The Economic Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) has reportedly arrested Hafsat Ganduje, the wife of Kano state governor, Abdullahi Ganduje.
According to a report by Premium Times, Mrs Ganduje was reported to the anti-graft agency by her son over her alleged involvement in bribery and land fraud.
According to sources who saw the son, Abdulazeez’s petition, he reported that he was approached by a property developer to help facilitate the acquisition of some plots of land in Kano with some hundreds of thousands of US dollars and at least 35 million Naira as “facilitation commission”.
Abdulazeez said he paid the sum in dollars to his mother, Mrs Ganduje.
She however failed to honour the anti-graft’s invite after weeks it was extended.
A person, who has the knowledge of the arrest but asked not to be identified, said “she was arrested this (Monday) evening.”
Mrs Ganduje was still at EFCC headquarters as of 6a.m. on Monday, this newspaper learnt.
Residents of Nde village in the Ikom Local Government Area of Cross Rivers State have lamented that they were brutalised by soldiers over the sacking of Fulani herdsmen who were terrorising the area.
In a video seen by SaharaReporters, residents narrated that the soldiers flogged no fewer than 10 youths for daring to prevent the herders from grazing.
They claimed that the youths “pleaded with the herdsmen” to leave their land after their cattle destroyed almost all their produce.
They added that consequently, soldiers from the Amphibious battalion allegedly arrived in the community and beat the youths mercilessly, leaving them with serious injuries, for asking the herdsmen to leave.
“The herdsmen then went to Edor Army Barracks which is about three kilometers away to report that youths of Nde attacked them and sent them away from the Community.
The herdsmen then went to Edor Army Barracks which is about three kilometers away to report that youths of Nde attacked them and sent them away from the Community.
“Soldiers from the barracks came in truckloads on Sunday, rounded up youths and took them to the barracks, flogged them severely, leaving them injured.
“Our community is currently on fire as military men dehumanised the youths with the intent to provoke us but we pleaded with the herdsmen to leave our land after destroying our crops to avoid further attacks,” a villager said.
The Nigerian Army has yet to officially react to the invasion by its personnel.
Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state on Sunday, October 3, claimed that some persons are plotting to assassinate him.
Orton made this allegation at the Sesugh Maria Pilgrimage Center Ayati, Gwer East local government area of the state, AIT News reports.
The Benue governor also claimed that those who are behind this plot are planning to hire killers from Sudan to attack him.
However, Ortom said he has made up his mind to serve the people of the state even if he dies in the process.
He stated:
“No going back on this matter. It doesn’t matter; if I perish I perish. With all the threats against me. If I perish, I perish. I’m just like Shedrack, Mishack and Abednego.
“Last week I was told that people were hired from Sudan to come and eliminate me…”
“I remain committed to the service of my people. I’m committed because they elected me and I will do their bidding. No one will intimidate me. and make me stop until justice is given to our people in Benue state.”
Gunmen suspected to be terrorist herdsmen have killed two persons in an attack on Ungwan Taila, Zangon Kataf local government area, Kaduna, says the Nigerian Army.
Specifically, troops of Operation Safe Haven announced the attack and casualty.
The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, confirmed the attack in a statement he issued on Sunday.
Mr Aruwan stated that the troops arrived in the village to find that the bandits had killed two residents.
“Receiving the report, Governor Nasir El-Rufai expressed deep regret at the further loss of life from such attacks in the area. He prayed for the repose of the souls of the deceased and conveyed his heartfelt condolences to their family,” said the statement.
It added, “In the meantime, the troops will continue search-and-rescue operations in the area. Citizens will be briefed on further updates.”
The Muslim Rights Concern , MURIC, on Monday alleged that some staff of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, are attempting to turn the organization into a Christian crusade camp.
MURIC alleged that some senior staff of NPA usually give out Christian literature as parting gifts to official visitors to the facility.
The body said such an act is part of evidence to Christianize Nigeria.
In a statement by its Director, Ishaq Akintola, MURIC urged the authority of NPA to probe such acts.
Akintola said it’s unethical for staff of NPA to use the facility for evangelization.
The statement reads: “The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is now in the habit of giving Christian literature as gifts to its visitors. A group of people who visited the port recently were told that they should wait for gifts after their data capture for a port pass identity card. To their surprise, the same NPA staff who did their capturing gave them copies of Pastor Chris’s Rapsody.
