Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Sunday 28th March 2021
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 28/03/21
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Bandits Demand N50million Ransom For Kidnapped RCCG Members
Bandits who abducted members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Kaduna State, on their way to Kafanchan from Kaduna have reportedly placed N50million ransom on them.
A senior pastor of the church, who confirmed the story and the amount, explained that the eight members were kidnapped from the church bus at about 6:00 p.m while on their way for a church assignment.
According to Daily Post, the RCCG cleric, who is a Special Assistant to the General Overseer said, “It’s true. It happened around 6pm. They are asking for a N50million.”
He said that the abducted persons were adult missionaries, male and female, from Kaduna Province 1 going to Kafanchan for prayer work.
Recall that an engineer, Eje Kenny Faraday, said “he narrowly escaped being a victim.”
He had broken the news on his Facebook wall with the photograph of the empty bus around 7.00 p.m. on Friday.
He posted on his Facebook wall, “All passengers in the bus were kidnapped along Kachia Road, Kilometre 63 from Kaduna.”
The inscription on the side of the bus reads, “The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Region 30, Trinity Sanctuary, Kaduna.”
Insurgency
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Again, B’Haram Terrorists Throw Maiduguri Into Darkness, Blow Up Power Tower
File photo used to illustrate story.
Barely 72 hours after electric power was restored in Maiduguri, Borno State capital, Boko Haram insurgents on Saturday blew up another transmission tower in the city.
According to Premium Times, sources said the insurgents planted explosives on each leg of the tower, which they detonated at about 6 a.m.
File photo used to illustrate story.
On Wednesday, jubilant residents of Maiduguri were seen in a video that trended on social media as they celebrated the return of electricity after nearly two months of blackout.
It took officials of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) that long to repair the transmission tower brought down by the insurgents at a location about 50km from Maiduguri.
While reconnecting the installation, three TCN officials were severely injured by a landmine planted by the insurgents. Another official was said to have lost his life after falling off a tower.
The Saturday morning attack did not come as a surprise as residents had expressed fears of the insurgents plunging the city into darkness again as soon as the lights were restored.
A security agent said the attacked tower was not far from the one brought down in January.
“It is a major setback for Maiduguri because the tower that was brought down has affected other poles,” he said.
“They planted bombs on each leg of the towér which caused it to go down, and they had also fired at some of the high tension wires that caused the lines to cut into bits,” he added.
It took officials of the TCN and the Borno government nearly two months to fix the first tower temporarily.
With the latest attack, Maiduguri residents would suffer from the attendant harsh economic impact the resumed blackout would cause.
The TCN and the Borno state government were yet to speak on the development when filing this report.
Boko Haram
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Terrorism
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Biden Invites Buhari, 39 Other Leaders To Climate Change Summit
President Joe Biden
United States President, Joe Biden, has invited President Muhammadu Buhari and 39 other world leaders to a virtual summit to galvanise efforts in tackling the climate crisis.
The two-day summit is expected to mark America’s return to the frontlines in the fight against human-caused climate change after former President Trump disengaged from the process.
President Joe Biden
The White House said the summit is scheduled for April 22-23. It hopes that the meeting will help shape, speed up and deepen global efforts to cut climate-wrecking fossil fuel pollution.
“The summit will also highlight examples of how enhanced climate ambition will create good-paying jobs, advance innovative technologies, and help vulnerable countries adapt to climate impacts,” the White House said in a statement Friday.
The U.S. is also expected to announce “an ambitious 2030 emissions target.”
Biden invited leaders of the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate, which brings together 17 countries responsible for approximately 80 per cent of global emissions and global GDP as well as heads of other countries that are especially “vulnerable to climate impacts” or demonstrating “strong climate leadership.”
A small number of business and civil society leaders will also participate in the summit.
Major World leaders invited include the US rivals Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to the summit.
Others are Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Environment
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Tinubu Stumbles At Arewa House Lecture In Kaduna
The National leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, tripped over his foot and stumbled as he made his way to his auditorium seat where the 2021 annual Arewa House Lecture was held.
The event, which is the 11th edition of the annual Arewa House lecture, took place on Saturday at the Arewa House Banquet Hall, Kaduna.
According to a trending video, Tinubu crashed between two chairs on arrival at the 11th Arewa House Lecture in Kaduna.
His aides and nearby guests quickly supported him.
Tinubu spoke on the topic “Reduction of the Cost of Governance for Inclusive Growth and Youth Development in Northern Nigeria in a Post-COVID-19 Era,” admitted the high unemployment rate in Nigeria.
