Several filling stations have started exploiting Nigerians amid the controversy and attendant public outrage surrounding the hike in petrol price in the country.
The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) had on Thursday night announced an increase in the pump price of petrol from N186 to N212 per litre.
File Photo used for illustration.
Although the agency deleted the template showing the new price increase on Friday, amid nationwide backlash; several filling stations are currently selling between N205 and N250 per litre. Meanwhile, petrol stations have locked their gates and stopped selling to customers.
Checks by SaharaReporters at selected filling stations in Lagos, however, showed that some of them were still selling at N205.
A motorcyclist, who plies the Berger axis of Lagos, told SaharaReporters that he bought fuel at N205 per litre on Friday morning.
He said: "Even if they increase fuel price to N250, passengers will suffer because I can't keep charging N200 when fuel price has increased. I wanted to stop coming to Berger but because I have to eat, I just had to come. As it is, every other thing will increase."
It was also discovered that some filling stations had started hoarding fuel.
Several bus stops in Lagos were filled with stranded passengers on Friday morning as transport fares had also gone up.
Seven countries have now suspended the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine being administered on Nigerians for allegedly causing blood clotting and other health hazards.
It was reported by the Cable News Network (CNN), that Denmark, Iceland and Norway have suspended the use of the treatment, as the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is investigating the claims.
Other nations that have shelved the administration of the drug include Italy, Austria, Estonia, Lithuania, Luxembourg and Latvia. Denmark, however, did not state whether its reported death was connected to the batch.
Denmark announced a two-week suspension yesterday following reports of clotting. Iceland and Norway followed suit but did not disclose how long their suspensions would last.
Despite the statement by AstraZeneca on Thursday that patients’ safety was its “highest priority,” the stakeholders in Nigeria's health sector have not said anything about suspending the inoculation of the vaccine in Nigeria.
But according to the Guardian, the Head, Public Relations Unit of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency said, “We are satisfied that the clinical evidence indicates the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to be safe and effective. Our assessment is in line with countries such as Spain and the UK which have indicated that they will continue to administer the vaccine, because it remains an important tool to protect against COVID-19.”
Meanwhile, President, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Prof. Innocent Ujah, had said: “You need to know and establish the reason for suspension of the vaccine in those countries before contemplating anything.”
However, the EMA has approved the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for use within the European Union. The US-produced one-shot vaccine has become the fourth to be granted approval by the regulator with the EU already ordering 400 million doses.
Meanwhile, 14 COVID-19 herbal medicines have been listed as safe for use in the country by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, but their degrees of potency have not been established.
According to the NAFDAC, the medicines are now harmless for consumption but their degree of effectiveness is to be determined during clinical trials.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, who disclosed this yesterday in Abuja after receiving a jab of the AstraZeneca therapy observed that his organisation conducted a diligent study on the vaccine and confirmed that it is “safe and efficacious for use against COVID-19 virus.”
The Secretary-General of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Saleh Al-Hassan, has said his organisation has no connection with a suspected leader of a gang of Fulani bandits, Mohammed Isa, allegedly killed by the Easter Security Network after he was captured in Benue State.
Al-Hassan, though undeterred about the arrest and murder of Isa said to be notorious, as revealed by the Indigenous People of Biafra, he, however, questioned the authority of the group to carry out such an act.
File photo used to illustrate story.
He told SaharaReporters on Friday while responding to the statement by the IPOB that Isa had been handed over to his ancestors.
The IPOB spokesman had said on Thursday that, “We have made it open before now that we don’t spare terrorists.
“Mohammed Isa was captured by ESN Northern Command and handed over to God. We handed him over to God, to meet his ancestors.
“It is our resolve that any Fulani terrorists masquerading as herdsmen in our land if we catch you, we send you to God Chukwu Okike Abia
“ESN has no power to judge terrorists. Only God has the power to do so, (we are) therefore advising them to leave our lands, forests and farmlands.”
Reacting, Al-Hassan said, “How can you ask me about a bandit? Are we really bandits? No! If they said they killed our member, we would talk no matter the nomenclature they gave him. But, if they claimed to have killed a bandit, then the matter should be with the police.”
Al-Hassan in his response reiterated that the Fulani cattle herders in his organisation are not criminals, therefore would not be concerned with whatever punishment was meted out to criminal elements. He challenged the IPOB to release the corpse of the leader of the bandits to the police to know if he was truly killed.
