A septuagenarian, Mr. Tajudeen Giwa, has asked an Ikorodu Customary Court in Lagos State to dissolve his marriage of over 40 years because his wife ignores him and denies him sex.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the petitioner also alleged that his 63-year-old wife, Karimat, had become a threat to his life and usually incited their seven children against him.
“Karimat does not care for me again; she denies me my matrimonial right to sleep with her.
“She gangs up with our children against me, to the extent that they threaten my life on her behalf.
“I am fed up with the marriage and I no longer love her,’’ the petitioner, who resides in Idiorogbo village, Itokin Road, Ikorodu, said.
In her response, Karimut said the allegations by her husband were false.
She said although her husband did not care well enough for her and their children, she did not want to divorce him.
Karimat told the court that the petitioner usually slept around with other women and always threatened to chase her and the children away for no good reason.
“My husband is not a reasonable man and he’s a very inconsiderate person,’’ she said.
NAN reports that the children of the petitioner were four males and three females.
The oldest male child is 39 years old; the oldest female is 36 years, while the youngest is a 16-year-old girl.
In her ruling, the President of the court, Mrs. Omolara Abiola, said the court would do everything within its power to save the marriage.
She said, “This court is more focused on saving marriages. And it behoves on us to try to secure this union rather than dissolve a marriage of such age, with seven children, most of whom are above 30.’’
Abiola, therefore, urged the petitioner and the respondent to “maintain peace and harmony, pending the determination of the case”.
The court president added that Karimat should not ignore her husband as such “action usually infuriates men’’.
Abiola adjourned the case till March 22, 2016, for further mediation and ordered that some of the children of the couple should be present at the hearing.
Pandemonium ensued in the Iyana Ishashi end of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway after a team of policemen engaged some tricycle and motorcycle riders in a fight over N500 “security fee”.
A policeman, identified as Inspector Wahab, was said to have shot a motorcycle rider, identified as Biliaminu, aka Bouncing.
Biliaminu was said to have been rushed to a private hospital in the state where he had been placed under intensive care.
The four policemen, who were attached to the highway patrol team in the Idimu Police Division, reportedly surrendered themselves to the nearest police station in the area.
it was learnt that the suspects were later transferred to the state command headquarters and had been detained.
When our correspondent visited the scene, he gathered that it was not the first time that the policemen would go to the Iyana Ishashi bus stop on illegal duty.
A motorcycle rider, Bidemi Ayeni, said the policemen’s greed caused the incident, which happened on Friday.
He said, “The practice here is that whenever the police come to the park, we give them N500. That happens every Friday. It is called security fee. We pay them so that they will not disturb us. And we always rotate it among the three units in this park.
“The three units are the motorcycle riders, the tricycle drivers and the Kelebe drivers. Kelebe is a small-sized four-wheel vehicle.
“Last Friday was the turn of the Kelebe drivers to make settlement and after they had paid, the policemen said the N500 was too small for them.
“One of the Kelebe drivers then came inside the park to plead with the chairman of the tricycle drivers, so that he would also pay.
“Somebody abused him for not minding his business and the people there said it was not their turn to pay. The Kelebe driver went and reported to the policemen who sent him, and the officers came inside the park and assaulted the tricycle drivers’ chairman.”
Some thugs in the park and followers of the chairman were said to have attacked the Kelebe driver for his role in the incident.
As the policemen moved to avenge the assault of the Kelebe driver, bedlam reportedly ensued.
The park boys were said to have attacked the policemen with stones and other cudgels and the police repelled the attack.
The police inspector was alleged to have opened fire on the victim, who was among the chairman’s supporters.
A resident, who did not identify himself, said it was like a “war film”.
“There was shooting everywhere. We didn’t even know that Biliaminu had been hit by a bullet. It was after the dust had settled that we saw him in a pool of blood.
“The policeman that shot him actually pursued him and when he could not catch up with him, he shot him in the back.
“One of his ears was also seriously affected because he landed on an object. He was rushed to a hospital around here,” he added.
A motorcycle rider, Akeem Olomowewe, said the policemen reported themselves after the deed had been done.
“The Area Commander sent a team of officers to the scene and on Saturday, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police (Fatai Owoseni) sent another team to investigate what happened and talk to people in the park.
“Our leaders have gone to the command headquarters today (Monday) to make their statements,” he said.
A tricycle driver, who spoke on condition of anonymity, accused the policemen of extortion, adding that they paid about N10,000 every month for settlement.
He said, “We pay the police and even military officers whenever they come here.
