Dont Attempt To Contest In 2019 Obasanjo Warns Buhari

Amidst the harsh economic recession allegedly orchestrated by the inability of the All Progressives Congress-led, APC, Federal Government to formulate sound economic policies, former President, Olusegun Obasanjo’s, Ex-Aide, has warned President Muhammadu Buhari, against contesting for president come 2019.

His Ex-Aide, who on Friday evening spoke through his former Chief Press Secretary, Alex Nwokedi, called on Buhari not to think of returning to power.

Nwokedi, who is the immediate past Chairman, Anambra State Council of Traditional Rulers, however, urged Nigerians to support the President to complete his current tenure.

Speaking with Vanguard, the Traditional Ruler said, “President Buhari has no programme. He had only one ambition. He wanted to be President, and by the grace of God he is now the President.

“There is one adage which says that, ‘When a child wakes up in the night, he is looking for something. And when he sees it, he will go back to sleep’.

“The economy is not just bad, but very bad. We have no alternative than to support him for the remaining years he has to spend.

“The economy is very bad, and Buhari should give way for somebody who has a plan, to come and take care of the economy. What I mean is that Buhari has no programme.

“He has got what he has been awake to get, which is to be President of Nigeria, and after his four years, he should give way for somebody who has a programme to come in and restructure Nigeria economically and geographically.”

On what other programmes should the government put in place after the current diversification and fiscal policies, it claimed will be used to resuscitate the ailing economy, Nwokedi said, “Ask him, what programme does he have? I have told you agriculture, and it is the mainstay of the Nigerian economy, right from time immemorial. Oil is just a recent thing.

“If we develop agriculture, you will see how less concerned we will naturally become about oil.

“Part of the problem, is that Buhari has to be fair to all ethnic groups in Nigeria, and not to pay attention to only one. It is not only when you embezzle money that they say you are dishonest. Buhari could be honest, but he is not a fair man”.

Biafra leader: “I will destroy Nigeria with the truth”

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is firing back at reports that its leader Nnamdi Kanu said he will bomb Nigeria, clarifying instead that the leader intended to destroy the existence of Nigeria with the truth until an independent Biafran state is restored.

The group confirmed that Kanu, director of dissident separatist station Radio Biafra, despite outraging many Nigerians with his latest statement, particularly in regards to his prediction on the current crises the country is facing, will continue to tell the world the truth of these happenings.

A statement by the group’s Media and Publicity Secretary Emma Powerful said that Kanu “who was born in the thick of the civil war waged against his Biafran people, affirmed that the contraption referred to as Nigeria only exists today because the Europeans colonial masters said so, insisting that it was not created by God, the natural way all nations on earth came into existence.”

He continued that the country was “conceived in the heart of man to serve a purpose for which nation states were not and could not be designed for. Nigeria is responsible for the untimely death of over 3.5 million murdered between 1966-70 in the name of preserving the territorial integrity which is in effect as a fraud,” quoting Kanu.

Pastor Chukwuma Nkwocha turns his Church to sex center

It was a shocking revelation yesterday at the Lagos State Police Command as  three teenagers recounted how the General Overseer of Tongue of Fire Ministry, Shogunle, Lagos,

   Pastor Chukwuma Nkwocha,  had been sleeping with them, in exchange for money to pay their school fees. •Pastor Chukwuma Nwkocha The girls whose ages are between  12 and 17 years,  were among 29  others rescued from the pastor’s house  by operatives of the Lagos state Police Command. Apparently taking advantage of the prevailing economic situation, Nkwocha, who hails from Imo state was alleged to have been sleeping with the girls who are all members of his church, with a promise to feed them and pay for their Junior and Senior Secondary School Certificate examinations. It was also discovered that the parents of some of the girls had accommodation problems and were temporarily living in the church.  One of them who claims to be a student of the Ondo state polytechnic, said any attempt to refuse Nkwocha’s advances could lead to her dropping out of school, a dream she said she had longed to actualise. But the bubble burst after one of the girls who  had a misunderstanding with Pastor Nkwocha,spilled the beans to the Police.   The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Owoseni disclosed that during a raid of the Pastor’s three bedroom flat,  30 girls were rescued, as six of them confessed that the  pastir had slept  with them without protection. Mr Owoseni said, “the girls were taken to the Lagos State University Hospital. Some of them  were pregnant and aborted the pregnancies. The command will ensure that the Pastor and whoever must have conspired with him face the full wrath of the law”. Teenagers confessions According to one of the rescued teenagers, Millicent Chukwu, (13) a Junior Secondary School 3 student  “I am a member of the church and my parents attend the church as well.  They (parents) took me to the Pastor’s house  to spend the holiday with him and his wife. But the wife is in the university.  My parents believe he would see vision that would help me to be great in life. I met other girls in his house. We were 13  girls in the flat.  I know he was having sex with some of the girls but I don’t know if they got pregnant or whether he aborted any pregnancy.  He did not have sex with me but he usually fondled with my breasts.  Whenever he romanced with me, he never said anything, he would just be touching me all over and I would not make any noise.   I will then pray to God for forgiveness. I felt so bad that he was doing those things to me but I couldn’t dare to report a man of God. “. Another rescued girl,  Chinecherem, also 13, said “ I was taken to his house for prayer.  But at night, he would  come and make love to me. Thereafter, he would take other girls in turns. We all knew what was going on but could not talk because he was assisting us financially”. I only slept with one not 30 girls However, the man at the centre of controversy, Nkwocha, said among all the girls, he had only slept  with one of them whom he identified simply as Kingdom. He claimed that he intended to marry Kingdom, a 16 year-old girl. Asked if her parents were aware that he was having a clandestine relationship with their daughter, he shook his head. Nkwocha, who pastors a congregation of over 200 worshipers  said “These are mere fabrications. I have only slept with one of them. Her name is Kingdom, whose mother brought to be staying with me so that I can train her in school .  But she begged me into accepting one of the girls who has accommodation problem. Kingdom has never been pregnant and I have not carried out  any abortion on her. The only person that had an abortion was the girl that came to report me to the Police.  But I was not responsible for the pregnancy, one of my pastors was responsible. In fact, It was when I took my mother’s corpse to the village for burial, that my phone rang and she (Onosaoluwa)  told me that she was in the hospital to procure  an abortion. She said that Pastor Steven took her to the hospital On arrival, I invited both of them and threatened  that I was going to report them to the Church’s  committee this Sunday.  As they were leaving, they connived to do this to me. This whole arrest was because I  threatened  to blow open the deed of Pastor Steven with the girl in question”. I am not happy with the development.  If God can give me a second chance, I will make amends.  I know that God is a merciful God. Is there anyone among us  here who  will say that  he has not done anything  that has  offended God? Such person is a liar because the Bible says no man can say he has  not sinned?, he said.

Man sets in-laws ablaze as wife dumps marriage

TRAGEDY struck in Isampou community, Ekeremor local government area of Bayelsa State when a 37-year- old man set his in-laws’ residence ablaze over marital issues between him and his wife. The couple lived together in Bomadi community in Delta State before trouble started.

According to investigations, the man simply identified as Kevin was said to have been enraged over the decision by his wife called Blessing to divorce him.

