News & Announcements

Russia successfully launched the Luna-25 lunar station early Friday, embarking on a historic mission to explore the south pole of the moon, the first in 50 years.

The station did not have a return capsule but was launched by a Soyuz-2.1b rocket with a Fregat upper stage from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Amur Oblast of Russia’s Far East, says the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Nine minutes after lift-off, the Fregat upper stage with the Luna-25 station separated from the third stage of the rocket.

About one hour later, Luna-25 separated from the Fregat upper stage and successfully entered the flight path to the moon, marking the successful completion of the first stage of its mission.

The mission consisted of four stages, while the second stage would be a flight to the moon, which will take about five days.

The trajectory would be adjusted twice: 1.5 days after the launch, and again one day before entering orbit around the moon.

The third stage would be orbiting the moon, where the station would fly around the moon in a circular polar orbit at an altitude of 100 km for three days.

The fourth stage will be the landing, when the station would transfer to an elliptical landing orbit with a minimum altitude of 18 km.

The Academy added that a soft landing in the area of the lunar South Pole was expected to occur.

According to the Academy, the landing is likely to happen on Aug. 21, when Luna-25 is expected to become the first station in history to land on the south pole of the moon, a region with complex terrain and potential resources.

The main objectives of the mission were to test the technologies of soft landing, study the internal structure and explore the resources of the lunar South Pole.

Nigeria’s Intervention Team comprising prominent Islamic scholars in the country at the weekend met with the coup leaders in Niger where both parties agreed to intensify the option of dialogue in resolving the political crisis in that country.

The Islamic Ulammas led by Sheik Bala Lau met with General Abdourahmane Tchiani for several hours in Niger’s capital Niamey during which they deliberated on all the issues including the demand by ECOWAS leaders that former President Bazoum be reinstated.

Bala Lau, who is the National Chairman of Jamatul Izalatu Bida Waikamatu Sunnah, said the clerics were in Niger on behalf of President Bola Tinubu who accepted their request to intervene.

Sheik Lau said the team had earlier told President Tinubu who is also the Chairman of Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government that their position is that the political impasse in Niger be resolved through dialogue.

He therefore told General Tchiani that the visit to Niger was to engage in constructive dialogue to encourage him and other military leaders behind the coup to toe the path of peace instead of war to resolve the crisis.

Responding, General Tchiani who accorded the team warm reception welcomed their intervention.

He said their doors were open to explore diplomacy and peace in resolving the matter.

General Tchiani, however, said it was painful to the coup leaders that the ECOWAS leaders did not hear their side of the matter before issuing ultimatum to them to quit office.

He claimed the coup was well intended, stating that they struck to starve off an imminent threat that would have affected not only Niger Republic but also Nigeria.

He also apologised for not according the team sent by President Tinubu led by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd) the required attention because they were angry about the ECOWAS ultimatum.

While tracing the historical ties between the two nations, he said Niger Republic and Nigeria were not only neighbours but brothers and sisters who should resolve issues amicably.

Speaking with journalists in Niamey after the meeting, another member of the intervention team and Chief Missioner of Ansarudeen Society of Nigeria, Sheik Ahmad Abdulrahman, said contrary to reports in some sections of the media, the team was well received by General Tchiani and both parties had fruitful discussions.

“We will now go back home and report to President Tinubu what we have discussed and press it on him that war is not an option in resolving the matter.

“We believe that war is an ill wind that will not blow any good and that peaceful resolution should prevail.”

The team comprised scholars from various Islamic sects in the country.

Among them were Sheik Kabiru Gombe-Secretary, Jamatul izalatul bida waikamatul sunnah,Sheik Yakubu Musa Hassan Katsina-Director Daawah, JIBWIS, Sheik Ibrahim Dahiru Bauchi- Rep Sheik Ibrahim Bauchi and Dr Khalid Aliya- Secretary General, Jammatul Nasril Islam.

