Headlines

Some election materials have been destroyed following a fire incident at the Independent National Electoral Commission)INEC) office in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Adeniran Rahmon Tella, confirmed this in a statement on Friday.

According to Tella, the fire incident occurred at its office located in Ibadan South-East Local Government Area.

He noted that the fire outbreak occurred at around 10:30 am on Friday, January 26.

The REC stated that the cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained but was assumed to have been triggered by a power surge.

He also stated that no life was lost, adding that only logistic materials got burnt.

Tella added that the incident had no effect on the Saki West State Constituency rerun election coming up on February 3, 2024.

The chairman, Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Philip Aivoji, has been kidnapped

Leading reporters gathered that the abductors have made a demand of N200 million ransom for the release of the politician.

Reports have it that the party leader was reportedly abducted on Thursday, January 25, around 6 pm in the Ogere area along the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway.

The incident occurred as they were returning to Lagos from the PDP South-West Zonal meeting held in Ibadan. Additionally, it is learnt that another member of the Lagos State PDP Exco, who narrowly avoided abduction, is presently undergoing treatment at an undisclosed hospital.

Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has once again sworn-in nine Commissioners who earlier resigned their appointment in the wake of the governor’s face-off with his predecessor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, thereby re-admitting them into the State Executive Council (SEC).

The Commissioners include Professor Zacchaeus Adangor, Dr. Jacobson Nbina, Dr. Gift Worlu, Mrs. Inimefien Aguma, Egnr. Chukwuemeka Woke, Prof Chinedu Mmom, Dr. Dakorinama Kelly-George, Isaac Kamalu, Esq., and Mr. Ben Chioma.

Recall that the Commissioners, loyal to former Governor Wike, were earlier screened and confirmed for the second time by the Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly on January 17, 2024.

Speaking after the swearing-in ceremony at the Government House, Port Harcourt, on Friday, Governor Fubara charged them to engage in activities for which they will be positively remembered by posterity.

The governor told the appointees that: “I wish you well in your coming back. Stand for justice, and stand for the interests of our dear state. That is the purpose of your appointment and that is the truth.

“I can see how heavy your hearts are. But I assure you that I don’t have anything against anyone of you. You were caught in between during the crossfire.

“I will advise that you give your best. Like I said the first time, let this State and posterity remember you for what is good.”

An Ikeja sexual offences and domestic violence court has sentenced Feyi Daniels, founder of “I Reign Christian Ministry”, to life imprisonment for “raping a church member.”

The trial judge, Rahman Oshodi, on Friday, January 26, found the cleric guilty of rape and sexual assault of a female worshipper.

Daniels was arraigned by the Lagos state government over rape, attempted rape, and sexual assault of his church members.

He was accused of sexually assaulting three of his church members at his residence in Lekki and on his church premises in Ikeja.

Details shortly…

The Kano State Fire Service says it rescued 37-year-old Saifillahi Rabiu, who allegedly attempted to commit suicide over a failed deal.

The Public Relations Officer of the Service, Alhaji Saminu Abdullahi, disclosed this in a statement to newsmen on Thursday in Kano.

He said the incident happened on Thursday morning at State Road, Tarauni Local Government Area of Kano.

“We received a distress call at about 10:07 a.m. from the Ministry of Works and Housing, Kano State, about a suicide attempt by hanging on a tree.

“On receiving the information, we quickly sent our fire fighting vehicle to the scene at 10:10 a.m,” he stated.

Abdullahi stated that Rabiu, a resident of Semegu Quarters, attempted to hang himself over his inability to refund N2 million to those he tried to assist in obtaining a travel visa.

“During interrogation, we gathered that Rabiu connected some people to those that process travel visas to foreign countries, which was successful.

“Those he tried to help, however, rejected the visa, saying it was not the type they paid for and demanded a refund of their money already paid to the processors.

“We reliably gathered that he was able to raise half a million naira only.

“But pressure and threats from the people he wanted to assist made him try to take his own life,” the PRO added.

He added that Rabiu was rescued alive and handed over to Zaharaddini of Farm Centre Police Division.

The Benue State Education Quality Assurance Agency, BSEQAA, has ordered school principals in the state to immediately refund the excess West African Examination Council and National Examination Council charges paid by SS3 students.

The Director-General of the agency, Dr Francis Terna, gave the order on Thursday, when he visited some schools in Makurdi, the state capital.

LeadingReporters gathered that Terna had engaged some students in SS3 in the schools visited to ascertain what they paid as WAEC and NECO examination fees.

Having ascertained the facts, he instructed the principals to refund the excess charges to the students without delay, directing all the schools to adhere strictly to the approved handling charges of N5,000 per student.

He called on the schools’ authorities to desist from such sharp practices, adding that failure to comply with the government’s directive would be met with appropriate sanctions, adding that the state government was fully committed to upholding high standards and ensuring academic excellence.

Terna, who said the agency would continue its random visit to schools to monitor their operations, also restated the government’s directive that no SS3 student should be admitted during the second term to avoid disrupting the academic calendar.