He also condemned lawlessness in the country adding that it may jeopardise the peace of the law-abiding citizens.
“I don’t know. We keep on saying consistently, that these bandits are criminal elements. They are not members of our organisation. So, it must be stated very clearly, not ambiguously. Yes, if they have criminals, they should be treated as criminals.
“But, to even think that IPOB or ESN has killed somebody, either bandits or no bandits, are they lawful security agents? Who are they? Can’t they go and kill ‘Yahoo Yahoo’ (internet fraudsters) boys? Can’t they go and kill drug pushers that are destroying our image? You see, we must not be encouraging lawlessness because if we encourage lawlessness, I’m telling you this country is gone.
“See, every tribe is trying to raise a militia like that but is that what we want. There is a way we should help this country to get over its problems by giving stories that create unity and progress. If they killed him, are they keeping the corpse? They should give the corpse, at least, to the police now. Do they carry tags on their heads that I am a bandit?
“You see, all these things – lawlessness – that is given credibility is sad. It is not good for the country. I’m telling you; you see, I pity those people promoting that kind of statement because at the end of the day if there is a crisis, do you think anybody will benefit? We have Igbos in every nook and cranny of this country. So, it’s not good. We are trying to promote peace. You see, they keep on lumping things together. I think this is political, you people should investigate this.
“If the crude people are killing themselves in the villages, we the elite should help them because it is our responsibility to give them leadership.”
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The Nigeria Inter-Religious Council under the joint leadership of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, and the President, Christian Association of Nigeria, Reverend Samson Ayokunle, has blamed the incessant herdsmen and farmers’ crises in the country on climate change.
The NIREC stated this in a release on behalf of the two leading clerics by NIREC’s Executive Secretary, Fr. Prof Cornelius Omonokhua, in Abuja.
The council noted that a large proportion of the clashes between herders and farmers had to do with the poor vegetation caused by global warming.
The clerics said, “Nigeria as a country is experiencing its own fair share of environmental pollution and global warming effects. The fact that herdsmen and farmers are clashing over vegetation can be directly or indirectly linked to climate change.
“The indiscriminate felling of trees without replanting, illegal mining, etc. are all part of man’s activities that are taking a toll on the environment.
“The impact of these activities resulting in climate change has given birth to high exposure to heat stress and ultraviolet radiation, the absence of clean air, a shortage of potable water, desertification, unpredictable weather, etc.”
According to them, where and when necessary, the government should consider the possibility of making new legislation to combat and address these crises.
“Our lands are polluted due to improper or lack of available dumpsite for domestic wastes and wrongful or excessive use of agro-allied chemicals; our waters are polluted by direct dumping of refuse in the water or waterways thus causing blockage of such waterways which results in flooding and contamination of water; crude oil drilling activities of the oil producing states are another aspect of water pollution. Improper chemical waste disposal by industries is also not left out of this.
“The pollution that our air suffers mostly comes from emissions of carbon monoxide from automobiles and industries. There are no stiff penalties for such emissions and as such, a lot of vehicles drive around with visible emission, with heavy duty vehicles, creating a dark cloud of soot while they are in motion.
“In order to mitigate against the devastating effects of these pollutions, the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council hereby calls on the government to make legislation, particularly enabling the respective regulatory Ministries, Departments and Agencies to address and combat these crises.”
Also, the Council urged the people to avoid acts that could be inimical to the environment, praying that the nation would be pollution free and the world at large would experience climate justice.
Africa’s leading brand, Arise Media Group, has announced that it will launch a new streaming service by Sunday, Ariseplay, a platform which is worth $100million.
Arise Group said in a statement that the new channel would feature all of Arise’s industry leading original productions and ensure that subscribers get to see the best content from both sides of the Atlantic.
The group stated further that Ariseplay will also be partnering with SONY Pictures, FilmOne and other independent producers to deliver “Behind-the-Scene actions and interviews in the run-up to the release of some of the world’s biggest movies.”
The statement signed by Sakina Renneye, Brand and Marketing Lead, reads, “This distinctive streaming service will be combined with linear channels in the UK, Europe and Africa which will enable the unparalleled delivery of hundreds of titles in different categories that include Blockbusters, TV Series, Kids Programming, Comedy, Live Entertainment, as well as the best in Fashion, Music and much more.
“ARISEPLAY will be Home Entertainment like you’ve never seen it before! In the Playroom, described as the place where ‘the stars come out to play’, you will be able to engage with some of the biggest names in music and comedy, and listen to some of their current as well as yet-to-be released productions.
