I am ready to die but I will expose you – Sahara Reporters Publisher ‘blasts’ Dino Melaye

The Publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, has said he is ready put his life on the line to ensure those he described as “drug dealers, certificate forgers, money launderers, political manipulators, and assassins” are named and shamed.

Sowore stated this via a post he made on his Facebook page in response to a statement made by Senator Dino Melaye that he would ensure he (Sowore) is sent to jail for alleged libel.

He said the quagmire between himself and Melaye can be likened to that of former military dictator, General Ibrahim Babangida, who instituted libel charges, petitions, even incarcerated and allegedly murdered late Dele Giwa and persecuted Gani Fawehinmi over their investigative stance.

Sowore wrote, “Folks: It was brought to my attention earlier that Nigerian Senator Dino Melaye promised to ‘send me to jail’ over the recent unraveling of his questionable educational background. While some are worried, appalled, alarmed and concerned and even scared about this declaration, it had me thinking differently.

“I am a Nigerian citizen who had been through torture, humiliations, and incarceration by dictators in uniform between 1992-1999 before I, eventually, left Nigeria. I have never doubted the power of justice over legalities.

“That a Nigerian Senator in a democratic era could make this proclamation is indeed a sign that our democratic transition was a farce, particular when you’ve now noticed that Mr. Melaye was sitting at the feet of one of Nigeria’s worst military dictators, Ibrahim Babangida just a week ago.

“One of Babangida’s worst crimes against humanity was the assassination of notable investigative journalists of our time, Dele Giwa, by way of a parcel bomb. Another thing Melaye shares in common with Babangida and his killer squad was using libel lawsuits to silence inquisitions. In the 80’s Gani Fawehimi was found liable of libeling the killers of Dele Giwa and asked to pay damages to Halilu Akilu.

“Here is how I am different and also not different, I am not going to run away from criminals running the Nigerian political space until they are defeated, and their ideologies of greed, bloodiness, and avarice are entirely abandoned and discredited forever (Apology to Bob Marley).

“If it takes my life, so be it; if it means another unjust ruling asking for damages for thieves. So be it. We must take our space back from the 10 percenters, drug dealers, certificate forgers, money launderers, political manipulators, and assassins.

Army denies torturing 40-year-old man to death in Ogun State

The Nigeria Army has debunked the reports that its men were involved in the death of a man simply identified as George, in the Ogijo area of Ogun State.

Report went viral over the weekend that George died after he was beaten by troops of the 174 battalion in Ikorodu, Lagos.

The report claimed that the landlady of the deceased had invited soldiers to discipline George for refusing to pay his rent.

But in a statement on Saturday, Sani Usman, spokesman of the army, faulted Adesanya’s claim and demanded an apology.

“The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to media reports and photograph of the corpse of one Mr. George of Ogijo, Ogun state, allegedly murdered by troops of 174 battalion Ikorodu.

“The story and the photograph were ostensibly shared by one Mr. Kenny Abel Adesanya through his Twitter handle.

“However, we have confirmed that the allegation is not true, rather it was borne out of mischief, hatred for the Nigerian Army and attempt to divert attention from those that committed the dastardly act.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the location where the incident took place, Ogijo, is in Ogun state and 174 battalion does not have any deployment there, neither do any of our troops patrol the area”, he said.

He said the investigative team discovered that the landlady’s son invited his friends to torture the deceased.

“A team was dispatched to Ogijo divisional police station, Ogun state, to investigate the matter. The incident dates back to 8th March 2017, one Mr. George (now late), was threatened by the son of his landlady that he will invite his soldier friends to come and beat him for failing to pay his rent which was long overdue,” Usman said.

“On the said day, the tenant was taken from the compound by three young men and beaten up.

“The case was reported to Ogijo police station. The parties involved were arrested and their statements taken.

“Thereafter, the police wanted to charge the matter to court but the tenant and the landlady opted for out-of -court settlement. The young men who carried out the beating were neither arrested nor their identity ascertained by the police.

“The police claimed the landlady son said he used his friends. The case was however treated as assault and discharged. No report was sent to the military authorities because no soldier was involved.

“On 24th March 2017, the said tenant Mr. George died in his house and his corpse was taken to the frontage of the landlady who quickly reported to the Ogijo police station. She was arrested and the corpse was deposited at the mortuary.

