Home Blog Page 3146

Just In: Bill To Jail Social Media Users Reportedly Passed 2nd Reading At The Nigerian Senate

Mohammed Useni
-
0
Just In: Bill To Jail Social Media Users Reportedly Passed 2nd Reading At The Nigerian Senate

Nigerian Senators plot to send social media users to jail for two years if government deems a social media post or petition, “false” .

The bill,tagged: “A Bill for an Act to Prohibit frivolous Petitions and other Matters Connected therewith”, sponsored by Senator Ibn Na’Allah, APC, Kebbi South, compels petitioners to accompany their petitions with sworn court affidavit, failure of which attracts a six- month imprisonment upon conviction.

But the bill provides for an option of N4 million for persons convicted of false newspaper,radio and television statements and N2 million for offenders of false phone text messages or messages on facebook,twitter,instagram,or whatsApp.

“Where any person in order to circumvent this law makes any allegation and or publish any statement,petition in any paper,radio,or any medium of whatever description, with malicious intent to discredit or set the public against any person or group of persons, institutions of government,he shall be guilty of an offence and upon conviction,shall be liable to an imprisonment term of two years or a fine of N4,000,000.00”,the bill specified.

On the social media,the bill read: “Where any person through text message,tweets, whatsApp or through any social media post any abusive statement knowing same to be false with intent to set the public against any person and group of persons, an institution of government or such other bodies established by law shall be guilty of an offence and upon conviction,shall be liable to an imprisonment for two years or a fine of N2,000,000.00 or both fine and imprisonment.”

According to the report, through the help of Nigeria’s Senate President Bukola Saraki and Senator Ben murray-Bruce, Senator Ibn Na’Allah’s bill to jail social media users passes second reading .

Meanwhile in his reactions to the allegations, Chairman, Silverbird Group – @SilverbirdTV, @937RhythmFM. Businessman Senator Bruce denied being a part of the said bill.

Department Of State Security Moves Sambo Dasuki To EFCC

Mohammed Useni
-
0
Department Of State Security Moves Sambo Dasuki To EFCC

The Department of State Services (DSS) has moved the immediate National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki to the Headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Dasuki was picked up by the operatives of DSS yesterday after laying siege to his residence for about a month and restricted his movement.

Meanwhile the Federal High Court in Abuja will sit tomorrow December 3, 2015 for  the hearing of the motion filed by the Federal Government seeking to revoke the bail granted Dasuki.

At the last resumed hearing of the suit, lawyer to the federal government, Mr Mohammed Diri, told the court that a notice of appeal has been lodged at the Court of Appeal challenging the judgment of the court granting bail to the former National Security Adviser.

Sambo Dasuki, who had pleaded not guilty to previous charges of alleged illegal possession of firearms and money-laundering preferred against him by DSS had earlier been granted bail by a Federal High Court to enable him seek medical attention.

Buhari Jets To South Africa, 28-man Advance Team Consisting, Nurse, Cook, Bodyguards, Already In Johannesburg

Mohammed Useni
-
0
Buhari Jets To South Africa, 28-man Advance Team Consisting, Nurse, Cook, Bodyguards, Already In Johannesburg

President Buhari will leave for South Africa tomorrow December 3rd to participate in the Forum on China/Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). A statement issued by the Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, says that during the forum Buhari will have a meeting with Chinese president, Xi Jinping, on how to re-commence stalled rail projects under new terms that would see China providing nearly all the financing required.

Buhari will be jetting out to Johannesburg, South Africa to attend the “Africa-China Forum”, hot on the heels of trips to Iran and Malta.

The Johannesburg trip has been billed for December 4-5.  28-man advance team consisting a Medical Doctor, Nurse, Cook, Bodyguards, Reporters & Protocol Officers already in Johannesburg.

This comes as his countrymen back home grope in the dark as power from the grid has all but disappeared in homes, perennial petrol queues have brought back memories of previous administrations and the quality of life of the average Nigerian hasn’t improved significantly since May 29.

