News & Announcements

The Osun State governor Ademola Adeleke’s list of commissioner nominees was criticized by the Muslim Rights Concern for include 17 Christians and 7 Muslims.

This information was provided by MURIC in a statement on Monday that was signed by the executive director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

Akintola who likened Adeleke to a renowned James Bond, widely known as 007 claimed the list has revealed the governor to be a covert agent of the Christian Association of Nigeria with a permission to harass Muslims in the state.

The statement read in part, “We condemn this wanton blockage of privileges that should go to Muslims and their diversion to over-pampered and over-fed Christians in Osun State.

“By deceiving Muslims in the state and engaging in spiritual hide and seek, Governor Adeleke has exhibited qualities odoriferously short in honour and dignity but egregiously long in infamy and bohemianism.

“The goal of Adeleke’s deception is for the perpetuation of the marginalisation, shortchanging, and oppression of Muslims in Osun State.

Quoting Qur’an 2:41, Akintola said time will tell when the few “selfish Muslims” Adeleke is using will soon see that honesty and openness are what make enduring leadership

“For the avoidance of doubts, we are solidly for meritocracy but the latter does not reside in Christendom alone. Eminently qualified Muslims abound in large numbers for those who seek fairness and equity. Gone are those days when anyone can use wool to cover the eyes of Muslims,” he added.

On Monday, the Ondo State House of Assembly officially acknowledged the letter that the state’s governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, had sent to the assembly alerting it of the continuation of his medical leave.

The governor, who has a medical condition and has been receiving treatment in a hospital, had previously informed the Assembly of his medical absence on June 5, 2023, and was scheduled to return on July 6, 2023, but was unable to do so.

In order to do this, the speaker of the Assembly, Mr. Olamide Oladiji, issued a statement stating that the governor was unable to continue because he was according to his doctor’s advice to take enough rest after recovering.

The governor’s action was in accordance with section 190 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s Constitution (as amended), according to the speaker who accepted the letter on behalf of other parliamentarians.

The statement partly read, “His (Akeredolu’s) deputy, Hon . Lucky Aiyedatiwa would continue to act as governor until there is a written declaration to the contrary.”

The speaker expressed hope that the governor will soon resume his duties and thanked God for the governor’s quick recovery.

Humphrey Nnaji, an Abuja-based construction engineer, was found dead in his residence in the Federal Capital Territory’s Dawaki neighborhood.

PUNCH The engineer was reportedly at home when some suspects broke into the building, killed him, and then escaped.

Nnaji’s neighbors, who were ignorant of what had happened to him, reportedly called the police on Saturday after detecting a terrible odor coming from his apartment.

A local commercial driver who only gave his name as Musa claimed that when entering the flat, policemen assigned to the case discovered Nnaji’s remains on a chair.

Musa said, “The engineer’s corpse was found in his apartment in the Dawaki area. The policemen came to evacuate his corpse on Saturday around 8pm. The corpse was already decomposing which means that the incident might have happened before Saturday. People in the area are still yet to come to terms with how the incident happened. The house has been cordoned off as we speak.”

According to a source in the FCT Police Command, police officers investigating the crime scene discovered a hammer next to Nnaji’s body and a note claiming that one Alfa had reportedly carried out the killing in retaliation for the death of his sister.

The source said, “The deceased must have been killed with a hammer. A sledgehammer with blood stains was found beside him. Also, the backside of his (Nnaji’s) head had a deep cut. He was seated on his chair with two pieces of handset charging cord cables around his neck.

“Also, a (written) note by someone who identified himself as Alfa was seen on his table. He claimed he killed the deceased to avenge the death of his sister and also accused him of using other  girls for Yahoo Plus. “

When reached, SP Josephine Adeh, the FCT command’s spokeswoman, acknowledged the event and said an investigation was continuing.

On Sunday, the Department of State Services refuted the claim that Senator Abdulaziz Yari was detained for refusing to answer President Bola Tinubu’s call.

Dr. Peter Afunanya, the DSS’s spokesman, in a statement released on Sunday.

According to the statement sent on the DSS’s Twitter account, the accusation is ridiculous and unimportant.

Afunanya in the statement acknowledged that DSS had invited Yari, but added that the senator was aware of the rationale for the invitation.

Assertions that the Service was spying on the judges on the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal were also refuted by him.