Sources in the community said the incident which happened on Thursday claimed the life of the mother-in-law immediately, while the brother in-law died later from first degree burns.

It was gathered that as a result of the incident,which occurred around 9 pm on Thursday, irate mob from Isampou community moved to Ndoro community, also in Ekeremor council area to carry out reprisal attack by setting ablaze the family house of the suspect. Family sources said the husband and wife had marital problems as a result of which the wife decided to call off the marriage and return to her mother’s village in Isampou community in Bayelsa State.

A source in Isampou who confirmed

the incident said “I heard about the fire. We gathered that the wife left him some days ago insisting that she did not want to marry him anymore. The wife was living with her husband at Bomadi, Delta State before she left for her mother’s house at Isampou, Bayelsa”

Kevin, it was alleged poured fuel inside and around the residence of his mother-in-law with the intention of killing his wife who was reportedly planned to sleep in her mother’s room, with fire.

“Although the wife had planned to sleep, she changed her mind at the last minute and moved to the house of a friend. It was only her mother and her brother that were in the house when the fire incident happened”, the source added.

As a result, aggrieved youths from Isampou stormed the Ndoro community in speedboats with the burnt corpse of the in-laws. Kevin, it was said, escaped before the arrival of the youths from Isampou.

The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Anisim Butwats, when contacted said the incident has not been reported to the Police Headquarters. He how- ever, promised to confirm from the DPO in Ekeremor LGA.

Herdsmen attack: Enugu community, seminary deserted

A week after Fulani herdsmen attacked them, fleeing residents of Ndiagu Attakwu, Akagbeugwu of Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State are yet to return to their homes while their community remains deserted.

Although the community is now calm with the heavy presence of security agents, the Ogbo Nwarum family who lost a Catholic seminarian, Lazarus Nwafor, who was resident in the community as well as the grandmother, Ifeoma Agbo, may have fled the community for fear.

The late Seminarian, Lazarus Nwafor who hailed from Orlu in Imo State was a day student of Spiritan International School of Theology, Attakwu before the invading herdsmen killed him. He had concluded his apostolic work at St. Patricks Catholic Church, Amagu, and travelled for holidays. It was the same day he returned from the holiday that the herdsmen attacked the house he was living in Attakwu.

He reportedly heard a noise, rushed out of his room but was stabbed to death by the invaders who also stabbed four others out of which one of them had also given up the ghost in the hospital.

Efforts to speak with the authority of the Spiritan International School of Theology on their slain student failed as the school, which is currently on holidays was also deserted.

Saturday Sun was however, able to locate the Parish Priest of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Amagu, Akagbeugwu, Rev. Fr. Benjamin Mbata who confirmed working with the deceased seminarian for about five weeks. The priest however, gave a new twist to the incident when he said he did not even know the name of the seminarian until his death.

According to him; “the only day I knew his name was the day he died; I didn’t know his name; you may be surprised; so the thing happened and they informed us. I didn’t know his congregation. As a matter of fact, I was thinking he came with one of the Rev. Fathers from the seminary; I thought he was a member of that community, but I was surprised that a member of the community would have such time because he was always coming to the church.

“I didn’t know his name until the day he died; I didn’t know where he lived until the day he died. I saw him as a good boy, because he did his apostolic work for about four to five weeks; but he wasn’t living here with me; he never lived here. He lived in the village there.”

Fr. Mbata said that there were two seminarians who worked with him; “one of the seminarians was officially sent to me, while the other came on a private arrangement. I requested him to get permission from his leader and he returned and hinted me that his leader had approved and I accepted him and he started working here. They gave him a place he stayed and from there he was always going to where he lived at Attakwu.

“When I found out he was from Orlu in Imo State, was at a time when one of the boys who was close to him told me; because his language showed he wasn’t from here. I cannot tell what happened; I was here in the morning and the news came that Fulani herdsmen attacked and he was killed.

“It affected a priest; and to lose a priest is a very big loss because it takes so much to train a Catholic priest.

“He told me their leader stays in Asaba; I don’t know him, but he is a priest. I requested him to get his permission to stay with us for some time and he came back to report that he granted him the permission. I don’t even know the man but he is a priest. That’s the much I know about him.

“According to reports there are so many of them living around there in Attakwu who are outside students of Spiritan International School of Theology. You know you cannot go there as a private candidate, a group must send you; so as other groups were sending their boys his group sent him. That’s why they were like day students; they study and go back; feed themselves and do every other thing themselves.

Economic Hardship: 50-year-old Man Hangs Self In A/Ibom

Chief Ekanem Edet, former secretary of the Mbiabong village, Itam in Itu Local Government Area of AkwaIbom, popularly called Jolly Boy, yesterday hanged himself, blaming it on  the current  economic situation in the country

Few days to his death, according to a family source,  the deceased, 50, said to be married with two sons, had been in the habit of complaining about the current economic crunch that has heavily impacted negatively on the living standards of the common people.

”Jolly Boy”, who deals on ‘Ogogoro’, cigarettes and other stimulants, according to a family source, decided to cut short his stay on earth when it appeared, he could no longer run his small family with the meager earnings from the illicit trade.

“He was a very sociable man and always shared his thoughts on issues. I don’t know why he should consider suicide as the last option to escape from these hard times, only God knows”, OkonEffiong, a close associate of the deceased, lamented.

He recalled that ‘Jolly Boy’, who was immediately buried after some traditional rites of passage had been performed, was discovered dead cold with a rope round his neck by his friend, who came to visit him that fateful day.

Group Wants Magu Removed As EFCC Chairman

The Coalition of Nigerian Youths for Change Initiative (CNTCI) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu over recent revelation by Mohammed Umar’s that he was fronting for Mr Magu.

The group in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Oladimeji Ayo in Abuja and made available to LEADERSHIP, said following allegations that Air Commodore Mohammed Umar (Retd) was awarded N43 million contract to furnish the Maitama apartment of the EFCC chairman’s in Abuja.

According to the him, the apartment which was rented for N40 million for two years at a time the nation is undergoing economic recession is enough reason for the president to relieve Magu of his appointment.

He added that, the Magu-led EFCC is not different from his predecessor, Ibrahim Larmorde whose tenure was accused of diverting N1 trillion of recovered funds by the commission.

The statement reads in part, “We hereby call on President Muhammadu Buhari not to sweep under the carpet, the revelation by Thisday Newspaper of the 10th of June, 2016 that Mohammed Umar who was a member of the Presidential Arms procurement probe panel that the $1.5 million recovered from him is for a ranking member of the panel from EFCC which Magu is the only representative of EFCC in the panel.

“This is a verifiable report and it is still happening. It is high time we call a spade a spade by bringing to book those with corruption tendencies that could damage the good image of Mr President and his administration.

“Mr President has a divine mandate to rescue the country, with his wisdom, our economy is being diversified. For the first time since the exploration of crude oil in Nigeria, we have a budget of over N6 trillion with 20 per cent contribution from the sale of crude oil. IT is amazing, it shows we are moving forward, but with some people like Mr. Magu as the head of our anti-corruption agency, we shall move nowhere.”

Catholic icon Mother Teresa to be proclaimed a saint

Mother Teresa, the revered but controversial nun whose work with the dying and the destitute made her an icon of 20th Century Christianity, will be declared a saint on Sunday.