Others included Sheik Karibullah Nasiru Kabara- Leader of Khadriya Group Nigeria, Sheik Ahmad Abdurahman, Professor Salisu Sheri- Deputy Secretary-General of Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Sheik Nasiru Abdul Muhayuid- Director Admin, JIBWIS Jos, Professor Mansur Sokoto, and AlhajiMele Kyari.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, are the targets of a lawsuit brought by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) over “the unlawful plan to spend N40bn on 465 exotic and bulletproof cars for members and principal officials, and N70bn as “palliatives” for new members.”

The suit is coming on the heels of the statement by Mr Akpabio that the Clerk of the National Assembly had sent “holiday allowances” into the “various bank accounts of senators”. Some 137 million Nigerians face extreme poverty.

The suit is coming on the heels of the statement by Mr Akpabio that the Clerk of the National Assembly had sent “holiday allowances” into the “various bank accounts of senators”. Some 137 million Nigerians face extreme poverty.

In the suit number FHC/L/CS/1606/2023 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Lagos, SERAP is seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio and Mr Abbas to review and reduce the N40 billion budgeted to buy 465 Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and bulletproof cars for members and principal officials.”

SERAP is seeking: “an order restraining Mr Akpabio and Mr Abbas from demanding or receiving the N40 billion to buy 465 SUVs and bulletproof cars for members and principal officials until an assessment of the socio-economic impact of the spending on the 137 million poor Nigerians is carried out in the public interest.”

SERAP is also seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio and Mr Abbas to repeal the Supplementary Appropriation Act 2022 to reduce the budget for the National Assembly by N110bn to reflect the current economic realities in the country.”

In the suit, SERAP is arguing that: “Nigerians have a right to honest and faithful performance by their public officials including lawmakers, as public officials owe a fiduciary duty to the general citizenry.”

SERAP is arguing that, “Unless the reliefs sought are granted, the lawmakers will spend the N110bn, and the travesty, and apparent conflicts of interest and self-dealing by members of the National Assembly would continue.”

SERAP is also arguing that, “It a fundamental breach of their fiduciary duties for members of the National Assembly to arbitrarily increase their own budget and to use the budget as a tool to satisfy the lifestyle of lawmakers.”

According to SERAP, “While N70 billion ‘support allowance’ is budgeted for 306 new lawmakers, only N500 billion worth of palliatives is budgeted for 12 million poor Nigerians. N40 billion is also allocated to buy 465 SUVs and bulletproof cars for members and principal officials.”

The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare and Ms Blessing Ogwuche, read in part: “The plan to spend N110bn is a fundamental breach of constitutional and international human rights obligations.”

“The planned spending of N110bn is a breach of section 57 (4) of the Public Procurement Act, 2007 which provides that: ‘All persons in whose hands public funds may be entrusted for whatever purpose should bear in mind that its utilization should be Judicious.’

“It is also a grave violation of the public trust and constitutional oath of office for members of the National Assembly to unjustifiably increase their own budget at a time when over 137 million poor Nigerians are living in extreme poverty exacerbated by the removal of fuel subsidy.”

“Rather than exercising their constitutional and oversight functions to pursue the public interest by considering bills to improve the conditions of the over 137 million poor Nigerians who are facing the impact of the removal of fuel subsidy, the lawmakers appear to be looking after themselves.”

“According to reports, no fewer than 107 units of the 2023 model of the Toyota Landcruiser and 358 units of the 2023 model of Toyota Prado would be bought for the use of members of the Senate and the House of Representatives respectively.”

“The planned purchase is different from the official bulletproof vehicles expected to be purchased for the four presiding officers of the National Assembly.”

“The proposed spending of N110 billion by members of the National Assembly is apparently on top of the N281 billion already provided for the lawmakers in the 2023 National Assembly budget. The proposed spending is also different from the N30.17 billion budgeted for the ‘inauguration expenses’ for new members.”

“The budget for the National Assembly may further be increased as members are reportedly demanding an upward review of their salaries and allowances purportedly to offset the impact of the removal of fuel subsidy.”