“If we don’t pay the money, they could seize our means of livelihood and to get them back, you will have to pay at least N10, 000. And how much are we making from this business?”
Our correspondent observed as a team of armed policemen, who came in a bus tagged ‘FSARS’, were informed of the development and asked to come back when the park leaders would be back from the meeting with the CP.
“We have been asked to suspend all payments for now. Those policemen appeared to be under a spell with what happened on Friday, and they caused this, so please bear with us,” a man suspected to be one of the park leaders told the visitors.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, said the police were investigating the case.
She said, “The report is that a team of policemen fired during an encounter with some hoodlums in the Iyana Ishashi area.
“Afterwards, it was discovered that a bullet had strayed into an okada operator (motorcyclist). Meanwhile, the police are still investigating the team and their report.”
The House of Representatives on Monday despatched a letter to a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, asking her to explain how she extended contracts for crude oil worth $24bn without valid agreements.
The Chairman of the House Ad hoc Committee on Crude Oil Swap, Mr. Zakari Mohammed, confirmed on Monday that a letter had been sent to Alison-Madueke to appear before the committee on March 2.
“Yes, she has been asked to come on March 2. The letter left the secretariat today, February 22 (yesterday),” Mohammed stated.
He said the letter was routed through the office of the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu.
Two firms, Duke Oil and Tranfigura, were given the swap contracts in 2011 under the controversial crude-for-refined products (swap) deals the NNPC executed between 2010 and 2014.
The NNPC was allocated 445,000 barrels of crude daily to refine for domestic consumption.
However, owing to the failure of the country’s three refineries to function, the corporation resorted to exchanging part of the crude for refined products by engaging Duke Oil and Tranfigura.
Incidentally, Duke Oil is a subsidiary of the NNPC while Tranfigura is an offshore firm trading in Nigeria’s crude but does not pay tax to the Federal Government.
The Mohammed-led committee, which is investigating the deals, heard last week that Duke Oil and Tranfigura got an initial swap contracts in 2010 to last one year.
However, after the contracts expired in 2011, the former minister reportedly ordered an “extension” of the contracts, to run till 2014, but did not sign any valid agreements with the firms.
Three former GMDs of the NNPC – Mr. Austin Oniwon, Mr. Andrew Yakubu and Mr. Joseph Dawha – had appeared before the committee last week in Abuja to admit that the crude exchange took place without formal contracts.
“There was an approval for the extension by the minister; I believe the records are with the NNPC,” Oniwon, who was the first to appear before the panel, told the committee.
On his part, Dawha revealed that Duke Oil lifted 210,000 barrels of crude daily, while Tranfigura loaded 90,000 barrels” per day.
“Thus, as of August 2014, when I assumed office, the contracts were being run long after they had expired,” he added.
For Yakubu, he disclosed how he sent a report to Alison-Madueke on the need to review and formalise the contracts, but that the report “never came back to me from the minister.”
Speaking on the documents the committee had directed the former minister to produce, Mohammed said they included “full brief on all swap arrangements, a proof of Federal Executive Council’s approval, the NNPC board resolution on the contracts, evidence of the approval limit of the board and that of the minister of petroleum resources and that of the GMD.”
Mohammed explained that the FEC approval was necessary because by regulations, the approval limit of a minister was N100m, while higher amounts like the controversial $24bn would require the approval of FEC.
Dawha, who was the last GMD to serve under Alison-Madueke, had explained how he later ended the swap deals because they were “abnormal.”
He admitted that in the 27 years he served as an employee of the NNPC, there was never a period in the history of the corporation that such arrangements were allowed.
Dawha told the committee that his immediate decision was to seek a legal opinion on how to correct the anomaly following which he wrote Alison-Madueke on the need to sign legally-binding contracts with the companies.
The former GMD said Alison-Madueke approved his proposal to formalise the contracts.
“Upon receipt of the minister’s approval granted in August 2014, the contracts were formally extended to cover the periods from their respective dates of expiry until the end of December 2014,” he added.
Dawha explained that incorporated in the new contracts was an agreement to end the swap arrangements on their expiration, and migrate fully to Offshore Processing Agreement, which involved the direct processing of crude for refined products.
The Oyo State Sector Commander, FRSC, Yusuf Salami, said the accident involved an articulated vehicle and a Peugeot J5 vehicle.
He explained that both vehicles were travelling to Lagos, adding that the accident was caused by impatience, speeding and struggle for right of way.