The elevation of the Nobel Peace Prize winner to Catholicism’s celestial pantheon comes on the eve of the 19th anniversary of her death in the Kolkata slums with which she is synonomous.

Teresa worked with the poorest of the poor in the sprawling metropolis formerly known as Calcutta for nearly four decades, having initially come to eastern India as a missionary teacher with Ireland’s Loreto order.

Born to Kosovar Albanian parents in what is now Macedonia in 1910, Teresa died in 1997. By then she was a household name around the world and also a citizen of India, the adopted homeland that embraced the diminutive and doggedly determined sister to the extent that she was granted a state funeral.

Her canonisation has been completed in unusually quick time on the back of the extraordinary popularity she enjoyed during her lifetime and with the help of influential supporters.

The late pope John Paul II, a personal friend, was the pontiff at the time of Teresa’s death. He fast-tracked her beatification (the step before sainthood).

The current pope, Francis, is also an admirer of a woman he sees as embodying his vision of a “poor church for the poor.”

The Missionaries of Charity, the order that Teresa created in 1950, now operates in 133 countries and comprises almost 5,000 male and female members.

– Missionaries not social workers –

During her life, Teresa was widely revered as a self-sacrificing force for good, despite ferocious criticism from prominent intellectuals including the British writer Christopher Hitchens and the Australian feminist academic Germaine Greer.

Hitchens wrote a book about her entitled “Hell’s Angel” that branded her a hypocrite who fetishised the suffering of the poor while making sure she herself had access to the best available health care.

In death, Teresa’s legacy has become more widely questioned as researchers have revealed irregularities in the financing of her Order’s activities and questioned the running of her missions, many of which have been described as insalubrious at best with little attention paid to hygiene or alleviating the pain of patients.

Her reputation has also suffered as the focus of Western aid work has moved away from immediate relief to development programmes designed to deliver sustainable improvements in living standards: the model of teaching people to fish rather than feeding them fish.

Teresa was well aware of such criticism during the latter stages of her life, answering them by saying that her faith in Christ made her know that holding the hand of a dying person was a worthwhile activity.

Nor did she deny that evangelism was her primary purpose: we are missionaries, not social workers, she said in various formulations over the years.

– Miracles –

There was never the slightest hint of her compromising on the tenets of Catholicism in the name of improving the lot of impoverished communities, a stance most famously illustrated by her description of abortion as murder by mothers in her Nobel acceptance speech in 1979.

Around 100,000 pilgrims are expected in Rome for Sunday’s ceremony, around a third of the total that turned out for Teresa’s beatification, seen as the last major outing for John Paul II who died in 2005.

Under Catholic canon law, the proclamation of a saint usually requires the candidate to have inspired two miracles – one allows beatification and the second clears the way to sainthood.

In Teresa’s case the first miracle, approved in 2002, involved the 1998 recovery of a Bengali woman, Monica Besra, from an ovarian tumour.

The second, recognised in December, relates to a Brazilian man, Marcílio Haddad Andrino, who claims to have suddenly woken up without pain in 2008 after his wife prayed to Teresa for relief from the agony caused by brain tumours.

Andrino will attend Sunday’s ceremony while Besra, 50, told AFP she would mark the occasion at her home in the village of Nakor.

“I have always considered her a saint, like God,” she said. “I prayed to her day and night and always believed that she would fix me.

“I’ll be praying and celebrating here at home on Sunday. Her canonisation is a wish come true.”

.”

How Boko Haram lures youths, pupils with interest-free loans –Reports

New reports by an international aid organisation, Mercy Corps, have revealed how Boko Haram insurgents use informal micro credit schemes and promises of safety to recruit hundreds of youths and pupils as fighters.

The beneficiaries, the reports funded by the Ford Foundation added, received amounts ranging from N10,000 to N1m in order to buy motorcycles, restock their trading stores and grow their small-scale businesses.

The reports, presented on Thursday in Lagos, also highlighted how repression from the military and access to interest-free finance, among others, had perpetuated terrorism and elicited sympathy from communities in the North.

However, the Lead Researcher and Global Director, Conflict Management for Mercy Corps, Rebecca Wolfe, said many of the locals did not know that the credits were from the insurgents.

The reports noted, “Roughly one out of three respondents had completed secular secondary school and about the same number had completed some sort of Islamic schooling.”

Titled, “Motivations and Empty Promises: Voices of former Boko Haram combatants and Nigerian Youth and Gifts and Graft: How Boko Haram uses Financial Services for Recruitment and Support,” the reports revealed that peer pressure and the availability of girls were also incentives to the beneficiaries.

According to Wolfe, 47 former members of the insurgent groups, comprising 21 females and 26 males, 45 community members and seven others, who refused the sect’s incentives were interviewed during the study.

 She added, “Sometimes the people did not know. It is usually something like a friend coming to give them money for their business and they later find out that the friend is a member of Boko Haram. I asked them, ‘Don’t you people know?’ But it turned out that sometimes, they did not know what they were getting into.

“One male recipient shared how he was complaining to a friend that he wanted a job so he could better provide for his parents. The friend then liaised with Boko Haram leaders to secure a motorcycle to allow the recipient start a business,” she said.

Meanwhile, the reports recommended that the government should, in the post-conflict era, “increase the quality, availability and diversity of financial services, particularly to youths with small, informal businesses. Increase transparency and accessibility to government-led economic programmes. Explore financial services to help youths achieve their ambitions, among other interventions.”

A member of the team, Ballama Mustafa, who urged the government to make its presence felt in remote communities in the region, added that interventions should be interest-free and should not exclude locals, who are not literate.

He added, “There are diverse paths to membership. Some were abducted and some joined because they had friends who were insurgents. Some joined to avenge the deaths of their family members or friends. When the military invades a community after a terrorist attack, you find that the military arrests people indiscriminately. But Boko Haram also does that. When they go into a community, they can kill parents who have prevented their children from joining them. One of our recommendations is that communities and schools should create counter-narratives to dissuade youths and pupils from joining the sect

Flood over-runs market in Anambra

Goods and household wares worth several thousands of Naira were yesterday destroyed by flood at the popular Eke-Awka market in the Anambra State capital.

The downpour, which lasted between 5:35 pm and 9:12pm,  flooded many shops, especially in the  clothings, shoes, cosmetics and other beauty commodities sections.

Residents of the area are also counting loses as the flood  submerged their homes and destroyed household wares including generating sets, deep freezers, wicrowaves, foams and other numerous items.

When Daily Sun visited the market, it observed many shop owners scooping water from their shops.

Deaconness Chukwuma Ngozi,  said the flood rose to window levels at her home and destroyed household wares including a generating set, refridgrator and others. She disclosed that her family kept vigil throughout the night as their foams were all soaked.

Mr Malachy Okechukwu, a trader in the clothing materials section said he lost goods worth severe thousands of naira. Mr.  Benjamin, a tailor blamed the disaster on poor drainage  and called on the government to create flood channels in the market.

Lagos, Anambra, Kano, Delta, others witness sun eclipse

Some Nigerians, yesterday, relished the occurrence of an eclipse of the sun as different states across the country witnessed the incident in different proportions.

