Eight Suspected Kidnappers Arrested By Police In Osun

Eight suspected members of a high-profile, serial kidnapping syndicate have been arrested at Omo Ijesa village in Osun State.

The Osun State Police Command disclosed this on Sunday via a statement issued by its spokesman, SP Opalola Yemisi, adding that the arrest followed credible intelligence the command received.

She said the suspects were involved in the kidnap of a 65-year-old, Akiishi Catherine in Benue State, thus forcing the Commissioner of Police, CP Olawale Olokode, to lead the operation.

“Prior to the arrest, Police investigations revealed that the suspects relocated to Osun State after the kidnap of the woman as a deceptive tactics to avoid arrest by the Police in Benue State,” she said.

“The suspects have also planned to use Osun State as a safe haven for the negotiation and collection of ransom even after murdering the woman in cold blood.”

The police authorities identified the suspects as Orikashima David, Teryange Demenogo, Terngu Tortindi, Anawuese Akough, Mbalumulum Kaorga, Comfort Terdoo, Michael Msendoo and Aondoaseer Terver, all Tivs from Benue State.

The suspects were said to have murdered the kidnap victim in Benue State before relocating to Osun State.

According to the police spokesman, the suspects revealed to the police team how they have murdered three other victims in their previous operations, adding that they would be handed over to the Benue State Police Command as soon as preliminary investigations are concluded.

Reacting to the incident, the police job commended personnel of the command for a job well done, reassuring Osun citizens that there will be no hiding place for criminals in the state.

He noted that the new policing vision of the Inspector General of Police, Ag. IGP Usman Alkali Baba, is already assisting the command in redefining its strategies toward combating crimes in the state.

Sunday Igboho mocks RCCG General Overseer, Pastor Adeboye over demise of son

Yoruba nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, (aka Sunday Igboho) has mocked the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, over the recent death of his son, Dare.

Igboho in a short video vowed not to condole with Adeboye, explained that such elder does not deserve condolence because they have not supported the clamour for the creation of Yoruba nation.

During a live Facebook broadcast with his media aide, Olayomi Koiki, on Saturday night, he said, “Has Baba supported Yoruba nation that we will now be greeting him? We don’t need to greet Adeboye. What is my own with that? We are not doing church here. This is not religion.

Pastor Adeboye didn’t speak about Yoruba nation. Look at the number of crowd in Baba Adeboye’s church. Is he not supposed to tell all of them to join Yoruba nation? We don’t need to greet him.

“God himself will start asking questions from all the enemies of the Yoruba race. By the grace of God, anybody who says Yoruba will not get to the promised land, God will kill their children and wives and their entire family.”

“Anybody who does not support Yoruba nation, those who have powers, be it pastors or anybody that has the followers, but does not support Yoruba nation, God I call on you; you’re the one who owns me and the creator of everything.

Those elders who see our sufferings, who see that the Fulanis are kidnapping us and collecting ransom, but choose not to support us, as you kill their children, kill their wives. So shall it be!” Sunday Igboho emphasized.

Ogun to partner with US-based Consortium on construction of 3-in-1 airport

Ogun State Government has received a proposal from a US-based Consortium, The Triumvirate Group (TTG), for the construction of a compact 3-in-1 airport in Ajumo, Ijebu Waterside Local Government Area, which would be supported with infrastructure to include road & rail networks, as well as hospitality facilities and a casino.

The Commissioner for Finance and Chief Economic Adviser, Dapo Okubadejo disclosed this during a meeting with representatives of the Group in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta which was also attended by officials of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC).

He revealed that under the Governor Dapo Abiodun-led administration a lot of work had been done to improve the ease of doing business in Ogun State to promote an enabling environment for investors and enhance the positioning of Ogun, the Gateway State as Africa’s model logistics and industrial hub. Ogun welcomes proposals from both foreign and local investors to develop the State’s Infrastructure Development Programme.

He pointed out that the State was already constructing a Cargo airport in Ikenne Local Government Area of the State, which would also include an aerotropolis (a world standard airport city, sitting on about 5000 hectares of land). He invited TTG to explore opportunities to partner with the State on this project.

