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I anticipate that religious societies must have started designing vigils and weekly prayers to fight against the devil for masterminding incessant gas explosions rocking the country. But I have news for them: the devil is no longer in the winds; it has transformed into humans and now dwells in government houses and in offices of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation. If anyone wishes to bind and cast the devil, they now know where to go. While the country is still gripped by a BBC forensic analysis that appears to implicate the NNPC in the Abule-Ado 2B pipeline explosion, which killed over a dozen people in March, more than two dozen Nigerians perished in tanker explosions in Lokoja and Iju-Ishaga just last Wednesday. But pipelines and tankers are not exploding for no reason. These explosions are direct results of how irresponsible politicians heading the NNPC and their cronies in the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMA) have put greed before public...

Magu The suspended Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, has said that he never admitted to the allegations against him.  Magu is being investigated by a Presidential panel headed by retired Justice Ayo Salami. Magu Since July, the panel, which was set up by President Muhammadu Buhari had been probing the suspended boss of the anti-graft agency for various allegations including abuse of office and mismanagement of recovered assets levelled against him in a memo sent to Buhari by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN). See Also Exclusive REVEALED: Justice Salami Sitting Allowances, Emoluments And Luxurious Lifestyle That Made Him Ask For Extension 0 Comments 2 Weeks Ago Magu in a statement by his lawyer, Wahab Shittu, said the report that he confessed to the panel that he was overzealous as EFCC chairman and begged for mercy was misleading.  He said, “Our attention has been drawn to a misleading...

At least three supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo State were wounded on Tuesday during an attack on the party’s campaign team. The attack occurred at Ipele in the Owo Local Government Area of the state when the convoy of the governorship candidate of the PDP, Eyitayo Jegede, visited the area. Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, who is seeking re-election under the All Progressives Congress platform, is from Owo LGA. The attack comes a few days after the police threatened to jail anyone caught causing trouble in the state ahead of the election. Jegede’s convoy was attacked a few weeks at Oba Akoko during a campaign tour. Confirming the attack, Samuel Fasua, spokesman for Eyitayo Jegede Campaign Organisation, said the armed thugs blocked the entry points of the community and started attacking some of the campaign vehicles in Jegede’s convoy. He explained that three members of the party identified as Mr Amuda Sikiru, Mr Taye Akintufede, and Seun Ogunlade were brutally ...

Yiaga Africa has raised the alarm on the activities of political thugs in the build-up to the Ondo State governorship election. Yiaga Africa in its pre-election observation report berated security operatives for not moving against thugs, who are in the act of brandishing small arms to terrorise members of opposition parties and voters. The group predicted that the act could lead to low turnout of voters in the October 10 poll. “Yiaga Africa LTOs reported cases of political thugs brandishing arms and weapons during political campaigns without restraint from security agencies. “Based on Yiaga Africa findings, Akoko South West LGA has a high case of arms build-up. In addition, armed political thugs were reported to be terrorising communities in Ilaje and Ileoluji/Okeigbo LGAs. “These unrestrained acts of lawlessness and impunity creates apprehension which could lead to low turnout of voters during the election. “Given the background of pre-election violence and gangster polit...

Prof Banji Akintoye The Yoruba World Congress has called on Yorubas across the country, who will be joining the protest on October 1, 2020, to avoid a clash with security operatives. The group fixed a rally for that date, which is Nigeria’s 60th independence anniversary, to draw global attention to the need to “liberate Yoruba race.” Prof Banji Akintoye Speaking ahead of the scheduled rally, Prof Banji Akintoye, President-General of YWC, urged protesters not to engage in confrontation with police as violence will cause distractions to its agitation. He said, “For Yoruba people at home in Nigeria, my message is to repeat my earlier messages: please keep our rallies thoroughly peaceful. Never display any rowdy or disruptive behaviour. Never get into any argument or confrontation with law enforcement personnel. If the police anywhere ask you not to rally or to dispense, disperse peacefully. “Always remember that your message is too important to allow confrontations or distract...

The Coalition of United Political Parties has berated the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress for suspending its agitation for the reversal of the increase in the price of petrol and electricity tariff. Noting that the increment was ill-timed, CUPP stated that the people had lost confidence in the NLC and TUC for suspending its planned strike. High Chief Peter Ameh, National Secretary of CUPP, in a statement said the NLC and TUC no longer had the capacity to represent the interest of the Nigerian people. See Also LABOR/WORKERS’ RIGHTS How Nigeria Labour Congress Leaders Betrayed Workers To Strike Deal With Government Over Planned Industrial Action 0 Comments 1 Day Ago Ameh posited that the union should have embarked on its planned protest for people to use the medium to voice their anger. He said, “NLC and TUC should know that the ordinary man on the street has lost confidence, trust, and faith in their ability to actually speak or act for them. “CU...

Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, has said that the country’s whistleblower policy must be expanded to protect those, who expose corruption, gross mismanagement as well as acts inimical to public health and safety from backlash and reprisals. Osinbajo made the call while delivering a virtual keynote address at the National Conference on Whistleblower Policy on Tuesday in Abuja. He said, “It is clear that under the current whistle-blower policy, it is only with respect to acts of corruption that whistle-blowing is considered lawful. “However, there is a whole range of issues that may not endanger public finance directly but may constitute public safety or security risks. Reporting such may save lives and or property. “The scope may then cover such matters as a violation of law, gross mismanagement of the rights of people and waste of public resources, or acts inimical to public health or safety. “Exposing corruption is for the good of our nation; our goal in this...

Obafemi Hamzat Obafemi Hamzat, deputy governor of Lagos State, has said that ‘Agberos’ cannot be banned in the state because they were “our brothers and cousins”. ‘Agberos’ in Lagos are notorious for charging taxes that are not remitted to the government, terrorising neighbourhoods, robbing passengers and rigging elections for corrupt politicians. Obafemi Hamzat Hamzat, while speaking with journalists to commemorate his 56th birthday in Lagos, said the National Union of Road Transport Workers to which the touts belong, had the same legitimacy and backing of the law as the Nigeria Medical Association.  He said, “We have all agreed that we live by the constitution and laws. The National Union of Road Transport Workers is actually a union recognised by law. I know some people say ban them, but the government must also be careful. When you just say arbitrarily ban them, what stops you from saying I want to ban the Nigerian Medical Association? Do you understand? There are ti...

A Kaduna State High Court has thrown out a no-case submission filed by Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, and his wife, Zeenat. El-Zakzaky whose health had been rapidly deteriorating since his detention in December 2015 after he was arrested by the Nigeria Army, is seeking to quash the government’s charges against him. The IMN leader and his wife are being prosecuted by the Kaduna State Government on an eight-count charge bordering on alleged culpable homicide, unlawful assembly and disruption of the public peace. Marshall Abubakar holding brief for foremost rights lawyer, Femi Falana, had on August 7 asked the court to dismiss the charges against El-Zakzaky and Zeenat. He said the government had failed to “disclose an offence known to law contrary to Section 36 (8) and (12) of the 1999 constitution as amended” against his clients. See Also Human Rights Shiites Raise Alarm Over El-Zakzaky's Health Amid Fears Of Stroke, Blindness 0 Commen...

Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait, has died at 91. He was flown to the United States for medical treatment following surgery for an unspecified condition in Kuwait in July. The Emir ruled the oil-rich gulf state since 2006 and was in charge of its foreign policy for more than 50 years. He was popularly called “Dean of Arab diplomacy” for his efforts to restore relations with states that backed Iraq during the 1990-1991 Gulf War when Kuwait was invaded by Iraqi forces. He was a mediator in regional disputes including the ongoing diplomatic stand-off between Saudi Arabia, its allies and Qatar.  He also had the last say in political matters and had the powers to override or dissolve parliament and call elections. Sheikh Sabah came to power in January 2006, after Emir Sheikh Saad al-Abdullah stepped down just nine days into his rule as parliament moved to depose him on health grounds.  He had been Prime Minister under the previous Emir, Sheikh Jaber al-A...

Adams Toyin Goodness, a former security officer at Bowen University, Iwo, Oyo State, has cried out for help over three months unpaid salaries allegedly being withheld on the orders of the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof Joshua Ogunwole. Goodness said she discharged her duties with the institution diligently until February 2019 when her salary was withheld without any reason. In a letter obtained by SaharaReporters and addressed to the President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, she said, “ I assumed duty as security officer operations and investigations on September 2, 2016 and I was found competent and diligent at carrying out my duties while the university was faithfully discharging her obligations to me without delay or denial.  “This cordial relationship began to experience a setback when my February 2019 salary was withheld and upon my enquiry at the university’s Salary and Wages Unit, I was reliably informed that the directive to withhold my salary was an...