Hardship: NBS report shows three states in Nigeria with highest food prices

 

Kogi, Kwara, and Ondo are the three states in Nigeria with the highest food prices amid worsening hardship.

This is according to the latest National Bureau of Statistics April’s Consumer Price Index and Inflation report.

The report ranked Kogi State with the highest food inflation rate at 48.62 per cent, followed by Kwara (46.73 per cent) and Ondo (45.87 per cent) on a year-on-year basis.

Meanwhile, Adamawa (33.61 per cent), Bauchi (33.85 per cent) and Nasarawa (34.03 per cent), recorded the slowest rise in food inflation.

However, on a Month-to-Month basis, Lagos, Edo, and Yobe are the states in Nigeria with the highest food prices.

Accordingly, Lagos (4.74 per cent), Edo (4.06 per cent), and Yobe (3.99 per cent) recorded the slowest rise in Food inflation.

This development comes as April’s headline and food inflation surged to 33.69 per cent and 40.53 per cent, respectively.

Nigerians in pain, difficult situation — Kukah

 

                                             President Bola Tinubu (right) and Bishop Kukah, during the cleric’s visit, today, Wednesday.

THE Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, said yesterday Nigerians were in pain due to policies introduced by President Bola Tinubu.

Kukah, however, expressed the hope that with time, such policies should be amended to serve the welfare of the people.

Speaking to State House correspondents after a closed-door meeting with the President at the presidential Villa, Abuja, he advised the President to open a channel of communication with the people on when his policies would begin to yield results.
Asked to assess Tinubu’s administration as it prepares to celebrate the first year in office, Kukah said: “I ’m sure many people will tell you that one year is not enough to make a judgment. However, from where we all stand, we know that we are all in a very difficult situation.

“Nigerians are in various levels of pain and they are pains that are unintended. But they are the results of certain policy decisions that hopefully, with time, can be amended to serve the welfare of the people.

“Because I know that the essence of government is to guarantee the welfare and security of ordinary citizens, I believe the times we are in now are very difficult times and nobody should be under any illusion. But there are also times for renewal.
“We just need to commit ourselves to the fact that building a good society takes a lot of time. It’s not something that is done in one lifetime. And for me, the most important thing is to continue on the building blocks of the things we think are being done well.

“My argument has always been that the government needs to very quickly improve the quality of communication so that Nigerians can, at least, get a sense of how long is it going to be before food is ready.”

Fielding questions on the political crisis in Rivers State, the cleric, who was reluctant to comment on that, however, said: “We ordinary people cry more than the bereaved. The important thing is politicians will fix their problems.

“Rivers State is a place that is very dear to me because I have been associated with them for a very long period.
“But look, when politicians fight, don’t get carried away because they can fix their quarrel. And I hope and pray that Rivers State will sooner, rather than later, reposition because it is not an insignificant part of Nigeria.”

On his mission to the state house, Kukah said: “I came to see the President with the director of the Kukah Centre. We came to discuss with the President an invitation we had earlier extended, which we renewed, to have a conference in which we would like him to be in attendance, to address the theme of national cohesion. So, that’s really what we came to discuss.”

Our corruption is people-driven, politicians share what they steal with people – Senator Ndume

 

                                                Chief Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume

The Chief Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume, has explained the difference between corruption by politicians and other people.

Ndume said corruption in Nigerian politics is people-driven and should not warrant any serious punishment.

The senator admitted that politicians “steal and share with the people”.

He stated this on Tuesday when he featured on Channels TV Politics Today while speaking on the death penalty as the deterrent for those caught with drugs.

He said when politicians’ corruption is compared to others, it is a “small one’

He stated, “If you compare us, politicians, to all the corruption, it is very small. Our corruption is people-driven. If you steal it, you will go and share it with the people. If you don’t, you are not coming back for four years. There is no reason for stealing.