While residents in the northern parts of the country, particularly, Kano, Zamfara and Plateau states witnessed the eclipse, some parts of the country recorded partial eclipse. Lagos was one of such states.

Delta State reported partial eclipse at about 8.08 am yesterday in parts of Asaba, the state capital.  In the areas where the eclipse was observed, the moon appeared in the clouded sky in a ring-like object. It did not, however, arouse curiosity among residents who were indifferent to the occurrence.

But, a resident, Vincent Okonta, who claimed to have seen the eclipse, told Daily Sun that it happened in a flash and most people were not even aware of it.

Some parts of Lagos witnessed the eclipse at about 8:35 am. Daylight was dimmed slightly, with the rest  of the day cloudy.

It was different stories in the northern part of the country.   In Zamfara State, the eclipse was reportedly pronounced. In Abuja, as early as 6:00 am, many  residents, especially school children trooped to the Obasanjo Space Centre headquarters of National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), along the Airport Road, to witness the natural phenomenon.  A brief show of eclipse happened around 8:45 am, but it did not bring much darkness on the city and its environs.

NASRDA Director General, Prof Seidu Mohammed said those at the viewing centre were only able to watch the occurrence for less than five minutes “because it was covered by cloud.”

He indicated that future eclipse occurrence could be harnessed for tourism, stressing that such was the case in Indonesia where total darkness was witnessed for most parts of the day.

However, there were reports of the eclipse in Kano, Plateau and Sokoto. Zamfara is said to have recorded the highest occurrence as there was no cloud cover. Jos residents witnessed the eclipse clearly.

Victor Momoh, a student of Federal Government College, Rubochi, gave his impression of the eclipse thus: “I learnt something about eclipse. I learnt that before an eclipse can happen, something must come between the sun and moon. I even learnt that if you look at an eclipse with naked eyes it has adverse effect.”

In Anambra State, staff and students of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), gathered at the field of Christ Church Chapel, to observe the annular eclipse.

Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Group of the university, led by Prof. Augustine Ubachukwu, had informed members of the university community that the eclipse would be partial in the South-East.

Prominent among the observers, who gathered at the location as early as 7:30 am, were the Registrar, Chris Igbokwe; Deputy Vice-Chancellors, Prof. Charles Igwe (Administration); Prof. James Ogbonna (Academic)- and a host of other professors mainly from the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

Prof Igwe said observing the eclipse was both scientific and fun while Prof James Ogbonna said the experience was beautiful. He recalled that in his primary school days, he and other pupils used water in a white basin to observe eclipse. “Today, technology has made it easier,” he said.

The DVC (Academic) commended the research group for sensitising the university community and for providing the eclipse shades for viewers.

Coordinator of the Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Group, Prof. Ubachukwu said the partial eclipse took full effect around 8:00 am after which the separation started.

He said it was necessary to inform people about the effect of the eclipse to avoid the impression that the world was coming to an end.

Annular solar eclipse occurs when the moon covers the sun’s centre, leaving the sun’s visible outer edges to form a “ring of fire” or annulus around the moon.

Experts said solar eclipse occurs when the moon comes between the earth and the sun, lining up with the sun as seen by onlookers on the earth surface.

“In total eclipse, the moon lines up perfectly with the sun and blocks out light rays, while in an annular eclipse, the moon does not completely cover the sun,” experts said.

They warned that it was dangerous to view the partial rays, as in annular eclipse, with the naked eyes as it could cause damage, and advised that solar eclipse glasses should be used in observing the image.

Original, fake Shekau dead –Army

The Nigerian Army has described as “a façade” videos of Abubakar Shekau released by Boko Haram.

Theatre commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Lucky Irabor, reiterated in Adamawa state yesterday that Shekau was dead.

He said the military killed the individual originally identified as Shekau, as well as his impostor.

“I can confirm to you that the original Shekau was killed, the second Shekau was killed, and the man presenting himself as Shekau, I can also confirm to you that few days ago, he was wounded. We are yet to confirm whether he is dead or not,” he said.

“They released videos to prove that they are still active, but, that’s just a facade.” Irabor said Boko Haram is currently divided as a result of military operations.

This is not the first time the army would pronounce Shekau dead, but the militant leader has been known for releasing videos to debunk the claims.

Last week, Col. Sani Usman, army spokesman, issued a statement and said Shekau was “fatally” injured in an air raid.

“In what one could describe as the most unprecedented and spectacular air raid, we confirmed that, as a result of the interdiction efforts of the Nigerian Air Force, some key leaders of the Boko Haram terrorists have been killed while others were fatally wounded.

“Those confirmed dead were Abubakar Mubi, Malam Nuhu and Malam Hamman, amongst others, while their leader, the so-called ‘Abubakar Shekau’, is believed to be fatally wounded on his shoulders. Several other terrorists were also wounded,” Usman said.

Former Education minister, Mrs. Obiageli Ezekwesili, leader of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) movement, taunted the military for “triumphantly” announcing the death of Shekau on four occasions, while unable to rescue the abducted Chibok girls.

On April 14, 2014, Boko Haram abducted over 260 grils from a secondary school in Chibok, Borno State and subsequently, married off some of them to their members.

Early this year, Amina Ali-Nkeki, one of the abducted girls, was rescued with a baby, alongside her Boko Haram husband.

Recently, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar said the Airforce did not know the location of the girls. There is no credible  intelligence that will specifically tell you their that these girls are here,” he said