The statement in part reads, “Of particular interest is the coastal railway project stretching for 1,402 kilometres linking Lagos in the west with Calabar in the South; a project that is expected to be financed with $12 billion Chinese loan and which will create about 200,000 jobs. Another rail project that will be up for renegotiation is the $8.3bn Lagos-Kano standard gauge modernisation project, of which only a segment, Kaduna-Abuja, had reached completion stage. President Buhari is also expected to discuss ways of removing all obstacles in the way of the 3,050 MW Mambila Power Station, considered a strategic project which was conceived in 1982 but has not taken off. The Chinese president had informed President Buhari of the willingness of his country to finance the whole project through a special loan agreement,” the statement said.
Those to accompany him on the trip are Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema; Minister of Transportation, Chubuike Amaechi; and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah. They are expected back to the country on Saturday December 5th.

DSS Operatives Storm Ex-DG House, Breaking Down Doors And Throwing Out Properties

Mohammed Useni
-
0
DSS Operatives Storm Ex-DG House, Breaking Down Doors And Throwing Out Properties

Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have stormed the Ikoyi, Lagos, home of Kayode Are, retired colonel and former director-general of the secret police, and thrown out his belongings.

The operatives stormed the residence in two buses around 3pm on Wednesday, breaking down the doors and throwing out his property, according to TheCable reports.

A member of the household said the operatives did not produce any legal document to back up their action. Are, who was DG of the DSS from 1999 to 2007 under President Olusegun Obasanjo, had been asked to quit the house by the new head of the agency, Lawal Daura, but was given till December 31, 2015 to do so.

However, according to the report, he got a court order to restrain the DSS from forcefully ejecting him. This, it is believed, might have led to the DSS action.

In an email to TheCable from an insider, Are was said to have been taken unawares by the development.

Said the source: “Col. Are was the longest serving Director General of the SSS. He served between 1999 and 2007. There is rule in the service that all retired DGs are given a residence to live in for their lifetime and security etc. All the former DGs and even the DG that took over from Col. Are are enjoying this benefit. Even some of them have bought the houses. Col. Are got his own allocation in 2010 and has lived in the house since then.

“When the new DG took over, he suddenly ordered that Col. Are should move out of the house. Col. Are went to court and obtained an order that status quo be maintained. After several unsuccessful attempts to resolve the matter, the order was eventually served on the DSS on December 1, 2015. The next morning, officers of the SSS invaded the house and are trying to forcibly remove Col. Are and his family from the house. They are there presently and they are breaking down the doors of the house. The house is at 50 Alexander Avenue, Ikoyi.”

Money I Received From The NSA Was For Publicity And Media Political Campaigns – Dokpesi

Mohammed Useni
-
0
Money I Received From The NSA Was For Publicity And Media Political Campaigns – Dokpesi

Aleogho Dokpesi, Daar Communication (Ray Power and AIT) founder, has explained what transpired on Tuesday 1 December 2015 when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) invited him.

In a statement signed by the management of DAAR Communications Plc, he said that around 2.00pm that day, the Ag. Chairman of the EFCC, Alhaji Ibrahim Magu, through a phone call, invited him to the Commission.

On getting there, he was requested to, “shed more light on some payments that were made to him through the office of the erstwhile National Security Adviser to the former President, Malam Sambo Dasuki.”

Dokpesi explained to the EFCC officials that the N2.1 billion that he collected from the former NSA was payment for for publicity and media political campaigns during the 2015 General Elections.”

High Chief Aleogho Dokpesi “made his statement on the various media exposures and campaign transactions which were dutifully carried out based essentially on contractual obligations/relationship.”

The statement however did not explain how the office of the National Security Adviser became the cashier office for the payment of campaign expenses and the source of the money.

A special panel and the EFCC are probing how trillions of naira budgeted for defence were spent in the last eight years. An interim report by the panel already reported phoney contracts in excess of $2 billion.

“We Are Ready To Meet You In Court” – Saharareporters Tells Saraki To Bring It On

Mohammed Useni
-
0
“We Are Ready To Meet You In Court” – Saharareporters Tells Saraki To Bring It On

SaharaReporters said Tuesday it stood by its report and assured Mr. Saraki it will defend its position in any court within and outside Nigeria.