This is absolutely unwholesome, unethical and highly demeaning. Who owns these gifts and on whose behalf are they being handed out to visitors? NPA is now being used for Christian evangelisation. It depicts NPA staff as an idle and unserious bunch. How can a federal facility be used to promote one religion? It is an assault on our sensibilities. It is unacceptable.
“It is unthinkable that the same people who lodge complaints of Islamisation are hell bent on Christianising Nigeria. But whereas we cannot find concrete evidence of Islamisation, there are several proofs of Christianisation and what is happening in NPA is one of them.
“We had cause to complain about the Ikoyi immigration office sometime ago. Visitors are compelled to either participate or watch helplessly as the staff conduct Christian morning devotion in the same spot that those who came for international travelling documents are sitting.
It is taking religious practice and proselytisation to ridiculous heights. It smirks of desperation. But for what? What is the desperation about? It is also a manifestation of lack of sensitivity for the feelings of people of other faiths. Morning devotion should not be conducted during official periods and where official duties are performed. Is that what the workers are paid for? Neither should religious literature of any faith be circulated by workers.
“MURIC demands investigation of these unwholesome practices. The authorities of NPA should take immediate steps to put a stop to the distribution of Christian literature to unsuspecting members of the public. NPA is a federal facility, not a Christian crusade camp.”
Gunmen have attacked the residence of Joe Igbokwe, the Special Adviser on Drainage and Water Resources to the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in Nnewi, Anambra State
There was said to have been heavy gunfire during the attack.
Igbokwe in a Facebook post on Sunday said some parts of the building were burnt by the gunmen.
He added that CCTV cameras captured the arsonists arriving in a vehicle at his residence in the town.
He said, “Here it is. My Home in Nnewi has been sacrificed. No life was lost. To God be the glory.
“IPOB invaded my house in Nnewi about now. I am sure they raised down the my house giving the jerrycans of petrol I saw being offloaded from their Sienna car via CCTV. To God be the glory. I am still alive.”
This comes shortly after the All Progressives Congress (APC) party chieftain blamed all attacks in the South-East region on the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
“SENATOR ABARIBE PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT I AM FROM SOUTH EAST AND I AM ALSO A CRITICAL STAKEHOLDER IN THE REGION AND NIGERIA. YOU KNOW IT AND I KNOW IT ALSO THAT IPOB IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BLOODSHED IN THE SOUTH EAST. THIS IS THE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH. LET US FOR ONCE FEAR GOD AND SPEAK THE TRUTH SO AS TO PUT THE ENEMIES TO SHAME,” he had posted earlier on Sunday.
Efforts to reach him on his mobile phone were not successful as he did not answer his calls.
Three suspected kidnappers have been nabbed following a joint raid of their hideout in forests located in Nasko Local Government Area of Niger State.
Monday Kuryas, police commissioner in Niger disclosed this to reporters in Minna on Sunday.
He said the police squad in the Nasko Division and members of the local vigilante group, numbering about 97, ransacked the Manini, Isana and Etere forest hideouts of the suspects on October 2.
“Three suspects were arrested after the raid, including one Abubakar, Aliyu Abubakar and Mohamed Aliyu,” Mr Kuryas offered. “The suspects confessed to have kidnapped one Alhaji Mohammed Bariki of Magaman Daji village, Nasko LGA where they collected N5 million ransom and one Usman Maiyana of Ibana village Nasko LGA where they collected N 3 million as ransom.”
“The sum of N 100,000 was recovered from them which was part of the ransom,” he added.
Mr Kuryas said that the command has deployed an anti kidnap squad to the area to ensure the arrest of others at large and recover their arms.
“We appeal strongly for more working support and cooperation from members of the public who should give us intelligence information that could aid in apprehending miscreants in their midst.
“We are battle ready to confront any persons or group of miscreants undermining the peace of our state, through well- coordinated security approach to enhance peaceful coexistence among our people,’’ Mr Kuryas said.
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a suspected fake soldier, Hayatu Galadima and his accomplice, Hamisu Adamu.
They were in possession of hard drugs, ammunition and communication equipment suspected to be for use by bandits in Kaduna State.
NDLEA’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja that the duo was arrested around Gwagwalada, on the outskirts of Abuja on Thursday, September 30.
He stated that items recovered from them included 21 RLA 7.45mm ammunition concealed in a water bottle; 16 packs of new two-way radio (walkie- talkie); four army-coloured head masks and wallet containing an army identity card.
Mr Babafemi added that also found in the possession of the duo were ATM cards issued by FCMB, First Bank, ECO bank, UBA, Skye Bank and one U.S. dollar.
