Folarin Kehinde

Some unknown gunmen have killed three Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who were fishing in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State.

The chairman of Agagbe IDP camp in Gwer West LGA, Ibaah Terna Jacob, confirmed the incident to journalists on Wednesday.

Jacob said that the men went fishing on Monday but were accosted by the armed invaders who gunned them down.

He identified the victims as Igbahemba Abua, Iorhemba Cletus and Akaa Clifford.

Jacob said that they had gone fishing in Gbange/Tongov council ward of Gwer West and did not return home.

He said during a search for them, an eyewitness informed them that they were chased by armed invaders who opened gunfire on them.

The camp manager added that by Tuesday morning, the corpses of the trio were found after an intense search.

He said the bodies have since been buried.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has deleted the names of Timipre Sylva and his running mate, Joshua Maciver, of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the list of candidates for the forthcoming Bayelsa State gubernatorial election.

INEC on Tuesday released the amended lists of candidates for the Bayelsa and Imo States governorship elections and uploaded the same on the commission’s website.

The list was also signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the column for the names of the APC candidate and his running mate was left blank with “court order” remarks.

The Secretary, Oriaran-Anthony, in the amended document, explained that the commission’s action was in obedience to court orders on the lists served on the commission.

She stated that the commission published the final list of candidates for the 2023 Bayelsa State Governorship Election on June 9 following the provision of Section 32 of the Electoral Act, 2022, and the timetable and schedule of activities for the election.

However, she noted that the commission was served with a court order regarding the nomination of the APC candidate for the Bayelsa State governorship election.

“By virtue of the provision of Section 287 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the commission is bound to enforce the orders of the court on the nomination of candidates by political parties in the state.

“The amended list of candidates in respect of the 2023 Bayelsa State governorship election is hereby amended pursuant to the orders of court served on the commission,” Oriaran-Anthony said.

FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, has sent another warning to Abuja landlords defaulting in the payment of ground rent.

Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday, Wike hinted that the Rights of Occupancy of the houses may be revoked if they fail to meet up with payments.

Wike, said contrary to insinuations in some quarters, “something will surely happen” at the expiration of the deadline issued by the FCT Administration in September for individuals, organisations, and agencies owing ground rent who refused to pay up.

The minister stated this when he received the leadership of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), led by its President, Dr Chris Isiguzo who visited him in Abuja.

The FCTA had in a recent publication asked allottees of lands within Abuja to fulfill their obligations as stipulated in the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) by paying their ground rents in advance without demand from January 1 of each year.

The FCTA had warned that a breach or failure to comply with any or all of the terms stated in the Rights of Occupancy shall be liable to the revocation of the title.

The administration, therefore, advised all allottees, property owners, and beneficiaries of the sale of Federal Government Houses in the FCT to settle their outstanding ground rents or lose their titles.

The minister told the NUJ leadership that he is determined to match his words with action by revoking plots of defaulters at the end of the deadline given by the FCTA.

“The law has been there before I came. The only problem is applying the law. The Minister of State and I have the capacity and political will to do what is right.

“You know Nigerians are funny, believing that nothing will happen. Something will happen. We can’t continue that way; we can’t.

“We have given defaulters a final notice to go and pay and they said it is initial “garagara” (false bravery). Something will happen.

“By the time we give the final notice, and you don’t pay, the law will be applied,” he said.

He added that the FCTA was able to save significant Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) since the removal of the Administration from the Treasury Single Account, adding that the era of abandoned projects in the FCT was over.

Wike explained that some of the hash decisions being taken by the FCTA were for the good of all in the long run, adding that the government would step on toes in the efforts to right the wrongs in the FCT.

The minister pledged continued support to the media as critical partners in the development space.

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has raised an alarm over the high number of fake companies in the country.

This is even as the commission says it has uncovered 189 fake companies used to secure land allocations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

The Registrar General of the commission, Hussaini Magaji, disclosed this during a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, October 24.

Magaji stated that the discovery was made following a complaint from the FCTA to verify the status of a non-existing company seeking land allocation.

He explained that the discovery of the non-existent company led him to investigate further, resulting in the identification of others existing for same purpose.

He added that two suspects including a lawyer have been apprehended and a cartel involving staff of Abuja Geographical Information System, lawyers, and the commission have been identified.

“Let me use this opportunity to inform the public that one of the major milestones achieved so far since I assumed office, is our ability to bust a cartel or a link of individuals that are creating havoc for the commission,” he said.

“This cartel creates companies through collaboration with some lawyers claiming to be accredited agents of the commission and staff of Abuja Geographical Information System to secure land allocations in the FCT and we only knew this crime after a complaint from the Federal Capital Territory Administration asking us to verify some applications made by some entities, which turned out to be non-existent on our system.”

Some terrorists, on Tuesday, invaded a mosque at the Sabon Layi, in Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State, killing the Imam.

Three worshippers — Kabir, Bilya Mairabo and Ashiru Mairabo — also sustained various degrees of injuries during the attack.

The worshippers were said to be receiving medical attention at the Jibrin Maigwari General Hospital, Birnin-Gwari.

A community leader, Zubair AbduRrauf, said the incident occurred during the early morning prayers around 5am.

“Yes, an Imam of a mosque and two other worshippers were killed. It occurred around 5 am on Tuesday. Two other worshippers are at the Jibrin Maigwari General Hospital, Birnin-Gwari,” he said, according to Punch.

“The attack took place at Ga Allah Babba of Sabon Layi, an agrarian community in the Western part of Birnin-Gwari. These are areas neighbouring the Kamuku National Park and the Kuyebana Forest in Zamfara and Niger states.

“We are in a precarious situation in Birnin-Gwari. Even on the Kaduna – Birnin-Gwari highway, people are being escorted by either security personnel or the vigilante. Two days ago, the bandits killed two people coming back from Kaduna.

“The bandits’ attack is on a daily basis. Security personnel are really trying their best to see that the attacks are being curtailed but we need a change of strategy from them (security personnel).”

There was no official confirmation from either the state government or the state police command as of the time of filing this report.

The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Party (ADC) in Kogi, Leke Abejide, has assure traditional rulers in the state of top-tier enjoyment if he wins the November election.

Addressing traditional rulers during a recent visit, Abejide said he would ensure that they are kept in the best hotels when invited.

The politician also promised to accord the traditional rulers the respect due to them.

“I will respect all my traditional rulers: I will give you the due respect that is needed. I wi make sure that anytime I invite you, I will put you in the best hotels for you to enjoy yourselves,” Abejide said.