“I have been to the National Assembly, I can’t say because we are on TV now and not telling the truth. If the death penalty is supposed to be included in corruption, I will support it but you don’t go and kill someone that stole one million or one billion, no. But someone who steals one trillion of government money should be killed.

“The death penalty is the best deterrent for those being caught for drugs. If you do drugs, you are killing people.

“In fact, that means you have destroyed the lives of so many people and killed so many people,” he said.

Recently, the Senate passed a bill, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act (Amendment Bill) 2024 passed by the Senate.

The bill prescribed death penalty for persons found guilty of trading in hard drugs and narcotics.

This has, however, been debated and faulted by many stakeholders on whether or not President Bola Tinubu should accent the bill.

On Saturday, some legal practitioners expressed different opinions on the debate over the bill. Some of them urged President Bola Tinubu not to assent to the bill passed by the Senate while others pressed for it to be signed into law.

Some of the lawyers stressed that the death penalty was not a solution to drug trafficking and other drug-related offences in the country.

Rivers lawmakers who defected to APC have lost their seats – Falana

 

                                                     Femi Falana

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has insisted that members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress have forfeited their positions in the legislative body.

Twenty five lawmakers loyal to the former governor of Rivers State and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, had switched to the APC amid the political deadlock between him and Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Falana asserted that the lawmakers would be ousted from their seats for transitioning to the APC.

Citing the constitution, he said, “Unless you can show and demonstrate that there is division in a political party that sponsored your election, you cannot remain in any legislative arm if you decamp to another party.

“The whole idea is that the constitution set out to ban political prostitution on the part of legislators.”

The human rights lawyer noted that there is a court order restraining the 25 lawmakers from representing themselves as legislators in the state, as well as prohibiting the speaker from identifying himself as the speaker of the house.

“It may be very difficult to persuade the court to allow them to remain in the legislative house unless they are prepared to go back to the people and have their mandate renewed by the people.

“The Supreme Court made this clear in the case of Adetunde and the Labour Party, that you cannot decamp and then remain a member of a legislative house in Nigeria unless you can show that there is a division in your party. It doesn’t mean a division in a local government or a state. It has to be on the national level. That is the position of the court,” he said.

The crisis between Fubara and his godfather, Wike, started last year when the Assembly, predominantly composed of Wike’s loyalists, made attempts to impeach the governor.

Subsequently, 27 lawmakers aligned with Wike defected from the ruling PDP in the state to the APC.

Led by Martin Amaewhule, the lawmakers cited internal division within the PDP as the principal motive for their transition to the APC.

NFF to unveil Finidi George today

 

                                             File: Finidi George (right) and Calvin Bassey at the AFCON.

The Nigeria Football Federation will, today in Abuja, stage an unveiling ceremony to formally present to the public, Mr. Finidi George, as the new substantive Head Coach of the Senior Men National Team, Super Eagles.

The Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Enoh, alongside Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs Tinuke Watti, President of NFF Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau and the NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, are among prominent personalities expected at the unveiling.

George passed up an opportunity to coach a second-tier team in Spain to return to Nigeria and lead two-time CAF Champions League winners Enyimba FC.

He won the tough-as-nails Nigeria elite division title with the People’s Elephant in his second season and has left the club in with a chance of retaining the title this season, with six matches to go.

When George formally bowed out of the Aba giants days ago, Enyimba FC remained in third place on the NPFL log, with 53 points from 32 matches.

They were four adrift of table-toppers Enugu Rangers and three off second-placed Remo Stars.

The 52-year-old spent 20 months as assistant to Portuguese José Peseiro from the summer of 2022, during which the Super Eagles qualified for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and came within 28 minutes of a fourth African title in Cote d’Ivoire three months ago.

Finidi George, as a player, won 62 caps for Nigeria at the senior level. He won the Africa Cup of Nations gold, silver and bronze, and played in two FIFA World Cup finals.

He has the immediate task of picking maximum points from 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against South Africa (home) and Benin Republic (away) in a few weeks.