Okubadejo stated further that the cargo airport formed part of Ogun’s economic development objectives as highlighted in the state’s economic blueprint and strategic transport plan which encompasses a network of roads, rail airport and deep seaport.

Okubadejo noted that the proposal had the hallmark of a Public Private Partnership project, but more information on financing, duration and execution of the project was needed. He encouraged TTG to forward an Outline Business Case with attendant economic, social and environmental impact assessments with attendant air traffic studies to the Director-General of the Public Private Partnership Office, Dapo Oduwole.

TTG’s Nigerian Consultants – African Investments Limited, led by Niyi Raji confirmed that the proposed project would be private sector driven, confirming that TTG was a consortium of investors in the USA, with financial capacity and expertise in major infrastructural projects as well as a record of performance.

He submitted that the proposal, when it eventually comes to fruition would not only boost the State’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and transform the state, but would also create employment opportunities to local residents and other neighboring States.

Ajimobi taught us to follow rule of law in the face of intimidation- Oyo ALGON

The Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Oyo State Chapter, has dedicated its victory at the Supreme Court to the late former Gov. Abiola Ajimobi.

The ALGON Chairman, Prince Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye, made the dedication at a news conference on Saturday in Ibadan.

The ALGON chairman said that Ajimobi was instrumental to the victory through his support for ALGON.

He said that the late Ajimobi taught ALGON to thread the legal path to justice even in the face of intimidation and harassment.

“I have the mandate of my colleagues to say that as sweet as this victory is, we regret that our leader, in the person of Sen. Abiola Ajimobi, is not around to witness this day.

“We have, however, decided to dedicate this victory to the loving memory of Sen. Abiola Ajimobi because he taught us to follow rule of law even in the face of intimidation and harassment,” he said.

He expressed appreciation to all those who contributed to the victory, saying their efforts laid a strong foundation for democracy to thrive at the grassroots.

“What we are fighting for is not about the office. It is about laying a good precedence for others who will occupy those offices later.

“It is about the rule of law. It is about democracy to thrive at the grassroots.

“This is what we have been fighting for, this is what we will continue to fight for and this is what we appreciate in the judgment,” he said.

Chief Akin Oke, the State APC Caretaker Chairman, called on Gov. Seyi Makinde to postpone local government elections in the state scheduled for May 22, to allow APC to participate.

The APC chairman said that there was no way the party could be part of the preparation for the election at the initial stage due to the litigation.

He noted that the party had challenged the illegal sack of democratically-elected chairmen and councillors in the state, adding that it had been vindicated.

“If you watch the way we fought this struggle. We fought it with a focus, we fought it strategically, we fought it with common sense, we fought it with academic depth.

“We are not afraid of local government elections.

“In fact, to show they are really popular, they can postpone the elections to accommodate the APC,” he said.

Abass-Aleshinloye said that the Oyo ALGON won its appeal at the Supreme Court in a unanimous judgment.

He said that the Supreme Court fined Oyo State government N20 million for perpetrating illegality.

The ALGON boss said the Supreme Court also ordered that all the sacked council chairmen and councillors should receive their full salaries and allowances up till March 2022.

Abass-Aleshinloye added that all the elected chairmen and councillors from the 33 local governments and 35 local council development areas would benefit from the judgment.

Unknown Gunmen Attack Pro-Oduduwa Republic Leader’s Son, Akintoye

Ilana Omo Oodua, a leading Yoruba self-determination party, claims that gunmen attacked the residence of Emeritus Professor Banji Akintoye’s son.

The gunmen also allegedly assaulted the daughter-in-law of the group’s leader, Akintoye, at her home in Agbor, Delta State, on Saturday night, according to the group.

On Saturday, the group’s spokesman, Maxwell Adeleye, issued a statement titled, “Daughter-in-law avoids assassination as gunmen exterminate Akintoye’s son’s home, fish tank.”

The party, on the other hand, declined to reveal the identities of those who were harmed, saying that it was for security purposes.