The senate president, Bukola Saraki, has denied being involved in the N60bn arms deal involving the immediate past National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

Saraki’s reports followed the Saharareporters’ report that accused Mr. Saraki of blackmailing the Central Bank of Nigeria to pay him and other senators N250 million as a way of covering up the arbitrary withdrawal by the NSA from the security fund approved by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

“As Nigeria’s number three man, there is no need for him to do legal tourism by going to courts outside the country. He should believe in the system and go to any court in Nigeria,” the publisher of SaharaReporters, Omoyele Sowore, told PREMIUM TIMES.

“We are ready to meet him in any court in Nigeria.If he goes to court to challenge us outside of Nigeria, he would be using the money he has taken from the Nigerian people to pay expensive lawyers outside the shores of Nigeria whereas all the evidences of his corruption are based here in Nigeria.”

Mr. Sowore said the senate under Mr. Saraki failed to raise any concern about the extra-budgetary withdrawals, even when it knew about it, because its leaders were involved in the fraud.

Mr. Saraki, in a statement by his special adviser (media and publicity), Yusuph Olaniyonu, said that contrary to a report published by news website, SaharaReporters, he never had anything to do with purchase of security equipment because in his entire political career he never served in any committee or body which has any link with defence or national security.

“As a member of the Seventh Senate, Dr. Saraki was not a member of any of the committees which have oversight function on the Ministry of Defence or the intelligence and national security apparatus. If he was tagged the leader of the opposition to the Jonathan administration, how then will he be privy to arms purchases and have the influence to blackmail any government agency or institution over the release of funds,” the statement said.

Mr. Saraki said the report was a plot by SaharaReporters to tarnish his reputation, as the medium was pursuing “the singular objective of removing him from the office of the Senate President”.

Amnesty International Survey Reveals Majority Of Nigerians Are Unimpressed By Buhari Govt’s Anti-Corruption War

Mohammed Useni
-
0
Amnesty International Survey Reveals Majority Of Nigerians Are Unimpressed By Buhari Govt’s Anti-Corruption War

An overwhelming number of Nigerians think corruption is on the rise and that the government is doing little to fight it, a new survey by Transparency International and Afrobarometre published on Tuesday, has shown.

The repott, which is a result of a survey of 43,143 people in 28 Sub-Saharan African countries conducted between March 2014 and September 2015, shows that Nigerians are among the least confident about the sincerity and effectiveness of efforts by their government to fight corruption in the continent, PREMIUM TIMES reports.

While 75 per cent of Nigerians believes that corruption is on the rise, a shocking 78 per cent say government is doing badly in fighting corruption.

“People and Corruption: Africa Survey 2015,” as the report is titled also shows that Nigerian only ranked below Liberia and Cameroon in the number of times they have paid bribe to access public service such as healthcare, school, court and policing.

According to the report, 43 per cent of public service users in Nigeria said they paid bribes.

Most Nigerians (72 per cent) rate the police as the most corrupt public institution in the country closely followed by government official (63 per cent), the report shows.

Nigerians, however, rate religious leaders (28 per cent) and traditional leaders (36 per cent) as the least corrupt classes of people in the country, the survey revealed.

Also the report showed that ordinary Nigerians are the second most helpless people in Africa to tackle corruption.

Only a shocking 39 per cent of the Nigerian respondents said they believe that ordinary people can make a difference in the fight against corruption. Sierra Leone is the only country with a worse score than Nigeria in this regard.

The survey also showed that poor people are twice as likely to pay bribe than rich people. Similarly, it also stated that rural dwellers are more frequently asked for a bribe to access public services more than urban dwellers.

“The poorest Africans are hit hardest by bribery: They are twice as likely as the most affluent in the region to have paid a bribe in the past 12 months.”

Six months into his (Muhammadu Buhari) administration, Nigerians are increasingly becoming impatient as only a handful of ex-officials accused of corruption have been charged, although many more are being investigated and questioned by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission.