“ARISEPLAY has been carefully curated for a discerning global audience that is looking for exciting, sharp and sagacious viewing choices that are not available elsewhere.
“The ARISEPLAY App has been designed using best-in-class algorithms and AI technology that will automatically determine the options that suit each subscriber’s profile, alert them when there is new content, provide special playback options and optimised viewing to limit the amount of data required to stream. We are also offering a 30-day free trial to give our subscribers a chance to experience the magic.”
A five-man panel of the Supreme Court has affirmed the ten-year jail term sentence slammed on a former governor of Plateau state, Senator Joshua Dariye, who is serving the jail term for criminal breach of trust.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had charged Dariye to court in 2007, accusing him of diverting N1.126 billion from Plateau government’s ecological fund.
In June 2018, Adebukola Banjoko, a judge of a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Gudu, sentenced Dariye to 14 years imprisonment having found him guilty on 15 out the 23 counts preferred against him.
However, the Court of Appeal in Abuja in November 2018 commuted the sentence from 14 years to 10 years.
The court held that since Dariye is a first-time offender, the 14-year jail term was excessive.
In a lead judgment read by Justice Helen Ogunwumiju on behalf of the Justice Mary Odili panel on Friday, the Supreme Court held that the Appeal Court was right to have affirmed the judgment of an Abuja High Court which originally sentenced the ex-governor.
On Friday, Nigerians woke up to the news of another abduction of female students during an attack on Federal College Of Forestry Mechanisation in the Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna state.
SaharaReporters gathered that the school is less than 15 kilometres from the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna.
Sheik Gumi with bandits
The gunmen on Thursday also attacked three local government areas of Igabi, Giwa and Chikun in the state and killed seven persons.
The gunmen were also said to have injured others, as well as rustled 20 cows.
This is happening three weeks after bandits operating between Tegina in Niger state and Birnin Gwari in Kaduna state met with Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi and vowed to deal with Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
El-Rufai had earlier in February said any bandit arrested in the state would be brought to justice, maintaining that “Kaduna state is at war with bandits”.
He also disagreed with suggestions by Gumi that the bandits should be granted amnesty and compensated.
The governor said the bandits would not be willing to give up kidnapping, considering how lucrative kidnapping had been to them.
“Anybody that thinks a Fulani man that ventured into kidnapping for ransom, and is earning millions of naira, would go back to his former life of getting N100,000 after selling a cow in a year, must be deceiving himself,” El-Rufai had said.
“Why should they be compensated after killing people, destroying their houses? Who offended them? Ahmad Gumi is my friend and this is what we discussed with him.
Speaking during the meeting with Gumi, the leader of the banditry group, Dogo Gide, lambasted El-Rufai over his statement.
According to a source, Gide added that his men were ready to carry out more attacks on communities in Kaduna State.
“He told the delegation led by Sheikh Gumi that he would deal with Governor El-Rufai and nothing would happen. He also said his boys were ready to attack more towns in the state. He said he and his boys were not afraid of death and anybody against their demands would be crushed.
“Sheikh later begged him and told him that all Northern governors had agreed to meet their demands,” a security operative at the meeting told SaharaReporters.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III has stated that the military regimes relegated the roles of traditional rulers to the background and the current 1999 constitution gave no constitutional roles to monarchs as regards helping to tackle insecurity.
The monarch, who spoke at a meeting with the Steering Committee of the Senate Constitution Review Committee on Thursday, March 11, said Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi’s 1966 Unitary Government Decree, Yakubu Gowon’s 1967 and Olusegun Obasanjo’s 1976 Local Government Reforms Decrees stripped the traditional rulers of their powers and gave same to the local government councils.
According to him, these decrees relegated the traditional institution to the background with no constitutional role.
The Sultan of Sokoto, who was represented at the event by the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, averred that before the 1976 local government reforms, Nigeria was progressive, peaceful, decent and full of beautiful traditions and cultures.
The monarch appealed to the National Assembly to restore their constitutional powers.
He also alleged that the colonialists needed the traditional rulers to consolidate their indirect rule; the politicians to stabilise their governments and the military, to gain acceptance.
The Sultan said, “All the respective levels of governments needed them to maintain peace and security as traditional rulers were always at hand to douse conflict that the police, the military and the government officials could not contain.
