner dies in hospital [THE NATION]
THE death toll from the rival cult war that seized Benin and its environs in Edo State on Friday has risen from 18 to 28.
Among the 10 new casualties was the Assistant Commissioner of Police (name withheld), who was shot during the exchange of gunfire between the rival cult groups.
The Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) died on Saturday at the intensive care unit of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH).
Two other policemen, both Inspectors, who were shot along with the ACP were still receiving treatment at UBTH. But hospital sources said they were on danger list.
The three policemen were said to have run into an ambush mounted by Aiye and Vikings cult groups while on a rescue mission in Upper Sokponba and Murtala Mohammed Way axes of Benin.
The death of the ACP was confirmed in confidence on the telephone yesterday evening by a senior police officer in the Edo Command.
The casualties of the cult war were said to have included innocent residents who were going about their normal business.
Our reporter gathered that policemen in the command were now receiving threat calls and messages from many of the fleeing 1,993 inmates who escaped on October 19 from the Maximum Correctional Centre (White House) on Sapele Road and the Mèdium Correctional Centre on Airport Road, both in Benin, during the #EndSARS protests that were hijacked by hoodlums.
The threat calls and messages were mostly for policemen who investigated and prosecuted the convictions of the escapees.
It was also learnt that the sudden increase in the volume of illegal arms and ammunition in the state was as a result of the looting and razing of seven police stations on October 19, with large cache of arms and ammunition now in the hands of criminals, mostly the fleeing suspects in the cells of the burnt police stations and the escapees of the two correctional centres who immediately returned to crime.
Yesterday, a medical practitioner, Dr. Maxwell Orosanye, who was attached to the Edo State Government-owned Central Hospital, Benin, was shot by gunmen suspected to be cultists.
He was still receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital in Edo at press time.
Orosanye was shot near Mobil filling station on Siluko Road, Benin, while his Toyota Corolla saloon car was snatched at gunpoint.
Visits made to the hotspots of the cult war in Benin, especially Upper Sokponba, Siluko, Ibivwe, Uselu, Isihor, Iguosa and Ugbowo which hosts the Federal Government-owned University of Benin (UNIBEN) yesterday evening revealed that the residents were living in fear.
They mostly remained indoors for fear that they could be hit by stray bullets.
Many of the cult members were said to have embarked on house to house search for their rivals without any challenge, in spite of the heavy deployment of soldiers in Benin and its environs.
#EndSARS: Army insists no one was killed at Lekki [THE NATION]
THE Nigerian Army on Saturday publicly gave a blow-by-blow account of its own version of the events surrounding the October 20 shooting at the Lekki Toll gate, Lagos, and declared that no one was felled by bullets fired by its men.
The army said soldiers deployed to the scene used blank bullets containing only gunpowder.
It denied shooting at or killing anyone at the scene, whether with blanks or live ammunition, contrary to claims by several petitioners and protesters.
Some #ENDSARS protesters and human rights groups had claimed that soldiers killed and carted away bodies of several protesters.
But the Commander of 81 Military Intelligence Brigade, Victoria Island, Lagos, Brig. Gen. Ahmed Taiwo, who represented the army at the resumed sitting of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on SARS Abuse on Saturday, said if the soldiers had used lethal bullets, each one would have killed at least three persons.
The resumption of sitting by the panel yesterday followed the return of the two youth panel members, Rinu Oduala and Temitope Majekodunmi, who abstained last week in protest against the freezing of the bank account of #ENDSARS promoters by the Federal Government through the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The retired Justice Doris Okuwobi-led panel had adjourned on November 7 when its proceedings were frustrated over inability to form quorum owing to the boycott of the sitting by the two youth panel members.
Brigadier General Taiwo who testified with the aid of videos said the deployment of soldiers to the scene followed the Army’s approval of a request by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State.
He said the #EndSARS protests plunged Lagos State into anarchy, with statewide incidents of burning of police stations, looting of arms and ammunition, killing of policemen, blockage of roads and extortion of money from innocent citizens by hoodlums.
According to him, Sanwo-Olu’s decision to invite the military was the best one.
One of the several videos presented by Taiwo was that of a mob that attacked the Orile Police Station, beating a policeman to death.
Another was of a mob that killed someone, set the body ablaze and hoodlums talking about sharing of the burnt body parts.
Saraki returns to Ilorin for first time since 2019 polls defeat [THE NATION]
Former Senate President Bukola Saraki on Saturday received a heroic welcome from associates and supporters in Ilorin, Kwara State capital.
