Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Thursday 28th November 2019
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 28/11/19
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EXCLUSIVE: APC Leaders Pressure Justice Idris To Free Orji Uzor Kalu In N7.65bn Fraud
The leadership of the All Progressives Congress is leaving nothing to chance ahead of a court judgment on Orji Uzor Kalu, former governor of Abia State, who is facing corruption charges by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The public pressure and criticisms have made it difficult and impossible for the office of Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abukabar Malami, to enter Nolie prosique and withdraw the charges against Kalu in the case.
The leadership of the party has since commenced mobilisation of possible force to pile pressure on Justice Mohammed Idris for a favourable judgment come December 2.
Kalu is being tried alongside his company, Slok Nigeria Limited; and Udeh Udeogu, who was Director of Finance and Accounts at the Abia State Government House in an alleged fraud of N7.65bn during Kalu’s tenure as governor.
Kalu, who crossed to the APC prior to the 2019 general election, contested for the Abia West Senatorial District position.
Justice Idris had fixed judgment in the matter for December 2 and since then all mercenaries of the party had been deployed to reach the judge for favourable consideration.
SaharaReporters gathered that a top leader of the party has been contacted and he is pulling his weight around the case.
It was said that Justice Idris is being put in a very tight and difficult position.
We are leaving no stone unturned in preventing an embarrassing judgment from that judge.
“Orji Kalu has invested heavily in the party and it’s time to the party to show appreciation for his service and investments,” said sources close to the parties.
Another source in the office of the Court of Appeal President confirmed the pressure on the President of the) who has been left with no option than to reach the judge for understanding and her predicament.
Justice Idris is said to have rebuffed all entreaties considering the amount of pressure on Justice Idris.
“Monday is still a long time to have the judge to concede pressure and consider the request.
“The party leadership are equally in earnest search for other possible contacts to the judge other than President of the Court of Appeal.
“Whichever way the pendulum swings, the public will know by Monday, December 2 when the judgment is expected to be delivered,” the source said.
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E2%80%99s-move-efcc-gets-presidential-backing-extraditing-adoke EXCLUSIVE: Despite Malami’s Move, EFCC Gets Presidential Backing In Extraditing Adoke
The move by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to extradite former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, from the United Arab Emirates where he is being held by the Interpol has received the backing of the Presidency in Nigeria.
SaharaReporters exclusively learnt that while the incumbent Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), made attempts to get President Muhammadu Buhari to block Adoke’s extradition, the President gave the EFCC the nod to go ahead with the extradition plans.
SaharaReporters had reported that top officials in the office of the AGF were blocking Adoke’s extradition to the country.
While the EFCC had sent Adoke’s charges to the Interpol in Dubai, the commission might have to engage in a confrontation with the AGF when he is extradited to the country.
Sources familiar with the case informed SaharaReporters that the EFCC boycotted Malami because of his past dealings and affiliation with Adoke.
“Adoke and Malami have something going on between them.
“The EFCC is not working with the AGF because they got Presidential support to go on with the extradition so that he can come and face charges at home.
“They did this at a time when the office of the AGF wrote to the President to order the EFCC to stop the trial of Adoke.
“The AGF was pushing for Adoke to be released by the Interpol in Dubai so that he can escape from there and not come to Nigeria.
“But because of the deal that the Interpol signed with Nigeria and considering the fact that Adoke was listed as wanted on their list, he was not released.”
It was gathered that the same lawyer representing Adoke represented Malami when he refused to appear before the Senate, indicating a working relationship between the two.
Like in this particular case, Malami had used his office to protect Abdulrasheed Maina, a former Chairman of the now defunct Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, from prosecution for many years before his eventual arrest and ongoing trial.
There are strong indications that Adoke might not be released anytime soon as he is still in the custody of the Interpol.
The EFCC had transmitted the charges to Interpol electronically, while it awaits due procedure to be followed and completed before the former AGF can be extradited back to Nigeria.
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Policeman Kills Self In Imo Over Delayed Promotion
A policeman in Imo State, Paul Joseph, on Wednesday reportedly committed suicide over alleged delayed promotion, a report by PUNCH said.
It was said that Joseph, who hailed from Taraba State, was long overdue for promotion to the rank of Inspector but had yet to be promoted by the Police Service Commission.
A source at the bank he was attached said, “While staff were resuming for work for the day, they heard gunshot at the security house at the gate.
“Upon enquiry, they discovered that the policeman had killed himself.”
Joseph is said to have been venting his anger over the alleged refusal of the police authorities to promote him to the rank of an Inspector.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the police in Imo, Orlando Ikeokwu, confirmed the incident and said the deceased’s corpse had been deposited at a morgue.
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E2%80%99s-%E2%80%93report Top Kenyan Banks Have Stronger Cost-to-income Ratios Than Nigeria’s –Report
A new report by Moody’s has revealed that top Kenyan banks have stronger cost-to-income ratios than Nigerian banks despite higher retail overheads.
Moody’s added that Kenyan banks’ stronger cost-to-income ratios support their profitability and reflect their higher net interest margin.