“Currently, traditional rulers do not have the constitutional or other legal backings to perform effectively as they’re not even mentioned in the 1999 constitution. This is a great departure from all earlier constitutions that recognised them, and even gave them some functions to perform.
“Indeed, all the earlier constitutions in Nigeria gave the chairmen of the State Councils of Chiefs seats in the National Council of State alongside former Presidents and Chief Justices.”
He added that the constitution should be amended to give the traditional institution a unique constitutional recognition, noting that no community or nation would thrive successfully without due consideration of its historical evolution, customs, values and beliefs.
The Sultan said, “The constitutional provision should provide for states to enact state laws that cater for specific peculiar matters relating to traditional rulers in the respective states. In addition, the chairmen of the State Councils of Chiefs should be recognised by the constitution as members of the Council of State as it has been in all the Nigerian constitutions, except the 1999 one.”
The Nigerian government has deleted an earlier published template announcing an increase in the retail price of petrol.
The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) had on Thursday night posted a new template that showed an increase in the pump price of petrol from N186 to N212 per litre.
The template showed that the retail price of petrol would sell between the market band of N209.61 and N212.61. Marketers usually sell at the upper band.
With ex-depot price standing at N206.42 per liter, the March template showed that the landing cost for petrol per liter is N189.61.
The controversial template was previously accessible using this link; https://ift.tt/38xaQHL.
The reason the link was deleted could however not be ascertained but it came amidst the public outrage over the increase in fuel price by Nigerians.
A lawmaker representing Obowo state constituency in the Imo State House of Assembly, Kenneth Ibeh, has sponsored a bill to reduce the expenses of marriage in the state to at most N180,000.
Ibeh lamented that the bill was necessary as many young women in the state had yet to be married due to the expensive cost of marriage and the bride price.
“Imo women are not getting married due to the high cost of marriage and bride price,” Ibeh stated on the floor of the house as he presented his bill.
Presenting the bill for the second reading on Wednesday, March 10, during plenary, Ibeh said that outrageous marriage bills had caused many ladies to remain single as suitors can't afford to pay.
He said, “A suitor coming to pay for a lady’s dowry may find it taxing to settle for the English wedding which again demands more expenses.
“It is quite unfortunate that this practice has caused so many of our marriageable ladies to remain single and men apprehensive of taking the bold step. This is wrong and we must discourage it at all cost.”
According to the bill, once a suitor pays and completes the bride price of a woman, a clearance certificate should be issued to the groom by the father of the bride, who will present the certificate to the traditional ruler of the community.
This would then be presented for the final issuance of Customary Marriage Certificate at a cost not exceeding N1000.
The bill added that no customary marriage in the state, including the final stage of the Igbankwu ceremony, shall exceed the sum of N180,000, and that the bride price should not exceed N80,000.
There are fresh insinuations as to why the recovered £4.2 million funds looted by the former Delta state governor, James Ibori, may not be returned to the state by the Federal Government.
On Tuesday, the UK had signed a Memorandum of Understanding to return the sum of £4.2 million of stolen assets by Ibori.
The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, had stated this in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
She said the money was recovered from friends and family members of the former governor.
But the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, had said the looted funds recovered from Ibori would be used to finance Federal Government projects.
Malami said the recovery of the stolen fund was part of the efforts of the current administration to fight corruption.
He had added that the money would be used for the construction of the second Niger Bridge, Abuja-Kano Road, and Lagos-Ibadan Express Road.
This has generated lots of reactions with the Delta State government and some Nigerians opposing the move.
Amid the controversy, some people have said it is better not to return the loot to Delta because the incumbent governor of the state, Ifeanyi Okowa, and Ibori are good friends.
They alleged that if the recovered funds are returned to the Delta State government, Okowa, who is the chief executive officer of the state, might likely return the money to Ibori if requested.
A post on Nairaland read, “This single picture says it all on why the returned looted funds seized from Ex-Governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, did not make it to Delta. I remember that even a Judge declared Chief Ibori innocent.
“There is a high probability that the money will be returned to Chief Ibori. This is a lesson to other states. Stop electing those who come with serious liabilities.
“The current governor, HE Ifeanyi Okowa, is part of the scheme and administration of Chief Ibori.
“Ibori is still the governor by proxy, he's still the kingmaker, this hot caller, and the most powerful man in Delta state, Okowo is his errand boy and he won't hesitate to return that money to Ibori his master.”