He said, “A Peugeot J5 with number plate, XS 626 LSV, and a DAF articulated vehicle with number plate, AA 902 MML, had an accident as both drivers were struggling for the right of the way. They were both going to Lagos when the accident happened around 9.30am on Sunday. It happened just before the campus of the Dominion University in Sepo, on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
“There were 96 people involved, with 17 confirmed dead. It is obvious that both drivers were speeding and suddenly lost control of the vehicles. The Peugeot bus was loaded with passengers and goods, but the casualty figure rose because the other vehicle was travelling to Lagos with huge number of illegal passengers.”
Top Yoruba actor, Sikiru Adeshina, popularly called Arakangudu, died late Monday night to the early hours of Tuesday,
Speaking from Ekiti State, veteran thespian, Chief Jimoh Aliu, said those with the late actor broke the news of his death to him on Tuesday morning.
“I was called by those who were with him and told that he died after making a noise from his sleep,” Aliyu said. “They told me he died early this morning.”
Apart from acting, late Adesina produced movies like Ilu Gangan, Idunnu Mi, Ogbologbo, Iya Oju Ogun, Agbede Ogun, Ere Agbere among others.
Fashola begs Nigerians to accept ‘painful’ electricity tariff hike
FASHOLA
The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has described the increased electricity tariffs as “a painful pill,” appealing to consumers to “swallow” it.
Fashola stated this on the sidelines of the second monthly sectoral meeting with stakeholders in the power sector in Lagos, where he also inspected some projects at the Alagbon Transmission and Distribution Complex on Monday.
He said, “Importantly, I understand that people who have been disappointed over a long time will feel a sense of concern that again tariffs have gone up. But the truth is that these tariffs ought to have been there from day one. I don’t know why the government of yesterday was not courageous enough to tell us this was the price.
“It is a painful pill that I must appeal that we swallow. It is like quinine and malaria. It’s painful; it’s not sweet, I know that, but I do it because we are not left with many choices. This is the first major decision in power that this administration has taken. There are other problems.
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“I can only appeal for some understanding and some trust that we do this in the best interest of our country. It is a hard decision, but I think down the line, we will have cause to look…”
Fashola’s comments comes amid the ongoing nationwide protest by workers under the aegis of the Nigerian Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress, which has grounded commercial activities in several cities in the country.
The minister, who faulted the way the privatisation of the power sector was carried out, said the sector was being plagued by several problems including gas supply shortfall and transmission issue.
The President Goodluck Jonathan administration had in November 2013 privatised the successor generation and distribution companies carved out of the defunct government-owned Power Holding Company of Nigeria, leaving out the transmission segment of the value chain.
When asked what the problems in the sector were, the minister said, “The problem is everywhere. The problem is with us. The problem is with gas. The problem is with transmission. The problem is with the way the privatisation exercise itself was conducted.
“But as I have said before, I am not going to lament what has happened in the past. I am going to move on with it. So, the first move we have made when we accessed the situation, nobody was happy with it when we took over.
“This is a problem that has been here for 16 years, if we put it mildly. It is a problem that has been here 100 years ago, if we put it really extremely. I have been here for less than a 100 days, and I think we can solve this problem if you give us the tools that we need to do it. I think that this problem can be solved, and the day that we feel that it cannot be solved, I will gladly come and tell you that I don’t think it will work.”
BREAKING: Workers protest against 45% electricity tariff hike
Wabba
Workers under the aegis of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress have started a nationwide protest against the recent increase in electricity tariffs in the country.
The NLC had called for the protest after repeatedly calling on the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission to suspend the recent increase in tariffs.
The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, who described the tariff hike as outrageous, said it was the fifth in a row since 2012 and unacceptable.
In a statement calling for the protest Wabba said, “It is a nationwide protest, meaning that the 36 states of the Federation including Abuja will be involved in this action.
“Our members have been sufficiently mobilised and are ready to go. If you are an electricity consumer and you are not happy with the bills electricity companies serve you every month, you are invited to join this protest rally.”
Civil society groups and activists also expressed support for the protest and mobilised their members for it.
In Abuja, protesters could be seen carrying placards expressing their disdain for the tariff increase with some bearing such inscriptions as “We won’t pay more for darkness”.
Some of the workers came out as early as 7am for the protest, which started at the Labour House in the Central Business District Abuja.
The workers are expected to protest at NERC offices and in the case of Abuja, the protest will extend to the National Assembly.
The NERC had introduced the new power tariff regime in December, outlining the various rates of increase in energy charges for consumers across the country.