Daar Communications Did Not Execute Any Contract With The NSA’s Office Says Dokpesi Lawyer

Mohammed Useni
-
0
Daar Communications Did Not Execute Any Contract With The NSA’s Office Says Dokpesi Lawyer

Mike Ozekhome, attorney to embattled Raymond Dokpesi, has said he was not aware his client received money from Sambo Dasuki.

The EFCC grilled Dopkesi Tuesday for  allegedly receiving N2.1 billion from the Dasuki’s office with no apparent reason for the payment.

Ozekhome also said reports that  Dokpesi was  not arrested but went on his own to the EFCC after receiving a call from its chairman.

“I am not aware the chief collected any money,” he said, referring to Mr. Dokpesi.

“The chief called me earlier in the afternoon to say he received a call from the chairman of the EFCC wanting to see him and I sent one of my lawyers to accompany him. He was not arrested by any group of operatives,” he said.

Ozekhome said prior to Tuesday’s invitation of Dokpesi, there was no formal communication from the EFCC to him.

“What I know is that the EFCC wrote to Daar Holdings asking for a list of directors and whether it has done any business or contract with the office of the NSA in the past and how much was involved.

“We wrote them a reply to say Daar did not do any contract with the office of the NSA and we are ready to give them all the information they need,” he said.

How Former NSA, Sambo Dasuki Allegedly Aided Importation Of Illegal Arms Into Nigeria & Delivered To Boko Haram

Mohammed Useni
-
0
How Former NSA, Sambo Dasuki Allegedly Aided Importation Of Illegal Arms Into Nigeria & Delivered To Boko Haram

The National Task Force on Illegal Importation of Firearms, NATFORCE, on Tuesday threw more light into its claims that the ex-National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), among others, allegedly aided the importation of several trailers of illegal arms and ammunitions into the country.

The NATFORCE alleged that the arms were delivered to the Islamic terrorists, Boko Haram, a group that has gruesomely murdered tens of thousands of innocent Nigerians.

One of the documents made available by the NATFORCE according to Pointblanknews revealed that over 22 trucks of arms, ammunitions and light weapons were imported illegally into the country within the period.

The truck numbers that allegedly brought the arms and ammunitions into the country, which were allegedly cleared by the Customs are: “LSR468KD; KTU22XM; XW136RBC; LSD21ZL; 2578A0; BDG182XF; AGI463XX; XK442AB; LSD871XL; GT2131F; GT4813R; EKY361XC; GC9570R; LND692XL; TG7974AL; XL101BDG; TG2322AN; AG1390RB; TG3492AL; XV866APP; X875EPE and AU2080RB.”

In a letter dated 27th of July, 2015 addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari, titled: “abduction of Chief Dr. Osita Emmanuel Okereke, (OON) by the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) & Sir. Mike Okiro, Chairman Police Service Commission”, the petitioner, Dr. Okereke, who is the Director General of the NATFORCE alleged that because he refused to back down on the activities of his agency in combating illegal importation of arms, ammunition and light weapons, the duo had vowed to kill him.

He alleged that on the 20th of November, 2014 at Seme Border, one Col. T Isah of 242 Battalion of the Nigerian Army came to Seme Border with his men loaded in five Hilux pick-up Vans and over powered the men and officers of the National Taskforce (NATFORCE) and escorted ten trucks of Arms and Ammunition into the country.

“When we alerted the presidency, ex-NSA Dasuki summoned Col. Isah, who was his boy, to Abuja for purported interrogation but little did we know that Col. Dasuki and ex-CG Custom Diko were hands in glove as Col. T Isah was never interrogated as he is their agent vide Sam Express Company acting as their agent”, he further alleged.

According to him, “Col. Isah of 242 Battalions of the Nigerian Army Lagos has always acted the script of the former NSA; the ex-CG of Custom had at about the same period personally gave ex-NSA about 30 vehicles which contained arms were subsequently sent to Kaduna and packed at Ndediko Park along Nnamdi Azikiwe Way near Mando, Kaduna State.

“It would not be out of place if your Excellency finds time and confronts Col. Dasuki with the ownership of the said arms and ammunition as the whole incident was engineered by him and the ex-CG of Custom by name Mr. Diko.