Another person commented, "The way Ibori is adored in Delta, it is inevitable this will happen. Once the money gets to Delta, it becomes Ibori's money and not Delta's money. He might decide to share some with them."
The Kaduna State Police Command says its operatives have killed a marauding bandit with AK-49.
It disclosed this in a statement issued by its spokesman, Muhammed Jalige, on Thursday night.
According to the command, the bandit was killed during a gun duel and his AK-49 assault weapon with two (2) rounds of 7.2mm live ammunition was recovered.
It added that that some of the bandits fled into the forest with varying degrees of bullets wounds, alerting the nearest communities to report anyone person found with bullet injuries.
The statement read: "On 11th March 2021, at about 1230hrs, the operatives of Kaduna Police Command, while on routine patrol along Kaya Road Patika District, Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State, intercepted some groups of armed bandits on a heinous mission."
The police revealed that the bandits were engaged in a fierce gun battle and successfully repelled them, adding that "in the process of the said duel, one bandit was neutralised and his AK-49 assault weapon with two (2) rounds of 7.2mm live ammunition recovered."
The statement continued: "The doggedness, uncommon courage and tactical operational strategy adopted by the operatives made the bandits to flee into the forest with varying degrees of bullets wounds.
"However, the corpse of the neutralised bandit has been deposited at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Shika while a manhunt for the fleeing bandits is being intensified.
"The command is calling on members of the communities within the said axis to be watchful and report any suspicious person(s) with injuries to the nearest police formation."
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Isaac Amata, a Nigerian prophet, who is the national coordinator of Zion Fellowship International—a popular Nigerian church in Zambia— threatened the country’s President, Edgar Lungu, that he will lose his reelection bid in August if his visa rejection is not reversed by the Zambian immigration.
Amata made the statement in a video posted online on Tuesday as shared by Zambian Observer.
He said, “I just received a message from my Zambian national coordinator, that my visa application to visit my church in the nation of Zambia was rejected.
“What audacity! For a prophet who has been a blessing to the nation of Zambia since 2016 rejected, for what reason? And the Lord is saying, ‘Speak! To the leader…Edgar Lungu. You know about it or not…You reject my prophet, I reject your victory in August 2021 unless you reverse it.’ This is the word of God to the nation of Zambia.”
Reacting on Thursday, however, Zambia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement by its spokesperson, Nephas Chifuta, cautioned Amata.
It said, “Like any other country, the decision of a visa application is discretional. The Immigration and Deportation Act No. 18 of 2010 of the Laws of Zambia vests discretion on an immigration officer to either grant or deny a visa application.”
Chifuta said the reason for the visa denial was communicated to Amata and had nothing to do with President Lungu; and that, while freedom of expression was guaranteed in Zambia, it must be anchored on sincerity. Government, he added, would take appropriate legal action on the matter.
Amata, a controversial Pentecostal figure in Zambia, was arrested and tried in 2018 on drug charges but was acquitted by the court. He is known for prophesying on political matters in the country, including on the president’s election.
Similarly, another Nigerian prophet in Zambia, Andrew Ejimadu, who is popularly known as Seer 1 faced a constant row with the Zambian president, whose victory he equally prophesied in 2016. He was deported from Zambia following a rape allegation and a fallout with the government.
For “constantly attacking” the Zambian president from his new base in South Africa, Zambia last year called on the Nigerian government to caution him.
The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency has revealed in a new monthly template that the price of Premium Motor Spirit, also known as petrol, has reached N212.6 per litre.
According to the template which the PPPRA released on Thursday, petrol is expected to sell at a lower retail price of N209.61 and at an upper retail price of N212.61 which is usually followed by marketers.
File Photo
The expected ex-depot price as seen in the template is N206.42, while the landing cost is N189.61.
The template, published on Thursday night, shows that the retail price of petrol will be between market band of N209.61 and N212.61. Nigerian marketers usually sell at the upper band.
With ex-depot price standing at N206.42 per litre, the March template shows that the landing cost for petrol per litre is N189.61.
This is despite the Nigerian Petroleum Corporation saying there won’t be any change in the price of PMS in the month of March.
The NNPC had promised that petrol price would remain static in March to allow smooth negotiations between the government and labour unions, but the PPPRA template follows the increasing price of crude at the international market as well as instability in exchange rate.
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The Nigerian military has conducted joint land and air strikes on bandits’ camps in located in Birnin Gwari, Igabi, Giwa and Chikun local government areas of Kaduna State, killing scores of the terrorists.
