Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Mr. Ayuba Wabba.

Members of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) are currently protesting in Abuja, the nation's capital in, in solidarity with the strike action of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The protest which took off from the popular Unity Fountain is being attended by scores of protesters who wielded placards with several inscriptions such as “End ASUU Strike Now”, “Stop importation of petrol”, “refine the refineries’, “Nigeria at 60 years of independence, more hunger in the land”, etc.

The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, who addressed the crowd said the union would embark on a three-day warning strike if the Nigerian government fails to meet their demands and negotiate with the striking lecturers.

As of the time of this report, the protesters are heading for the National Assembly.
While speaking in an interview on Tuesday, the NLC President, Wabba, had first given a hint of a three-day nationwide strike after the mega protests.
“The two-day warning strike is to call for attention and the issues to be resolved promptly. The next level is three-day national warning strike, if nothing has happened after the protest to show our grievances,” he had said.
“These are democratic norms. Everywhere in the world, even as an individual you have the right to air your grievances. It is within the provision of our law; it is backed by UN charter for human and people rights; African charter for human and peoples right. It is there in our constitution — section 39, 40. Even the court has pronounced that you don’t require any permission. It is legal and within your fundamental human rights to protest issues.
“When people say it’s illegal, I think people should remember that no condition is permanent. We have had some of our current politicians join NLC to press for similar action in the past. We are not on a solidarity action, we are affected directly.”

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The Methodist Prelate, His Eminence Dr. Samuel Uche, has urged the Nigerian government to address the alarming spate of insecurity and terrorists’ attacks in the country, wondering why the Muhammadu Buahari spent a huge amount of money to procure the United States’ Super Tucano fighter jets.
The cleric said this in a press conference on Tuesday in Umuahia on the sidelines of his pastoral visit to Umuahia Methodist Diocese, while accusing the Federal Government of treating bandits and terrorists ravaging the country with kid’s gloves but using a sledge hammer on unarmed Biafran agitators.

He criticised the worsening insecurity in the country perpetrated by bandits and the government’s laxity in dealing with them.
“Today, you can’t move freely again in the country. This morning (yesterday), bandits attacked soldiers in Abuja very close to the seat of power.
“The other time, they had the temerity to go to Kuje prison to release inmates. What type of government do we have? These people are toying with our security. Why not order soldiers to eliminate those criminals? Why do we have Tucano jets if we won’t use them against terrorists and bandits?
“Did they buy the Jets to see if they can kill all the Biafran agitators? Why are they after Biafrans? Hatred? Why not send the aircraft after the bandits and finish them?
“Why do they allow bandits to be operating? I saw a video in Katsina State where more than 400 bandits took over the road. They intercepted travellers and robbed them and took some inside the bush.
“Why is this happening in the home state of Mr. President? Is there any agenda? What is happening in Nigeria is no longer tolerable. We cannot keep quiet for them to continue.”
The Prelate who was kidnapped by Fulani herdsmen about three months ago but regained his freedom after a ransom of N100 million was paid, blamed the festering insecurity on wrong leadership.

He said that Nigeria could be fixed within six months if the leadership was willing, adding that contrary to the opinions of many, Nigeria is not yet a failed country.
“For me, I still see hope in Nigeria. What we have as a challenge in Nigeria is unserious leadership. If any leadership is serious, Nigeria can be fixed within six months.
“Even the people in power now can fix Nigeria if they remove their eyes from injustice and unnecessary dirty wealth. They should fix their eyes on justice, high morality, and integrity. Our situation is not irredeemable.”

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Mike Ozezhome

I watched and listened very carefully to my good friend, Chief Festus Okoye, INEC's cerebral Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, on his recent Channels television interview. I completely disagree with his take and analysis of the place and space of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the organogram and scheme of things concerning the electoral process in Nigeria. His analysis, which literally dismissed the RECs with a wave of the hand in a most cavalier manner, if swallowed hook, line and sinker, has the dangerous effect of not only completely defanging RECs and rendering their electoral efforts at the grassroots state levels completely useless, but also of creating avoidable turmoil and schism within INEC itself, as one homogeneous and independent family unit. 

It can also have the unintended consequence of self-immolation which can self-destruct. It amounts, in my humble view, to saying that the RECs who are constitutionally created across the 36 states of Nigeria, simultaneously and indeed under the same sections with the INEC Chairman and the 12 National Commissioners that Okoye harped on, are no more than mere appendages to INEC headquarters, and therefore toothless bulldogs and amoebic bats that neither belong to the animal kingdom nor the birds' kingdom.
If RECs' monitoring and conduct of elections at the state level can be whimsically and capriciously discarded because, according to Okoye, they are mere delegates of the national body of INEC that comprises only the Chairman and 12 members, then one must ask why the Constitution created them at all in the first place? Can the human anatomical body be whole simply by having a head and stomach alone, without the brain, limbs, eyes, ears, tongue and nose? I think not. How come, if we were to follow Okoye's argument to its logical conclusion, that a mere whitlow suffered by a person on his tiny thumb, keeps the person's entire body in pains, agony, pangs and sleeplessness throughout the night?
SOME LEGAL ANALYSIS
Section 153 (1) (f) of the 1999 Constitution as amended provides for the establishment of certain federal bodies, including INEC.
By virtue of section 153 (2) thereof, the “composition” and powers of the bodies established in section 153 (1) above (which includes INEC ), are as contained in part 1 of the 3rd Schedule to the Constitution.
 
Now, Paragraph 14 (1) of the said  3rd Schedule clearly provides that:
 
“INEC shall comprise the following members –
(a) Chairman, who shall be the Chief Electoral Commissioner;
 
(b) Twelve other members to be known as National Electoral Commissioners …”.
 
However, the same paragraph 14, but under subsection (2), immediately provides for the establishment of the office of the Resident Electoral Commissioner ( REC ) in each state of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. There are 36 states of Nigeria by virtue of section 2(3) of the Constitution. Without these states, there is no sovereign entity by the name "Nigeria".
 