The APC stalwart said though Nigeria has exited recession, the country’s economy remained weak.
He also warned against wasteful spending amongst government officials, saying the government must spend money to yield economic returns for the benefit of the masses.
Tinubu, a former Lagos state governor, played a key role in the political merger of 2013, which created the APC.
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E2%80%94efcc-chairman-0 I will Resign If I’m Asked To Do Something Against My Conscience—EFCC Chairman
Abdulrasheed Bawa
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, has said that he is ready to tender his resignation if he is asked to compromise the rules.
He emphasised the need to rid the country of corruption and corrupt personnel.
Abdulrasheed Bawa
EFCC
The EFCC boss said this on Friday when he featured in a Nigerian Television Authority interview programme One-on-One.
His words were contained in a statement titled ‘We’ll rid Nigeria of corruption – Bawa Vows,’ which was issued on the official Twitter handle of the EFCC.
“We need to change our attitudes in Nigeria,” Bawa was quoted to have said.
“We are in the habit of worshipping people that have money in the society, but never bother to ask questions about their source of income. In winning the fight against corruption, we are engaging all stakeholders including religious leaders, community leaders and others.
“We are going to embark on massive public enlightenment to sensitise people on the need to shun corruption in all its forms.”
The EFCC boss continued, “I will continue to do what is right.
“The Commission under my watch will continue to abide by the rule of law. If anybody asks me to do anything contrary to my conscience or against the rule of law, I will resign my appointment.”
He stated that fighting corruption was an onerous task that should not be left in the hands of EFCC alone and urged Nigerians to stop glorifying corruption and corrupt people in the society.
The EFCC boss vowed that the commission under his watch would not relent in its efforts to bring all corrupt elements, high or low in this country to justice.
“We have just created Directorate of Intelligence. We need to re-engage ourselves with all our stakeholders in the fight against corruption because this is something we cannot do alone, all hands must be on deck,” he said.
On the directive that all bankers should declare their assets before June 1, 2021, the anti-graft boss said there is no going back on the directive noting that, “laws permit the commission to investigate assets of public officers including bankers”.
There is a law called the Bank Employee Declaration of Assets, Act 1986. We are not saying they should declare their assets to us. What we are saying is that they should declare it to the statutory bodies. We are going to be calling for it.
“As a Commission, we need to know what you have as a banker. Come June 1, 2021, we are going to be asking for it,” he said.
EFCC Press Release
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E2%80%94efcc-chairman I will resign If I’m Asked To Do Something Against My Conscience—EFCC Chairman
Abdulrasheed Bawa
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, has said that he is ready to tender his resignation if he is asked to compromise the rules.
He emphasised the need to rid the country of corruption and corrupt personnel.
Abdulrasheed Bawa
EFCC
The EFCC boss said this on Friday when he featured in a Nigerian Television Authority interview programme One-on-One.
His words were contained in a statement titled ‘We’ll rid Nigeria of corruption – Bawa Vows,’ which was issued on the official Twitter handle of the EFCC.
“We need to change our attitudes in Nigeria,” Bawa was quoted to have said.
“We are in the habit of worshipping people that have money in the society, but never bother to ask questions about their source of income. In winning the fight against corruption, we are engaging all stakeholders including religious leaders, community leaders and others.
“We are going to embark on massive public enlightenment to sensitise people on the need to shun corruption in all its forms.”
The EFCC boss continued, “I will continue to do what is right.
“The Commission under my watch will continue to abide by the rule of law. If anybody asks me to do anything contrary to my conscience or against the rule of law, I will resign my appointment.”
He stated that fighting corruption was an onerous task that should not be left in the hands of EFCC alone and urged Nigerians to stop glorifying corruption and corrupt people in the society.
The EFCC boss vowed that the commission under his watch would not relent in its efforts to bring all corrupt elements, high or low in this country to justice.
“We have just created Directorate of Intelligence. We need to re-engage ourselves with all our stakeholders in the fight against corruption because this is something we cannot do alone, all hands must be on deck,” he said.
On the directive that all bankers should declare their assets before June 1, 2021, the anti-graft boss said there is no going back on the directive noting that, “laws permit the commission to investigate assets of public officers including bankers”.
There is a law called the Bank Employee Declaration of Assets, Act 1986. We are not saying they should declare their assets to us. What we are saying is that they should declare it to the statutory bodies. We are going to be calling for it.
“As a Commission, we need to know what you have as a banker. Come June 1, 2021, we are going to be asking for it,” he said.