The military embarked on a “sweeping mission operation in several aerial missions conducted” covering locations in the government areas according to the state second security update made available to journalists on Thursday.
Nigerian troops are fighting jihadist insurgency in the northeastern part of Nigeria.Nigerian Army
The release by the state Internal Security and Home Affairs Commissioner, Samuel Aruwan, stated that the missions were carried out in tandem with ground patrols in the areas.
According to an operational feedback, the first aerial mission covered the Riyawa camp, which the military engaged with rockets.
The release reads, “Close air support was then given to troops of Operation Taimako Yazo along the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari Road, covering Polewire, Crossing Point, Koriga, Udawa, Buruku and environs. Normal activities were observed across all areas.
“Another pass was made over the Birnin Gwari area with an informant on board the aircraft to identify target locations. About 5-7km North-West of Farin Ruwa, bandits’ hideouts were identified and engaged accordingly. Some bandits sighted fleeing the area were also neutralized.
“In a second mission, targets were identified around Riyawa camp and engaged. A third pass confirmed that strikes on the camps were well on target. The Riyawa axis around the Kaduna-Katsina inter-state boundary was also thoroughly scanned. Normal activities, huts and few heads of livestock were observed in the area.
“On the ground, troops of Operation Taimako Yazo and Operation Badamamaki conducted aggressive fighting patrols along the road to Ifira village and formed a blocking force at the Ifira River, but the area was observed to be calm.
“Also, troops of Operation Taimako Yazo conducted day and night patrols along the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari road as well as Polewire and Udawa axes to clear hideouts and crossing points. Commuters were stopped and searched at intervals.”
The statement added that the state Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, while receiving the operational feedback thanked the troops and crews for the extensive joint missions and commended their thoroughness and commitment.
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Unknown gunmen have attacked the current World Boxing Federation International Super Featherweight Champion, Ridwan Oyekola, popularly known as Scorpion, with the boxer managing a narrow escape.
According to reports, Oyekola was attacked by gunmen shortly after receiving a cheque of N10 million from the Oyo state governor, Seyi Makinde at the state Secretariat on Thursday evening.
Ridwan Oyekola 'Scorpio'
Oyekola had defeated his counterpart from Argentina, Lucas Montesino at Ilaji Sports Resorts, Ibadan in December 2020 after which he was decorated as the World Boxing Federation (WBF) International Super Featherweight Champion.
Governor Makinde had presented the check to Oyekola for making the state proud with his victory over Montesino.
Narrating his experience, Oyekola said that it was the grace of God that made him escape death with two other occupants in his car.
"As we left the government secretariat, the venue of cheque presentation, I wanted to drop a friend that accompanied me to the event at Mokola, I just saw a vehicle and it followed us along NTA to Total garden area, and the two men were pointing guns at us to stop.
“I was shocked and swerved the car to escape them but fell into a ditch. The assailants drove off after noticing that the car had fallen off from the road."
It was gathered that Oyekola was with another boxer, Habeeb ‘Ige’ Oladeji, the national bantamweight title holder and a friend, Adesina Sheriff, in the vehicle during the attack but none sustained serious injury except Oyekola who suffered a shock.
Confirming the incident, Oyekola's manager and promoter, Sola Ayodele, called on the government to provide adequate security for the boxer, saying the assailants might still be on his trail.
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At least 10 suspected Boko Haram members died on Wednesday when troops of the Special Forces Brigade in Borno state engaged the insurgents in a gun battle at Sassaawa village, a community in the Marte Local Government Area.
SaharaReporters gathered that the raid was part of the ongoing second phase of operation Tura Takaibango.
The troops also recovered weapons, including AK-47 rifles, mortar tubes, and a machine gun, a military source said.
“The clearance onslaught was based on the directives given by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Ibrahim Attahiru when he visited the Theatre of Operation LAFIYA DOLE. During his operational visit recently to Dikwa, the COAS issued directives to troops to advance and recapture Marte and thereafter project further to clear other adjoining villages which include Sassawa, Chikun Gudu, Kerenoa, and environs.
“Following the directive, the gallant troops moved in, achieved the objective, and projected ahead. In the course of the clearance operation, troops encountered heavy fleets of the terrorists, engaged and ultimately obliterated them. In the encounter, 10 members of the sect were killed,” the source said.
The incident comes barely two days after the troops killed about 25 insurgents in Chikun Gudu and Kerenoa areas of the state.