I was offered money to impeach Fubara – Rivers gov’s aide, Ehie

 

                                             Edison Ehie

The Chief of Staff to Rivers State Government, Edison Ehie, has alleged that he was offered money to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

He, however, did not disclose the identities of those who offered him money.

Addressing a rally in Ahoada East area of the state, the former factional speaker of the State House of Assembly disclosed the purported plot to impeach the governor, eliciting applause from the gathered crowd.

“They invited me, your son, to impeach the governor and I told them clearly, I was not interested.

“They gave me all the money that was hidden before, which I rejected. And because I refused, they conspired and declared me wanted,” Ehie said in a viral video clip from the rally.

Last year, Ehie was declared wanted by the police in connection with the invasion of the State House of Assembly.

In October 2023, an explosion rattled the state assembly building amidst reports of lawmakers attempting to impeach Fubara.

It was alleged that certain individuals with close ties to the governor were implicated in the incident.

The Martin Amaewhule-led lawmakers had reportedly lodged criminal complaints against Ehie with the Rivers State Police Command regarding the invasion and arson of the Rivers State House of Assembly chambers by unidentified hoodlums.

Ehie’s revelation contributes to the protracted crisis in the state, stemming from the conflict between Fubara and his predecessor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Landlady, husband flee after throwing tenant’s corpse into canal

 

                                                       Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola

A landlord, Bola Abiodun, and her husband, identified simply as Sunday, have flown their Temidire community home in the Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State after allegedly disposing of their tenant’s body in a canal.

Our correspondent learnt that the incident, which occurred at about 12:05 pm on May 8, 2024, led the state police command to launch a manhunt for the couple after their disappearance following the alleged crime.

According to a police source in the command, who was privy to the report but did not want to be named because he was not permitted to speak for the command, the tenant, who went by the name Iya Ibukun, had earlier been knocked down by a hit-and-run driver on May 5, 2024.

After suffering various degrees of injury from the accident, our correspondent learnt that the deceased had turned to self-medication out of concern that she would not be able to pay for her medical bills.

After turning to self-medication, the renter, our correspondent learnt, passed away in her apartment a few days later.

The corpse was allegedly taken from the room and disposed of in a nearby canal by the landlady and her husband.

The chairman of the Community Development Association, Mosuru Akindele, was reportedly called by the residents who had suspicions about the alleged occurrence, and the youth leader, Olabode Kazeem, was also contacted following the incident.

“There was an accident; a hit-and-run driver allegedly knocked the tenant down. She didn’t go to the hospital and started treating herself at home. She died a few days after the incident. The landlady and her husband conspired to dump the body in a canal,” the cop told our correspondent.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, confirmed the incident to our correspondent and said the police were working to recover the body from the canal.

“Our men went to the house and discovered a two-year-old boy in a welfare facility. Meanwhile, our men combed the entire canal in search of the body, but we haven’t found anything,” she said.

It was reported a few years ago that a landlord known as Sunday Omosule was nabbed after he allegedly killed his tenant’s four-year-old son with a pestle.

Omosule, a landlord in Onipanu, Ota, in the Ado Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State, was arrested by men of the state Police Command after a distress call was sent out.

The erstwhile spokesperson for the command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said, “The landlord was arrested following a distress call to the police at the Onipanu division.”

During interrogation, Oyeyemi said the victim claimed to be under spiritual attack.

All abducted Kogi varsity students will be rescued alive, govt vows

 

                                             Governor Ododo

The government of Kogi State has vowed that the abducted students of Confluence University of Science and Technology, CUSTEC, Osara, Okene, would be rescued alive.

Also, an eyewitness account has it that the bandits swooped on the university around 9 p.m., while the students were reading for their upcoming exams.

Reacting in a statement by Kingsley Femi Fanwo, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, the state government said they were on top of the situation. 

Kogi government said security agents, including local hunters, were on the hunt for the kidnappers.