WHO THEN IS A MEMBER OF INEC?
 
The answer as regards membership of INEC can be found in section 153 (2) of the Constitution. It provides that the composition and powers of the Commission are as contained in part 1 of the 3rd Schedule.
 
“Composition”, by definition according to page 207 of Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, simply means, ​“the manner in which something is composed”​.  “composed of” is itself defined on page 286 of the Black's Law Dictionary, Centennial edition, as, "formed of; consisting of”.
 
Even the New Webster’s Dictionary of English Language (International Edition), on page 200, also defines “composition” as meaning “content with respect to constituent elements”.  To be sure, the word “constituent”, according to page 207 of the Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, means “essential part; component, element”; or “serving to form, compose or make up a unit or whole”.
 
It is therefore crystal clear and beyond disputation (except for those who may want to engage in banal intellectual masturbation)  that the word “composition” as deployed in section 153 (2) of the Constitution regarding the membership of INEC simply means nothing beyond the aggregation of those bodies established under section 153(1). Only this meaning logically accords with the clear words and phrases used in all the definitions above stated. 
Let us see them once more:
“essential part; component elements’'; or, “serving to form, compose or make up a unit or whole”; or “formed of; “consisting of”; or “content with respect to constituent elements”.
 
The next question that agitates the mind is, what then is "member", and how do we demonstrate that the meaning of  “composition” as used in section 153 (2) simply means membership of INEC? 
“Member”, says page 740 of Webster’s Ninth Collegiate Dictionary, simply means “one of the individuals composing a group”;  or “ a constituent part of the whole”. Also, "member", according to the Black's Law Dictionary, Centennial edition, on the other hand, means “one of the persons constituting a family, partnership, association, corporation, guild, court, legislation or the like”.
Thus, exactly the same words are employed in all the dictionaries cited above to define the two words, “compose” and “member”.  What this translates to is that the words, “composition” and “membership”, are not mutually exclusive, but can be used interchangeably to mean the same thing.  
 
By simple analytical deduction, when section 153 (2) of the Constitution speaks of the composition of INEC being as defined in part 1 of the 3rd Schedule to the Constitution, what the section is simply saying is that the membership of INEC shall be as contained in the said part 1 of the 3rd Schedule. By extension, and when stated slightly differently, the persons mentioned in the said part 1 of the 3rd Schedule relating to INEC are also all members of the INEC, notwithstanding that the word “member”, has not been specifically used therein. Membership and composition are therefore synonyms that can be used interchangeably here.
 
For the avoidance of doubt, paragraph 14 (1) of part 1 of the 3rd Schedule to the Constitution used the word “member” with respect to Chairman and 12 National Commissioners. However, subsection 2 of the same paragraph 14 went ahead to frontally make provisions for the establishment of the position of REC in each state of the Federation and the FCT. How then can it be reasonably argued that the same schedule 14 which recognizes not only the Chairman and the 12 National Commissioners, but also the same RECs of 36 states and the FCT, can decide to accord recognition to, and ascribe duties to the former alone, whilst excluding the latter? 
 It simply does not add up, both in the realms of law, logic, morality and constitutionalism.
 
My humble take, therefore, is that the Chairman of INEC, the 12 National Commissioners and the 37 RECs are all members of the same INEC family; no more, no less. None is a child of bastardy. None suffers from any form of dubious or questionable pedigree. This is more so as their existence draws life from the same oxygen freely donated by the same paragraph 14, with one falling under subsection(1) and the other under subsection (2), within same part 1 of the 3rd Schedule to the 1999 Constitution, which clearly provides for the “composition” of INEC.
 
To deny this is to deny that six is the same thing as half a dozen and that Hamlet is the Prince of Denmark. It will thus amount to the greatest illogicality and delusional fallacy of all times to argue that RECs whilst being constitutionally recognized to “compose” or form the “composition” of the INEC, are at the same time denied of being “members” of the same INEC. It will amount to giving power and recognition with the left hand, and at the same time simultaneously snatching the same back with the right hand. Such will not make any common, thematic, logical, legal, grammatical or constitutional sense.
 