It also announced the removal fixed electricity charges for all classes of electricity consumers and noted that power users would only pay for what they consume.
Hoodlums slaughter 23-year-old, ask residents not to panic
Dada
Some hoodlums have invaded Iya Agan Street on Old Apapa Road in the Ebute-Meta area of Lagos State, killing a 23-year-old, identified only as Dada. It was learnt that the hoodlums, who wielded guns and cutlasses, asked residents not to panic while they slaughtered Dada, alias Ratio, saying they (hoodlums) did not come for innocent lives. The 23-year-old, whose family members or address, had yet to be known, was killed around 5.30pm on Friday in the area. It was learnt that anxious residents, however, contacted the vigilance group in the area, which in turn contacted the Iponri Police Division. It was gathered that when policemen arrived at the scene, Dada’s corpse was recovered, but the hoodlums had fled. Some of the residents said they wanted to flee when they heard the gunshots, but the hoodlums calmed them down, saying they only trailed a rival member to the area, and they had no plan to unleash terror on anyone. A shop owner, who gave his name only as Abimbola, said the attackers came in two tricycles, otherwise known as Keke Marwa. He said,the gunshots did not have effect, they slaughtered him with a cutlass.” A resident, who declined to mention her name, said Dada was known to be moving with the Fagbayimu Boys, adding that rival hoodlums, trailed him to the area. She said, “Those hoodlums had come on Tuesday to attack a shop owner and collected his phones and money. So, when we saw them again on Friday, we were afraid. But they said they knew the person they were looking for. “Minutes later, they found Dada and started shooting at him. There was a man who came to repair his car at a mechanic workshop at that time, he left his car and climbed a fence in fear. But the hoodlums continued to assure people around the scene that they should not run. “ I do not know the deceased’s family members, but he was usually seen with the Fagabayimu Boys. When we told the man on the fence that the hoodlums had gone and he should come down, he refused.” One of the executives of the vigilance group, Mr. Ishola Agbodemu, said one of the hoodlums, identified only as Ayo, was caught on Saturday and handed over to the Anti-Robbery Section of the State Department of Criminal Investigation, Yaba. He said, “The hoodlums wanted to start reprisals in our area, but we brought out vigilance group members to apprehend them. On Saturday, one of the suspects, Ayo, was caught with weapons. They were actually three, but we caught one of them. “He is at the SDCI, and the police are interrogating him.” The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos,confirmed the killing. She added that investigation was ongoing into the incident.
According to a Radio Biafra broadcast from London monitored in Lagos by News Express, “it is another milestone in their drive towards Biafra’s restoration”. (Scroll down for photos)
The embassy was opened by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Director of Radio Biafra, London.
Reportedly, one more Biafra embassy would be opened in China soon.
Mr. Kanu said: “We your children are gathered here in Vitoria Basque country O’Lord of Hosts, to do that which you have divinely mandated us to do. Today here in Northern Spain we open yet another chapter in this relentless effort to restore your kingdom upon the face of this earth. For the journey mercies you have granted us from all over the world here gathered we remain eternally grateful. From all over the world we have come to establish a firm base in this land from where your will must be done. This year belongs to us Biafrans because in the end all glory and honour will be yours and yours alone. Iseee!”
Moreover, Mazi Kanu took to his Facebook to express gratitude to God for the success of the event:
“To the most gracious almighty Chukwu Abhiama do we owe all that we are for this journey mercy granted to all hard core Biafrans that attended IPOB mission opening ceremony in Vitoria Basque Country in Spain. Magnificent and merciful creator of the universe, even if we worshipped you from now till eternity we still would not be able to repay you for the grace you have shown we Indigenous People of Biafra for guiding us back to our respective destinations.
“For those we left behind please guide them to their families in safety that in the end as always all honour and glory will be yours and yours alone because only you is worthy of praise. Your children have asked me to come to Amsterdam Netherlands from where your redeeming gospel of restoration will be preached tonight to the hearing of humanity. Abide with us Heavenly Father as you have always done for we are nothing without you. This family here shall find peace as they all desire that indeed your kingdom Biafra may come on this earth as it is heaven…..Iseee!”
FIFA hit Real, Atletico with one year transfer bans
FIFA on Thursday banned Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid from buying players for one year over their dealing in under-age players. The ban will start from the July transfer window this year and finish with the January transfer market in 2017. Atletico were also fin
Lagos plans 24-hour BRT operation, increases street lightning
Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode
The Lagos State Government says it is planning a 24-hour operation for the Bus Rapid Transit scheme in the state.