Furthermore, the government also vowed not to succumb to terrorists.

According to the statement, “Immediately the report was received, Governor Ahmed Ododo activated the security architecture to track the kidnappers and ensure the abducted students are rescued and the abductors apprehended.

“Hundreds of local hunters who understand the terrain, as well as the conventional security agents, are currently combing the area to ensure safe rescue of the abducted students who were kidnapped in the classrooms.

“So far, nine students have been reported missing.

“We wish to assure students, parents and the entire people of Kogi State that the Government is on top of the situation and all the abducted students will be rescued alive.

“Governor Ododo has also directed that security agents be positioned around all tertiary institutions in the State.

“We wish to commend the local hunters and other security agents who rose stoutly to engage the kidnappers.

“Their gallantry and dedication ensured that the kidnappers did not have a field day which would have been more calamitous.

“The state government will spare nothing in ensuring that all the students abducted are safely rescued and reunited with their families.

“We won’t submit to terror. We shall prevail.”

Bandits invade Kogi varsity, abduct students

Bandits on Thursday night invaded the Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTEC), Osara, Okene in Kogi and abducted some students.

An eyewitness account indicated that the bandits swooped on the university around 9 p.m. while the students were reading for their upcoming exams.

The source said that the bandits came in through the bush, went into three lecture halls, and began to shoot into the air to scare the students.

“They trapped the students inside the halls and started taking them; the school was thrown into total confusion as fear-stricken students in other halls scurried to safety, scampering in various directions.

“By the time local security guards and the conventional security men at the gate engaged the bandits, they had already succeeded in abducting some students.

“But the efforts minimised the damage as the attackers didn’t go beyond the first three halls,” the source said.

According to the source, the students were preparing for their first-semester examination, expected to commence on Monday, May 13, when the bandits struck.

A student, who craved anonymity, said that he and some colleagues ran to the bush and hid there for “more than an hour”.

“We only ventured out when everywhere became quiet,” he said.

Contacted, CUSTEC Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abdulraman Asipita, confirmed the incident but refused to give details of the number of students abducted.

“I don’t talk to journalists on incidents like this, but I want you to know that we are on top of the situation,” he said.

Senate okays death penalty for drug traffickers

 

                                             Floor of the Nigerian Senate

The Senate, on Thursday, approved the death penalty for dealers and importers of cocaine, heroin and other hard drugs into the country.

The proposed capital punishment also applies to manufacturing, trafficking, dealing in or delivery of hard drugs by any means.

The Senate arrived at the resolution on the floor of the red chamber after deliberations on the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

The maximum punishment in the extant law for offenders is life imprisonment.

During the consideration of the report on the bill for passage on Thursday, Senate Whip, Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South), recommended that the punishment of life imprisonment be “toughened” and upgraded to the death penalty.

The penalty for drug importation or dealership is captured in Section 11 of the extant law, which Ndume sought to be increased to a death sentence.

He said, “This (life imprisonment) should be changed to a death sentence. This is the standard worldwide. We have to do this to address this problem of drugs that has seriously affected our youths.

“It should be toughened beyond life imprisonment. It should be the death sentence, either by hanging or any way.”

But this proposal did not sit well with some of his colleagues, including former governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, who took to the floor to voice out his reservations.

Oshiomhole, who was visibly agitated, told his colleagues that he would rarely joke with any matter concerning life and death.

“When a matter has to do with life and death, we should be accountable. Let’s divide the Senate. This is lawmaking. We are not here to take voice votes,” Oshiomhole said.

His position was, however, overruled by the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, who presided over the plenary session.

Jibrin told Oshiomhole that he should have called for a division of the Senate immediately after the voting took place and before the Senate moved to another clause in the amendment bill.

“This is about procedure. You were supposed to call for a division; you didn’t do so. I am sorry, I can’t help you,” the DSP said, sanctioning the decision of the Senate.