In further support of this, my humble argument is section 8 of the old Electoral Act of 2010, as amended, which provides for the staff of INEC without including the office of the REC. Yet, RECs carried out their duties effectively under the Act until the 2022 Act. The question will then be this: what are RECs under the Electoral Act if they are not constitutionally recognised as members of INEC and also not recognized as staff of INEC? Are they bats; hermaphrodites, that do not belong to any class? Why then should they be recognized at all in the first case in the Constitution? Why not simply allow the Chairman and the 12 National Commissioners to be all-in-all, the beginning and the end of INEC? RECs, it is submitted, are not mere disposable committees of persons which INEC can simply appoint and arbitrarily dispense with under section 7 of the 2010 Electoral Act. Why does the Constitution which provides for the offices of the President and state Governors also provide for the positions of Ministers and Commissioners if the latter were not important or necessary to our polity? 
It will be recalled that Okoye had rightly, on 9th July 2022, reassured Nigerians that "in line with its constitutional and legal obligations, the Commission deployed monitors to the various constituencies and received reports of such exercise...the Commission stands by the monitoring received from our state offices". Why will INEC now ignore these reports which emanated from the very RECs who are physically on the ground? Is it no longer the owner of a house that knows where the yam and knife are kept? Is it a total stranger ( the visiting INEC Commissioners and officials) who will know the terrain better and what took place before,  during and after the primarily? Can you have an Army General without foot soldiers? I think not. Or, do you?
What is INEC’s reply, for example, to the glaring anomaly in Kano state, where the REC, Professor Riskwua, told the whole world that the only governorship primary INEC office monitored in Kano had produced Mohammed Sani Abacha, but with the APC leadership and INEC headquarters arbitrarily changing it to one Ambassador Wali? Yet, this was an election monitored in the full glare of the whole world amidst television cameras and print and social media.
Why will INEC be accepting from political parties, names of persons who did not undergo statutory primaries monitored by its state officials any officials and headed by the RECs, and instead, accept compromised results that lack electoral integrity from political parties, on primaries that were never conducted, and where conducted, were never monitored by its state RECs and officials?
These worrisome scenarios are already playing out in many states across Nigeria, including Oyo, Sokoto, Ogun, Kano, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Abia, amongst others.
How come, for example, that of the 26 candidates of the ruling APC that emerged from valid primaries duly conducted and monitored by INEC Akwa Ibom state INEC office headed by the REC, Mr Mike Igini, only two names were extracted and accepted from the entire report by INEC headquarters? 
Whatever happens to section 29(1) of the Electoral Act which gives INEC teeth that only "candidates that emerged from valid primary" shall be submitted to INEC by political parties for publication? Why will INEC be shying away from, and abdicating the statutory powers and duties generously imposed by section 84(1) of the Electoral Act, to compulsorily monitor party primaries; and section 84(13) thereof, to reject names of persons submitted by political parties that fail to comply with the provisions of the Act as regards such primaries? I cannot understand. Or, can you? 
CONCLUSION 
I will conclude this my little contribution as follows. It is crystal clear,  per adventure, that the appointment, duration and termination of offices of RECs, including those of the INEC Chairman and the 12 National Commissioners, (all of whom form part of Federal bodies established under section 153 (1) of the Constitution), are respectively provided for in sections 154 and 155(1) and (2) of the Constitution. This provision applies with equal force to the Chairman, National Commissioners and all RECs. No difference could have been contemplated when no other section of the Constitution provides separately for RECs. Even disqualification criteria for membership of INEC are the same under section 156 for both RECs, the Chairman and the 12 National Commissioners. The same scenario plays out in the mode of removal of members of INEC and other federal bodies from office, under section 157(1). This is by the “President acting on an address supported by 2/3 majority of the Senate praying that he so be removed for inability to discharge the functions of the office (whether arising from infirmity of mind or body or any other cause) or for misconduct”. My humble submission here is that since the Constitution has not made any other provision regarding the mode of removal of RECs, it goes without saying that section 157 (1) also applies to them with the equal force since their office is also a constitutional creation. 
Indeed section 6 of the 2022 Electoral Act also replicated Section 157 (1) of the Constitution specifically for RECs.  
 
I further humbly submit that it is simply no argument that paragraph 14 (1) of the 3rd Schedule used the word "membership" to refer to only the Chairman and the other 12 National Commissioners only, since section 153 (2) of the same Constitution has already used the all-encompassing word of “composition”, to cover all. As luminously held in the case of OGBEBOR V. DANJUMA & ORS (2003) 15 NWLR (pt. 843) 403 @ 425, a schedule to an Act cannot override, be superior to, or detract from, the substantive provisions of the Statute itself. That will amount to the tail wagging the dog.
 
It is thus submitted that whichever way it is viewed, the RECs of the 36 states and the FCT, are all constitutional members of INEC and saddled with specific duties which the INEC headquarters cannot usurp at will. They are the Commission's eyes on the ground and know where the roof leaks. The Constitution says so. No person or Act of the National Assembly can derogate or subtract from this truism, by virtue of section 1(3) of the 1999 Constitution.

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INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council Election Tribunal led by Chief Magistrate F. Oyekan has ordered the arrest of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu for contempt of court.
The tribunal order the arrest while ruling on the application moved by C.I. Okoye leading Simon Daudu and A.J Adagami in Petition No FCT/ACET/EP/7/2022 which was delivered by K.L. Appah.

The tribunal stated that the order followed the refusal of the INEC Chairman to obey its order to produce documents named in the subpoena served on him on July 22, 2022, in the case. 
The tribunal described Yakubu's failure to produce the documents as flagrant disobedience of the order of the court which must attract appropriate consequences under the law.
It, therefore, ordered the Inspector General of Police (IGP) or the Commissioner of Police for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to arrest the INEC boss and produce him before the tribunal on Friday, July 29 to show cause why he should not be committed to prison for contempt of court.


 

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The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has said there are no immediate solutions to the prolonged and recurrent crisis rocking Nigeria’s aviation sector. 
 The minister, who held an emergency meeting with the Airline Operators Association of Nigeria (AON) in Abuja on Tuesday, said the variables impacting the crises in the aviation sector are beyond the industry’s control. Thus there is no immediate solution.

Sirika said there is no short term solution because of the variables involved especially because it is a global problem.
“Energy crisis is real and it is global. Today, there is an aviation fuel problem all over the world, from America to New Zealand. It is aggravating in Nigeria because we don’t produce the product. It’s aggravated also because the foreign exchange is scarce in Nigeria, the source of earning the foreign exchange also has dwindled,” he explained.
He reiterated that the federal government had in the past sourced 10,000 metric tons of aviation fuel for the airlines, adding that the government was willing to do more.
“As we speak, the government is in the process of finding a permanent solution to this issue,” he said.
Some of the solutions, he said, include, “importation of the product at appropriate price, accelerating the refurbishment of our refineries and also waiting for the coming on stream of Dangote Refinery to boost supply of the product.”
“So when you ask how soon, I wouldn’t know when Dangote will come on stream; I wouldn’t know how soon the refineries will be filled. I wouldn’t know when imports would become sufficient. But the government is working towards all these to happen,” he said.
He also said he would meet with relevant stakeholders including the Central Bank of Nigeria so the airlines can access dollars at the official market rate rather than the black market rate.
The president of AON, Alhaji Abdulmunaf Yunusa Sarina, in his comment said the aviation fuel crises began from N180 per litre and now stood at N1000 per litre.
He also said the Forex crisis was a huge burden on the industry.
“The rate at which the dollar is escalating now is very alarming. Every day, a difference between 10-15 naira is added at the parallel market. Last week, it was N610 but today, it is N670 to one dollar,” he said.
He called on the minister to intervene.
Also commenting, Mr Allen Oyeama, the vice president of AON, said the AON was satisfied with the government intervention in the industry.
“It is not easy to give a timeline to issues like this because the challenge is global. Even the American airlines are threatened too. It’s not only Nigeria. This is why they are eating the government? But we are pleased so far,” he said.

