Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Wednesday 19th February 2020
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 19/02/20
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JUST IN: Boko Haram Attacking Chibok Community
Members of the Boko Haram terrorist group are attacking Korongilum, a community in Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State.
The insurgents burnt houses as residents scamper for safety, according to residents, who confirmed the attack.
The insurgents came into the community and shot sporadically into the air, TheCable reports.
“People were just returning to their houses from the farm when the insurgents came in.
“They came in through Forfor, and our people are running for safety as we speak,” a resident, who escaped the invasion told TheCable.
A military source said troops from the Nigerian Army’s 28 task force brigade and 117 battalion, are already on their way to Korongilum to stop the attack and rescue the people.
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After Spending Two Years In Custody, Buhari Vows To Rescue Leah Sharibu
President Muhammadu Buhari has once again vowed to rescue Leah Sharibu from the captivity of Boko Haram.
Buhari said this while speaking on the second anniversary of the kidnap of Sharibu from her school along with 109 girls.
The government negotiated the release of the girls but failed to make the terrorist group release Sharibu.
Boko Haram held on to her because she refused to denounce Christianity and convert to Islam.
Recall that SaharaReporters had exclusively reported that Sharibu gave birth for one of Boko Haram’s commanders after she was forcefully married.
Reiterating his promise to rescue Sharibu, Buhari, in a statement, said that he would continue to push for her release from her captive.
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BREAKING: Leah Sheribu Gives Birth To Baby Boy For Boko Haram Commander After Being Forced To Convert To Islam
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He stressed that everyone has the right to choose religion without intimidation or fear.
He added that his administration would double its effort to rescue Sharibu as he called for unity among Nigerians in ending insurgency and terrorism in the country.
Buhari said, “Two years ago, 110 innocent children from the town of Dapchi were taken, against their will, by the terrorists of Boko Haram. 107 survived the ordeal. Today all but one – Leah Sharibu – are returned to their families.
“Now aged 16, Leah remains in the hands of the terrorists – they say because she refuses to renounce her Christian faith.
“We say, as the government for and of all Nigerians, that no person has the right to force another to change their faith against their will and that all life is sacred.
“This government continues and seeks to secure the release of all children and captives of terrorists – and we do so regardless of their creed or the name of their creator.
“As we redouble our efforts for Leah’s return, we can never allow the terrorists to divide us – Christian against Muslim, Muslim against Christian. We are all Sons of Abraham. And all Nigerians have the same worth and rights before the law, and before God.”
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JUST IN: Aso Rock Official Assassinated In Abuja
Laetitia Dagan, an Assistant Director of Administration at the State House, Abuja, has been killed in her residence by unknown persons.
Dagan, who was 47 before her death, was gruesomely murdered in her home around 11pm on Monday after she got home from the day’s work.
Confirming the death of Dagan, the Permanent Secretary, State House, Abuja, Jalal Arabi, said that the deceased worked in her office on Monday till 8pm.
He described the killing of Dagan as “a painful loss, not only to her immediate family, but also the entire State House.”
He also said that Dagan was “a dedicated, hard-working officer, and we all feel pained by her untimely death.”
Arabi expressed confidence that the police will fish out the killers and the law will take its course.
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Civil Servant Arraigned In Court For Receiving Salary Overpayment
One Mrs Opadule Caroline Abimbola, a former staff of the Nigerian Correctional Service (formerly Nigerian Prison Service), Ondo State Command, has been arraigned before Justice Olabode Adegbengbe of High Court 5 sitting in Akure, the capital, by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission for concealing the receipt of salary overpayments.
Opadule was arraigned on a seven-count charge bordering on dishonesty and corruption.
She was alleged to have been overpaid at various times in 2012 while being a public officer in the employ of the then prison service.
According to the charge sheet, she was overpaid through her First Bank Salary account No. 2004992044 amounts that were far above her monthly remuneration, totalling N1.2m.
Instead of reporting the anomaly that resulted in the overpayment of her monthly salaries to the Finance and Accounts Department of her organisation, she refused to do so and was investigated by ICPC when information reached the commission.
She was also accused of making false statement to officers during investigation.
Counts one to five of the charge sheet stated that at various times in 2012 she was outrageously paid amounts that were far above her monthly statutory remuneration, thereby committing fraudulent receipt of the property, an offence contrary to Section 13 and punishable under Section 68 of the Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act 2000.
In the sixth count, the accused person was said to have made a false statement to a public officer, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 25 (1) (a) and punishable under Section 25 (1) (b) of the Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act 2000.
The last count stated that she used her office to confer corrupt advantage on herself, thereby committing an offence contrary and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act 2000.