The state government stated that it was the wish of the present administration that BRT buses work at night.
It added that it was intensifying efforts on the state’s Light Up Lagos project, to provide functioning streetlights in every nook and cranny of the state.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr. Wale Oluwo, on Wednesday in Ikeja said the efforts being made by the government to make BRT buses operate for 24 hours and provide streetlights everywhere in the state were in line with the campaign promise of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.
Oluwo said, “Arrangement has been concluded on having BRT buses to work at night once the Light Up Lagos project is completed.
“The intention of government is to light up all highways in the state. In fact, the 114 road reconstruction in the 57 councils in the state will be with walkways and streetlights.
“The light up project is complimentary to the security equipment recently donated to the police. The ultimate goal is that when all the streetlights are on, we will start having BRT buses working at night.
“The governor promised to make Lagos city a 24-hour economy; this is what the project will achieve.”
The commissioner said most major highways and streets had their streetlights working, adding that repairs of streetlights were being carried out in other strategic places.
He noted that places from Berger to Lekki, Ikorodu to the Lagos Island, Ikeja, Victoria Island and Ikoyi, among others, were already enjoying functioning streetlights at night.
It will be recalled that Ambode recently set up an advisory council to make electricity available in Lagos.
EFCC arraigns Adamawa council boss for N982m fraud
Felix Tangwami
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned a former Chairman of Demsa Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Mr. Felix Tangwami, for a N982m alleged fraud.
The Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said in a statement on Wednesday that that the former council boss was arraigned before Justice Helen Nuhu Hamman Joda of Adamawa State High Court in Yola.
Uwujaren said Tangwami was arraigned on five counts bordering on obtaining by false pretense to the tune of N982,468,000.
He said that the former council boss used his position to award a number of contracts to companies which he had interest in and failed to deliver on them.
Uwujaren quoted the contracts to include “contracts for supply of cerebrospinal meningitis vaccines awarded in favour of Binam Integrated Services Ltd; supply of vaccines for immunization against typhoid in favor of Nchaloro Nigeria Ltd; supply of 500 units of motorcycles to be distributed to all the Local government Areas in Adamawa State in favor of Bange Integrated service Ltd; building of a school for technical skill acquisition in Numan in favor of Bange Company Ltd; and the supply of anti-snake venom in favor of Tafari Nigeria Ltd.”
He said the former council boss pleaded not guilty to the charge and was admitted to bail in a sum of N500m and a surety, who must be a family man with a landed property worth N100m.
Arsenal are close to signing two Nigerian Under-17 players, Kelechi Nwakali and Samuel Chukwueze, according to British.
The players gained the attention of top European clubs after helping Nigeria to win the FIFA U17 World Cup in Chile last year.
According to Sky Sports, a host of top European clubs are interested in signing both players, with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger hopeful of taking the duo to the Emirates. The Mirror, which noted that Bayern Munich were also interested in signing the players, reported that Wenger believes the duo would sign for the Gunners.
“Arsenal have agreed a combined £3m fee with the Diamond Football Academy in Umuahia, Nigeria, and are expected to complete the deal this month,” the report said.
It added the players, represented by English agents, Stellar, are due to arrive and complete the deals and would sign professional contracts at 18.
Nwakala captained the Golden Eaglets team that beat Mali to win Nigeria its fifth FIFA U-17 World Cup title. He scored three goals and provided three assists, claiming the Golden Ball and Bronze Boot at the tournament.
Chukwueze, a powerful midfielder, also scored three goals, included the third fastest goal in the tournament’s history, and assisted three others to earn a Bronze Boot as well.
The Federal Executive Council on Wednesdayapproved an additional $200m loan from the International Development Association, an arm of the World Bank, in support of Lagos State Development Policy Operation.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; and the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, briefed State House correspondents at the end of the meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Mohammed explained that the loan would enable the Lagos State Government to complete some if its ambitious projects, such as the 61Km 10-lane Lagos-Badagry Express way.
He said the facility would also enable the state government to rehabilitate the inner roads in Apapa in addition to some other major ongoing works.
Fashola explained that the facility was not a new loan but a segment of a programme of developmental initiatives which was approved in 2010 with a total sum of $600m for Lagos State.
He said the sum was meant to be disbursed in tranches of $200m each year starting from 2011 to 2013, regretting that the arrangement suffered delays as a result of partisan political differences in the last dispensation.
He said, “After the first tranche was disbursed, there was a freeze on the second tranche. The initial agreements we had with the World Bank was a 40-year loan, a 10-year moratorium and 0.5 percent interest.