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Scores of commercial motorcycle riders on Tuesday went on a rampage in Abuja over the alleged killing of two of their fellow riders and seizure of motorbikes by the Nigeria police.

 

The incident occurred at Area 1 at about 6:00 pm while people were returning home from work. It led to the destruction of many vehicles as the angry motorcyclists descended on anything in sight, including moving vehicles.

Many people were reportedly injured during the incident.

 

An eyewitness who spoke to SaharaReporters said the motorcyclists who were on a revenge mission blocked a major road and attacked many vehicles with stones and sticks.

 

"The situation is getting serious at Area 1. We heard that two of their members were killed by police and they are angry and they attacked people randomly. They destroyed many vehicles on the expressway. They were just throwing stones at all vehicles, breaking their windscreens," the eyewitness said.

The incident forced people to run helter-skelter in search of safety.

 

SaharaReporters gathered that it took the intervention of armed policemen from Durumi Divisional Police Headquarters to disperse the riotous crowd.

 

As of the time of filing this report, the angry mob had regrouped under a bridge where they set a bonfire, thereby causing more tension for the residents in the area.

 

Reacting to the incident, the FCT Police Spokesperson, DSP Josephine Adeh, in a statement said no life was lost in the incident.

 

She added that about 20 motorcycles were seized by the operatives of the Durumi Divisional Police Headquarters for violating the ban on motorcycles in some parts of the FCT.

She said, "Following the ban of motorcycles in some parts of the FCT by the FCTA, the FCT Command having held several meetings with the various heads of motorcycle units across the Territory activated an enforcement exercise at the various Divisional and Area command AORs.

 

"Today 26th July 2022, motorcycles numbering about 20 were arrested by Operatives of the Durumi Divisional Police Headquarters on an Enforcement round for violating the ban.

"The motorcycles were taken to the Division and subsequently handed over to the VIO for screening. Upon sighting the VIO at the Division, the errant motorcyclists in their number decided to obstruct the VIO from moving out of the station and started attacking the officers.

"The police swung into action, dispersing the violent motorcycles who took to the street to express their displeasure. No life was lost nor properties damaged. Normalcy has since been restored. The command urges members of the public not to panic, and to go about their lawful business while monitoring of the area and surveillance continues."

 

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At least two suspects have been arrested in connection with the death of three policemen in the early hours of Sunday in Delta State.
Gunmen on Sunday attacked a police station in Okpanam, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, killing three policemen.

The officers were said to be responding to a distress call sent by local vigilantes when the gunmen shot them to death.
Authorities say the local vigilantes claimed they were under attack and urged the police to come to their rescue. The policemen then set out on the rescue mission but were ambushed and three of them were killed.
However, Delta State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Bright Edafe in a statement released on Tuesday, noted that the Command was closing up on the other members of the gang. 
The Command also dismissed reports that a 6 pm to 6 am curfew had been declared in the Okpanam community.
The statement reads, "The attention of Delta State Police Command has been drawn to the rumour making round that a '6-6 curfew has been declared in Okpanam with effect from  26/7/22 to enable security agencies carry out their job.'
"This is not only laughable but completely ridiculous and a lie put up by some mischievous persons to cause confusion among residents of the community. 
"The Command wishes to emphatically state that there is no curfew declared in Okpanam community and as a matter of fact, Okpanam community is calm and two suspects have been arrested in connection with the incident that led to the death of three policemen in the early hours of Sunday, 24/7/2022 and the Command is closing up on the other members of the gang." 
"The Commissioner of Police, Delta State, CP Ari Muhammed Ali, FCIA, PSC+ is assuring members of the public, particularly residents of Okpanam community that they should go about their lawful business(es) without fear as the Command is not only able and willing, but also committed to the protection life and property in the State," the statement added. 

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Zamfara State Governor Bello Matawalle

A member of a terrorist group that kidnapped 279 schoolgirls of Government Secondary School in Jangebe, Zamfara State early this year has disclosed that a ransom of N60 million was paid by the Zamfara State government to secure the release of the pupils. 
The leader of the terrorist group disclosed this in a documentary released by BBC African Eye on Monday. 

"We used part of the money to buy rifles," he told BBC.  
Meanwhile, Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara state earlier claimed that no ransom was paid to the terrorists while confirming their release. 
The governor, in a tweet, said; “Alhamdulillah! It gladdens my heart to announce the release of the abducted students of GGSS Jangebe from captivity.

“This follows the scaling of several hurdles laid against our efforts. I am enjoying all well-meaning Nigerians to rejoice with us as our daughters are now safe.”
The governor later told the BBC Hausa that no ransom was paid, but appealed to the Nigerian Government to increase the number of security agents in the country.
According to the governor, the 279 students were in good health and no one was hurt. He said he and his wife were at the Government House Gusau, receiving the freed schoolgirls who had been conveyed to the state capital in buses.
 

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Another batch of 175 stranded Nigerians from Libya has been received by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos State.
It was learnt that the returnees are 77 male adults, 64 female adults, 11 male and 12 female children, five female infants and six male infants.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Director-General of NEMA, Alhaji Mustapha Ahmed, who was represented by the Acting Coordinator of the Lagos Territorial Office of the Agency, Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, confirmed the development.
According to the Director-General, the stranded Nigerians were received at the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport at about 23:58 p.m, with Boeing 737-800 Al Buraq Air, with registration number 5A-DMG.
"The returnees were brought back to the country by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) through a voluntary repatriation programme.
"The programme was meant for the distressed Nigerians who had left the country to seek greener pastures in various European countries but could not afford to return when their journey became frustrated.
"The returnees are 77 male adults, 64 female adults, 11 male and 12 female children, five female infants and six male infants.
"Among those brought into the country, two females and two males had medical issues," Farinloye stated.
He however urged the returnees to turn a new leaf in looking for ample opportunities in the country that were enough for everyone to achieve their desired goals.
He appealed to them to avoid vices that they must have been exposed to from the country of departure.
 