Sheriff provoked Boko Haram insurgency, says Borno AG

Barrister Kaka Shehu Lawan, Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Borno State has deposed 40 reasons to support his claim that the erstwhile governor of the state, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff precipitated the Boko Haram insurgency that has led to more than 20,000 deaths and displacement of more than two million persons in the Northeast. Reacting to Sheriff’s demand for apology and facts on his claim first made at the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA conference in Port-Harcourt, Lawan articulated 40 reasons he said showed that Sheriff’s arrogance and desperation for power may have nurtured the insurgency through his actions while in office. Challenging Sheriff’s uprightness in the killing of Mohammed Yusuf, the leader of the group in 2009, he said: “In an interview on Sunday Politics on Channels TV, Ali Modu Sheriff said about two weeks ago, that he had seen Mohammed Yusuf at the Giwa military Barracks in Maiduguri after he was arrested during 2009 crisis. The important question is why was Yusuf moved from the military custody to the police headquarters if not for him to be killed, especially given the fact that Buji Foi was taken to the same police headquarters and killed.” What did Sheriff as Chief security officer do to secure Muhammad Yusuf. Why was Muhammad Yusuf not allowed to make open confessions which could have included his claim of being betrayed. “On July 5, 2011, former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff tendered an apology to the Boko Haram sect “for whatever he might have done wrong to them”. Why did he apologize, if he knew he did nothing wrong to the sect.” Noting the killing of 17 members of the group allegedly by security officers while on a funeral procession in 2009, the commissioner said the complacency of Sheriff government on the issue was a moral burden. “The Borno Government under Ali Modu Sheriff completely disregarded that incident. The government did not issue statement to condemn the shooting; the government didn’t sympathise with the victims; the Government did not conduct any inquiry on the shooting; the government neither visited the shot sect members in the hospital nor did it care to pay for the medication of the 17 injured sect members. “Sheriff was told by different public commentators, including some officials in his administration that his act of disregard for that bloody incident could be viewed by the sect as an affront yet out of arrogance, Sheriff ignored all wise counsel with his government acting as if there was no incident at all. “In an interview on Daily Trust a few days later, leader of the sect, Malam Muhammad Yusuf threatened a reprisal attack alleging that the actions of the Borno State Government which neither condemned the shooting, made inquiry nor empathized with the sect was an indication that the shooting was orchestrated with the aim of eliminating his followers . “A day or so after the interview, Yusuf delivered a sermon in Hausa language,  titled, “open letter to President Umaru Musa Yar’adua” and directed his followers to go and arm themselves in preparation of self defense and eventful Jihad in response to the shooting of his 17 followers. “Even while Muhammad Yusuf issued this directive and threat for Jihad, Governor Ali Modu Sheriff still disregarded the possible room to make peace with the sect. “On Tuesday, July 21, 2009, some members of the sect, 9 in number were arrested in possession of 74 empty bomb shells, a large quantity of gun powders, chemicals and other components of making improvised explosive devices. They were arrested in Biu, headquarters of Biu local government area in southern part of Borno State, which is about 180 kilometers away from Maiduguri. “On Friday, July 24, 2009, the nine arrested sect members were paraded at the police headquarters in Maiduguri with their materials for making Improvised explosive devices on display by the police. “Commander of the group of 9 sect members, Inusa Ibrahim Sabo told journalists on record that they were in possession of the explosive materials in preparation to defend themselves against Ali Modu Sheriff’s operation flush. He said they were directed by Muhammad Yusuf to arm themselves because they presumed the shooting of their brothers was intentional and they were no longer safe. “That very Friday of July 24, 2009, the first explosion in Maiduguri took place. It was a locally made bomb which exploded at night in the residence of one Hassan Sani Badami from Biu, a follower of the sect trained in making explosive devices. The bomb exploded while it was being prepared by Badami. Another follower of the sect working with Badami sustained severe injuries while Badami’s wife and child were taken to the headquarters of Operation Flush on Dikwa road. “The following day, Muhammad Yusuf in reaction, described Badami’s death as ticket for him into paradise.im

Kidnappers abandon victim as truck driver blocks escape route

Nemesis caught up with a gang of kidnappers in Aba, Abia State as a truck driver reportedly blocked their escape route as they were fleeing with their victim at Uratta area of the city.

The victim, identified as Mrs. Merit Ikechukwu, was said to be on her way to work when a gang of kidnappers blocked her Toyota Highlander jeep near Stella Marris road, Catholic Church, Umueze road, Aba. According to eyewitnesses, the kidnappers blind folded Ikechukwu and drove in her jeep through a bush path in the area, but residents of the area alerted soldiers on patrol, who quickly stormed the area and joined in the pursuit of the kidnappers. “As the kidnappers escaped through the bush path on top speed, they came face to face with a truck driver, who had suspected the speeding Highlander jeep was stolen blocked the bush path and the villagers alerted soldiers, who moved in and joined in the chase,” they said. It was gathered that on sighting the truck,  which had blocked their path, the kidnappers, who were being pursued by soldiers and members of the community, abandoned their victim and escaped into bush. While searching the surrounding bushes, the soldiers arrested a suspect identified as Prince, who claimed to have gone to the area to recover a debt. However, the suspect was later identified by the victim as the man who drove her jeep before she was blindfolded. The soldiers also recovered the Toyota Highlander Jeep and rescued the victim. As at the time of filing this report, Army Public Relations Officer, 14 Brigade , Ohafia, Major Sidney Mbaneme, could not be reached on his mobile phone, but a soldier at the Forward Operating Base, FOB, Ngwa High School, Aba, confirmed the incident.

PDP leaders move to begin peace talks with Sheriff

In the aftermath of the botched convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Port Harcourt, leaders of the party have again initiated moves to reconcile with its former chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff, who has continued to lay claims to the leadership of the party, despite court ruling declaring him a usurper. Vanguard gathered in Abuja, yesterday, that two governors of the party and the chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees, BoT, have met with Senator Sheriff after the convention to bring him on board in a one united party. A former member of the House of Representatives and staunch supporter of Senator Sheriff, who craved anonymity, told Vanguard that at separate meetings with the governors and the Board of Trustees chairman, Senator Sheriff reiterated his demands which, among others, include the dissolution of the Makarfi-led caretaker committee and the composition of a new committee made up of his nominees and others to conduct a fresh convention for the party. The member said: “The governors came begging and Senator Sheriff reiterated his earlier demands. Having come this far in trying to salvage the party, we cannot afford to hand over the party to the governors so that they can continue with their impunity. “What happened at the so-called convention in Port Harcourt has vindicated Sheriff’s position that the governors have not learned anything from the results of the 2015 election. “Sheriff is out to salvage the party and return it to its owners who are the masses. Nigerians should commend Sheriff for standing up to the shenanigans of the governors.”

IG charges special squad to end crime in Kogi

The Acting Inspector General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Idris, has charged officers drafted on special operation to Kogi to tackle kidnapping, armed robbery and other crimes in the state.

He stated this during the launch of ‘Operation Total Freedom’ at the 25th anniversary of the state’s creation at the weekend.

The inspector general who spoke in an address read by the DIG in Charge of Operations, Habila Joshak, warned the officers against extorting members of the public.

“All the expressways and nooks and crannies of the state must be made free for the people. All the rocks and the mountains where the kidnappers are operating must be combed,” he charged them.

Meanwhile, the police authorities have debunked an online media report accusing the Acting Inspector General of Police of embezzlement of public funds and unlawfully selling vehicles to fictitious claimants, among other charges.

Idris was also accused of frequent abandonment of his duty post and sexual relationship with subordinates while he was the Kano State Commissioner of Police.

Senior police officers said the sale of cars was not within the jurisdiction of the IGP, adding that if the online platform had verified its claims it would know the police boss has no right to auction vehicles.

According to the police source: “It is public knowledge that most auctioned cars are those recovered by the police from armed robbery suspects, purchased with stolen fund or from accident scenes.

“After some time the authority would secure a court order to auction unclaimed vehicles in order to decongest its environment after which it would place a public notice in national dailies asking owners to come with proof of ownership to claim their vehicle within 10 days or risk it being auctioned.

“ In all this, neither the Commissioner of Police of a state nor the IGP is directly involved in the auction. It is the police high command that is saddled with this responsibility. However, auctioneers are expected to auction this seized vehicles on behalf of the police. In doing this auctioneers are not bound by law to verify addresses or identities of buyers.”

N’Delta Avengers: We’ve Not Nominated Anyone Including Soyinka to Negotiate on Our Behalf

Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) at the weekend said it did not nominate any personality, including Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, to lead its dialogue team with the federal government.

It described the report that it had put forward Soyinka as the head of its contact to dialogue with the federal government as a lie of the century.

According to a statement signed by its spokesperson, Mudoch Agbinibo, NDA said it was amazed that Soyinka has been taking on the jugular by enemies of the region because of his restructuring stance and need to heed the Niger Delta agitations positively.

