Folarin Kehinde

Mrs. Amma Buwa, daughter of a member of the Borno State House of Assembly representing Ngala local government area, Hon Bukar Abacha, has been strangulated to death by unknown persons in Maiduguri.

Sources said the incident took place around 6:30pm on Tuesday, when the husband was said to have left the compound to a nearby mosque for prayers.

The husband of the victim who took the corpse to the police station said he found her lifeless body in his house with her hand and legs tied behind her back while her two years old child was crying beside.

The Gwange police Division evacuated the corps to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital for autopsy and investigation.

The incident which caused tension and pandemonium in the area attracted a large crowd of residents who thronged the scene to catch a glimpse.

According to a family source who shared the news of the incident on his facebook page said, the remains of the deceased would be buried today (Wednesday) morning in Maiduguri.

“Inna lillahi Wa Inna Ilaihi Raji’un. Mrs Amma Buwa is killed by some hoodlums earlier today after isha prayer, where some unknown men invaded into her house after her husband left to the masjid for isha prayer.

“Amma is the daughter of member Representing Ngala at the state house of Assembly.

The janaiza (burial) will take place at 777 Housing Estate by 10am in Maiduguri.

“May her gentle soul rest in perfect peace,” he wrote.

The Benue State Government has accused the immediate past administration of ex-overnor Ortom of operating 600 accounts during his eight-year term in office.

Addressing the State Correspondents’ Chapel members of Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) during a visit to his office in Makurdi on Tuesday, Commissioner for Finance and Budget Planning, Michael Oglegba, said that was why Governor Hyacinth Alia froze all government accounts on assumption of office.

The finance commissioner said Governor Alia was shown only 25 accounts when he took over office but information at the Nigerian Inter Bank System, however, showed that the state had over 600 accounts.

“When we came in, we asked for the accounts and bank statements and we were presented with about 25 bank accounts. A causal look at the Nigerian Inter Bank System showed that Benue Government had more than 600 accounts,” the commissioner said.

Oglegba while commenting on the state debts profile, insisted that the Alia government inherited over N359 billion debts which included that of the local government arrears.

He said, “The debts owed by the state itself was in excess of N200bn. This includes local and foreign debts. However, the LGAs also have their own debts, unpaid salaries, pensions, gratuities and local contractors that made up the other N150 billion.

“So the Alia administration has no reason to lie about the state debts. We will be doing ourselves a great disservice if we say we own monies that we do not own. When we need loans for example who will give us?”

Ortom, who exited office in May this year, had denied leaving a debt of N359 billion.

The former governor, who spoke through his media aide, Terver Akase, had said the allegation was a mischief levelled against him and his eight years’ administration.

“The present government of Benue State is selling a narrative to unsuspecting people of the state that they inherited N359 billion as debt from the previous government led by Chief Ortom.

“This narrative is not only false but is also a deliberate stratagem to snooker the people. Governor Ortom was explicit in his handover speech that though the debt situation of the State Government at the time of his exit from office might appear to be on the high side (N187.56 billion).”

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu as chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, who announced this in a statement, on Tuesday, also said Mr. Clifford Okwudiri Oparaodu was appointed as the new Secretary of the commission.

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Ngelale said the appointments were subject to confirmation by the senate.

“In exercise of powers conferred on the President as established in Section 3(6) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, and in furtherance of the Renewed Hope mandate to reform key institutions and invigorate Nigeria’s war on corruption, President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of a new management team for the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), pending Senate confirmation:

“Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu — Chairman / Chief Executive Officer, ICPC

“Mr. Clifford Okwudiri Oparaodu — Secretary to the Commission, ICPC

“The new Chairman of the ICPC is nominated for confirmation by the Nigerian Senate, following the President’s approval of the outgoing Chairman’s request to proceed on pre-end of tenure leave beginning on November 4, 2023, ahead of the expiration of his tenure on February 3, 2024.

“The position of Secretary to the Commission does not require Senate confirmation and, therefore, by the directive of the President, the appointment of Mr. Clifford Okwudiri Oparaodu as Secretary of the Commission takes immediate effect.

“Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu has embarked upon many far-reaching reforms as the Attorney General of Jigawa State since September 2019 and holds Bachelors, Masters and Doctorate degrees in Law. He was also named as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria-designate in October 2023.

“Mr. Clifford Okwudiri Oparaodu is a lawyer with over 30 years of experience and has served meritoriously in the public service as a Member of the Rivers State Judicial Service Commission and Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of Port Harcourt City Local Government Council.

“The President implores the new management team of the ICPC to always be above board as they discharge their duties without fear or favour concerning all matters before them.”

Some protesters have stormed the streets of Abuja to condemn the appointment of Mr Ola Olukoyede as Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Leading reporters gathered that the protesters who converged under the group Centre For Democracy and Human Rights held several placards, calling on President Bola Tinubu and the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to immediately discontinue the appointment.

The protesters marched to the gate of the National Assembly, after which they proceeded to submit their petition against the appointment to the leadership of the National Assembly.

Secretary General of the group, Adebayo Lion Ogorry, said that the appointment of Olukoyede as EFCC Chairman was a flagrant disregard and breach of the provisions of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Establishment Act, 2004.

Ogorry said the law states that the EFCC Chairman must have cognate experience of not less than 15 years but that Olukoyede only has eight years of experience at the Commission.

“We queried how he manufactured an additional 15 cognate years of experience as contained as required by law to as contained in Section 2 (1)(iii) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Establishment Act, 2004,” Ogorry said.

The group called on the Senate to reject Olukoyede’s nomination as EFCC Chairman and urged President Tinubu to withdraw the appointment.

“We call on you to use your office to give this appointment the proper scrutiny it deserves and stop the flagrant disregard and breach of the provisions of the extant laws of the EFCC Establishment Act 2004,” Ogorry said.

Note that the Senate revealed today that it received President Bola Tinubu’s request for Olukoyede’s appointment.

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday launched the Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer for 15 million households.

The event coincided with World Poverty Eradication Day and was held at the Press Gallery of the State House in Abuja.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, represented the president at the event.

In attendance were the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Eradication, Betta Edu; Minister Of Finance, Wale Edun; World Bank Country Director, Shubham Chaudhuri; and the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator For Nigeria, Matthias Schmale, among other dignitaries.

The 15 million households, according to Edu, represent 62 million Nigerians.

She said that N25,000 would be transferred to the beneficiaries monthly for three months, which amounts to N75,000 for each beneficiary.

The minister also disclosed that another scheme would be launched in no distant time, code-named ‘Iya Loja Funds’, which would provide soft loans of N50,000 to support petty traders.

In addition, at the beginning of the next farming season, she said that farmers would be provided with incentives to boost their farm yields.

A 23-year-old man, Akaninyene Isaac, has hacked his mother to death with a cutlass for denying him food for three days in Oruk Uso Otoro village, Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom state.

According to a statement by Akwa Ibom police command’s spokesperson Odiko MacDon, issued to reporters in Uyo on Monday, Isaac was arrested by operatives of Abak Division last Wednesday for allegedly murdering his 55-year-old mother, Christiana.

The police spokesperson added that Isaac confessed to killing his mother with a cutlass for failure to provide him food for over three days.

MacDon quoted the suspect as saying, “I used a machete to inflict grievous injuries on her, leading to her death.”

He said that the suspect would be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved an application to secure a budget support loan worth $1.5 billion from the World Bank and an additional $80 million from the African Development Bank (AfDB).

Leading reporters gathered that the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, made the announcement while speaking with State House Correspondents after the FEC meeting on Wednesday.

Edun said the funds will be utilised for various projects in crucial sectors of the nation’s economy. He added that Nigeria qualified for the “relatively cheap” loans given its “macro-economic moves” in the past couple of months since President Bola Tinubu assumed office.

“The bold, brave, courageous and decisive measures that Mr President has taken are being rewarded by processing for Nigeria $1.5bn of immediate financing, which, provided that we do everything on our side, will be in before the end of the year,” Edun said.