“The son of the landlady who is currently at large, is being hunted by the police authority.

“Consequently, we wish to call on Mr. Adesanya, all other persons that shared the story and the media to understand that Mr. George was not murdered by any soldier, let alone those serving in 174 battalion and should correct this erroneous impression.

“Additionally, Adesanya should render an unreserved apology to 174 battalion in particular and the Nigerian Army, over this false allegation, failure of which would attract legal action against him”, he added.

Igbos think politics is business, they may never rule Nigeria – APC spokesman, Igbokwe

The Publicity Secretary of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Lagos State, Joe Igbokwe has explained why an Igbo man is yet to be elected president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Igbokwe explained that Igbos shot themselves in the leg during the 1993 presidential election when they failed to queue behind the acclaimed winner, MKO Abiola.

According to him, that single action pitched the Yoruba against them after the polls.

He said the people of the region failed to realize that politics was not business and can never be equated with business, which they were only good at.

Speaking with Vanguard, the APC chieftain believed that until Igbos woke up from the slumber, they would continue to lament and see the Presidential Villa from the mountain top.

He said, “Until the Igbo wake up from their slumber, they will not realise the need for cooperation. The 1993 presidential election provided the Igbo the opportunity to cement their relationship with the South-West because we needed to bridge that gap.

“The North was able to actualize the annulment of that election because the Igbo failed to stand with the Yoruba. It was only a few of us who stood with Abiola – myself, Ndubuisi Kanu, Payne Jackson – among others. When we put the issue before our people, they claimed that the Igbo had fought their own civil war and that it was the turn of the Yoruba to fight their own.

“I like the ruggedness of the Yoruba. While the Yoruba were confronting their issues, the Igbo were busy clapping and that is why we warned them that if with the sophistication of Yoruba leaders and this was happening to them, the Igbo weren’t safe.”

Asked if the Igbos have the hope of ruling Nigeria soon, Igbokwe said, “they don’t understand Nigerian politics and that is my problem with them. Nigerian politics is not business. After the demise of Yar Adua, what I expected the Igbo to do was to ask Jonathan to finish the four years of Yar Adua and allow the North to have their eight years.

“And by 2015, the President would have come to the South-East. They (Igbo) were cajoled with the belief that no one could defeat the incumbent.”

Why Manchester City cannot sack Guardiola

Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola’s position at the club, is not under any threat.

According to Sunday Mirror Sport, the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach is now in control of a Catalan power base at the Etihad, that some insiders think he is now “unsackable”.

City’s chief executive is Ferran Soriano and their director of football is Txiki Begiristain, both of whom Guardiola has worked with during his spell at Barcelona.

It is even rumoured that Spanish has become the first language inside the dressing room and the club’s corridors of power.

Although Guardiola claims he is under pressure like every other manager, reports calim his position at City is already so entrenched alongside the men who run the club, on behalf of Sheikh Mansour and chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak.

An insider said: “So much time, energy and money has been spent on Project Pep that no Plan B has been put in place if it doesn’t work.

“The fortunes of Ferran and Txiki are now ­totally entwined with the ­fortunes of Pep that the whole thing would come tumbling down if any of them left. If one goes, they all go.

“Think of what happened at Man United when Sir Alex ­Ferguson and David Gill both left – then times that chaos by 10.

“One of the attractions for Pep, before he came to Manchester, was the chance to work with men he trusts totally and the power he would be afforded.

“But the structure is built on the premise that he can’t fail. What happens if it goes wrong? It would be like going back to year zero, before the takeover happened.

“It feels like they want to just bring Barcelona to Manchester instead of building ­Manchester City.”

Four school principals die in auto crash

Four women have been confirmed dead after a bus conveying members of the Association of Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) somersaulted along Benin-Warri express way.

The accident which occured Saturday left six others injured.

The scene of the crash was a spot between Oghara and Mosogar in Ethiope-East LGA of Delta State.

The deceased, all women and school principals, were said to be travelling to Kwale in Ndokwa West Local Government Area of the State, for a meeting.

“The bus left Oghara and was on its way to pick two other principals who were waiting to join them at Okirigwre in Sapele, when close to Mosogar town, the bus had a burst tyre, lost control and somersaulted”, a witness who gathered information from those injured told Vanguard.

“Two of the Principals died on the spot while the two others died at the Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara”.