EFCC Press Release
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Battle In Askira, Chibok Town As Army Kills 48 Boko Haram Terrorists, Rescue 11 Victims
The Boko Haram terrorists have engaged the troops of the Nigerian Army deployed on Operation Lafiya Dole in a gun battle in Askira and Chibok towns, during which 48 terrorists were shot dead, while 11 victims were rescued from the insurgents.
It is not clear yet if any of the troops were casualties.
The troops of the 28 Task Force Brigade of Sector 1 Operation Lafiya Dole in Chibok town encountered scores of the Boko Haram terrorists in an ambush along the Chibok – Damboa axis of Borno State.
According to the army on Saturday, the troops engaged and killed the insurgents, recovering seven AK-47 rifles from them and freeing three kidnapped victims.
SaharaReporters learnt that the gun battle is ongoing as troops and the terrorists lay ambush for each other for further exploitations.
In neighbouring Askira, the troops also killed 39 terrorists also and freed eight victims.
“The troops are presently dominating the area with aggressive patrols and are equally on a trail of fleeing terrorists in order to locate and neutralise them.
“The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Ibrahim Attahiru, has urged them to remain dogged and maintain their offensive posture in all operations until the area is rid of all remnants of terrorists.
“He equally appreciated members of the public for their continuous support to the troops and enjoined them to continue to provide credible information to the troops and other security agencies operating within their localities,” the Director of Army Public Relations, Brig Gen Mohammed Yerima, said in a statement.
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Abia Bye-Election: Gunmen Kidnap APC Collation Officer
Unknown gunmen have abducted the collation officer for the All Progressives Congress, Aba North council, Mike Ozoemena, at the ongoing by-election for Aba North/ Aba South federal constituency in Abia State.
According to Vanguard, Ozoemena, who is also the campaign Officer of the APC candidate, Mascot Uzor Kalu, was kidnapped at the Industrial ward 2 areas.
Akelicious.net
The APC Publicity Secretary, Abia State, Ben Godson, who confirmed the incident, said that Ozoemena’s whereabouts are still unknown.
He said, “Mike Ozoemena, Director of Publicity, Mascot Uzor-Kalu Campaign and APC Collation Officer in Aba North, has been whisked away by some men on white Hilux from his ward, Industrial Ward 2 Aba North to an unknown destination.“We don’t know his whereabouts. We don’t know where they’re taking him to and we’re calling for immediate rescue.”The Police Public Relations Officer, Abia State Command, SP Geoffrey Ogbonna, did not respond to calls and text message sent to his mobile number.
Earlier, a substance suspected to be a bomb has exploded at the Umuola Hall, Ward 8, Ogbor Hill, Aba North council during the election.
No life was lost, but electoral materials were scattered as workers, voters and party agents scampered to safety.However, security agents stormed the area and restored order.A voter, who gave his Chinedu Eze, said they were in a queue when a loud sound enveloped the area and everyone fled.
He said, “We were in the queue; some people were being accredited to cast their votes when we heard a loud sound. Everybody took to their heels. It was a bomb and we didn’t know where it came from.”
Elections
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Panic As Wedding Guests Injured In Lagos Auto Crash
There was panic on Saturday around the St Saviour’s Bus stop on the Ikotun-Ijegun road in Lagos State after a crash involving a vehicle conveying six females who were returning from a wedding ceremony.
SaharaReporters learnt that the accident occurred around 3pm, due to the lack of speed bumps on the newly tarred road.
Videos sent to SaharaReporters showed commotion in the area as passersby tried to rush one of the ladies to a nearby hospital.
“The accident just happened around Ikotun-Ijegun road that involved like six ladies looking as if they were going for an event. I wasn’t able to talk to any one of them though because people were many and it’s a newly tarred road which the government is supposed to put bumps on,” a witness said.
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Nigeria Qualifies For AFCON After Rivals Draw
The Super Eagles of Nigeria have qualified for the African Cup of Nations competition following a 0-0 draw between Lesotho and Sierra Leone this afternoon.
The drawn encounter means Nigeria will finish top two in Group L regardless of the outcomes in their last two matches of the group.
The Lone Stars of Sierra Leone helped their West African neighbours by keeping Lesotho from scoring at their venue Setsoto Stadium, Maseru.Both countries have not won in the AFCON qualifier series, with Sierra Leone playing four draws out of five games for four points, while Lesotho has accrued three points.It hands the Super Eagles an unassailable four-point lead and with their game in hand at Benin set to kick off later today.Nigeria will be participating in its 19th AFCON tournament rescheduled for Cameroon in January 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.With three triumphs and a total of 15 medals, Nigeria is the most decorated nation at AFCON.
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