“Section 14(2)(b) of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 [as amended] provides that, ‘the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.”

“Under Section 16(1)(a)(b), the National Assembly has the obligations to ‘harness the resources of the nation and promote national prosperity and an efficient, a dynamic and self-reliant economy’, and to ‘secure the maximum welfare, freedom and happiness of every citizen.’”

“Cutting the N110 billion from the budget of the National Assembly would be entirely consistent with members’ constitutional oath of office, and the letter and spirit of the Nigerian Constitution, as it would promote efficient, honest, and legal spending of public money.”

The court hearing for the lawsuit has not yet been scheduled.

At least four people have died and millions of naira’s worth of property have been destroyed in Friday’s clash between the Oyofo and Awha villages in Enugu State’s Ezeagu Local Government Area.

Among the properties destroyed were one tricycle and five motorcycles.

On Saturday, Daniel Ndukwe, a spokesman for the Enugu State Police Command, confirmed the occurrence and claimed that twelve individuals had been detained in relation to the murder of the four people who had been injured during the altercation.

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Ammani, has ordered the deployment of Police Operatives to Oyofo and Awha villages in Ezeagu Local Government Area, following the communal clash between the villages on 11/08/2023 at about 10am.

“The deployment is to maintain the normalcy already restored in the area after the clash, which led to the murder of four (4) males and the burning of one (1) tricycle and five (5) motorcycles.

“Twelve (12) male suspects have been arrested in connection with the clash and murder of the victims, while preliminary investigation shows that the clash is a result of land ownership dispute between the villages,” he said.

Ten people, including four children, were purportedly kidnapped by hoodlums in the Isua, Join Karama community in Engenni, Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State, who are thought to be Creek residents.

According to reports, the women went to their farms to harvest their crops in order to save them from the impending heavy rains and flooding.

According to an LGA source known only as Ezuwa, the criminals crossed the river from a neighbouring town named Oshobele before entering the city.

He described the kidnapping as one of several security concerns the community was facing and said that the development had worried the inhabitants and locals.

Ezuwa stated, “The women went to their farms to harvest crops because of the looming floods. The boys (abductors) had to cross from the neighbouring Oshobele axis to the farm to kidnap them and their children.

“This is just one out of the many that have been going on in the local government. The people have raised concerns to the local government chairman and the police division in Akinima, but nothing has been done so far.”

He said the latest incident was capable of igniting a communal crisis, “because it is now seen as an Ekpeye and Engenni issue.”

Ezuwa revealed that the community paid the hoodlums’ demand of N450,000, which they claimed was a security vote, last Sunday.

He bemoaned the lack of police officers in the area, which he claimed gave the criminals the audacity to operate.

While noting that many persons have fled the community, Ezuwa noted, “The few ones at home were asked to pay a form of living allowance, N450,000 or they would kill everybody in the community.

“Out of fear, they paid the money. They then brought new guidelines for each household to pay N1,500 every week which will be remitted to the criminals. And because of fear nobody can even go outside. We can’t really say where they hail from, but they came through Oshobele, kidnapped these people at Isua and crossed back to Oshobele, which is their hideout.”

He urged the Rivers State Government to ensure the women’s and their children’s release, warning that if the situation wasn’t handled correctly, it would lead to a racial conflict between Isua and its neighbor, Oshobele.

The spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident, saying, “Efforts are on to ensure the release of the women and the children, and as you know the command is not sleeping. We are after the kidnappers. As we speak the Commissioner of Police has deployed the tactical team to ensure they are arrested and made to face the law for their actions.”

Retired military personnel from the Nigerian military have urged citizens against calling for the Armed Forces to seize power, stating that democracy was the greatest form of government for the country.

The military high command had once more expressed disapproval of suggestions that it meddle in the nation’s democratic process.

The comment was made online in response to recent claims of poor soldier welfare and broad, widespread hardship brought on by the elimination of gasoline subsidies, among other things.