“We are amazed that Soyinka, has been taken on the jugular by enemies  of the Niger Delta because of  his belief that the government of the day should understand the need to restructure and listen to the Niger Delta agitation positively,” it added.

The group also accused the Okah brothers, both of whom are serving time in Nigeria and South Africa prisons, of using disorganised characters from the Niger Delta region to impress the “powers that be at Abuja.”

NDA, while reiterating its support for the Chief Edwin Clark-led Niger Delta Elders and Stakeholders’ conference committee to lead the pan-Niger Delta negotiations/dialogue team, stated that it was ready for talks whenever the federal government is ready.

“The NDA cannot be teleguided by Mr. Charles Okah and Henry Okah from their respective prison cells using disorganised characters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Niger Delta to impress Abuja,” the group said.

The militant group said further: “We are not unaware of the creations of the Nigerian intelligentsia community and security apparatus to sustain the Niger Delta struggle to bloat their pocket and credibility.

“We are amazed that Soyinka, has been taken on the jugular by enemies of the Niger Delta because of his belief that the government of the day should understand the need to restructuring and listen to the Niger Delta agitation positively.

“That if, we the NDA have named Soyinka and some incredible names to advise and lead any group is the Lie of The Century! They says when an handshake goes beyond the elbow it has turned to another thing; amazingly, the handwriting are so clear that our noble laureate name is going the infamous way, as he is being named along as an adviser with some unscrupulous characters as NDA dialogue team with the government of Nigeria.

“Putting the records straight; the name/names parading as factions of the NDA are just the figment of some persons protecting their jobs and hell bent on derailing the wheel of progress in the history of Nigeria and the Niger Delta agitation,”, it added.

The militant group declared: “Our strike teams and command structures have not at anytime contacted these Nigerians at any time to advise or lead any contact with the government of Muhammadu Buhari on the Niger Delta agitation.

“We have shown our respect and restraints to personalities that have been too fixated to impress Abuja in the name of the Niger Delta struggle since the beginning of “Operation Red Economy ” ignorantly or willingly.

“We are not unaware of the creations of the Nigerian Intelligentsia community and security apparatus to sustain the Niger Delta struggle to bloat their pocket and credibility.

“The NDA has unequivocally given its tacit support to the Clark’s Niger Delta Elders and Stakeholders conference committee to lead the pan-Niger Delta Negotiations/Dialogue Team, whenever Nigeria shows readiness.”

Meanwhile, the umbrella body of Ijaw youths, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) yesterday hit hard on President Buhari’s alleged stance in applying Boko Haram treatment in resolving the Niger Delta crisis.

The group described the warning to Niger Delta agitators to negotiate or face Boko Haram treatment credited to President Buhari, while discussing with the Japanese leader in Nairobi, Kenya as reckless and pre-judicial to the peaceful resolution of the renewed militancy in the region.

According to a statement signed by IYC spokesperson, Eric Omare, the Ijaw youths maintained that there was no basis for that statement considering that the circumstances of the Niger Delta are different from the Boko Haram crisis.

“We have just read a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media Affairs, Mr. Garba Shehu, in Nairobi, Kenya wherein President Buhari while discussing with the Japanese leader warned Niger Delta agitators to negotiate or face the Boko Haram treatment.

“The IYC condemn the statement and state that it is reckless and prejudicial to peaceful resolution of the renewed militancy in the Niger Delta,” it added.

While maintaining that the statement completely displayed the federal government’s lack of commitment towards negotiation, it said there was no basis to threaten Niger Deltans with the Boko Haram treatment when discussions are ongoing and considering the fact that the circumstances of the Niger Delta are different from the Boko Haram crisis.

 “It shows that the government has made up its mind to use force against Niger Delta communities.

“The IYC wishes to alert Nigerians and the international community that the Buhari government is executing a predetermined agenda against the Niger Delta region which is to attack and kill innocent people.

“This is so because the militants attacking oil facilities are not stationed in any particular place to justify the federal government threat to give Niger Delta militants the Boko Haram treatment,” its saved.

IYC recalled that it was the antagonistic posture of President Buhari towards the Niger Delta region that partly contributed to the renewed militancy.

“President Buhari and his advisers should know that force and war can never win them peace to continue with the exploitation of the Niger Delta oil resources. You may win the war with force but you cannot win peace with force,” it added.

Police kill six suspected kidnappers, robbers

The Rivers State Police Command has shot dead six suspected robbers and kidnappers in Ekpeye community in the Ahoada-East Local Government Area of the state.

It was learnt that among the deceased was one General Igbudu, who was reportedly the leader of a gang that attacked 14 passengers in the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA, three weeks ago.

The hoodlums were said to have chased an 18-seater bus on Saturday at Ihuike in the Ahoada area of the East-West Road when policemen from the Ahoada Police Division were alerted.

It was learnt that the bus, which was travelling from Benin to Port Harcourt, somersaulted in the process, leaving three passengers dead.

The bandits, who were reportedly armed with several AK 47 rifles, opened fire after noticing a team of policemen coming after them during the incident that occurred at about 8.40pm.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Nnamdi Omoni, said the leader of the gang, General Igbudu, was responsible for many killings in the Ahoada community.

Omoni said, “On Saturday, at about 8.40pm, there was a distress call about an armed robbery act in the Ihuike area.

“The Ahoada division mobilised to the scene and the armed robbers, on sighting the police patrol van, opened fire on the police while an 18-seater bus heading to Port Harcourt from Benin was under attack.

“The driver lost control and the car somersaulted while three persons were feared dead. The rest of the passengers were rescued in the ensuing gun battle. The police overpowered the armed robbers, just as six of them were injured and died on their way to the hospital.”

He pointed out that the police recovered four AK 47 rifles, 30 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, one Tokarev pistol and two military fez caps from the suspects.

One of the residents, Okorobia Okpage, said Igbudu and his gang killed over 300 people in Ahoada.

Okpage, who identified four of the six armed robbers’ corpses, identified them as Goodluck, Pedro, Emma and their leader, Igbudu.

He said, “For the past two years, the gang had been terrorising the community. They once came to my residence and shot two security operatives. They set an house ablaze.

“Four days ago, they caused oil spill in the area and insisted that the oil company (Total) must pay them N5m. They attacked the Royal Majesty’s (Eze Robinson) house. They killed over 300 people.”

Airport worker dies after sex with girlfriend

A clearing agent, Mr. Sikiru Olanrewaju, has lost his life after leaving his wife and children at home to have fun with his girlfriend in the Abule Egba area of Lagos State.

PUNCH Metro learnt that 37-year-old Olanrewaju died shortly after having rounds of sex with his lover on Surulere Street.

The lover was said to have raised the alarm which drew the attention of residents, including the landlady, who reported at the Oke-Odo Police Division.

The victim’s corpse was deposited in a morgue pending the conclusion of investigations.

A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the deceased worked with an aviation company at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja.

He said, “The man was married, but he had a girlfriend who lived in Abule Egba. On August 23, he had finished from work when he called her on the telephone that he would be sleeping at her place.

“The girlfriend said she told him not to come because he was married, but he insisted on passing the night at her house.

“The lady said when he got to her place, they ate the same food and drank the same water. They had sex, after which they slept.