Senator Saraki was in the town for the 8th year memorial prayer of his late father, Dr. Olusola Saraki.
The 8th year fidau prayer was held at the Sarakis’ Iloffa, GRA residence, Ilorin.
Other dignitaries present at the event included the Minister of State for Transportation, Gbemisola Saraki, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, the state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Engr. Kola Shittu, former Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje and former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Dr. Ali Ahmad, among others.
The Chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheikh Mohammed Bashir Solihu, led the prayer session. He was supported by the Grand Mukadam of Ilorin, Sheikh Sulaiman Dan-Borno, Sheikh Saanu Sheu and Imam AbdulRazaq Aduagba.
The clerics, in their separate sermons, admonished parents to bequeath love, good moral and religious teachings to their children for them to benefit remembrance prayers from such responsible children.
Sheikh Bashir, said that late Saraki touched lives in all parts of the state and beyond through his philanthropic gestures, adding that the late politician lived an exemplary life being emulated by the children.
The clerics said that the Fidau prayer should be part of the obligations of every responsible child to late parents, adding that it attracts reward from God because it is what God loves and commands.
Chief Mukadam of Ilorin, Sheikh Sulyman Dan-Borno, expressed gladness over the presence of both Senators Bukola Saraki and Gbemisola Saraki, at the event.
“We hold it that with your togetherness, love and unity, people will not see the secret of Ilorin. Late Olusola Saraki planted goodness, peace, prosperity, in all parts of the state. And people benefitted therefrom. We are assured that Saraki is happy in his grave with what is happening among the children and the people he left behind”, he said.
Man, 40, sets self, girlfriend ablaze in Makurdi [THE NATION]
A yet to be identified 40-year-old man on Saturday set himself and his girlfriend ablaze in his house at the Inikpi area of Makurdi, Benue State, after pouring petrol on himself and the girl.
The man, who committed the crime in his personal room, died immediately.
The girl, who was burnt beyond recognition, was taken to hospital.
The incident, which occurred about 6:30 pm, attracted a lot of people who expressed their anger and surprise at what many of them described as “an act of lunacy”.
When The Nation visited the house, officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) were seen conveying the man’s corpse and the girl to hospital.
Firefighters worked assiduously and courageously to put out the fire which was about spreading to other houses.
A neighbour told The Nation that “the man claimed to have a wife and children somewhere, but he was always saying that they had once threatened to put an end to his life”.
Another neighbour said the man had a mental problem.
10-year-old comedienne Emmanuella builds house for mum [THE NATION]
Popular You Tube child comedienne, Emmanuela Samuel, has built a house and presented it to her mother as a Christmas gift.
Taking to her Instagram page on Saturday, the 10-year-old girl, who is made popular by her role in Mark Angel Comedy’s web series, shared pictures of herself, her mother and other members of her family within the premises of the newly constructed building.
She hinged her decision to build a house for her mother on her (mother’s) care, support and encouragement.
She said: “I built this for you, mum, for all the prayers, the encouragement and support. I know you said you want a portable house, and this is it.
“But forgive me because I must complete your mansion for you next year. Don’t worry, it won’t make us go to hell. My super Christmas mummy, I love you.”
Emmanuella had started comedy as a five-year-old. She was said to have been on a family holiday when she met Angel, her colleague who needed children for his comedy shoot, and enlisted those he knew for an audition.
Unfortunately, the children enlisted by Angel could not memorise their lines, forcing him to turn to Emmanuella, who was said to have done very well in spite of the eighteen-hour video shoot, a stunt he pulled to test the endurance of the kids.
With Emmanuela selected for the comedy series, the onus fell on Angel to convince her (Emmanuela’s) parents to let her be a part of the Mark Angel Comedy team, and he got their approval. Emmanuella would later become well known after the comedy skit ‘This is Not My Real Face Oh’.
In 2018, she was invited to the National Assembly after she got a role in a Disney film. She also won the ‘Top Subscribed Creator’ prize of YouTube at the inaugural edition of the Sub-Saharan African YouTube Awards.
Emmanuella was named the ‘Best New Comedienne & Princess of Comedy’ at the Afro-Australia Music & Movie Awards (AAMMA) months after she had bagged the G-Influence Niger Delta Special Talent Award in 2015.
She has continued to thrill her audiences with hilarious jokes centered around the everyday life of the average Nigerian.