Two soldiers however lost their lives while seven others sustained injuries during the attack.
Boko Haram and its offshoot, Islamic State West Africa Province, have killed thousands and displaced millions in North-Eastern Nigeria.
Nigerian army has repeatedly claimed that the insurgency has been largely defeated and frequently underplays any losses.
In the past months, soldiers have been targeted by the insurgents, laying in ambush on their path.
The Boko Haram insurgency has caused over 40,000 deaths and displaced millions of individuals mainly in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.
The Anambra State police command has denied alleged attempt to cover up a murder case involving a woman who was arrested for beating her house help to death.
In a statement on Thursday, the command's spokesperson, Haruna Mohammed, described the allegation made by a human rights activist, Gwamnishu Emefiena Harrison, as false.
Haruna said the 25-year-old woman, identified as Nmesoma Okafor, was still in police custody and would be charged to court next Monday, after an autopsy had been conducted.
He said Gwanmishu should have cross-checked facts with the police in such a sensitive matter before publishing.
The statement read: “The attention of the Anambra State Police Command has been drawn to a misleading report on Instagram credited to one Gwamnishu Emefiena Harrison that police have refused to charge to court one Madam Nmesoma Okafor 'f' aged 25 of Nkpor in Idemili North LGA of Anambra State over alleged torture and murder of her teenage house help who died in the hospital while receiving treatment on 16th February, 2021.
“The report was absolutely false and unfounded. In fact, the suspect in question is still in police custody and will be charged to court on Monday, 15/3/2021 after conducting an autopsy.
“The command wondered why the author could not cross-check his facts with the police in a sensitive matter such as this before publishing.
“In view of the foregoing, the Commissioner of Police, CP Monday Bala Kuryas, fsi urges the public to disregard the report and further assures them that justice will be served on the matter.”
PoliceNewsAddThis : Original Author : SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements :
The Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Protection Unit of the Oyo State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on Thursday arraigned two suspected rapists before a Magistrate court in the state.
Speaking after the Chief Magistrate, P. O. Adetuyibi, had remanded the two suspects at Abolongo Correctional Centre, the State Commandant of the NSCDC, Iskilu Akinsanya, revealed that one of the suspects, Olalekan Joshua, a barber from Onipasan area of Odejayi, raped an eight-year-old girl in her mother's shop on December 18, 2020 around 8 pm.
NSCDC
He said the second suspect, Olaniyi Segun, indigene of Ondo, also lured a 16-year-old girl into his apartment when the victim was sent to buy petrol from a filling station.
"Olaniyi Segun raped the victim and impregnated her in the process," Akinsanya said.
A statement by the public relations officer of the command, Oluwole Olusegun, indicated that the Chief Magistrate, Adetuyibi, remanded the two suspects at Abolongo Correctional Service, Oyo and adjourned the case to 15/04/2021.
The state commandant, who frowned on the two incidents, warned residents indulging in such acts to desist, saying "NSCDC will not hesitate to punish any offender".
He urged parents to take proper care of their children and encourage them to be disciplined and content with whatever they are given.
CRIMESexNewsAddThis : Original Author : SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements :
The Windsor Police Service in the Ontario province in Canada has said it is currently searching for a 25-year-old Nigerian, Oyebode Oyenuga, whose last known movement revealed he was driving.
The police service explained that Oyenuga was driving a 2015 white BMW vehicle with the license plate CRNW931 when he was last seen.
The Nigerian man was last seen on Tuesday, February 2, 2021, in Windsor, although the announcement became public knowledge only last Monday.
The Major Crime Unit in Ontario said it was “actively investigating his disappearance and is concerned for his safety.”
Oyenuga is described as a black man between 5 feet, 11 inches to 6 feet with a stocky build, weighing approximately 260 lbs.
An alert posted on Missing People Canada’s website, reads, “The Windsor Police Service in Ontario, Canadais looking for a missing 25-year-old man. Oyebode Oyenuga was last seen on Tuesday, February 2, 2021, in Windsor. He was driving a 2015 white BMW with the license plate CRNW931.
“The Major Crime Unit is actively investigating his disappearance and is concerned for his safety. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact Windsor Police – Major Crime Unit or the Crime Stoppers anonymously or online.”
Missing People Canada is a platform which posts listings of missing people from around the country.
PoliceNewsAddThis : Original Author : SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements :
File Photo used for illustration. 