As of the time of filing this article, attempts to contact the Delta State Police Command about the attack were unsuccessful.

The party, on the other hand, provided our correspondent with photos and videos of the incident.

“The house of the scion of the Akintoye dynasty was burnt down during the week with properties worth an estimated N70m, including a multi-million naira fish pond, exterminating adult fish which filled the fish farm to the brim,” part of the statement read.

Gunmen were also allegedly following some relatives of Akintoye, a second republic senator, in an attempt to scare him out of the fight for Yoruba self-determination, according to the self-determination party.

The statement read in part, “It started some weeks ago, but we ignored the threat in order not to cause tension and panic in a territory already enveloped by tension but we are forced to speak out now because these satanic agents have intensified their efforts.

“To say it very succinctly because we won’t be going into details and we won’t be mentioning names for security reasons, the wife of the son of our leader was attacked in her residence at Agbor, Delta State a week ago.

“She escaped being assassinated because of the vigilance of her neighbours who raised an alarm. Three guns were pointed at her, as the men of the underworld queried her for information on the Yoruba struggle for liberation. She was traumatised, harassed, and intimidated but the courageous woman refused to buckle.

“As if that was not enough, these agents of the state returned to the property three days later and exterminated everything therein. They first poisoned the fish in the pond inside the massive compound before burning down everything on sigh

Customs dares Senate, says it is backed by laws to confiscate imported rice in Ibadan markets

Recently, the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges mandated the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) to return the seized rice in major Ibadan markets giving the agency 2-week ultimatum to do so.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has told the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges to focus on lawmaking and not usurp the powers of other arms of government by interpreting the laws of the land.

This is coming on the heels of a two-week ultimatum given to the NCS by the Senate committee to return bags of rice seized at the popular Oja Oba and Bodija markets in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, recently.

Reacting to a viral video which shows the committee lampooning Customs over raids on markets, the Customs NCS spokesmen, Joseph Attah, told newsmen that the Customs is backed by law to raid any place once there is enough intelligence that contrabands abound there.

Attah said: “Is it today that Customs has been raiding markets? Why is there so much noise about the Ibadan raid? When Customs raided markets in Mubi in Adamawa State and another notorious market in Kano, why wasn’t there any outrage?

“Section 147 of the CEMA law gives the Customs powers to do this. Again, comparing what happened in Ibadan to what happened in Katsina State is totally wrong. These are two different scenarios. What happened in Ibadan can only be compared to a raid that happened in Ilorin where a lady came forward to say her rice was locally made. After a careful examination and the discovery that the rice was not foreign rice, her bags were returned to her.

If the traders in Ibadan say theirs are not bags of foreign rice, let them come forward with proof. If their claims are genuine, their bags of rice will be returned to them.”

When told that the Senate committee raised allegations of Customs officers taking money away from the raided shops while carrying out the operation, the Customs spokesman explained that money was only found in one bag of rice.

“While giving account of the number of bags of rice seized from the Ibadan markets, a particular bag was found to contain N522,350. The money is there, intact and in safe custody. Whoever claims to be the owner should come and collect it with proof of ownership,” the Customs spokesman added.

Concerning claims by the Senate committee that such raids ought to be done in the presence of the shop owners, the Customs spokesman explained that for every raid, Customs ensures that anything that will lead to injuries or loss of lives are always avoided.

“Anytime intelligence report gives us evidence of contraband in an area, our men are always advised to deploy strategies that will minimise injuries or even loss of lives. If our men had gone there to cart away the bags of rice in the presence of the owners, would they have just stood by and watched? Definitely, there would be a clash that could claim lives. So, anytime we carry out raids, we make sure we adopt strategies that will reduce unnecessary loss of lives or injuries to anybody,” Attah added.

Also speaking on the video of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges, NCS’s Deputy National Public Relations Officer, Timi Bomodi, asked the senators to focus on lawmaking and not start interpreting laws.

