Connect with us

News

Government Says Nnamdi Kanu Liable for Murder of Akunyili’s Husband, Gulak, 175 Others

Published

on

Nnamdi Kanu
Nnamdi Kanu
Share

Federal government has blamed the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, who is on trial for treason, for the murder of Chike Akunyili, the husband of the late Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Prof. Dora Akunyili.

The government also said it had established a link between Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho, and a Boko Haram sponsor, Surajo Muhammad, who was jailed in the United Arab Emirates on charges of financing terrorism.

The Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), made these allegations on Friday while unveiling the findings of a Presidential Committee set up to investigate Kanu and Ighoho.

The 24-member committee, headed by Malami, had representatives from the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Federal Ministry of Information, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, the National Intelligence Agency and the Defence Intelligence Agency.

The government further accused Kanu of being responsible for the murder of a former Presidential Aide, Ahmad Gulak, and over 177 others in the South-East.

The committee said consequent upon the instigating directives of Kanu, members of IPOB and the Eastern Security Network carried out massive attacks on democratic institutions, especially facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) “with a view to hampering democratic process in Nigeria.”

It said the attacks that were carried out between October 2020 and June 2021 led to the killing of 175 security personnel.

The report reads in part: “Acting on the instigating directives of Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB members and #EndSARS protesters attacked and killed many security agents, destroyed several public and private properties, including police stations, public transport buses and other facilities across the country.

“That on October 21, 2020, Nnamdi Kanu through an online call-in radio programme (Radio Biafra), further instigated IPOB members to burn down all police stations and kill government security forces, which was carried out, and security personnel (especially police officers) were killed and public and private properties destroyed.

“That 175 security personnel were killed by IPOB/ESN, comprising 128 policemen, 37 military personnel and 10 other security operatives.

“Recently, there were gruesome killings of traditional leaders: Obi 1 of Okwudor autonomous community, Eze E. Anayochukwu Durueburuo and Eze Sampson Osunwa of Ihebineowerre autonomous community, as well as the killings of Dr. Chike Akunyili and eight others, as well as the killing of Alhaji Ahmed Gulak on May 30, 2021.”

The committee found out that as a consequence of Nnamdi Kanu’s broadcasts, there were 19 attacks on INEC facilities that resulted in the destruction of offices and burning of 18 INEC logistical vehicles, several election materials, equipment and ICT gadgets in Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Cross River, Enugu, Ebonyi and Imo states.

The Presidential Committee stated that 164 police stations and formations, including police Headquarters, Owerri, Imo State were attacked by IPOB/ESN, leading to the death of 128 policemen while 144 were injured and 628 vehicles were destroyed.

It said 396 firearms and 17,738 ammunition were carted away during the IPOB/ESN attacks.

“That there were three IPOB/ESN attacks on Nigerian Correctional Service, including the Headquarters of NCoS, Owerri, Imo State where 1,841 inmates escaped; that the Headquarters of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Umuahia, Abia State was also attacked by IPOB/ESN leading to the death of one officer,” the report read.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

N84bn fraud : Senator-Elect Yari Running from Corruption Investigation, Arrest says EFCC Source

Published

on

Abdulaziz Yari
Share

 

As the race for the president of the 10th Senate gathers momentum, an aspirant in the Democratic Group of the Senators-Elect, Senator-Elect Abdul-Aziz Yari, has ran to the judiciary to prevent his arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other anti-corruption agencies for corruption cases he was linked with as well as emerging money laundering investigation into his reckless spending in pursuit of his ambition.

It is to this extent that the recent injunction secured by former Governor of Zamfara State is adjudged as being capable of undermining the nation’s image on Anti-Corruption war.

Yari had secured court Injunction before Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Abuja Division of Federal High Court to prevent his re-arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission, ICPC, as well as Directorate of State Services, DSS, from re-arresting him.

Yari is currently under investigation on N84 billion fraud involving the former Accountant- General of the Federation, Idris Ahmed which he reportedly benefited N22 billion.

In addition, Yari is under investigation by EFCC over alleged financial infractions of $56,056.75 reportedly lodged in his account with Polaris Bank; N12.9m, N11.2m, $303m, N217,388.04 and $311.8m said to be kept in different Zenith Bank accounts in the name of Yari and his companies.

Sources familiar with the investigations by EFCC stated that the ongoing investigation of the N84 billion fraud by former Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, in which Senator -Elect Yari was linked and previously arrested but released on bail is still pending with more information coming to light on the role of Yari and his associate, one Anthony Yaro of Finex Professional Services believed to be a front that collected N20 billion of the looted fund on behalf of Yari.

The source in EFCC who wants to remain anonymous as he is not authorized to publicly comment on the sensitive case said “with the court order that we read in the newspapers, we may need our Legal Department opinion on what to do”.