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The Christian Association of Nigeria has elected Most Reverend Daniel Okoh as its new President, ending the tenure of Reverend Olasupo Ayokunle.
The announcement of Okoh’s election is contained in a statement by the CAN General Secretary, Joseph Daramola.

Okoh is the General Superintendent of Christ Holy Church, also called Nation Builders (Odozi-Obodo).
CAN comprises of five blocs; the Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN); Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN); Christian Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (CPFN)/Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN); Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC); TEKAN and ECWA Fellowship.
The umbrella Christian body in Nigeria is scheduled to hold its General Assembly on July 27, which will usher in the new administration.
The assembly also marks the end of the tenure of Samson Olasupo Ayokunle and other members of the National Executives in his team.
The outgoing CAN president thanked all Nigerians for their support and prayers, which he said led to his successful tenure.
The handover ceremony and beginning of a new regime will take place on July 29.

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Elder statesman and leader of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum, SMBLF, Pa Edwin Clark, has lost his younger brother, Blessing Akporode Clark.
Blessing Clark who was a former Diplomat and Ambassador died on Tuesday in Lagos at the age of 92 years.

This was confirmed in a statement signed by Dr. Christopher C. Clark for the family and made available on Tuesday night.
The late Clark was Nigeria’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), Ambassador to Switzerland and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Nigerian Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, New York.
The statement is titled, “Press Statement on the passing on of Ambassador Blessing Akporode Clark, CON.”
The statement read, “The Bekederemo-Fuludu-Clark family of Kiagbodo Town in the Burutu Local Government Council of Delta State, announce with profound sadness, the passing onto glory of Nigeria's foremost Diplomat, Ambassador Blessing Akporode Clark, CON, today, 26th July, 2022 in Lagos. He was aged 92 years.
“At several times in his Diplomatic career, he was Nigeria’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), Ambassador to Switzerland and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Nigerian Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, New York.
“He was one of Nigeria’s leading multilateralists, and rose to become Permanent Secretary of the then Ministry of External Affairs. He was, one of the critical global personalities in the fight against Apartheid and Racial Discrimination; and a leading world expert on Disarmament.
“Since 1999, until his death, he served as Member of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Foreign Relations.
“Ambassador Clark was a mentor to Nigeria’s Diplomatic Service, and for 50 (fifty) years, helped to shape Nigeria’s foreign policy.
“He is survived by his elder brother, Elder statesman Chief (Dr.) E. K. Clark and other members of the family. Further details will be announced by the family in due course.”

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The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore has stated reasons why he is not running after past Nigerian leaders to seek their endorsements.

In a video Sowore shared on Twitter on Tuesday, the activist said he needs endorsements but rather from the oppressed and the masses and not from questionable characters.

Paraphrasing Bob Marley’s song, Real Situation, Sowore described total liberation as the only solution for Nigeria.

He said in the video, “Of course, I want to win as the President of Nigeria but it is not about my ambition, it is about the poor hovering around in pains and anguish in their hundreds, millions sleeping in agony over insecurities, hunger and starvation.

“Of course, I need plenty of endorsements but I won’t be able to take that of Olusegun Obasanjo who had over 12 years as President but had nothing but barbarism to show for it. What will I tell the people of Odi and Zaki Biam? That the rogue that massacred them is now my mentor? Or what will I tell the memories of journalists Dele Giwa or Kato that the drug dealer known as Maradona (Ibrahim Babangida) is now one of my godfathers? Mba, my people.

“I would rather be endorsed by the very masses who have no billions of naira but are in their millions. I would rather be endorsed by the oppressed who bear the brunt of this vulcanizer economy that we have today, that have been imposed on our people, that have brought untold hardships and poverty.

“I would rather be endorsed by the comrades of Anti-SAP, those who fought during June 12, Anti-Deregulation and recently those who fought during EndSARS. Those whose beloved heroes were those of Lekki and Orlu. I would rather be endorsed by the Northern Talakawa who live at the behest of Boko Haram, bandits and ISWAP.”

He noted that some of his fellow candidates “are desperate to be endorsed by the enemies of our people”.

Here, the video shows Obasanjo telling an audience why he did not endorse the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, to succeed him. Atiku was the Vice-President when Obasanjo was Nigeria’s President from 1999 to 2007.

Obasanjo instead supported Umaru Yar’Adua, who went on to succeed but later died in office.

“With what I know about Atiku, if I had put Atiku forward, God would not have forgiven me,” Obasanjo said in the video, which was immediately followed by a clip of Peter Obi, Labour Party presidential candidate, saying, “Atiku is my leader, my boss and a senior brother.”

“But am I desperate? Yes, very desperate,” Sowore continued.

“I’m desperate for free and quality education at all levels. I’m very desperate but for free and quality healthcare at all levels. I say I’m very desperate to stop the greedy rogues and return our commonwealth to the very people from whom it was looted. Omoyele Sowore is very desperate; yes, for the total liberation of our country, Nigeria and by extension, Africa. We can’t continue like this.”

The Real Situation In 2023 Presidential Election and Why We Stand Against The Crooks That Destroyed Nigeria. #takeitback #AACParty #SoworeMagashi2023 #SoworeForPresident pic.twitter.com/QiBg8fRWS5

— Omoyele Sowore (@YeleSowore) July 26, 2022

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A man, identified as Badejo Idowu, has been reportedly killed by his son, Tunde Badejo, over claims to a land belonging to the family in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
It was learnt that Tunde had been pestering his father for a portion of the land for over a year.