He said: “Section 147 of the CEMA Act is clear on this issue. I think the senators are doing their jobs. The senators make laws but they should leave the interpretation of laws to the courts. It is the job of the courts to interpret laws. The senators cannot make laws and at the same time interpret laws. If they are doing that, then they are usurping the authority of another arm of government. We operate a democracy and there are three arms of government in it. The senators should not usurp the powers of another constituted authority.

“If there is any ambiguity in Section 147 of the CEMA Act, it is the law courts that can interpret that, not the Senate. Section 147 of the CEMA says ‘any place’. Is the market not a place?”

Supreme Court Judgment: Oyo APC should bury its head in shame for claiming fake victory – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo state, has asked leaders of the opposition All Progressives Congress in the State to bury their heads in shame for proclaiming a spurious victory on the May 7 ruling of the Supreme Court on the tussle over local Council administration in the state.
The State’s Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Engineer Akeem Olatunji, who stated this on Saturday, said that Governor ‘Seyi Makinde deserved to be hailed as a special prophet who saw tomorrow because he had earlier offered the sacked ALGON chairmen the same conditions they got from the Apex Court on Friday.
“It will be recalled the Engineer Seyi Makinde had asked the State’s negotiation team set up to find an out-of- court settlement (at the earlier stages if the trial) to propose the offront payment of the salaries of the embattled ALGON Chairmen, but they were misadvised by their greedy leaders whose target was the treasury of the local governments. It is obvious the Governor Makimde actually saw tomorrow,” Olatunji said.

Oyo PDP in a signed press statement on Saturday 8th of May, described the state chapter of the APC as a bunch of shameless politicians who will always display their rookie knowledge of politics.

The ruling party in Oyo state said that only rookie politicians with very high level of delusionary tendencies would expect to get a different judgement from any court of law, looking at the facts of the matter.
In fact, they should count themselves lucky because the Supreme Court was more than generous to them when it overlooked the series of slap the APC inflicted on the court system in the process of installing the all gone ALGON members, stressing that the illegality perpetrated by the APC government when it imposed its members on Oyo Councils, flouting in the process, every laid down electoral regulations and guidelines, would easily found conspicuous space in the Guinness Book of World Records.

“The APC in Oyo State and its forever gone ALGON members is just an empty vesel that makes loud noises, full of fury and agony for no just cause.
“They but they think that everyone else is as politically naive as they are, forgetting that the law, ordinarily is never based on parochial sentiments.

“That some APC leaders are jubilating and dancing macabre dance over the zero success they recorded at the Supreme Court is shameful and an open display of the myopic thinking of uninformed politicians.
“They want the public to forget that the real prayers at the Supreme Court was that they be returned to office as chairmen, a quest that was thrown away like rotten fruits, when the Apex Court declared that their tenure had expired.

“How can any right- thinking politician muscle up motivation to celebrate such a zero success?
But their shamelessness has shown clearly because in actual sense, it is not such an easy task to embark on such a wild goose chase and be so disgraced at every court approached.

“The fact of the matter is that the case actually favoured PDP Starboy Governor Seyi Makinde, our very own world striker!
We are not surprised that in their usual manner, the APC is mouthing victory when they came out the worst for it .
The people are aware of their tricks have since deciphered the emptiness in the cancerous APC and their agents of propaganda.

“The simple fact is that the Supreme Court, in its judgement, noted that the the tenures of the sacked Council chairmen and Councillors have expired and only reiterated the earlier stance of the Governor Seyi Makinde- led State Government, which had offered compensation to the sacked local government chairmen before now.

“Unfortunately, as it is their stock in trade, the APC went to town touting all sorts of claims and spreading lies with the sole intent of misinforming some uninformed members of the public and its members.

“Governor Makinde, without the court willingly moved to offer them compensations in a peace parley but they rejected it saying they only want to be returned to office. Now that they went ahead to the Supreme Court, what did they get? The Apex Court only said hey! your tenure has since expired, you can only get paid some compensations.
That’s exactly what Governor Makinde had , offered. What really are they rejoicing over?

“It is even more laughable that a man like the former Governor Alao Akala, is telling the state not to proceed with democratic elections, that will usher in chairmen in the state.