Afunanya also refuted claims that Service barged into the Code of Conduct Bureau and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and took some of their files.

He refuted rumors that there is unrest within the DSS as a result of nepotism.

He said the Service ordinarily would not have responded to the inaccuracies but for the “fickle-minded and vulnerable persons as well as the unsuspecting public” that may take the lies for facts.

Afunanya in the statement, said, “The attention of the Department of State Services has been drawn to false reports by sections of the online media particularly SaharaReporters, Peoples Gazette, and Jackson Ude.

“The so-called news platforms variously and wrongly fed the public with misleading narratives and accusations against the Service.

“For instance, SaharaReporters wrote that the Service stormed the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and carted away certain files from them.

“Jackson Ude falsely claimed that there is a rumble in the DSS due to nepotism. He further accused the Service was snooping on Judges on the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

“On its part, Peoples Gazette reported that Senator Abdulaziz Yari was arrested for alleged refusal to pick up the President’s phone call (whatever that meant).

“There are other variants of unsubstantiated and anonymous petitions flying around against the DGSS, his family, and some officials.

“To set the record straight, the DSS did not execute operations at the ICPC and CCB or remove files from their offices.

“Instructively, the two agencies have, on their own, refuted the news in widely circulated press statements. It is petty, if not laughable, to report that Yari was invited for refusing to pick up the President’s call. This is the height of junk journalism. Yari knows why he was invited.

“In fact, the Service denies all the allegations as they lack any factual basis or credibility. They are only figments of the creators’ imaginations.

“This is more so that the publishers in question have been noted in and outside the country for their notoriety for peddling fake news, sensational and gutter journalism. Without a modicum of proper and civilised behaviour, they indulge in character assassinations and sundry blackmail as a business,” the statement added.

As Nigerians await the release of ministerial appointees’ names, President Bola Tinubu has appointed 20 personal aides, who were expected to serve as Senior Special Assistants (SSA) Special Assistants (SA), and Personal Assistants (PA), to serve his administration.

The appointment of the aides, who were expected drawn from different fields, as gathered, would be made public by the president on return from his foreign trip.

Sources close to the Villa on Sunday disclosed that the nominees have been notified of their appointments and were already preparing to resume work as the President’s aide.

He added that the appointees were those that would aid the president’s works and give him the opportunity to fast-track growth and development which every Nigerian crave for across the country.

The appointees include the publisher of Western Post Newspaper, Tunde Rahman, as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Damilotun Aderemi as his Private Secretary, Ibrahim Masari, who was nominated as Vice Presidential candidate before he was replaced, as SSA on Political Matters, Toyin Subair as Domestic and Abdulaziz Abdulaziz as SSA on Print Media.

Also, the president appointed his relative, Dr Adekunle Tinubu, as his Personal Physician, Otega Ogara as SSA on Digital, Demola Oshodi, SSA on Protocol; Tope Ajayi SSA on Media and Public affairs, while Yetunde Sekoni and Motunrayo Jinadu were’s roles as SSA were yet to be defined.

However, the president appointed Segun Dada as Special Assistant on Social Media, Paul Adekanye as SA on Logistics; Friday Soton SA on Housekeeping; Shitta-Bey Akande SA on Catering; Nosa Asemota SA on Visual Communication and Personal Photographer; Kamal Yusuf PA on Special Duties, Wale Fadairo as PA on General Duties, Sunday Moses as PA on Videography, and Taiwo Okonlawon – PA State photographer.

Guinness World Record holder, Hilda Baci, will display her world-beating culinary skills in Lagos on Friday, July 14, to raise funds for a widow.

Baci’s dishes will be tasted in an initiative by Joseph Edgar, The Duke of Shomolu, to assist widows and empower them to be self-reliant.

Edgar, Chief Executive Officer of Duke of Shomolu Productions, a theatrical play-producing outfit, disclosed this to NAN on Sunday.

He said that Baci is expected to display her “mesmerizing skills which enamoured the world and saw her emerge as the Guinness record holder in a bid to raise N1 million for a widow”.

He said that the initiative, which had been running for the last three years, had raised more than N10 million for deserving widows.

“The initiative involves very close friends and associates of The Duke of Shomolu, donating cash instead of gifts to mark his birthdays.

“The cash gifts are then sent to needy widows, who would have been nominated by members of the public.