He explained that the $1.5 billion loan from the World Bank would be concessional financing, which means that it would have a low interest rate and a long repayment period.

Edun also said that the $80 million loan from the AfDB will be used to support the Ekiti Knowledge Zone Project, which is an initiative to train and empower young people in the technology sector.

At least 27 women and 4 boys have been kidnapped in Southern Kaduna by bandits.

Leading reporters gathered that this was disclosed by the women’s wing of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) in a statement on Monday.

SOKAPU National Women Coordinator Mrs Jemutu Katarma said hundreds of villages in Southern Kaduna have been sacked and some taken over by bandits, while many people have been rendered homeless.

Katarma also said that the bandits have been targeting women and children and that one of the kidnapped women, Kauna Ali, had died in captivity.

“Of particular note, we want to bring to the attention of His Excellency, Gov Uba Sani about a terrible development that happened to his citizens on 2nd October, 2023 in Kachuwe, close to Sarkin Pawa in Niger State. After their villages suffered several invasions from bandits in Chikun, they decided to move to Kachuwe, which they thought was safer to start life all over again by farming,” Katarma said.

“Unfortunately, armed bandits stormed the village on 2nd October, 2021 and killed 13 male adults and a young girl. Among those killed is a grandfather (1) Baba Barda Kariya. The names of the rest are: (2) Ali Nariya, (3) Zakariya Nariya (4) Markus Nariya, (5) John Nariya and (6) Haruna Nariya. Others are: (7) Iko Ali, (8) Vincent Ali, (9) Amos Zakariya, (10) Habila Zakariya, (11) Smalis Markus, (12) Timothy John (13) Victor Markus and (14) Godiya Markus, the only female killed.”

“After committing the crime, they looted the village of foodstuffs and animals.

They then burnt down the village. They spared the lives of the old women and sick old men. Then they took away the following females and boys. Grace Ali 25 yrs, Kauna Ali. 22 yrs,. Murna Ali 18 yrs,Tera Ali 3 yrs, Rahila Shagari 18yrs,Sunday Zakaria 17yrs, Leonard Zakaria 10 yrs,Lucy Zakaria 11yrs., Blessing Zakaria 13yrs, Charles Haruna 10yrs,Tina Amos 27yrs, Desire Amos 7yr,Success Amos 3 and Yemi Benjamin 27yrs.”

“Let me sadly inform you, that Kauna Ali became very sick in the hands of the bandit last year. With no medical care, she died. We got the sad news from one of the kidnapped girls via a phone call from the bandits’ phone. No one knows where the corpse is as at today.”

“It is also important to note that Yemi Benjamin was heavy with her first pregnancy because she was newly married.

After they were kidnapped, the bandits made demands for a ransom.But they later refused to take the ransom. A month later, after Yemi Benjamin gave birth in the bush. They gave her the phone to call and inform her in-laws that she had a baby girl.”

“Also note that a 3 and 10-year-old boys were among those that were kidnapped and still with the bandits. It is now 12 months since it was heard from them. And it is 2 years on the 2nd October 2023 that they have been in the hands of their abductors.It is a very horrible experience for the relations of these captives to live day and night not knowing the fate of their love ones.”

“Again, on Saturday 7th October, 2023, in Chikuri village, in Chikun LGA, bandit entered Maikudi farms where villagers were working on portions of the farm that they rented from the owner. Bandits attacked the farm and kidnapped 14 women and a boy. Among the women is 54-year-old Mrs Lydia Dogara and her 20-year-old daughter, Linda Dogara.”

“Therefore, we can confirm that at least 27 women and girls and 4 boys who are citizens of Kaduna state from Chikun LGA are in the hands of kidnappers, with one already dead.They are however just some other victims that maybe also be suffering the same fate in the state.”

Katarma appealed to the Kaduna State government under the leadership of Sen. Uba Sani to explore the excellent working relationship he enjoys with the Chief of Defense Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, and other security chiefs to ensure the return of the women and children.