“We are not surprised at such ludicrous reasoning because as we recall, the APC, an epitome of illegality and corruption, used caretaker local government chairmen for seven out of its eight, while only setting up the sacked ALGON chairmen as a booby trap to destabilise the Makinde administration.
“They should not think that the people have forgotten so soon such the draconian governance that epitomized modern day slavery, which APC represented in Oyo State between May 2011 and May 2019.

“The PDP in Oyo State has come to usher in true Democracy and we have been doing that for the past two years. The days of impunity and illegality as imposed by the riotous and inept APC are over.

“The APC and their outgone ALGON who see their failure as a pass mark should prepare to go back to court for its own political miscalculation.

“The APC family in Oyo state should cover their eyes in shame at least for the sake of honour and dignity. Tenure has since expired. They can’t go to work, they are gone, they are politically jobless, but no! APC in our dear state never keeps quiet not even when they utter sounds without any form of meaning.

“The local government election billed for 22nd of May will hold and all participating political parties will present their best materials before the people to be elected and funny enough we will not be allowed to be drawn back to the dark days of APC administration where the people at the grassroots where denied local government administration.”

Dwindling Revenue: Ekiti Agrees on Spending Cuts To Cope With Nigeria’s Economic Reality

As a way of coping with current economic realities in the country, stakeholders in Ekiti on Tuesday agreed with the state government on measures to cut government spending to keep afloat in the face of dwindling government revenues.

Both the governor and stakeholders, however, agreed on some cost-saving measures including reduction in subventions to higher institutions in the state, cutting or total stoppage of running grants to offices, and discontinuation of the consequential adjustments of the minimum wage for senior category of workers as well as ramping up of tax collection in a bid to shore up internally generated revenue (IGR)

The stakeholders’ meetings which took place at the Adetiloye Hall, Ado-Ekiti was called by the state government as an avenue to present the state of the state finances to the critical stakeholders, comprising civil servants, traditional rulers, religious leaders, labour and trade union leaders, representatives of the academic community, student leaders, leadership of market women, artisan and transporters among others.

Governor Fayemi set the tone for the day’s discussion when he reeled out the state’s finances including project distributions as well as current financial challenges.

The governor whose presentation also included a comparison with other sister states explained the need to reflect the economic realities and development in the country in order to avert a possible economic crisis. He said if the state must survive the current economic quagmire, there was the need to cut over N680 million spent per month.

Supreme Court Judgment: NCC Boss, Adeolu Congratulates APC, Tells Makinde to Eschew Illegality

The Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC),Professor Adeolu Akande has congratulated the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State over the judgement of the Supreme Court which declared the dissolution of elected local government councils in the state as illegal, null and void.

Professor Akande also congratulated the members of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) for their steadfastness and principled challenge of the illegal dissolution of the councils up to the apex Court in the country. “This is the distinctive feature of democrats and history will be kind to you all for your principled stand”, he said.

In the statement personally signed by him, Professor Akande said Governor Seyi Makinde should learn from the misadventure of dissolving the councils against the laws of the country and extand judgments of the Supreme Court. “He should begin to conduct himself in accordance with the laws of the country”,he advised.

‘It is most unfortunate that Engineer Seyi Makinde went clearly against extant judgements of the Supreme Court to dissolve the elected councils. It is also unfortunate that poor tax payers in the state would have to cough out N20million to pay for the cost awarded by the Supreme Court against the Oyo State Government.

“It is advisable that the Governor Makinde views every such money from the state coffers as funds that could have been better utilised for development instead of assuming that it is at no cost to him personally”.

Professor Akande said the important message from the Supreme Court judgment is that the earlier the country embraces local government autonomy, the better for the development of the country.

“The administration of local government remains a sorepoint in our democracy. The councils are the nearest to the people and they feel the pulse of the people faster than any other level of government. They are also the first point of call for the people at the grassroots in time of distress. We should promote autonomy of local government in terms of funding, personnel and constitutional roles. This is the surest way to fast track development at the grassroots”, he concluded.

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