The report by the financial research firm also compares KCB Bank Kenya Limited, Equity Bank (Kenya) Limited and Co-operative Bank of Kenya Limited with Nigeria’s Access Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc and United Bank for Africa Plc.
“Kenyan banks’ lower cost-to-income ratios primarily reflect their higher net interest margins derived from their greater exposure to retail clients. By contrast, Nigerian banks’ lending is focused on lower-margin corporate clients.
“Additionally, funding cost for Kenyan banks stood 100 basis points lower over the same period, reflecting their wider access to retail deposits.
“Over the coming quarters, we expect Kenyan banks to maintain superior profitability to their Nigerian peers owing to higher margins, stronger cost-to-income and lower loan-loss provisioning costs,” said Peter Mushangwe, a Moody’s Analyst and the report’s co-author.
However, Nigerian banks’ cost-to-income ratios will likely improve faster as they increase their higher-margin retail exposure while containing costs as they digitalise their operations and limit branch and staff expansion.
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Over 700 Tapeworms Found In Man’s Brain After Eating Uncooked Pork
Daily Mail
More than 700 tapeworms were found in a man’s body, including his brain and lungs, a month after eating uncooked pork, according to Daily Mail.
Zhu Zhongfa, 46, ingested the eggs of the parasite Taenia solium – better known as the pork tapeworm – from his dinner.
The construction worker from East China had suffered regular seizures for the few weeks following.
When he went to hospital, he was foaming from the mouth and lost consciousness, local reports said.
Doctors said the worm larvae had entered the man’s body through his digestive system and then made their way to his brain through the bloodstream.
Symptoms such as chronic headaches, blindness, seizures and dementia followed but may not appear for years after ingesting the eggs.
Dr Huang Jianrong from the Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, ordered brain and chest MRI scans.
It is still unclear whether the man identified only as Zhu will suffer any long-term effects from the tapeworm infection.
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E2%80%99ite-members-abuja Police Arraign 60 Shi’ite Members In Abuja
A total number of 60 members of the proscribed Islamic Movement in Nigeria arrested during the July 22, 2019 protest in the Federal Capital Territory, have been arraigned before an FCT High Court, a report by ChannelsTV said.
The members, who were charged to court by the FCT Command of the Nigerian Police, entered a not guilty plea to the charges which border on homicide, disturbances of public peace and destruction of government properties.
The protest, which took place within the Central Business District of Abuja on July 22, left a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Usman Umar, and Precious Owolabi, a corps member with Channels Television, dead.
The defendants, who claimed not to understand English Language, had the charges read to them in Hausa Language.
Prosecution counsel, Simon Laounge, urged the court to remand the defendants at the correctional yard of the Nigerian Prisons in Kuje having being held in custody by the special anti-robbery squad.
He also urged the court to move its sitting to Kuje due to logistical reasons.
Defence counsel, Bala Dakum, did not oppose the prosecutors’ request but told the court that he intends to move a bail application.
The trial judge, Justice Sulaiman Belgore, remanded the defendants in custody until December 10 when bail application will be heard and the venue of trial decided.
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Local Government Elections In Cross River To Hold On February 22
Local government elections is set to hold in Cross River State on February 22, 2020.
The date for the exercise was made public on Wednesday in Calabar, the state capital, during a stakeholders’ meeting with Chairman of the Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission, Dr Mike Ushie.
According to Ushie, the agency was ready to conduct the election three years after the last elected officials left the office at the end of their three-year tenure.
Nominations will close on January 9, 2020, while campaign by political parties will begin on February 7 and end on February 21, 2020, followed by the election on Saturday, February 22, 2020, according to the timetable released by the agency.
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BREAKING: Nigerian Government Admits Border Closure Cause Of Rising Inflation
Sahara Reporters Media
The Nigerian Government has admitted that the closure of the country’s land borders is contributing to rising inflation, a report by PUNCH said.
According to recent figures from the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics, the headline inflation stood at 11.61 per cent as of October.
The Minister of Finance/Budget /National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, told State House Correspondents that inflation rose due to hikes in food prices arising from border closure.
She was responding to questions after the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja on Wednesday.
Ahmed stated that the closure of the borders was a temporary measure adopted by the government to protect the economy against trade malpractices by neighbouring countries.
She said, “We are still discussing with our neighbours to ensure that we all respect our trade protocols, especially now that the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement is coming into effect.”
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E2%80%99s-continued-incarceration-president-buhari-reformed-democrat-churchill-okonkwo Sowore’s Continued Incarceration: Is President Buhari A Reformed Democrat? By Churchill Okonkwo
I will open this piece with a simple truth: the continued incarceration of Omoloye Sowore and other prisoners of conscience is a prelude of how Nigerian democracy will die. Unknown to the flatterers that are happy with the continued detention of Sowore, they are not good companions and advocates for President Buhari and Prof Yemi Osinbajo. It is these praise singers that will ruin these two. The longer the Nigerian Government keeps Sowore in detention, the more the image of President Buhari is damaged and rubbished as a reformed democrat. It should be that simple.