Similarly, Senator Sampson Ekong from Akwa Ibom State kicked against the resolution of the Senate but he was also overruled.

The Senate went ahead to pass the bill for a third reading.

The report on the bill was jointly produced by the Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters/Drugs and Narcotics.

Speaking with Senate correspondents after the plenary, the Chairman of the Joint Committee, Mohammed Monguno, said the Senate approved the death sentence, noting that the voices of Oshiomhole and others did not change the ruling of the presiding officer.

“The ruling of the presiding officer is the position of the Senate,” he added.

When contacted over the development, the spokesperson for the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, said that the anti-narcotics agency could not comment on the matter, being an ongoing legislative business, which had not yet been finalised.

Babafemi said, “The agency cannot comment or be involved in the development because it is a legislative matter.”

Meanwhile, impeccable senior anti-narcotics officers, who spoke to one of our correspondents on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak on the matter, noted that the House of Representatives and the Senate had yet to harmonise their positions on the amended penalty for drug offenders.

They noted that while the House of Representatives was proposing life sentence for convicted drug offenders, the Senate proposed a death sentence, hence the need to harmonise their positions.

However, one of the sources said, “Though it is not yet a law, the amendment of the NDLEA Act by the National Assembly, proposing life and death sentences for convicted offenders, if made to become a law, would send a strong message to illicit drug traffickers and users.”

Give your first salary to your father for his blessing not your pastor, says Kanayo

 

                                             Kanayo O Kanayo

Renowned Nollywood actor Kanayo O. Kanayo, who recently welcomed his son Clinton Mbaise into the world of filmmaking, decided to honour African traditions by accepting his first paycheck for his work on set and gave him fatherly blessings.

Kanayo stated that observing this culture from the ancestors has led to the progress of many people in the country.

Clinton was paid N50,000 after completing his first movie production with his father.

In the video shared on Kanayo’s Instagram account on Thursday, he requested N500 from the salary his son earned and then prayed for him to succeed in the industry.

The Nollywood actor advised Nigerians to always give their first salary to their father for his blessings and not to their pastors. He emphasized that only a father can bless his child.

Kanayo said, “I want to observe a culture from our ancestors which has led to the progress of many people you see today, ”Father blessing.’

“Clinton my son just concluded a few production management with us and he has earned his first salary, his first salary is N50,000 for a movie.

“Clinton from your pocket in the N50,000 give me N500.

“The first salary of a young man, he goes to his father to say Nnayi my salary is N50,000, the father may decide to take the entire money, he may also decide to take any amount and his father will now bless him.

“The idea of his father asking him to know the salary is, so his father would teach him financial management.

“All you going to pastors to give your salary, you are wasting your time, is not part of our culture.”

Reps decry kidnapping in schools, worsening insecurity across Nigeria

 

The House of Representatives on Wednesday expressed worries over kidnappings and wanton destruction of lives and properties across the schools in the country since 2014 to date.

The House in its revolution mandated the House Committees on Army, Airforce, Navy, Police Affairs and Defence to interface with all security Chiefs to identify how best to secure schools and proffer immediate lasting solutions to the security challenges in the country.

The House also mandated schools to engage the services of Private Security outfits to complement the efforts of the security agencies in securing the schools.

The resolutions were sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance moved by Hon. Billy Osawaru during plenary in Abuja.

According to Osawaru, students are no longer safe even in their schools especially in places like Borno, Nasarawa, Niger, Zamfara, Katsina and Kaduna States.

He explained that most recently, on Thursday, 7th of March 2024, about 287 schoolchildren were kidnapped from a government-owned school in Kaduna State’s Kuriga town.

He said before then, on Friday, 22nd of September 2023, about 24 students of the Federal University of Gusau in Zamfara State were kidnapped by bandits.