He said further that “In addition to new revelations on the massive fraud at the Accountant-General of the Federation’s Office for which some refund has been made, in the EFCC investigations of the ex-governor ofl Zamfara State, Mr. Bello Matawale, the name of Yari has also surfaced in the alleged massive looting of the resources of that poor state under his watch as governor.

We are making efforts to locate him (Yari) for further interrogation in this regard.”

In similar manner, the ICPC was about to invite Senator-Elect Yari for his role in the fraud of Paris Club Refund to governors when he was the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) for which about N500million and $500,000 have been forfeited to the Federal Government.

“The Senator Elect from Zamfara West is a subject of inquiry in our office. Beyond the Paris Club Refund looting, we are also investigating the disclosure that Yari spent at least $700,000 in Saudi Arabia on a trip for lesser hajj which has raised suspicion of money laundering” an ICPC source disclosed on why he may have approached the court to prevent his invitation.

Aside from running to the court to frustrate his imminent re-arrest, Yari is also reportedly planning to go underground in the coming days to prevent possible arrest for questioning days before the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly.

As if the above alleged humongous financial malfeasances were not enough troubles for the Senator-Elect who has remained defiant of the zoning arrangement for the leadership of the 10th Senate by his party, the APC, another source disclosed that the Department of the State Security (DSS) has also unearthed some information that the killings and banditry in Zamfara State may not be unconnected with the gold mining activities of Senator Yari, another source of his unexplained wealth.

Observers are keenly watching how Senator-Elect Yari will free himself from the many tangles he has walked himself into and whether the judiciary will vacate the exparte motion when the matter comes up on Thursday, 8th June, 2023 to allow the security agencies to perform their roles without let or hinderance.

Continue Reading

News

Fuel subsidy: Edo Join Kwara To Slashes Work Days To Thrice Weekly

Published

on

Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki
Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki
Share

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has reduced civil and public servants’ work days from five days to thrice weekly.

Kwara State earlier took the same step.

This is part of measures to ameliorate the sufferings faced by the people due to the Federal Government’s subsidy removal policy.

“As a proactive government, we have since taken the step to increase the minimum wage paid to workers in Edo State from the approved N30,000 to N40,000, the highest in the country today,” he said in a Tuesday statement.

We want to assure you that we will continue to pay this amount, while we hope to increase it even further if more allocation accrues to our State from the Federal Government in view of the expected savings occasioned by the removal of the fuel subsidy.

“We know the hardship that has been caused by this policy which has radically increased the cost of transportation, eating deep into the wages of workers in the State. Therefore, the Edo State Government is hereby reducing the number of work days that civil and public servants will have to commute to their workplaces from five days a week to three days a week till further notice. Workers will now work from home two days a week.

“Similarly, for teachers and parents, their commuting to school will be reduced as the government is working on deepening the EdoBEST@Home initiative to create more virtual classrooms, thereby reducing the cost of commuting on parents, teachers, and pupils. The Edo SUBEB will provide details on this initiative in the coming days.”

He added, “To lower the rising cost of energy on our people, we will continue to work with the electricity companies in the State to improve power supply to homes and businesses.

“Similarly, fibre optic connections are being made available to help our people work remotely, thereby reducing their cost of transportation.

“While government intensifies these efforts to alleviate the burden of the fuel price increase on the people during this very challenging period, we want to call on everyone to remain calm and go about their daily businesses lawfully.”

Continue Reading

News

Aircraft Used For Nigeria Air Was Chartered Flight From Ethiopian Airlines — MD

Published

on

Nigeria Air
Share

 

The Interim Managing Director of Nigeria Air, Capt Dapo Olumide, on Tuesday, said the aircraft used to unveil the country’s national career was a legitimate chartered flight from Ethiopian Airlines.

He said the aircraft returned to Ethiopian Airlines after the unveiling.

Olumide stated this before the Senate Committee on Aviation.

The Committee members expressed its misgivings towards the unveiling of the national carrier during a meeting with Olumide; the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation, Emmanuel Meribole; as well as heads of aviation agencies.

At the meeting, the Chairman of the Senate Aviation Committee, Senator Biodun Olujimi wondered why the immediate past Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika hurriedly unveiled a national carrier on the last day of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

Also, the Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation, Nnolim Nnaji, said the launch of Nigeria Air is a fraud.

He stated this after meeting stakeholders in the aviation sector who largely denied knowledge of the launch.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Aviation said Nigeria Air was only unveiled and not launched.

Responding to the Committee, Capt Dapo Olumide said Nigeria Air was unveiled at the time it was to prove to Nigerians that the project is not a fluke.

Continue Reading