When Daily Trust visited the scene on Monday, the deceased’s wife, Madam Tolani Badejo, said her husband asked Tunde to give him time to apportion the land fairly among other family members.
“He had been on my husband’s neck for the land since last year. So during their last argument on Monday, he pulled out a knife and stabbed his father several times on the head, neck, chest, hands and legs which killed him. I raised the alarm and he fled," she explained.
The second son of the deceased, Ayomide Badejo, said the matter had been reported to the police while his father’s remains had been deposited in a mortuary.

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IGP Usman Alkali Baba

The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, has ordered a water-tight security in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in order to fortify the nation’s capital against terrorists.
Residents of Abuja have been living in fear since the invasion of Kuje Prison by the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists on July 5, 2022.

Over 800 inmates, including all the Boko Haram suspects in detention were released during the invasion.
There have been several leaked memos of intelligence agencies on the plots to attack the nation’s capital.
However, the ambush of troops attached to the Presidential Guards Brigade heightened the worry of FCT residents.
In the attack, a Nigerian Army captain and two soldiers were killed by terrorists in the Bwari area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on Sunday night.
The deceased officers were attacked after they visited the Nigeria Law School in Bwari, following a distress call from the authorities of the school.
The school management was said to have alerted that terrorists had dropped a letter indicating an imminent attack.
In a statement on Tuesday, Force spokesman, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the IGP had charged the Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) to collaborate with residents in order to ward off adversaries.
He added that the force was leaving no stone unturned in ensuring that the criminals were brought to their kneels.
”We are not leaving any stone unturned to fortify the Federal Capital Territory and its environs.
”The IGP has ordered for additional deployment of assets to Strategic areas of the FCT while the Force Intelligence Bureau has been charged on robust Intelligence gathering and information sharing amongst other agencies.
”All residents of the FCT are urged to synergise and be on the same page with the police and other security agencies in making sure that we forestall any ugly incidences in and around the FCT,” the statement read.

 

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Some government schools in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, following the threat of terrorists to attack the Federal Government Colleges, made their students to write up to 13 papers in a day in order to shut down their schools.
The Federal Ministry of Education had ordered the closure of all schools in the nation’s capital.

The directive came at a time when students were writing their third term examination.
In order to comply, school authorities made students rush their ongoing examination, Daily Trust reports.
A student of Kubwa Model Junior Secondary School, Abuja, lamented how their teachers made them write 13 subjects on Tuesday.
“We went to the school with preparation to write only one or two papers, but we ended up writing 13 subjects in a single day,” he said.
The student said some of them were traumatised as they were scared of possible terrorists attack.
A boarding student in Dutse-Makaranta, Abuja, who was taken back home by her parents on Tuesday, said they spent part of the previous night to write two subjects.
“The school management summoned us back to classrooms around 9pm on Monday, and made us to write two subjects,” she lamented.
She added they later on Tuesday, they sat for more papers just as their parents were waiting for them within the school’s premises.
One of the school teachers disclosed that because of the rush, students were made to answer questions in section “A” of the exam paper, which has objectives, while they were not allowed to attempt any question in section “B”, the essay part.
Residents of Abuja have been living in fear following rising kidnap cases and the ambush of soldiers last weekend.
A Nigerian Army captain and two soldiers were killed by terrorists in the Bwari area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on Sunday night.
The deceased officers, who were attached to the Presidential Guards Brigade, were reportedly ambushed after they visited the Nigeria Law School in Bwari following a distress call from the authorities of the school.
The school management was said to have alerted that terrorists had dropped a letter indicating an imminent attack.
Spokesman of the Guards Brigade, Captain Godfrey Anebi Abakpa, confirmed the attack to Daily Trust, but said troops were already combing the area in order to ensure that terrorists were not hibernating there.
 

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A popular Nigerian singer, Habeeb Okikiola, professionally known as Portable has been disqualified as a nominee for Headies Awards 2022 for threatening to kill his co-nominees.
 
SaharaReporters reliably gathered that Portable was nominated to contest in the ‘Rookie of the Year’ and ‘Best Street-Hop Artiste’ categories when The Headies unveiled the nominees for its 2022 edition on Tuesday.

Other nominees in the ‘Rookie of the Year’ category include Av, Fave, Magixx, and Ugocci.
 
For the second category, he is pitted against Bella Shmurda, Mohbad, Naira Marley, and Goya Menor among others.
 
Portable, the ‘Zazuu’ crooner, took to his Instagram page to threaten whoever wins the 2022 Headies Award should he fail to win it.
 
Following the threat, the organisers of award issued a statement disqualifying him from the context.
 
A statement released by the organisers said, “We regret to announce that following numerous indicting statements made by Mr. Habeeb Okikiola popularly known as ‘Portable’, and the incessant negative attention that Mr Okikiola has garnered from the Nigeria Police and the general public in recent times, the organisers of the Headies have resolved to disqualify Mr Okikiola as a nominee at the forthcoming 15th Headies Awards.
The decision to disqualify Mr. Okikiola is accentuated by series of misdemenours by Mr Okikiola via his social media platforms. On the 25th of May 2022, he threatened to kill, harm or cause harm to the other nominees in the same categories of awards he was nominated for, if he does not emerge the winner, precisely;
“Those are my awards. Anybody else who wins, I will ask for them to be killed. I will ask them to kill the perso . If the organisers give my award to someone else, they will die” – Habeeb Okikiola.”
 
The organisers also noted that Portable recently claimed to be the brains behind two armed robbery groups in Lagos.
Speaking in Yoruba, the Zazu crooner in a viral video boasted that he was not scared of anyone.
 
In the video seen by SaharaReporters, Portable had said, “Open your ears and be listening.
 
“Have you heard of Ajah Boys, One Million Boys? I established them. Go and ask Sammy Larry.”
 
According to him, socialites Samlarry Eletu and Abu Abel knew him back in the day.
 