The lawmaker also noted that in Nigeria, police men are not guarding most of schools despite the level of attacks frequently experienced by the schools and the ones in existence are not sufficient in manpower and equipment, hence the level losses incurred any time such attacks occurred.

He said “If no drastic measure is taken to curb the escalating insecurity situation in the country and in the schools, the entire schools may end up being shut down due to the activities of these miscreants and hoodlums.

He further explained that due to the directive of Mr. President and the relentless efforts of security agencies, the schoolchildren who were victims of March 2024 attack have long being united with their families but trauma and shocking experiences they must have being through will forever be in their minds and may likely give them phobia of going to school again.

“Despite the efforts of Nigerian security agencies, the miscreants appear to be reinforced and have perpetuated serious chaos in most schools and have made lives extremely difficult for majority of the schoolchildren/students and staff who now live under perpetual fear and threat to their lives.Worried that, based on report (Save the Children), more than 1,680 schoolchildren have been kidnapped in Nigeria since the 2014 abduction of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok in Borno State and counting.

“The fear of attacks has stopped many children from ever attending school again. In addition to the abductions, over 180 schoolchildren were killed and nearly 90 injured in 70 attacks between April 2014 and December 2022, with an estimated 60 school staff kidnapped and 14 killed. 25 school buildings were reportedly destroyed during that period.

” The majority of these attacks took place in North-West Nigeria (49 attacks), followed by North-Central Nigeria (11 attacks) etc.CONCERNED that in Nigeria, the number of out-of-school children, as per the report from UNICEF, was put at 10.5 million – before the effects of the conflict, humanitarian crisis and COVID-19 pandemic were felt.”

“One wonders at present what the figure will be due to the effect of these numerous attacks in different schools across the nation. Disturbed that the embarrassing situation has continued to adversely affect the educational sector and the Nigerian economy in several ways, calling for all-inclusive approach to arrest the situation.

The House to this end also called on Nigerian clerics, Traditional Rulers, National Orientation Agency and Civil Society Organisations to contribute towards value re-orientation and social re-awakening especially to the out of school children still living in fear.

Wike is not working against PDP – Bode George

 

                                               Bode George

Elder statesman and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Bode George, has affirmed that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, is a bona fide member of the party.

George added that Wike, a former Governor of Rivers State, had written a letter to the party, stating his intention to work in the ruling All Progressive Congress government led by President Bola Tinubu.

The former National Vice Chairman of the PDP (Southwest) gave the insights on the accusations that Wike was working against the PDP, during his interview on the News Day programme on Arise TV on Tuesday.

When asked if the minister is working against the party, George said, “That’s exactly what I’m driving at. They (Wike and Atiku) just didn’t get out in different directions, something happened. And the party leaders must come down, do an in-depth post-mortem analysis of what happened.”

However, George justified Wike’s appointment in the APC-led government, saying, “Once party A wins an election, it opens the door to say, ‘Let’s have a united group. When Obasanjo won the election in 1999, he invited people from ANPP, APGA, AD,” citing examples of the late Chief Bola Ige who served as the Attorney-General of the Federation, while he was a member of the Alliance for Democracy.

“We can’t just have a Berlin wall to say that once you’re a member of this, you can’t serve there. The fact that you’re serving there doesn’t mean you’ve left your party.

“According to Wike, he wrote a letter to serve in the APC government. He still plays the music. How can he work against the PDP? I don’t believe it,” adding that “there are issues to be sorted out.”

Reacting to the statement made by one of the party’s chieftain in Lagos State, Adetokunbo Pearse, who stated that the party has been suffering in the state due to its weak structure, George said, “I just came back from Ibadan where we had an elders’ meeting in respect to discordant voices that are coming out from Ondo State. People should get back to their various Local Governments and contribute their quota.

“It’s unfair for committed members of the party to make such assertions in public. Discipline is part of the management in any organsation. What Pearse said isn’t correct,” adding that the party leadership is working on numerous reformations.