“She said around 5am, she woke up to go to work and discovered he was stiff. She said she tried hard to wake him up, but he didn’t respond. She said she was too confused to know what to do and waited for about three hours before raising the alarm, which drew the attention of people, including the landlady.”

The resident said the landlady reported at the station, and was followed by some operatives to the apartment where the incident happened.

PUNCH Metro was told that there was no mark of violence on the victim.

A  source said Olanrewaju’s family were immediately contacted and the police broke the news to them.

She said, “The family said they don’t want the police to investigate anything. They said they had received the news in good faith and that the corpse should be released for burial in accordance with Islamic rites.  I am not sure his wife has been informed because she did not follow them to the station. But obviously, she will not receive the news well.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the incident, adding that investigations were ongoing.

She said, “The man was allegedly found dead in a room in the Abule Egba area after spending the night with his girlfriend.  A team of police detectives from the Oke-Odo Police Division visited, examined, and photographed the scene. We discovered that there was no trace of violence on the body. The corpse has been deposited in a morgue.”

My wife always beats me, man tells court

A 46-year-old man, Ogah Alexander, has told a Mararaba Upper Area Court that his wife, Helen, beats him because he is physically challenged.

He urged the court to dissolve his 13-year-old marriage which was blessed with four children, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

He said, “My wife beats and disrespects me because I am deformed in my hand.”

The petitioner said he once bought a car for his wife but she gave the car to her pastor without his knowledge or consent.

“I came back from work one day and she told me that the pastor had an accident with the car and when I confronted her that I did not give the car to the pastor, she slapped me.

“I received the beating of my life from her to the extent that she grabbed my private parts and tried to kill me,” Alexander added.

He also told the court that it had been over a year since he had sex with his wife because of the injury he sustained when she grabbed his private parts.

Helen, however, was not in court in spite of the court’s summons on her.

The presiding judge, Ibrahim Shekaru, adjourned the case till September 2, 2016.

Nigeria’s International Airport Hits a New Low, as Passengers Board Flights in Darkness

The Murtala Mohammed international airport on Saturday night hit a new low as darkness enveloped the premier airport due to power outage at the time passengers were boarding flights to different foreign destinations.

The power outage at the airport occurred between 10pm and midnight, when about four international flights – British Airways, Air France, South African Airways, and one other – were boarding.                                                                                   The departure lounge was pitch dark as airlines officials deployed gas-powered lanterns and battery-powered flashlights to check-in passengers and walk them through the boarding gates.Passengers groped their ways through the boarding gates into the aircraft.They discussed the security implications of conducting check-in and boarding processes in darkness in a country currently battling terrorism and at a time when aviation security should be a high priority.

“The place was full of heat and people were sweating. It was a disaster. Our international airport has reached a new low,” a passenger on one of the flights told THISDAY.                                                                                                                The cause of last night’s power outage at the airport could not be ascertained at the time of going to press.

Military Begins Operations in Niger Delta, Says Army

Notwithstanding promises by the President Muhammadu Buhari government that it would employ dialogue, as an option, in dealing with the resurgent militancy in the Niger Delta, the military at the weekend launched an operation to root out militants in the oil-rich region. Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, said in a statement yesterday that the military campaign was “a precursor operation” to a planned offensive against the militants, code-named operation “Crocodile Smile”.

But in a quick reaction Saturday, president of Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide, Mr. Udengs Eradiri, condemned the decision of the federal government to use strong-arm methods against the groups, which had been attacking oil facilities in the region. Eradiri accused the government of insincerity in its pledge to peacefully resolve the emergent armed agitations, saying the use of force may jeopardise efforts by leaders of the people to resolve the crisis.

The Nigerian Army had been amassing troops, arms and ammunitions for “Crocodile Smile”, which it said was in support of the wider “Operation Delta Safe” being conducted to protect the oil infrastructure in the nine oil producing states.

Usman stated yesterday, “The 133 Special Forces Battalion of Nigerian Army troops have carried out a precursor operation to Exercise ‘Crocodile Smile’ aimed at getting rid of all forms of criminal activities in the Niger Delta geopolitical region of Nigeria.” He said in the course of the operation, “five militants that attacked the troops were killed in action, while numerous others were injured and 23 suspects were arrested.”

The army spokesman said the military operation, conducted on Friday, was carried out by the Special Forces at the militants’ camps. He listed items recovered from the camps to include two AK-47 rifles, 11 Pump Action Guns, a locally made revolver pistol, 292 cartridges of live Ammunition, 199 rounds of AK-47 rifle Ammunition, four electricity generating sets, and a camp gas cooker. The troops also recovered an abandoned engine boat left by the fleeing militants, he said.

There was intense apprehension along the waterways of the Niger Delta at the weekend following Friday’s announcement by the army spokesman that the military was amassing as part of a broader “logistics build-up” in the Niger Delta.

“The military training exercise embarked upon by the Nigerian Army to train its Special Forces, formations and units located in the South-south geo-political zone of the country has commenced in earnest,” Usman had stated.

It was gathered that the Sapele waterways in Delta State were used as springboard for the troop deployment to the creeks of the region.

However, the IYC called for caution and advised the federal government to pull the troops out of the area in order not to endanger on-going peace efforts. The IYC president said he had been inundated with complaints by people scampering for safety and fleeing into the forests at the approach of the troops, who operated in military gunboats in the creeks.

One militant group, the Ultimate Warriors of Niger Delta, also warned that the military would only succeed in maltreating innocent locals, who have always borne the brunt of such exercises.

Eradiri said it amounted to insincerity on the part of the government to be pronouncing dialogue while at the same time conducting a major military operation in the region.

He said, “The EK Clark committee has brought all Niger Delta leaders together. The MEND and the Avengers support them. The other day, the Minister for Petroleum, Ibe Kachukwu, met with them again.

“The unfortunate fact is whether government is sincere in this whole business. How can the military within the period announce that they are carrying out an exercise in the Niger Delta? They should have suspended whatever exercise they wanted to carry out. There is heavy presence of military mobilising into the Niger Delta through Sapele. But whether it is for ordinary exercise or not should have been suspended at this period.

“The communities are apprehensive and many people are now running away from their homes. As at yesterday (Friday) night, there was this rumour that they were going to attack Gbaramatu and the entire community started scampering into the forest because soldiers were seen mobilising in Sapele.

“When we asked, they said the military had met the governor and said they wanted to do a two-week drill in Niger Delta. It is wrong. They should suspend any form of activity because there is an interpretation of a sinister motive in their activities.”

The IYC leader urged Buhari to demonstrate sincerity of purpose in solving the problems in the Niger Delta. According to him, “President Buhari has not shown sincerity. He must withdraw the military from the Niger Delta if he wants genuine discussions. We are sceptical seeing many soldiers mobilising and jumping here and there.

“We don’t have a Sambisa forest where militants are stationed and waiting for the federal government, like in the North. There is nothing like that. This battle is more of an intelligence-civil strategy instead of an invasion that is old-fashioned. It will clearly jeopardise the dialogue.”