“Sir, it will be noteworthy to mention that Col. Dasuki and the former CG of Customs swore that they would eliminate me (Dr. Okereke) from the surface of this earth; they have followed up with actions. There have been assassination attempts on my life hatched by the CG of customs and retired Col. Dasuki.”

Meanwhile, it was gathered that earlier, the NATFORCE had in a letter dated 3rd December, 2014 with Ref: NTF/R.012/PWM/056 addressed to former President Goodluck Jonathan titled, ‘Very Urgent and Confidential’; disclosed that Col. Isah and a business mogul called Sam Express were allegedly in the habit of aiding and abetting importation and release of arms, ammunitions, light weapons and contraband goods from Seme Border.

The letter called on the Federal Government to request the scanning report from the Nigerian Customs and institute a high powered investigation into the matter with a view to bringing culprits to book for a better Nigeria.

However, the NATFORCE alleged that the former NSA sat on all the letters.

Rampaging Fulani Herdsmen, Armed With Machetes, Bows & Arrows Sack Gombe Village

Mohammed Useni
-
0
Rampaging Fulani Herdsmen, Armed With Machetes, Bows & Arrows Sack Gombe Village

Rampaging Fulani herdsmen, armed with machetes, bows and arrows, Sunday afternoon, sacked Polido village in Billiri local government area of Gombe State as they killed a man and injured four others before setting over 200 houses in the village on fire.

The herdsmen also destroyed food crops as they released their cattle to destroy the villagers’ farmlands

Narrating his ordeal in the hands of the bandits, a victim of the attack, Dahiru Ajiya, who is currently on admission at the Billiri General Hospital, alleged that the herdsmen stormed the village around 2pm on Sunday with their herds of cattle .

Ajiya further alleged that his uncle Ayuba Saleh, who was on his farm at the time the bandits arrived, was killed as all the crops in his farm were destroyed.

Disclosing that four villagers who tried to confront the herdsmen were injured with bows and arrows, Ajiya said those injured were rushed to the Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe for treatment.

The village head, Magaji Buba, and head of the Polido community, Yakubu Abba, lamented that a detachment of the Mobile Police Force detailed to protect the people was nowhere to be found at the time of the incident.

While calling for calm among his people, the paramount ruler of Billiri and Mai Tangle, Dr. Abdu Maisheru II, said the attack was the handiwork of thieves.

As at the time of filing this report on Monday, the traumatised residents had been Polido have been evacuated to Billiri town and other surrounding villages.

A member of the State House of Assembly representing the area, Honourable Ibrahim Ayala, was said to have mobilised urgent relief materials to the villagers as he described the destruction as heartbreaking and unimaginable.

Nigerian Police Moves To Crackdown On Pro-Biafra Protests

Mohammed Useni
-
0
Nigerian Police Moves To Crackdown On Pro-Biafra Protests

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Solomon Arase has issued a stern warning to MASSOB and IPOB activists to stop threatening public peace or face the full weight of the law. The warning followed the observation by the Nigeria Police Force leadership of the increasing resort to acts of brigandage by sets of misguided individuals who apparently are hiding under the cloak of Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to threaten national security and public peace in parts of South East geopolitical Zone and some other conterminous States.
The latest manifestation of this threat is the attempt to blockade the Onitsha end of Niger Bridge on 1st December, 2015, an action that caused major hardship to innocent and law abiding motorists, and citizens. The act also occasioned serious dislocation of business activities.

The Inspector-General of Police notes that the increasing resort to acts of brigandage of this nature is pointing to a clear attempt by the brains behind these protests to test the will of security agencies to restore order and guarantee internal cohesion. For the avoidance of doubts, the IGP further notes, the restoration and maintenance of law and public order, and protection of lives and property remain sacred and statutory Mandate of the Nigeria Police. This Mandate, according to him, shall be fully executed in the overriding interests of the nation and vast majority of citizens and residents of the South East geopolitical Zone.