He expressed his delight at the meeting held in Oyo State which was chaired by Governor Seyi Makinde, saying, “It’s a brilliant move.”

George stated that the party is committed to “forge ahead” amidst its troubles, urging leaders to work according to the constitution.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Wike, have continued to hold on to their structures in the PDP and working at cross-purposes.

Wike led the G5 governors which comprise Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), and some other stakeholders in the PDP to work against Atiku in the 2023 presidential election.

A chieftain of the PDP in an interview with Sunday PUNCH revealed that organs in the party were split into two, with one for Atiku and another for Wike.

Speaking on the grounds of anonymity, the source said, “How do we reconcile? How can the party move on or reposition itself when the organs are divided? As we speak now, the party is divided. Just the way you have it before and during the 2023 election, a group for Atiku and the other for Wike.

“Some members of the National Working Committee are for Wike and others are for Atiku. The members of the PDP Board of Trustees are loyal to Atiku and Wike. The PDP Governors’ Forum that should direct the party is also divided, with some still loyal to Wike, others to Atiku, while a few neutral governors, he added.

How I killed my sugar mummy over N100,000 – suspect

 

                                              The suspect

The suspect arrested in connection with the murder of a lady, Glory Akpaku, in Delta State, Akpoveta School, has narrated how he allegedly killed the victim by stabbing her multiple times.

According to an interrogation video shared on X.com by the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, on Monday, the suspect disclosed that the victim was his sugar mummy before her demise.

PUNCH Metro gathered from the video that things went sour between Akpoveta and the late Akpaku over the sum of N100,000 he allegedly kept with the deceased for safekeeping, but which the deceased allegedly refused to give him when he needed the money.

The suspect claimed that he had gone to Akpaku to demand the money but, instead of receiving it, she insisted that she would give it to him after returning from the market.

The suspect narrated further that he threatened the victim to report their relationship to her son, but the victim threatened back that if he did so, she would not give him the money in her custody.

He added that the threat from his alleged lover infuriated him, which led him to stab her with a knife in the neck, hand, and stomach.

Akpoveta narrated in pidgin English (now translated), “She asked me to save some money with her and that she would return the money to me later. But when I needed the money, she refused to give it to me. Rather, she became angry.

“She asked me to escort her to the market, and I thought she would give me the money, but she insisted that she would give it to me after she returned from the market.

“I told her that I would tell her child, and she said if I told the child, she would not return my money. While she was going in front, I took a knife that I had with me and stabbed her in the neck, hand, and stomach.”

The suspect stated further that he regretted his action but blamed the devil for it.

Reacting to the confession, Edafe urged members of the public to learn from it.

The PPRO wrote, “I share stories like this so we can learn from the mistakes of others. So this suspect allegedly murdered his sugar mummy over her failure to give him back the money she was helping him save. When asked why he did it, he said, ‘NA DEVIL WORK’.”

Meanwhile, giving further updates on the incident, the PPRO noted that the incident happened in April and the suspect would be charged in court upon the conclusion of the ongoing investigation.

“The incident happened in April. He will be charged in court as soon as the investigation is concluded,” Edafe concluded.

Man shocked by sordid state of University of Nigeria hostel room

 

“This is what I saw. Eni Njọkụ Hostel. When I asked, they said it’s not swine that lives there. I don’t know who to curse, but u are cursed!

“Lol, let me shock you: when I got there to check the room for my cousin, it was locked, while others were opened.

“When I asked students from the adjacent room who provided the keys, they said it was locked because the room was for officials of the Student Union. Meaning it’s the best”

Reacting to this, several students and alumni shared their own horrific experience living in the hostel.

An X.com user, Urch d’ billionaire who tweets as #ruby_darl wrote, “I studied in UNN, and I can tell you for free that more than 80% of guys live off-campus because of boys’ hostels are a mess.