The Police in Kaduna has arrested a bandit who offered to bribe the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) with the sum of N1 million.

According to the spokesperson of the Kaduna Police Command, ASP Mamsir Hassan, the bandit offered the bribe out of the ransom recovered from him by the police at a hotel in Tafa community.

Hassan noted that the divisional headquarters received credible information regarding the presence of the suspected person st Easyway hotel in Tafa town.

He explained that their Operatives led by the Divisional Police Officer stormed the hotel and arrested a certain 28-year-old Bello Muhammad from Zamfara State and recovered the sum of N2,350,000:00, suspected to be proceeds of kidnapping.

He said during the course of the investigation, the suspect admitted to being a kidnapper who operates with his gang around Kagarko forest in Kaduna.

Mansir said the N1 million is the suspect’s own share of a ransom collected, adding that a check of his mobile phone corroborated the suspect’s confession as pictures of him brandishing an AK47 rifle in a forest were retrieved.

The statement reads: “On January 19, 2024, at about 2200 hours, the said Divisional Headquarters received credible information regarding the presence of a suspicious person in the Easyway hotel in Tafa town. Operatives led by the Divisional Police Officer stormed the hotel and arrested a certain 28-year-old Bello Muhammad from Zamfara State and recovered the sum of two million, three hundred and fifty thousand naira (N2,350,000.00) suspected to be proceeds of kidnapping.”

“During the course of investigation, the suspect admitted to being a kidnapper who operates with his gang around Kagarko Forest in Kaduna. The aforementioned sum is his own share of the ransom collected. Moreover, a check of his mobile phone corroborated the suspect’s confession, as pictures of him brandishing an AK47 rifle in a forest were retrieved.

“The said suspect, Bello Muhammad, thus offered a million-naira backhander to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) to stop him furthering the investigation, which the police officer forthwith rejected. Investigation is still ongoing as the suspect is assisting the police with vital information.

“The Commissioner of Police Kaduna State Command, CP A.D. Ali, while praising the Tafa Division’s Operatives, urged them and others not to dwindle but to increase the tempo until crimes and criminality are reduced minimally.”

The CP tasked hoteliers, recreation, and leisure service operators in the state to always scrutinise the identity of their customers to avoid providing criminals with safe have.

Senator Boluwaji Kunlere, who represented Ondo South Senatorial District from 2011 to 2015, has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on whose platform he went to the National Assembly.

Kunlere’s resignation is contained in a letter he signed and addressed to the party chairman in his Igbotako Ward 2, Igbotako, Okitipupa Local Government Area.

The letter was made available to newsmen on Thursday in Okitipupa.

“I, hereby tender my letter of resignation from the PDP, with effect from Jan. 24.

“I sincerely express my appreciation to you and other members of the party for your cooperation and support throughout the period of my membership of the party. Thank you and God bless.

“I will decide who to vote for, after the primaries, by God’s grace.

Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, has expressed his support for the apex bank’s decision to relocate five of its departments from the headquarters in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to Lagos State.

Sanusi criticised those opposing the move, labelling their stance as detrimental to the bank’s future.

He stressed the importance of prioritising the bank’s interests over personal preferences for staying in Abuja.

Sanusi pointed out that many CBN employees are children of politically exposed individuals who prioritise their personal lifestyle and business interests in Abuja over their responsibilities at the bank.

He believes that moving certain functions to the bank’s larger office in Lagos will enhance operational efficiency and reduce costs.

In his proposal, Sanusi suggested relocating the Financial Systems Stability (FSS) department and most of the Operations department to Lagos, with two Deputy Governors operating primarily from there.

However, he recommended that departments reporting directly to the Governor, such as Economic Policy, Corporate Services, Strategy, Audit, Risk Management, and the Governor’s Office, remain in Abuja.

Sanusi noted that the decision to relocate certain departments should be based on strategic analysis to determine the roles best suited for each location.

Regarding the capacity of the Lagos office to accommodate additional staff, Sanusi dismissed concerns, suggesting that construction company Julius Berger could confirm the viability of the move.

Additionally, Sanusi advocated for consideration of individual circumstances, showing empathy towards employees who may face challenges relocating, such as young mothers with school-going children or those with medical conditions.

He urged the CBN to concentrate on its primary mandates of controlling the exchange rate and inflation, asserting that success in these areas would fortify the Governor’s position and facilitate the implementation of necessary changes despite resistance.

Sanusi also addressed criticism from Northern politicians regarding the relocation, asserting that principled decisions should override such objections. He recalled his own experience of facing religious opposition when licensing Jaiz Bank, noting that he proceeded with the decision regardless of the criticism.

Sanusi clarified his involvement in the construction of the new Lagos building, crediting Charles Soludo for the design and contract. He said his role in the foundation laying ceremony and utilisation of the building during his tenure as CBN Governor.

Sanusi’s overarching message was the importance of the CBN prioritising its institutional success over ethnic and religious critiques.