Opadule pleaded not guilty to all charges and her counsel, A. O. Oluwole, made an oral application for bail, which was not opposed by the prosecution counsel, Kehinde Adetoye.
The accused person was granted bail by the judge on the conditions that she should make a payment of N1.5m and provide two sureties in like sum.
One of the sureties must be in the employment of the state government and must be on Grade Level 10 or above.
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E2%80%99t-sack-service-chiefs-now-says-secretary-federation-mustapha Buhari Can’t Sack Service Chiefs Now, Says Secretary To Federation, Mustapha
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari would not heed the demand of some Nigerians and sack security chiefs in the country.
In the wake of renewed attacks by Boko Haram terrorist, Nigerians have urged President Buhari to sack service chiefs in the country and inject some fresh blood into the security apparatus.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, Mustapha said that Buhari couldn’t sack service chiefs as there are processes to be followed.
He added that there are some people fuelling the destabilisation of the country.
Mustapha urged Nigerians to unite and also cooperate with the military in fighting insurgency in the country.
He said, “We are in a very difficult time now. We need everybody to be on board. We need synergy within an intelligent community, within the military formations that will help fight this war.
“You don’t sack people like that. There are processes and I believe that at the opportune time, those processes will be followed.
“You don’t just wake up and say sack people, it doesn’t happen like that.
“What government wants is for everybody to be on the same page, fight the battle of securing the nation for protecting lives and property and ensuring that every Nigerian has the opportunity to live a prosperous life. I think that should be our main focus.”
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How Rotimi Amaechi’s Chief Security Officer Died Inside Hotel Belonging To Friend Of Kaduna Governor, El-Rufai
Facts have emerged as to how Tony Iwelu, Chief Security Officer to Nigeria’s Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, died at a hotel in Kaduna on Monday.
Iwelu was suspected to have bee electrocuted while taking a shower in his room at StoneEdge Hotel belonging to a friend of Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai.
A source at the hotel at the time of the tragic incident confirmed to SaharaReporters that Iwelu, a top Department of State Services personnel attached to Amaechi since he was governor of Rivers State, was found inside the bathtub in his hotel room and may have died of electrocution.
The source said, “He died inside his room. The hotel is brand new and owned by Governor el-Rufai’s friend.
“We found him dead inside the bathtub and we think he was electrocuted.”
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Chief Security Officer To Nigeria’s Transportation Minister, Amaechi, Dies
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The tragic incident took place few hours after Amaechi and members of his team escaped being killed by bandits, who attacked the train they were riding in from Abuja to Kaduna.
Confirming the attack, one of the passengers, who spoke with SaharaReporters, said that not only was there an attack but that Amaechi was present at the train station when the incident took place.
The eyewitness said, “It was when we were dispersing that the people were attacked, not the train.
“The Mando Road is a bit lonely but there are some security posts just that they are far away.
“Amaechi and the security took the same road and few minutes after, there was a shout and people were turning back from the road.
“Amaechi and his entourage along with other people going through Mando Road turned back and took the other road at the train station.
“We don’t know whether the bandits came for Amaechi or other passengers but it is confirmed that there was an attack.”
Amaechi had earlier denied reports that his entourage was attacked by bandits during the train ride on Sunday, prompting rights activist, Aisha Yesufu, to come out to slam the former Rivers governor for telling a lie.
Yesufu, taking to her Twitter handle, said, “Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, you should be ashamed of yourself. My sister, brother and sister-in-law were in that train.
“When your convoy scattered and you fled like a new born mouse whom water had been poured on, it was witnessed!. Governance is not by lies and propaganda!”
Recall that the Nigerian Railway Corporation also denied an attack on passengers on January 2, 2020 when some gunmen shot at a train on the Abuja-Kaduna route.
Since bandits took over most parts of Kaduna-Abuja highway, many prominent and ordinary Nigerians have resorted to travelling between both cities using the rail system.
As a result, corrupt officials have pounced on the opportunity created to hike ticket fare and make illegal earnings for themselves.
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SARS Illegally Arrests, Tortures Innocent Man In Rivers State
Some officials of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad has illegally arrested, tortured and humiliated an innocent man in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The arrest took place at about 3:00am on February 13, when SARS officers stormed the house of the man identified as John Chibuzor also known as DJ Ninja White.
Even though the victim was father of a suspect being sought after by SARS, the officers arrested Chibuzor instead of the suspect.
He was taken to SARS office at Obennhe, Abia State, where they chained his legs with other inmates.
Afterwards, he was forced to sweep the police station and his dreadlocks were cut off.
The victim’s wife and daughter, who visited the station, were also severely beaten with machetes by police officers.
Although the victim’s family were eventually pressured to produce the suspect, they were also made to pay N22,000 from before the victim was released.