“That room you’re seeing might end up having up to 14 guys in it. I usually wondered how they survived those hostels.”

alZ, who tweets anonymously as #automatedLZ, wrote, “This one nah duplex nah compared to wetin I don see for that UNN.”

Emeka Ikeche, who writes as #EmekaIkeche, said, “Exactly how it was 13 years ago.”

Emma.Ai, who identifies as #EmarhNFT, wrote, “I remember when I wanted to gain admission into UNN Nsukka.

“I stayed with a friend in the hostel for two days, and I just told myself that nothing would ever make me study at this university.

“I purposely failed the entrance exam.”

Chidozie, who writes as #okorochidozie1 on X.com, said, “I agree with you. This is the worst hostel in UNN, especially the ground floor.

“In my first year, I lived there and knew what you were talking about. However, it’s worse now.

“I stayed in my room just a month and I left to stay with a friend on the 4th floor.

“We pimped the room, contributed money, changed the curtain, painted the room, and put a floor rug. We made it conducive to living in.

“You see those dilapidated rooms. It’s mainly first year students that stay there. Some rooms even have AC. UNN needs to do better concerning students’ welfare.”

Boko Haram sacks military camp in Niger, bandits attack emir in Zamfara

 

Minna- Suspected Boko Haram insurgents yesterday sacked the military base at Allawa town in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, as residents fled communities in the area to avoid being shot or kidnapped.

This came as bandits also yesterday attacked the palace of the emir of Zurmi, Alhaji Mohammed Bunu, but failed to kidnap him as he was whisked away to the state capital, Gusau, by security agents.

The Niger incident was said to have happened at about 1:30 am, as the insurgents “invaded the town on motorcycles with not less than three on each bike fully armed. They were said to have numbered about 200.

Our correspondent reliably gathered that the armed men must have embarked on a reprisal mission after the military neutralized about fifty of them in a fierce battle in the area last week.

An eyewitness in the area who pleaded for anonymity, also told our correspondent that a greater number of the insurgents stormed the military camp and sacked those on duty, while others invaded Allawa town and rained bullets on houses.

Cash, foodstuffs and other handy valuables were carted away from the residents of the town and other adjourning villages.
At press time yesterday, the number of casualties recorded in the village and on the side of the military and the terrorists could not be ascertained.

“There was a fierce battle between the insurgents and the military and it was around 1:30 am. It lasted for some hours.
“Because it was midnight, the number of casualties could not be ascertained,” the eyewitness said.

The military camp, it was also gathered, had been deserted by the military personnel deployed to the area.
Consequently, residents of Allawa town and adjourning communities, such as Pandogari, Kukoki, and Bassa among others, have started fleeing the area to safe grounds.

Just last week, suspected Boko Haram members ambushed and killed two military officers and four soldiers at Karaga in the same Shiroro Local Government Area.

Efforts to get confirmation and response to the issue from the state police command through the spokesman, Superintendent of Police Wasiu Abiodun, proved abortive as his number could not be reached.

Similarly, bandits yesterday attacked the palace of the emir of Zurmi, Alhaji Muhammed Bunu, but failed in their bid to abduct him. resident of Zurmi, Malam Aminu Sale, told our correspondent in a telephone interview, that the bandits went straight to the emir’s palace and started shooting sporadically.According to the source, the bandits killed three people who were kidnapped during the incident.

He said the bandits, who entered the town at about 11:00 pm on Wednesday, also attacked the house of a former Military Administrator of Nasarawa State, Col Bala Mande, retd.

“We, the residents of Zurmi town, have witnessed a terrible situation in the bandits’ attacks. This is not the first time the bandits have entered Zurmi town, it is not the second time.

“Similarly, the bandits again on Wednesday night, attacked Maru town, the headquarters of Maru Local Government Council where they killed one person and kidnapped three people,” a resident of Maru town, who identified himself as Aminu Maru, told our correspondent on telephone.

According to him, the bandits spent more than two hours operating in the town without confrontation.

Source: Vanguard Newspaper