The Defence Headquarters had condemned the request as evil and disloyal in a statement by the Director, Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau, on Friday night.

Gusau said, “We wish to state unequivocally that the military is happy and better under democracy and will not get involved in any act to sabotage the hard-earned democracy in our country.”

Maj. Gen. Ishola Williams (retired), responding to the calls for a military takeover, stated the military should dismiss the requests and stop making pronouncements on the subject.

Williams said, “The announcements by the DHQ have never led to any arrest. If it is true, the military should activate their intelligence to arrest those people calling for a change of government as a deterrent and warning.  In Sierra Leone, it was done recently. Some ‘coup mongers’ were arrested.

“The military’s loyalty is not to the president but to the nation. If they know that a coup would be detrimental to the nation, then, they should disregard calls for it.

“That is because of the system of governance in most African countries. In Nigeria, you have a president who is like a god. What do you find the opposition doing? In a presidential system, the president is both the head of the party, the head of the government, and the head of state. These are three roles in one person. This is not a good system.”

Bishop Johnson, a retired captain from the American Army, also gave a speech during which he claimed he could not understand why people were advocating for a military coup considering the numerous “sacrifices” made by Nigerians in order to gain democratic rule in 1999.

He said, “I do believe that democracies at their initial stages would have mistaken and difficulties but as long as one is learning from one’s experiences and taking steps to mitigate these problems be it institutional and citizens alike. Eventually, you would get to where you need to be.

“Democracy offers the best hope for an ordinary man to get to power. I have to emphasise that the fundamentals of democracy have to be there for democracy to thrive.”

He continued by saying that the lack of democratic underpinnings was the reason why Sub-Saharan Africa was experiencing so many coups.

Foluso Saka (retd), a retired colonel, cautioned Nigerians against responding to such appeals, saying that such outcries in the past had given the military the confidence to overthrow democratically elected governments.

In an interview he said, “This was the same way Nigerians did when (the late Sani) Abacha and (Ibrahim) Babaginda took over power. What became of them after they did? Human beings are insatiable.

“Looking at it, do we have the same problem with the Niger Republic? Our problem is internal while theirs is more of an external problem.”

Also reacting, a retired Colonel, Hassan Stan-Labo, stated that from past experience, military rule would not help in solving challenges confronting the country.

“We should not be calling for military intervention.  Given our experience with that, it will not solve any problem. Military rule in today’s world is an abomination this will be taking us years backwards.  If you call for one and if you don’t have the right person at the helms of affairs we would be back to ground zero.”

A chief magistrate court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has ruled that Uche Aigbe, presiding pastor of the House On The Rock Church, Abuja, has a case to answer over alleged unlawful possession of firearms.

On February 12, pictures surfaced on social media showing Aigbe with an AK-47 rifle while preaching.

The church said the pastor used the gun to illustrate a message on “guarding your faith”.

Shortly after, the FCT police command announced the arrest of the pastor and Musa Audu, the police inspector said to have handed over his rifle to the cleric, and who is also the church’s chief security officer.

Subsequently, the police charged Aigbe in court over criminal conspiracy, illegal possession of prohibited firearms, inciting disturbance and criminal intimidation to which he pleaded not guilty.

He was arraigned alongside Promise Ukachukwu and Olakunle Ogunleye — both pastors in the same church.

Aigbe and his co-defendants then filed a no-case submission, praying the court to quash the charge against them for want of incriminating evidence capable of warranting their trial and conviction.

However, delivering a ruling on Thursday, Abdulazeez Muhammad, the presiding magistrate, said the evidence adduced by the prosecution has established a prima facie case against the defendants.

The magistrate read out all the three counts preferred against the defendants.

Aigbe has since apologised publicly for using an unloaded rifle to illustrate his sermon.

According to him, the incident has left him “disappointed in himself“.