In a recently released message from detention, Sowore stated that “the world should know that I remain unbroken and in high spirits … I will continue to fight for the Nigerian people, ensure that the people are not shortchanged and corruption is driven underground … I will continue to stand up for the downtrodden.”
From this statement, Sowore understands that the dividends of democracy are not measured by the contentment of the affluent political class, but in how the political system has implemented policies and programs aimed at lifting the ordinary Nigerians, the political orphans out of poverty. He should, therefore, not remain incarcerated a minute for standing up for the common man.
What Sowore was urging Nigerians through his “revolution now” call for action is to find a way to re-stitch our fraying social fabric and rekindle our civic spirit. He was simply telling all of us who long for more, but settle for less, and give up too soon, to drive an arrow into the ground and never settle!
The democratic breakdown we are currently experiencing by the refusal of the Nigerian Government to release Sowore is not because the generals in the Nigerian Army are refusing to obey the law. It is because the elected government that has a reformed democrat and a professor of law at the helms of affairs is slowly killing our democracy. These reformed and elected democrats are the ones presently subverting democratic institutions in Nigeria.
In the present democratic backsliding in Nigeria, there are no tanks in the streets of Lagos and Abuja. No coup d’état, the Nigerian constitution is not suspended but the present Nigerian Government has maintained a layer of democracy while slowly gutting its substance. That’s how to describe the continued incarceration of Sowore and his co prisoners of conscience.
The continued detention of Sowore, Mandate, Agba Jalingo and Dadiyata may not be setting off alarm bells simply because martial law has not been declared. People like us attempting to draw attention to these attacks on Nigerian democracy may be dismissed as exaggerating or crying wolf, but, democracy’s erosion in Nigeria is clear.
If indeed President Buhari is a reformed democrat as Garba Shehu and Femi Adesina want Nigerians to believe, his DSS should not be subverting our democracy through the continued detention of Sowore.
If President Buhari is a reformed democrat, he should not be “weaponising” the courts and rewriting the rules of bail conditions to tilt the playing field against opponents. The tragic paradox of the present decline in Nigerian democratic institutions is that democracy’s assassins use the very institutions of democracy to kill it gradually and subtly.
I understand that Nigerians are polarised between the pro-Jonathan and pro-Buhari groups. But, let me remind fellow Nigerians that there is nothing that can kill democracies as quickly as polarization. Every Nigerian who cares about the health of Nigerian democracy should, therefore, justifiably be frightened by what is happening to Sowore, Mandate, Agba Jalingo and Dadiyata.
Protecting our democracy requires more than just fright or outrage. Nigerians should learn from what happened to other democracy and learn with the present warning signs across our political landscapes. We must be aware of the fateful missteps that have wrecked other democracies. That’s the only way we can, as citizens of this great country, rise, together, and avert breakdown by overcoming our deep-seated divisions.
The continued incarceration of Sowore and co is establishing new norms of behavior and must be condemned by all. His detention by the Nigerian Government through the Secret Service is regrettable and completely unacceptable. The result is that the image of President Buhari is being severely tarnished.
Where there is no shame, there is no honor. The continued detention of Sowore is very shameful.
Even when history does not often repeat itself, it sometimes, rhymes. In addition to ensuring that our democracy is saved by the immediate release of Sowore and his co prisoners of conscience, I also want President Buhari to be mindful of history, his history.
Does President Buhari want to be remembered as a reformed democrat or as a military ruler who carried over the repressive acts of the infamous Decree 4 to a civilian administration?
As an admirer of Mr President, I want to inform him that it is not too late to prove to the world, his friends and critics alike that he is a reformed democrat. President Buhari should not let the praise singers that do not have the boldness to point out where he is failing, ruin him.
I have sung the praises of Mr President but I am also bold enough to tell him that his continued incarceration of Sowore is a terrible political blunder. I thus, want this criticism to be a wakeup call that will save, rather than ruin all his good work.
So, free Sowore, Mr President.
Together, we can.
Churchill Okonkwo, Ph.D.
On Twitter @churchillnnobi
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UPDATE: Arrested Reuters Journalists Regain Freedom
Two journalists with Reuters, Afolabi Shotunde and Camillus, has regained their freedom after they were initially arrested by the police in Abuja while covering a protest of members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria.
After their arrest earlier on Wednesday, Shotunde had revealed through his Twitter handle that they were being taken to an unknown destination.
Afterwards, his telephones became switched off, putting all those, who knew him in distress.
However, not too long after their arrest, both journalists were released with any incident.
SaharaReporters had earlier reported how a schoolgirl was shot by a policeman during the protest by members of the IMN at Wuse Market, Abuja, on Wednesday.
An eyewitness said that the girl was returning from school when the incident occurred.
Armed policemen upon sighting the protesters opened fire at them, leaving many of them injured in the process.
One of the protesters identified the policeman, who shot the girl as Geoffrey A. Rafah from Wuse Division.
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