Also recovered from them were Indian hemp, tablets of tramadol, three MTN, two 9mobile and one Airtel SIM card packs and one iPhone 12 pro cell phone.
“Others include one Samsung A31, one Nokia phone, seven Nigerian Army pass letters, five handbags and one “Bagco’’ bag containing personal belongings, as well as a gallon of palm oil.
“One of the suspects, Galadima, claimed to be an army Lance Corporal serving in Ibadan, and that they were taking the exhibits to Kaduna and Kano,’’ Mr Babafemi stated.
He stressed that preliminary investigation indicated that the suspects may have contact with bandits in the North-West parts of the country.
He stated that the suspects were possibly moving the ammunition and the two-way radios to bandits who were presently excommunicated due to the suspension of telecommunications services in Zamfara, Sokoto and Kaduna states.
He quoted NDLEA Chairman, retired Brigadier-General Buba Marwa, as directing the FCT Command of the agency, which made the arrest, to transfer the suspects to relevant authorities for further investigation.
This, he said included the Nigerian Army and another intelligence agency which had earlier placed the two men on their watch list, for further investigation.
rmed attackers on Sunday set alight the police and State Security Service field offices in Nnewi, witnesses told Peoples Gazette.
The incident occurred at about 1:00 p.m. when hoodlums stormed the offices, overpowered personnel and torched “everywhere,” a witness said.
“The attackers said they don’t want to see any Nigerian flag standing in the area,” a witness said.
Figures as to death and injuries could not be immediately ascertained by The Gazette. Spokespersons for the police and the SSS did not immediately return a request seeking comments.
The attack marked yet another escalation of hostilities raging over separatist agitations across the region, as well as attacks by armed herders, cultists and other violent criminals.
President of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, SOKAPU, Comrade Jonathan Asake has given an eyewitness rundown of the activities of bandits and kidnappers in Kaduna State in 2021.
Asake described the security situation in the State as strange and pointed to the alleged insensitivity of leaders to the plight of most communities.
According to Jonathan, children in some communities have been out of schools for the past five years due to the atrocious activities of terrorists, while mainly communities have been chased out of their original communities by armed terrorists and most of these attacks and displacements go unreported in the media.
Comrade Asake spoke at the 2021 human rights lecture organised by the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, with the theme: “Nigerian School Children; Insecurity and Human Rights”, held in Abuja.
“In line with the topic, our children, particularly school children, and what insecurity has caused in their rights,” he began.
“I’ll make no attempt to talk about last year or the year before or attempt to go out of Kaduna State.
“I’ll only say what is happening in Kaduna State and this year alone. And you will be able to put them up together.
“On the 30th of January this year, kidnappers went into a school just very close to Kaduna called Good Shepherd Seminary and kidnapped 4 seminarians there.
“One of them was killed because the kidnappers wanted to show that if ransom is not paid, they’re very serious, they’ll kill the rest. The dead body was kept on the roadside. Ransom was paid and the others were freed.
“On the 11th of March this same year, kidnappers went to the school of forestry where 39 students were kidnapped and on the 20th of April that the students of Greenfield University were kidnapped.
“On July 5, they went to a town called Danutshi and kidnapped 126 Bethel Baptist Students and it’s been over two months now. They’ve released many of them. They’re releasing them in batches. The first payment was N100m paid by the parents totally abandoned by the government.
“They have 11 of them two months after. Now if you think this picture is a very gorry one, this is just a tip of the iceberg. This is just the ones you’ve heard being reported of the atrocious activities of what we call bandits and kidnappers in Kaduna State.
“But on a daily basis, communities are being chased out and chased into neighbouring communities and for some it has lasted for over five years with all the children being out of schools.
“Most of these communities are being chased into IDPs camps, no schools, no facilities, no food and imagine children that have been out of school for five years running. And this is the story. Farmers have also been chased out.
“Farming communities have left their schools and schools have been shut down for a very long time in Kaduna State. We don’t get to hear this in the media. The ones we hear are when schoolchildren are kidnapped .
“And oftentimes these people are arrested, paraded and interrogated and that’s the end. Some of them the’re paraded and you see the video going viral in the media social media and after that you see the same person being paraded again. So something strange is happening.
“The rights of children are being violated. It Is insensitive on the part of some of our leaders where we know that people have been displaced and there is no facilities and nothing is done.
“Journalists that have attempted to report the atrocities that have been going on have been arrested and thrown into detention. That’s why I said this is just a tip of the iceberg.”