“But because of the delays that subsequently characterised the partisan interference that took place, our profile as a nation also changed we have become a bigger economy. Though money was being lent to us, we are no longer taking it as a highly indebted nation.
“So by the time this one was approved, because of the delays, we had lost the opportunity of 40 years as it is now a loan of 25 years, the moratorium has reduced to five years instead of 10 years.
“The interest rate had gone up to 2.5 percent, but what is still heart-warming about it is that it helps to finance infrastructure.”
The minister added that the fact that the World Bank had the confidence to deal with sub-national government is a testament of financial discipline, strong governmental structures and the establishment of institutions.
While saying that is the way to grow the economy, Fashola disclosed that Edo, Ekiti and Rivers State had also benefitted from similar gesture.
He explained that such loans are deducted at source at monthly FAAC meetings; therefore the risk of defaults is minimal.
When asked why his state which also belongs to the ruling All Progressives Congress is the first beneficiary of such approval under the present government, Fashola said, “I mentioned partisan differences because I remember when the delays came up, I was told by the then Minister of Finance that she was getting complaints from PDP Governors that it was only APC states that were benefitting at the time from the Word Bank loans.
“So we got access when we were in opposition because we qualified and we met the competitive conditions.”
FIFA, the world football governing body, on Wednesday sacked its Secretary General Jerome Valcke, with immediate effect.
A statement by the body in Berlin said the acting Secretary General, Dr Markus Kattner, would continue in place of Valcke.
“The FIFA emergency committee has decided, since its sitting on January 9, to dismiss Jerome Valcke from the position of FIFA secretary general with immediate effect.’’
It said Valcke’s suspension was part of the ongoing investigations into the corruption scandals which plagued the organisation throughout 2015.
On January 5 the investigatory chamber of the FIFA ethics committee recommended that Valcke be banned from the game for nine years and pay a fine of 100,000 Swiss francs.
The body further said that his suspension, which remains valid, was extended to Jan. 6 while his case was passed to the adjudicatory chamber of the ethics committee.
Valcke, a close confidante of Blatter, was Secretary General since 2007 and had previously denied any wrongdoing.
A pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God has been kidnapped by yet-to-be identified persons.
It was gathered that Pastor Ayo Raphael was kidnapped during the Sunday service at the Resurrection parish of the RCCG in Kabba junction in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.
Eyewitnesses said the kidnappers, numbering about 10, stormed the church auditorium at about 9am and ordered the congregation to lie face down.
An eyewitness, who pleaded not to be named, said, “The pastor was dragged out of the church into the bush while the abductors shot sporadically into the air to facilitate their escape.”
Although no lives were lost, many members of the congregation were said to have sustained injuries as a result of their scampering for safety as the kidnappers were shooting into the air. It was gathered that the kidnappers had contacted the church, demanding N50m before the pastor could be released.
Emefiele Must Be Sacked for His Role in $2.1b Arms Scandal – Bakare tells Buhari
The Serving Overseer of the Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently sack the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele for his role in the ongoing $2.1b Arms deal probe.
Buhari during his State of the Nation address, titled, ‘Roadmap to successful change,’ in his church in Lagos said the CBN contributed to the arms scandal in more ways than one.
He said “The CBN currently contributes negatively to the Nigerian state in more ways than one. Firstly, the CBN has become a conduit for politicians to drain the nation. Otherwise, how can a letter of barely two paragraphs, addressed to the current CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, by the then NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), become the authority to incur expenditure leading to cash flow of $37m and several million euro?
“In decent climes, the CBN governor cannot continue in office while the NSA is accounting for his alleged offences.
“Given the resurgence of the subsidy conundrum, it has become needful to pre-empt and inform those who have been wondering if our January 2012 protests were organised in error. Let me reiterate that the Save Nigeria Group did not mobilise the people of this country to the Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota, merely to protest the removal of the fuel subsidy but to challenge the corruption that defined the fuel subsidy regime.
“We said then that it was not a deregulation, as was being claimed by the government, but a hike in fuel price. We demanded the prosecution of those indicted in the damning report of the Farouk Lawan committee, a phenomenon we refer to as ‘Kleptoric kleptocracy unlimited’, where for instance, N999m was reportedly paid 129 times totalling N128,871,000,000 to some companies by the office of the Accountant General of the Federation.
“Four years later, those indicted persons have not been prosecuted. Do we still need to wonder why corruption is so endemic and very pervasive in our nation today?”