Consequently, the Inspector-General of Police has directed the mobilisation and deployment of Police Mobile Force (PMF) across the country to reinforce security in the State Commands that MASSOB and IPOB are currently attempting to utilise as launching pad for their sinister intentions. The Assistant Inspectors – General of Police Zone 5, (Benin); Zone 6, (Calabar) and Zone 9 (Umuahia) as well as all Commissioners of Police in the affected States in the South East and neigbouring States have also been directed to henceforth maximally exercise their statutory Mandate in relation to prevention and disruption of any gathering that threatens public order and national cohesion. Any person or group of persons so arrested in furtherance to the enforcement of this order will be made to face the full wrath of the law.

To this end, the Inspector-General of Police advises parents and guardians to call their children and wards to order as the patience of the Force is being stretched to the limit. He firmly affirmed that no individual or group interest can override the interest of the nation and that democratic values provide for exploration of rule of law to advance any concern, not the resort to endless and misguided acts of brigandage, unless there is an ulterior motive as the extant instance tends to dictate. He concluded by asserting that the Nigeria Police Force will not fold its law enforcement arms to allow few misguided elements to continually force hardships on fellow Nigerians either in the South East or any other part of the nation for that matter.
Ag. ACP OLABISI KOLAWOLE
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER,
FORCE HEADQUARTERS,
ABUJA

Army Chief Buratai Visits Military Base Attacked By B’Haram, Warns Troops Against Misconduct

Mohammed Useni
-
0
Army Chief Buratai Visits Military Base Attacked By B’Haram, Warns Troops Against Misconduct

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai visits Gajigana, Magumeri Local Government Area of Borno State on assessment of troops location that was attacked by Boko Haram terrorists last Sunday.

The Chief of Army Staff was received and conducted round troops’ deployment by the Commander 5 Brigade and the Commanding Officer of 243 Battalion.

The Chief of Army Staff while fielding questions from journalists that accompanied him, stated that he was there to see things for himself, asses the situation and give necessary directives.

Speaking further with the Commanders, he expressed dissatisfaction with the troops conduct and warned that such incident should not repeat itself. He also called on the public especially those residing in the affected area to support and cooperate with the troops by exposing suspected Boko Haram terrorists that live among them.

He also stated that the recent wave of attacks by terrorists in Gulak and Gajigana should be seen as isolated cases that would not be allowed to repeat itself because adequate measures are being taken to deal decisively with the any of such occurrences. He also assured that the military and the security agencies would continue to improve their performances. He also warned troops to be more proactive and alive to their duties as everything is being done to support them.

It should also be noted that the recent attacks had every element of criminality, as such the people need to fully support the security agencies to finally defeat terrorism and criminality in our society.

He was accompanied by the Theatre Commander, Operation LAFIYA DOLE, General Officer Commanding 7 Division, Acting Director Military Intelligence and the Acting Provost Marshal (Army). Also on the entourage were representatives of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Nigerian Police attached to the Military Command and Control Centre.

It will be recalled that Boko Haram attacked our troops location in Gulak on Sunday which was repelled. The troops also killed 3 Boko Haram terrorists, while quite number escaped with gun shot wounds. In addition, a Toyota Hilux, 1 PKM gun, 1 General Purpose Machine Gun, 3 AK-47 rifles, 1 Rocket Propelled Grenade tube and 1 Rocket Propelled Grenade bomb were recovered by the troops.

Other recoveries include, 1 Charger, 7 Boxes of 7.62mm Link, 1 GP 340 Hand Held Radio, 4 Boxes of 7.62mm X 54mm Ammunitions, 3 Anti Riot Hand Held Grenade, as well as 30 Cleaning Kits, 2 Packets of Artillery Primers and 97 pieces of Zela fuse.

The troops are further pursuing the escaping terrorists and also exploiting to further block such kind of incursion through their blocking position. The troops at Gajigana were attacked in which a soldier lost his life. The location have also been reinforced and the troops are now poised for any eventuality.

As we have entered the month of December, it is important to state that we have also entered a very critical part of the fight against terrorism and insurgency in our country.

The Nigerian Army wishes to reiterate its total commitment and determination to the war against the Boko Haram terrorists. Consequently, we solicit for the continued support, cooperation and understanding of all Nigerians in this regard.

 

1...3,1453,1463,147...4,398Page 3,146 of 4,398