“Last year, N2 million was donated to four deserving widows by the friends and associates of the Duke of Shomolu.

“This year, N3 million was raised with the winner, who got N1 million, nominated by a director at Keystone Bank, Mr Yemi Odusanya, who incidentally shares the same birthday with the Duke.”

Edgar himself chose 10 other widows from among the close to 100 nominees who shared N1 million.
He said that Baci would be cooking for 10 people at the Ivy Hotel at Emerald in Ikeja GRA, Lagos.

According to him, the sum of N1 million will be donated to a widow of her choice.

He said that Prothrive Astute Heights Ltd., makers of Grandios Pap, would sponsor the event as part of its social responsibility.

A Cameroonian lady has embarked on a mission to set a new Guinness World Record.

The lady identified as Danny Zara has declared her interest in embarking on a 200-hour s3x marathon.

Zara, in a controversial post on Facebook, noted that the Guinness World Record is “aware of my proposed attempt to have continuous s3xual intercourse for 200 hrs.”

Sharing the flyer, she seeks the participation of capable men who are willing to join her in the endeavour commencing on 17th July to 25th July 2023.

Zara said: “Ladies and Gentlemen, after the confirmation from the Guinness Books of Records, I have decided to break a record of the Longest S3x Hour (S3x_Thon).

“Planet Cameroon, it is time for you to support your own so we can bring this book to our country and make Nigeria not help us tear am. Thanks to my defense team Bella Powers of Bella Powers Voice.

“All we need now are guys that will Volunteer themselves for this project to be carried out. Your girl is loyal.”

The governments of former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan, and Muhammadu Buhari have been ordered to disclose the spending details of around $5 billion Abacha seized funds, according to the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project filed the Freedom of Information lawsuit, with the case number FHC/ABJ/CS/407/2020, from which the order resulted.

The judge rejected the FG’s arguments and concluded, among other things, that SERAP is entitled to the details of how the approximately $5 billion Abacha funds were spent and is not required to express any particular interest in the material requested.

The Attorney General of the Federation, Minister of Justice, and Minister of Finance are all named as defendants in the lawsuit.

Justice Omotosho issued the following orders of mandamus against the federal government, directing it to give and disclose the following details to SERAP (via the Ministry of Finance, the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, and the Minister of Justice): The precise amount of money General Sani Abacha took from Nigeria, the overall amount of Abacha loot recovered, and all agreements made regarding it since democracy was restored in 1999 to the present.

The court further ordered the FG to provide information about any projects carried out with seized funds, including their locations and the identities of the businesses and contractors who carried out or are still carrying out the projects.

Additionally, it demanded the publication of “details of specific roles played by the World Bank and other partners in the execution of any projects funded with Abacha loot since 1999.”

“Refer any allegations of corruption involving the execution of projects with Abacha money to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission for investigation.”

“Ensure that anyone involved in alleged corruption in projects executed with Abacha money is brought to justice if there is relevant and sufficient admissible.”

The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Finance, is thus required to provide SERAP with the entire spending information of about $5 billion in Abacha loot within 7 days of this judgment, according to the Justice’s ruling on July 3.

Justice Omotosho also held that “The excuse by the Minister of Finance is that the Ministry has searched its records and the details of the exact public funds recovered from Abacha and how the funds have been spent are not held by the Ministry. The excuse has no leg to stand in view of section 7 of the Freedom of Information Act.”

Justice Omotosho’s judgment, read in part: “The failure of the Minister of Finance to write to SERAP informing it of where the said information exists or to transfer the request to public office who has custody of such information is fatal to their case under section 5 of the Freedom of Information Act.”

“The Ministry cannot use a blanket statement that it was not in possession of the said records of about $5bn Abacha money sought by SERAP. The government failed to provide details of the projects executed with the money. It also failed to provide locations of the projects and the names of the companies and contractors that carried out or are carrying out the projects funded with the money.”

“I hold that by the clear wordings of section 7 of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011, access to information about spending details of $5bn Abacha loot was denied SERAP by the Federal Government.”

“

The Federal Government had filed a 14 paragraph Counter Affidavit deposed to by Abah Sunday, Litigation Officer in the office of the Attorney General of the Federation arguing that SERAP’s suit is frivolous, as it has not shown that the government denied it the information it seeks.”