THE CHARGES

Count one: “That you, Pastor Uche Aigbe, male, of No.21 Mambila Plateau Galadimawa, and Pastor Okachukwu Promise, male, of Mba Pada House off Galadimawa Roundabout, on the 12th day of February 2023 at the House on the Rock Church, situate at Oladipo Diya Street Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, had in your possession one{1} AK47 rifle{with breach No.3368} without a licence or formal authorization. You thereby committed the offence of unlawful possession of prohibited firearms, contrary to s 3 of the FIREARMS ACT CAP F 28 LAWS OF THE FEDERATION 2004 and punishable under section 27{1b} of the same ACT”

Count two: “That you, Pastor Uche Aigbe, male, of No. 21 Mambila Plateau Galadimawa, Abuja, on the 12th day of February 2023 at the House on the Rock Church, situate at Oladipo Diya Street, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did make some inflammatory statements with intent to cause or likely to cause a breach of peace to wit: you are calling people to take up arms in order to propagate and defend their faith. Thereby committed the offence of inciting disturbance, contrary to s 114 PENAL CODE ACT and punishable under the same section.”

Count three: “That you, Pastor Olakunle Ogunleye, male, of plot 735, Behind Games Village  Kaura, Abuja, on the 12th day of February 2023  at the House on the Rock Church, situate at Oladipo Diya Street, Abuja, abetted the unlawful possession of prohibited firearms by Pastor Uche Aigbe and Pastor Okachukwu Promise to wit; with a view to facilitating illegal possession of prohibited firearms, you procured Inspector Musa Abdu, who was standing on his duty post to surrender his rifle to the said pastors. Thereby committed the offence of abetment contrary to the provision of s 83 of the Penal Code Act and punishable under s 85 of the same Act.”

A popular Ecuadoran presidential candidate was shot dead while leaving a rally in the nation’s capital on Wednesday, prompting President Guillermo Lasso to declare a state of emergency and blame the assassination on organized crime.

Fernando Villavicencio, a 59-year-old anti-corruption crusader who had complained of receiving threats, was murdered as he was leaving a stadium in Quito after holding a campaign rally, officials said.

Lasso declared a two-month state of emergency early Thursday following the assassination but said general elections slated for August 20 would be held as scheduled.” Outraged and shocked by the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio,” the president said in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, blaming the killing on “organized crime.””For his memory and for his fight, I assure you that this crime will not go unpunished.”

Villavicencio was the second most popular candidate in the presidential race, according to recent opinion polls.

“The Armed Forces as of this moment are mobilized throughout the national territory to guarantee the security of citizens, the tranquility of the country and the free and democratic elections of August 20,” Lasso said in a YouTube address.

The president also declared three days of national mourning “to honour the memory of a patriot, Fernando Villavicencio Valencia.”

“This is a political crime that acquires a terrorist character and we do not doubt that this murder is an attempt to sabotage the electoral process,” he added.

Lasso has said he will not seek re-election.

President of the National Electoral Council, Diana Atamaint said: “The date of the elections scheduled for August 20 remains unalterable.”

Nine other people were injured in the shooting attack, including a candidate running for the national legislature and two policemen, prosecutors said.

One of the alleged attackers was shot and killed by security personnel. And police detonated an explosive device planted in the area, said chief investigator Alain Luna.

Carlos Figueroa, a friend of Villavicencio’s who was with him at the time of the attack, told local media that the assailants fired around 30 shots.

“They ambushed him outside” the sports center, Figueroa said. “Some (of those present) even thought they were fireworks.”

The country’s main newspaper, El Universo, reported that Villavicencio was assassinated “hitman-style and with three shots to the head.”

Prosecutors later said six other suspects were arrested in raids carried out in southern Quito and in a neighboring town, and that Villavicencio’s body was brought to a police department and would undergo an autopsy.

‘Full weight of the law’ 

In recent years, Ecuador has been hit by a wave of violence linked to drug trafficking which, in the midst of the electoral process, has already led to the death of a mayor and a parliamentary candidate.

The homicide rate has doubled between 2021 and 2022.