Speaking on the development, rights lawyer and National President of Revolutionary Lawyer’s Forum, Mr Tope Akinyode, argued that the arrest of a person in place of another was unknown under the Nigerian law and the brutality meted out to one of the victims by cutting his hair was unlawful and disgraceful.
He said, “We will file an action for the enforcement of the fundamental human rights of the victims, shortly.”
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E2%80%99s-requirements-bureau-de-change-registration Court Throws Out Suit Challenging CBN’s Requirements For Bureau De Change Registration
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday struck out a suit filed against the Central Bank of Nigeria challenging the circular issued by the apex bank on June 23, 2014 for the operation and registration of bureau de change in Nigeria. The plaintiff, E E-Flow Bureau de Change Ltd, had commenced the suit against the CBN on October 17, 2014 praying the court for an order mandating the defendant to pay the plaintiff over N150,000,000 in damages for the alleged unlawful reversal of the requirements for the operation of bureau de change in Nigeria.The defendant, represented by Mr D.D Dodo (SAN), and Prof Fabian Ajogwu (SAN), filed a defence and an objection challenging the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to hear the matter on the grounds that the suit was instituted outside the three-month period prescribed by the Public Officers Protection Act Cap P41, LFN 2004. The defendant further argued in its objection that the CBN acted in good faith in issuing the new requirements for the operation of bureau de change in Nigeria, and as such was protected against any adverse claim as provided in the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007. Justice Evelyn Maha struck out the suit against the CBN.
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EXCLUSIVE: Witnesses Confirm Amaechi’s Presence During Kaduna Train Station Attack
Contrary to denial by Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and other loyalists of the All Progressives Congress, SaharaReporters has confirmed that Amaechi and other train passengers were attacked by bandits in Kaduna at the Rigasa Train Station on Sunday night.
In the attack, which Amaechi and his convoy narrowly escaped, it was confirmed that the gunmen waylaid the passengers at Mando Road as they were disembarking from the train.
The news of the attack was first published by Daily Nigerian, an online newspaper that reported that Amaechi alongside hundreds of passengers escaped an attack.
Aisha Yesufu, a rights activist, also confirmed the attack as she said that her relatives were at the train station when the attack happened.
She tweeted, “Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, you should be ashamed of yourself. My sister, my brother and my sister-in-law were in that train. When your convoy scattered and you fled like a new born mouse whom water have been poured on, it was witnessed!. Governance is not by lies and propaganda!”
In what appears to be an attempt to hide the frail security of lives and properties at the train station and along the road, Amaechi said he was not attacked neither did he witness any attack.Madam, I was not attacked, I did not see or escaped attackers, bandits or kidnappers. I did not “fled like a…†Insults & abuses will not change the fact that I was not attacked or escaped attack, in Kaduna last night. BTW, we can still be respectful & courteous here. Goodmornin Chibuike.R. Amaechi (@ChibuikeAmaechi) February 17, 2020
Recall that the Nigerian Railway Corporation also denied an attack on passengers on the January 2, 2020 when some gunmen shot at a train on the Abuja-Kaduna route.
In reaction to the attack, Managing Director, NRC, Fidet Okhiria, said that there was no attack on the train by gunmen.
Okhira claimed that ‘some boys’ threw stones at the train and it hit one of the coaches.
Confirming the Sunday night attack at the Rigasa Train Station, one of the passengers, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed that not only was there an attack but that Amaechi was present at the train station during the incident.
The eyewitness said, “It was when we were dispersing that the people were attacked, not the train.
“The Mando Road is a bit lonely but there are some security posts just that they are far away.
“Amaechi and the security took the same road and few minutes after, there was a shout and people were turning back from the road.
Amaechi and his entourage along with other people going through Mando Road turned back and took the other road at the train station.
“We don’t know whether the bandits came for Amaechi or other passengers but it is confirmed that there was an attack.”
The eyewitness questioned why Amaechi was lying about the incident and trying to hide from the public the true state of things at the train station.
The witness added, “This is human lives that we are talking about. I don’t know why he is trying to cover the attack. He first said that he was not attacked and they came back to say the attack happened far from the train station and he was not there.”
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E2%80%99s-transportation-minister-amaechi-dies Chief Security Officer To Nigeria’s Transportation Minister, Amaechi, Dies
Tony Iwelu, Chief Security Officer to Minister for Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has died of electric shock in a hotel in Kaduna State while attending a function.
Though details surrounding the incident remains sketchy, it was said that Iwelu died while having a shower on Monday at about 10:30am.
Iwelu was an operative of the Department of State Services, who had been with Amaechi since he was governor of Rivers State.
An aide to the minister, who confirmed the incident, described the deceased as a thoroughbred security personnel, adding that his death was a great loss to all that knew him.
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