“The Federal Government has also stated that SERAP has not established sufficient interest in its application. The government urged the Court to dismiss the suit.”

“For the sake of emphasis, possession of locus standi has been the bane of the citizens’ advocates, in the public interest litigation, to query transparency and accountability in governance in Nigeria.”

“In a democratic dispensation, such as in Nigeria, the citizens have been proclaimed the owners of sovereignty and mandates that place leaders in the saddle.”

“The requirement is a serious fracture of the citizens’ inalienable right to ventilate their grievances against poor governance vis-à-vis expenditure of public funds generated from their taxes.”

“The sacrosanct provision of Section 1(2) of the Freedom of Information Act, which has ostracised this disturbing requirement, has, admirably, remedied the harmful mischief appurtenant to it.”

“Clearly, section 1 gives a person the right to access any information from any public institution in Nigeria. SERAP is an organization registered in Nigeria and thus a juristic person. As a juristic person, SERAP need not show any specific interest in the spending details of about $5bn Abacha money to be entitled to the same.”

“I therefore hold that SERAP is entitled to the information on the spending details of about $5bn Abacha money, and need not show any special interest in the information sought.”

“The provision of Section 4 of the Freedom of Information Act is quite clear and mandates that public institutions or public officers such as the Minister of Finance and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice must make available the information requested within 7 days of the request.”

In the letter dated 8 July 2023 sent to President Tinubu on the judgment, and signed by SERAP deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization said, “We urge you to demonstrate your expressed commitment to the rule of law by immediately obeying and respecting the judgment of the Court.”

“By immediately complying with the judgment, your government will be demonstrating to Nigerians that it is different from the Buhari government, which persistently and brazenly defied the country’s judiciary, and sending a powerful message to politicians and others that there will be no impunity for grand corruption.”

“Immediately implementing the judgment will restore trust and confidence in the independence of Nigeria’s judiciary. SERAP urges you to make a clean break with the past and take clear and decisive steps that demonstrate your commitment to the rule of law, transparency, and accountability in the governance processes.”

“SERAP trusts that you will see compliance with this judgment as a central aspect of the rule of law; an essential stepping stone to constructing a basic institutional framework for legality and constitutionality. We, therefore, look forward to your positive response and action on the judgment.”

In Bissau, the capital of Guinea-Bissau, on Sunday afternoon, President Bola Tinubu will attend the 63rd Ordinary session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS alongside 15 other regional leaders.

President of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Embaló, is presiding over the meeting, which got underway a few minutes after noon.

Tinubu joined his counterparts to discuss memoranda on five urgent sub-regional concerns after arriving at the Summit location, which is located directly across from the country’s Presidential Villa.

A Report of the 90th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers on the organization’s financial situation and the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area are among them. Another is a Report of the 50th Ordinary Session of the Mediation and Security Council on the security challenges faced by the member countries.

The Memoranda on the ECOWAS Single Currency Programme, the Report on Obstacles to the Free Movement of Goods on the Abidjan-Lagos corridor, and the Report on the Status of Transition in the Republics of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea are also up for discussion.

The Nigerian president will visit Guinea-Bissau and participate in other activities including bilateral discussions outside of the Summit.

On Monday, President Tinubu is anticipated to return to the nation.

Under the leadership of the Ubeji Youth and Employment Development Organization, a group of youngsters in the Ubeji village in the Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State have taken strong measures against women who engage in indecent attire.

Newsmen learned that members of the youth group had begun to crack down on suspected violators by giving them cane blows or, alternatively, fining them.

The execution of the “War Against Indecent Dressing” campaign among young women in the neighborhood, which started on Monday, July 3, 2023, reportedly generated panic among females in the area.

It was discovered that some of the victims were forced to pay fines as high as N10,000 or endure 40 cane strokes.

Confirming the development, the Secretary of the youth group, Stanley Bomele, told journalists that “the exercise became necessary due to the provocative ways ladies dressed in the community.”

Bomele added, “Most of the girls had gone haywire in the name of fashion with some of them almost going about in nudity, which is irritating and does not tell well of the community”, he said.

While attributing the major cause of assaults and sexual harassment in the area to indecent dressing among young ladies, Bomele warned, “The wearing of miniskirts, bummer shorts or tight (bikers shorts) would no longer be tolerated in the community”.