According to the latest polls, Villavicencio, a former journalist who wrote about corruption and served in parliament, polled at 13 per cent behind lawyer Luisa Gonzalez, who is close to former left-wing president, Rafael Correa.

Gonzalez and other presidential candidates denounced the murder and said they were suspending their campaigns, local media reported.

“We will never allow such acts to go unpunished. When they touch one, they touch all. When one’s life is at risk, everyone’s life is at risk,” Gonzalez wrote on X.

National Court of Justice president Ivan Saquicela called Villavicencio’s murder “very painful for the country.”

“I am very hurt and very worried about Ecuador,” he said.

The United States, Spain, Chile, and the Organisation of American States observer mission have also condemned the crime.

“We are horrified by the tragic attack… Violence cannot win. Democracy can,” European Union ambassador to Ecuador, Charles-Michel Geurts, said on X.

As a journalist, Villavicencio uncovered a corruption scheme for which former president Correa (2007-2017) was sentenced to eight years in prison.

Villavicencio later served as president of the legislative oversight commission, where he continued to denounce corruption.

The politician had complained this month that he and his team were receiving threats allegedly coming from the leader of a criminal gang linked to drug trafficking.

“Despite the new threats, we will continue fighting for the brave people of our #Ecuador,” he posted on X at the time.

Atamaint, head of the electoral council, also said that several members of her organization, which is responsible for supervising the ballot, had received death threats.

President Lasso sent a message to Villavicencio’s family.

“My solidarity and my condolences with his wife and his daughters,” he said in his post.

The United States of America has warned the Niger junta that America may be pushed to be involved militarily if the country’s military rulers do not return to constitutional order.

The US acting Deputy Secretary, Victoria Nuland, in a special briefing on Niger disclosed this via a teleconference on Tuesday.

She noted, “…There is still a lot of motion here on many sides with regard to where the governance situation will go.

“So we will be watching that closely and there are a number of regional meetings coming up and consultations with allies and partners that we need to make.

“So we’ll be watching the situation, but we understand our legal responsibilities and I explained those very clearly to the guys (Niger junta) who were responsible for this and that it is not our desire to go there, but they may push us to that point, and we asked them to be prudent in that regard and to hear our offer to try to work with them to solve this diplomatically and return to constitutional order.”

Nuland noted that President Joe Biden has been in constant touch with President Tinubu, the ECOWAS Chairman as well as many other European allies.

“He’s also been in regular touch with President Tinubu of Nigeria, who is currently head of ECOWAS, with AU Chairperson Faki, and with a number of European allies with whom we work in Niger, particularly on counterterrorism.

“And all of this has been rooted in our shared values, including the sense of democracy, which was why it was so difficult, and remains difficult, to see the current challenge to the democratic order which began on July 26,” she stressed.

Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi, the 14th Emir of Kano, has met with the coup leaders in the Niger Republic.

The former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) met the military leadership after the junta aborted a meeting with representatives of the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), and a top US diplomat.

A delegation raised by ECOWAS could not broker peace with the military rulers as they declined a meeting.

But on Wednesday, footage of Sanusi, whose Tijjaniya sect has a large following in Niger, went into circulation.

Sanusi is the Khalifa of the sect in Nigeria.

The revered Nigerian economist met the Junta leaders in the company of the Sultan of Damagaran.

Damagaran is the third largest city in Niger.

Sources said that Sanusi went there to open the door for negotiation with the junta.

One of the sources said, “His Highness took the trip in his personal capacity, but with the knowledge of President Bola Tinubu following his concerns about the impasse and the likely consequences it is already having on Nigeria/Niger relations and the citizens of the two countries.”

The meeting comes a day before the gathering of ECOWAS leaders in Abuja.

President Bola Tinubu, who is the Chairman of ECOWAS, had scheduled a meeting for Thursday after the 7-day ultimatum that the regional bloc issued for the reinstatement of President Mohamed Bazoum elapsed.

ECOWAS had slammed sanctions on Niger and threatened a possible military option, a move that was widely rejected, especially in Nigeria.