Ajah Boys and One Million Boys are gangs known for engaging in violent activities and terrorising residents of Lagos with dangerous weapons.
The statement added, "On the 18th of July, 2022, Mr Okikiola published a video on his social platform where he stated that he is the founder of the notorious cult group, 'One Million Boys'. The said group gained notoriety for maiming and robbing innocent Nigerians over the years.
“In his words, he said; "Have you heard of Ajah boys, One Million Boys? I established them."
 
"Furthermore, on the 17th of June 2022, Mr. Habeeb Okikiola made a recording of himself where he ordered his group of friends to assault and inflict bodily harm on his accused friend, DJ Chicken.

"In his words, he said; "E na eleyi paa jo!" (beat him mercilessly!) The music industry demands all-round excellence. It is extremely important for young artists being potential role models to exude professional responsibility, proper decorum and have respect for others.

"Being subject of an investigation relating to criminal activities, Mr Habeeb Okikiola is hereby disqualified from both categories of awards at the forthcoming 15th Annual Headies Awards scheduled to hold later this year namely: Best Street Artist and Rookie of the Year.

"The public are hereby assured of our commitment to promote talents and individuals of exemplary character in the best interest of our society."

Portable recently submitted himself to the Ogun State Police Command headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta, after he was summoned to appear regarding a video in which he was ordering his aides to assault a young man identified as DJ Chicken.

The police at different times had arrested a number of members of the two terror gangs while some have been declared wanted.
 

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A former ally of President Muhammadu Buhari and former chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Buba Galadima, has said that the security situation in Nigeria has proved that Buhari knows nothing and cannot do anything to stop terrorism and banditry in the country.

During an interview with BBC Hausa, Galadima, now a chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), said with the lingering insecurity in Nigeria, Buhari may soon be kidnapped by terrorists.

Some terrorists have already threatened to kidnap President Buhari; governors, especially Kaduna governor, Nasir El-Rufai; and senators.

Speaking on the state of insecurity in Nigeria, Galadima said in Hausa, as translated by Daily Trust, “These bandits are disdainful to the Buhari administration. At the beginning of the government, everybody was scared of him (Buhari); expected him to be brave before he was now exposed to be toothless.

“Buhari knows nothing, he can’t do anything, that is why you see government officials siphoning billions from public property and nobody can stop them.”

He further noted that if terrorists can attack and break Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, it shows that the President is not safe.

 

“If care is not taken, sooner or later Buhari too can be kidnapped considering the way security issues are ignored.

“The only option available now is to either continue praying or arm ourselves for protection but if we depend on this government, definitely we will be killed,” he said.

Terrorists who attacked an Abuja-Kaduna train and killed eight people had released a fresh hostage video showing their victims in an unidentified location suspected to be a forest.

The victims were abducted when bandits attacked the Kaduna-bound train on March 28.

 

Eight passengers were killed during the train attack, while scores of persons were kidnapped.

The terrorists in the viral video released last weekend threatened to abduct and kill President Buhari and El-Rufai.

They boasted that they would destroy Nigeria.

They also threatened to sell the remaining hostages, adding that they would turn the area into an abattoir if the Nigerian government failed to comply with their demands.

 

“This is our message to the government of Nigeria and just as you have seen these people here, by God’s grace, you will see your leaders; your senators and governors will come before us. These ones you are seeing here, we will keep some as our slaves and sell them off just as our Imam told you in the past,” one of the terrorists had said.

He had further stated in Hausa: “Just like the Chibok girls that were sold off, we will equally sell these ones as slaves. If you don’t adhere to our demands, we will kill the ones we need to kill and sell the remaining. By God’s grace, El-Rufai, Buhari, we will bring you here.”

On the night of April 14, 2014, 276 mostly Christian female students aged between 16 and 18 were kidnapped by the Islamic terrorist group, Boko Haram from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno.

Before the raid, the school had been closed for four weeks due to deteriorating security conditions, but the girls were in attendance to take their final physics examination.

Also, 57 of the schoolgirls escaped immediately after the incident by jumping from the trucks on which they were being transported, and some others have been rescued by the Nigerian Armed Forces on various occasions.

In January, the Kibaku (Chibok) Area Development Association (KADA), on behalf of the entire Chibok community, indicated that 110 of the 276 girls abducted were still unaccounted for.

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The Nigerian Senate has passed a bill to establish the National Commission for the Coordination and Control of the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons.

 

The passage of the National Commission Against the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (Establishment) Bill, 2022, followed the consideration of a report by the Committee on National Security and Intelligence.

The bill is a consolidation of three bills - two private-member bills and one from the Executive arm of the government against the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the country, Dr. Ezrel Tabiowo, Special Assistant (Press) to the Senate President disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.

 

The bills are: The Nigerian National Commission against the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (Establishment) Bill, 2020(SB. 283); The Nigerian National Commission against the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (Establishment) Bill, 2020 (SB. 513); and The National Centre for the Coordination and Control of the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (Establishment) Bill, 2021 (SB. 794).

 

The three bills after scaling the second reading, respectively, in the Senate, were all referred to the Committee on National Security and Intelligence for further legislative work.

 

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Ibrahim Gobir (All Progressives Congress - Sokoto East), in a presentation on the floor, said the three bills seek to provide for the establishment of a government body that will be saddled with combating the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Nigeria.

 

According to him, the functions of the body shall be in line with Article 24 of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Convention on the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons which came into force in 2009.

 

The lawmaker added that the Committee on National Security and Intelligence resolved to consolidate the three bills into one.

 

He explained that doing so would adequately cater for the establishment of a Commission to implement measures aimed at eradicating illicit arms.

 

Gobir noted that establishing a Commission against the proliferation of weapons stemmed from the need to immediately address the nation's present state of insecurity.   

 

The National Commission Against the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (Establishment) Bill, 2022, was passed by the Senate, after a clause-by-clause consideration of the Committee's report by the Committee of the Whole.

The proliferation of firearms is a major issue in Nigeria considering the worsening insecurity in the country.