In its own reaction, the Supreme Council of Militia Forces under which the Ultimate Warriors of Niger Delta operates, warned the military to be extremely cautious, threatening that it will not take the killing of innocent civilians lightly. The group said in a statement, “The Supreme Council of Militia Forces is also asking the military to be professional and cautious with its on-going exercise in the Niger Delta waterways. It is unfortunate that we have a military that is lagging behind in amphibious training at this digital age compared to their counterparts in other climes and want to use the Niger Delta crisis as an excuse to further perpetuate their evil of causing panic and fear within our communities.

“This is what the Nigerian Army is known for; violation of human rights and abuses are their hallmark, they seize by the butt of the guns what doesn’t belong to them, including sending our poor farmers and fishermen/women out of the rivers because they want to show off their strength.”

It added, ”You send local people whose only means of eking out a living is fishing to stay away from their occupation without any palliative for them as if there are no rivers in the northern part of country where they can candidly embark on such training.

“But we will not be provoked; we are not for them and we will not give them the room to attack our communities. If anything unpalatable happens in the Niger Delta now that stakeholders have secured a ceasefire deal from agitators, the whole world will know who should be held responsible because the deployment of military devices, personnel and gunboats at a time the region is still fragile is to provoke the sleeping dogs.”

The Ultimate Warriors also welcomed the decision by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta to disband its AARON TEAM 2 and lend its support to the elders, monarchs and stakeholders committee headed by elder statesman, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark.

On-the-run couple fall into police net

A couple in Ogun State, 46-year-old Abiola Wahab and Toyin Abiola, have given the heinous crime of child trafficking a despicable new face.

The couple were said to have been on the run for a long time until nemesis caught up with the duo in Obatoko, Ogun State and they were arrested. They are now cooling their heels in the custody of the Special Armed Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Ogun State Police Command, where they are undergoing interrogation.

The couple was alleged to have serially used their three-year-old son, an innocent toddler, as collateral to defraud a long list of victims, from whom they borrowed money or bought goods on credit, which they sold and never paid the creditors.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ahmed Illiyasu told Sunday Sun that the husband and wife allegedly defrauded large-scale distributors of goods.

Giving insight to the modus operandi of the duo, he said that they would visit a distributor, collect goods worth millions of naira, pay in some money and then disappear and never return to settle the debt. He said the couple had duped victims in Oyo, Lagos, Osun and Ogun states.

To facilitate their operation and avoid detection, the police commissioner said that the couple always switched the number plate on their vehicle, which they drove to the business premises of their victims. This way, they were able to make it impossible for the victim who may have copied the vehicle number to trace them.

Illiyasu added that the command had been receiving several complaints about a couple that was duping major distributors and deceitfully taking goods from them on credit but never returning to pay.

On the strength of the complaints, the police commissioner said that an investigation was launched by the command. Through diligent investigation, the police was able to track down the couple. They were arrested during a raid by a team of SARS operatives. The commander of SARS, Supol Uba Adams revealed that the couple was nabbed in a home they built in Ikire, Osun State.

When she spoke with Sunday Sun at the headquarters of SARS, Toyin disclosed that prior to her getting involved in the fraudulent act alleged against her, she had been engaged in distribution of rice.

Her words: “I was into distribution of rice in Ikiru, Osun state. In 2008, somebody duped me of N1 million after I had supplied rice. My clients were pestering me for their money. The case was transferred to State CID Oshogbo and I was arraigned in court. The magistrate ordered that I be remanded at Ilesha prison and adjourned the case. I was nine months old pregnant at the time. I delivered my second child in prison. The day that the magistrate granted me bail was also the day I gave birth. I spent only five days in the prison, and that was why I named my baby Aishat Abiola. The court ordered that we pay off the money within one month, but I could not afford to pay. So I jumped bail.”

She explained further: “Life was so difficult for us, the family of my husband and my own family assisted us and gave us N770,000 naira. We used the money to buy a car in Apapa in 2013. My husband and myself started trading in rice again. We would go to Saki to buy rice and resell. One day, a Customs officer duped us.

That was also when we began to dupe other people. We have duped a lot of people. We would collect assorted drinks and promise to pay but we would not go back again.  “When we go to visit a prospective victim, I would wear a hijab to disguise myself and seem like a pious Muslim woman. I would pay an amount with a promise to pay the balance after selling the goods. But I never went back.”

Also speaking, her husband disclosed that he married Toyin 11 years ago and they had faced difficulties in the course of the marriage. During their alleged fraudulent activities, he told Sunday Sun that they often took along their three-year-old son and pretended that he was sick.

“We used our three-year-old son as collateral in the deal and pretend that he was not feeling well,” Wahab said.

The unfortunate victims would because of the ill-health of the toddler show pity on the couple and allow them to go away with goods while temporarily leaving behind the supposedly sick child in the care of the victim, with the promise that they would come back to collect him and pay for the goods. Craftily, the wife would come back to take the child and disappear.

The couple’s cookie crumbled when they were perfecting arrangements for another duping expedition. As they were relaxing in the comfort of their home, SARS operatives who had been on their trail swooped on them and their child and arrested them. Following their confessions during interrogation, the detectives invited some of the victims, who positively identified the duo, who the police commissioner assured would be charged to court soon.

Biafra must come to pass

Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has descended heavily on elder statesman, Alhaji Adamu Ciroma over his statement that if Biafra wants to go, that the people should be prepared for the consequences.

Reacting to the statement in a telephone interview, the leader of MASSOB, Solomon Chukwu while stating that it was unfortunate that a personality like Ciroma would make such statement, said his group would not be threatened, intimidated  or be deterred by the utterances of people like Ciroma, in its quest to actualize the state of Biafra.

When Sunday Sun drew the attention of the MASSOB leader to what Ciroma said, he snapped back without hesitation, “Anybody can say whatever he likes, we are not threatened, we are not afraid and can not be deterred in our struggle, Biafra must come to pass and Alhaji Adamu Ciroma himself will witness it”.

Chukwu said there was no war greater than what MASSOB and Ndigbo in general are facing presently from the federal government and the Nigerian nation when hundreds of MASSOB members and thousands of Igbo are massacred at will.

“I want to let Adamu Ciroma and his likes know that no agitation for freedom by a people the world over, came without a price. We as MASSOB members have been paying that price and we will continue to pay until we get to the Promised Land”.

He said those who do not like to hear the name ‘ Biafra’ have gone and are still going extra miles to cast aspersions against it and her leaders but insisted that, that will not change the perception of the agitators and their set goal.

“Even in Ikwere land where I come from, many of my people were initially against me but today, they have realized the truth and moreover have seen the hand writing on the wall and their perception has totally changed”.

The MASSOB leader said 1, 000 Ciromas can not stop Biafra and that there is nothing his likes would do or say that will make MASSOB to carry arms. “We are using our brain not gun to agitate for Biafra, we will not go to war with anybody and we will get what we want. We engaged this line of action not out of fear as the likes of Ciroma may think, but out of the respect we have for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) we signed with the international community”.

Chukwu said as far as the struggle was concerned, that Ciroma was living in the past, having not been abreast with the extent the agitation had gone. “If he (Ciroma) knows the extent we’ve gone in actualizing Biafra, he would not have said that; but anyway, I think he is entitled to his opinion”. He insisted that Biafra is unstoppable.