In December 2020, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) intercepted a container loaded with firearms and ammunition at the Tin Can port in Lagos which were said to be illegal.

In 2016, a report done by the United Nations said Nigeria accounted for 350 million or 70 per cent of an estimated 500 million illegal arms circulating in West Africa.

The arms proliferation is believed to be fuelling terrorism, kidnapping, banditry and robberies across the country.

For instance, some Nigerian Army personnel attached to the Guards Brigade lost their lives in an ambush by terrorists in Abuja on Monday.

 

SaharaReporters earlier reported that a Captain of the Nigerian Army and two soldiers were killed by terrorists in the Bwari area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

 

The deceased officers, who were attached to the Presidential Guards Brigade, were reportedly ambushed after they visited the Nigeria Law School in Bwari following a distress call from the authorities of the school.

 

There have been hints that terrorists are planning to attack the Nigerian Law School in Abuja, the Central Mosque, other worship centres and security formations in the FCT.

 

This comes barely a month after terrorists who later identified themselves as members of the Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) attacked the Kuje Correctional Centre in the nation’s capital, releasing hundreds of inmates including Boko Haram fighters.

On Monday, the Federal Ministry of Education ordered the immediate closure of the Federal Government College, Kwali, in the Kwali Area Council of the FCT.

It was gathered that the closure of the school came after a security breach on Sheda and Lambata villages and suburbs of Kwali Area Council which also threatened FGC Kwali.

SaharaReporters had earlier reported that the Nigerian Government, through the Federal Ministry of Education, had ordered the closure of all Federal Government Colleges (FGCs) in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja due to rising insecurity.

The government directed the immediate evacuation of the students because of the threat to their lives, security and well-being, SaharaReporters learnt on Monday.

It was learnt that on Sunday night, a yet-to-be-verified report trended on social media indicating that there were heavy shootings in Federal Government College (FGC), Kwali, Abuja, and that parents rushed to the school to ascertain the safety of their children and possibly return home with them until calm was restored.

When contacted by SaharaReporters for comments and clarification on Monday, the Federal Ministry of Education said it would release a statement on the issue later in the day.

However, in a letter signed on Monday by the Ministry Director Press and Public Relations, Ben. Bem Goong, the Minister noted that the closure became necessary because of the insecurity in the area

 

 He added that the timely intervention of security agencies saved the situation.

In the letter, the Education Minister, Adamu Adamu also directed that arrangements should be made for final-year students to conclude their NECO (National Examination Council).

"The Minister also directed Principals of Unity Colleges across the country to liaise with security Agencies within their jurisdictions in order to forestall any security breach in our schools," the statement said.

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File photo used to illustrate story.

No fewer than 13 scrap-metal collectors have been killed by a forgotten bomb in Bama town in northeast Borno state.
They were killed after a bomb they excavated blew up, according to security sources.

According to AFP, 16 metal scavengers from a displaced persons' camp in Bama found the bomb while digging for scrap on Monday in the bush on the outskirts of town.
The bomb was said to have exploded as they were pushing it in a cart toward the town, killing 13 and seriously injuring three others, Babakura Kolo, a leader in a local militia, said on Tuesday.
Kolo said the ordnance had apparently been dropped in 2015 during military operations to retake Bama from Boko Haram terrorists.
Another militia leader, Bukar Grema, said the bomb was dormant for seven years and buried in the sand but they managed to dig it out, not knowing it was a bomb.
Bama, the second largest local council area in Borno, fell to Boko Haram in September 2014.
 
Some residents, mostly women and children who tried to flee the area at the time were reported to have died of thirst and hunger as insurgents tightened their grip on the town.
Some men of the town were beheaded, residents say.
 
Bama was one of the two most important towns held by Boko Haram for months.
Nigeria’s military is battling to end a 13-year conflict spearheaded by Boko Haram in the northeast.
 
Armed groups have been targeting scrap collectors, accusing them of spying for the army.
 
In June, terrorists killed 10 scavengers in Goni Kurmi village near Bama where they had gone looking for metal, a week after they killed 23 collectors in nearby Dikwa district.
 

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The Edo State Police Command says it rescued three traditional worshippers kidnapped on Monday, July 25, 2022.
 
It also said that one Favour Oyhou was arrested for allegedly killing her lover, identified as Paul Handsome.

The Command's Deputy Public Relations Officer, ASP Jennifer Iwegbu, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.
 
Iwegbu said the murder suspect after stabbing her victim, fled to Auchi where she committed the crime.
 
The statement partly read, “The Edo State Police Command in its renewed fight to stem the increasing rise in violent crimes in the state, especially kidnapping, on July 25, 2022, at about 1 pm, rescued three kidnapped traditional worshippers.
 
“The Command, through its Divisional Headquarters at Ugo, received a complaint that armed men, suspected to be kidnappers accosted and whisked into the bush three traditional worshippers who had gone to a river along the Benin-Abraka Road for prayers.
 
“Upon receipt of the information, the Divisional Police Officer, Ugo, immediately mobilised his team to the scene in hot pursuit of the hoodlums and possible rescue of the victims. The hoodlums sensing the policemen were on their trail, were forced to abandon their victims and fled into the bush.
 
“The victims have since been reunited with their families, while intense bush combing is still ongoing to neutralise or arrest the hoodlums."
 
On the murder suspect, the Deputy PPRO said, “Sequel to the incident of July 23, 2022, at about 7:30 pm in Auchi, Edo State, where one Paul Handsome (25 years) was reported to have been stabbed to death by his girlfriend, one Favour Oyhou, who went into hiding, the Commissioner of Police, CP Abutu Yaro, immediately ordered the Area Commander and Divisional Police Officer in charge of Auchi to smoke out the fleeing girl unhurt.
 
“Following the credible intelligence gathering by men of the Command, the suspect was arrested in Benin on July 25, 2022, at about 10:45 pm.
 
“Discreet investigation has commenced and the suspect is making useful information and will be charged to court soon."

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