Alao-Akala, a former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, is dead. Details of his death are sketchy but sources close to the politician confirmed it…
The politician, who had been battling terminal ailment for a while, died in his Ogbomoso country home, on Wednesday morning, according to sources.
A top source in the All Progressives Congress (APC) who confirmed his death to Daily Trust on Wednesday morning, said he died in his room.
“It is true that Oga is dead. He died in the early hours of Wednesday in his room in Ogbomoso. He was full of life last night. In fact, I head he was playing with his children before he went to bed. We are in a mourning mood now,” he said.
Akala was the governor of the state between 2007 and 2011.
Born on June 3, 1950, at Ogbomoso in the Ogbomoso North Local Government Area of Oyo State, Alao-Akala had his elementary school at Osupa Baptist Day School, Ogbomoso before proceeding to Kamina Barracks Middle School, 5th Battalion of Infantry in Tamale, Ghana.
This is the third known death of a prominent Ogbomosho native in a month.
On December 12, 2021, Oba Oladunni Oyewumi, the Soun of Ogbomoso, passed on.
On January 8, 2022, Prof Taibat Danmole, his daughter who was a lecturer at the Lagos State University (LASU), also died.
The deceased, who was a professor of education was married to another university don, Prof. Hakeem Danmole, who is the Dean College of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a Dubai-based internet celebrity, Ismailia Mustapha, aka Mompha and his firm, Ismalob Global Investment Limited for alleged money laundering to the tune of over N6billion.
The agency arraigned Mompha and Ismalob before Justice Mojisola Dada of an Ikeja Special Offences Court on eight counts bordering on the offences.
The defendants were accused of conspiracy to launder funds obtained through unlawful activity, retention of such funds, transfer of funds for a suspect Olayinka Jimoh a.k.a Nappy Boy, and unlawful transfer of funds for a record label, among others.
The sums named in the charge seen by The Nation are N5,998,884.653.18, N32million, N120million and N15,960,000, totalling over N6billion.
The EFCC also alleged that Mompha concealed his interest in expensive wristwatches and other movable assets valued at over N70million.
Mompha pleaded “Not guilty” to the eight counts while Islamob Limited (represented by Mompha) was named in and pleaded “not guilty” to the first six counts.
Mompha is also standing trial at the Federal High Court in Lagos alongside Ismalob Global Investment Limited on an amended 22-count charge bordering on cyberfraud and money laundering to the tune of N32.9bn brought against him by the EFCC.
Operatives of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) on Monday stormed the head office of Peoples Gazette in Abuja, demanding to see the online newspaper’s managing editor, a reporter and bearing a letter that threatened “other options” should the journalists fail to cooperate with stipulation for the source of a confidential memo that was published in December.
The Gazette had obtained — and published in a series of three articles — a memo that spy chiefs at the foreign intelligence office had written to President Muhammadu Buhari, warning him against retaining Rufai Abubakar as the director-general on the grounds that he lacked intellectual and physiological rigour for the position.
On Monday, nearly three weeks after the articles, four officers arrived in a white Toyota Hilux truck shortly after 1:00 p.m., intimidated security personnel at the gate and forced their way into our offices on the second floor.
The agents from the nation’s external security service then demanded to see The Gazette’s Managing Editor Samuel Ogundipe and reporter Hillary Essien. One of the officers, who adorned a cream kaftan with a matching cap, gave a letter to The Gazette’s front desk staff. Pages of the letter were subsequently scanned and transmitted to The Gazette’s lawyers in Lagos.
The officers left after they realised that Mr Ogundipe and Ms Essien were not at the office, but indicated in their letter that they will make additional efforts to realise the agency’s mission.
The three-page letter described the content of the memo written to the president by the directors as being “full of falsehood,” adding that “it is even worse that Peoples Gazette did not deem it necessary to validate the allegations in such a letter with the other party before running to press.”
The NIA, in the letter signed for the DG by Amstrong Machunga, asked The Gazette to reveal the identities of the officers responsible for the memo and its disclosure.
“It should be on the record that the NIA, as a Secret Service, is sensitive to undue publicity, but not shy of accountability and ready to engage on any issue of concern with responsible media outlets. The malicious publication under reference falls in the category of undue publicity and is most unwelcome.
“Peoples Gazette, therefore, has to come clean not the falsehood it published and prove that it is not working for people with ulterior negative motives against the NIA, by forwarding to us a copy of the letter from which the publication emanated and identify signatories to the purported letter.
“This could set the stage for engagement and resolution of the damage that has been caused to the image of the Director General of the NIA and the organisation. Failure to take advantage of this opportunity may lead to activation of other options to seek redress,” the letter, dated December 23, 2021, but delivered today, said.
The Gazette made efforts to obtain comments from the NIA prior to running the articles but received no response. However, presidential spokesman Garba Shehu acknowledged the letter and said the president had addressed the concerns raised by the directors.
The Gazette stands by its story and urged Mr Abubakar and the NIA management to focus on addressing the protests of the officers who wrote the letters rather than deploying resources towards unearthing their identities.
“The NIA directors recognised the risks involved when they pushed that confidential memo to the president,” Mr Ogundipe said. “Our newspaper will not take part in breaking that confidentiality.”
“Mr Abubakar should clear the air on whether or not he failed promotional exams on three different occasions, as well as the allegations of corruption and nepotism we saw in the memo,” the Managing Editor added.
Chidi Odinkalu, a constitutional law expert and former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, said the NIA had breached the Nigerian Constitution by sending its agents to The Gazette’s office in the manner it did.
“The NIA acted unlawfully,” Mr Odinkalu said by telephone on Monday afternoon. “If they have anything, they should collaborate with the State Security Service or the Nigeria Police Force who have the responsibility of internal security operations and law enforcement, respectively.”
Mr Odinkalu said the NIA’s move against The Gazette underscored the growing threats to journalism practice under the Buhari regime. It came a year after the regime blocked The Gazette’s website in Nigeria after a report exposed the dwindling capacity incompetence of the president’s chief of staff Ibrahim Gambari.
The All Progressive Congress, APC, Abia State chapter, has accused some party leaders of working for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, government in the state.
The Publicity Secretary of the party in Abia State, Chief Okey Ezeala, revealed this in Umuahia, while reacting to attacks on the personality of the state leader of the party, Chief Ikechi Emenike.
Ezeala said Emenike was being attacked because the APC was able to dislodge the PDP from it’s strongholds during the 2021 APC Ward, LGA and state congresses.
According to the party’s publicity secretary: “The truth is that some former officers and even elders of the APC in Abia State were working for the PDP government in the state as if the APC in Abia State is a parastatal of the Abia State Government.
He said,”Many APC elders and former officers are still neck deep in working for the PDP government in the state as could be seen in various ceremonies.
“And the Abia State Government honoured some APC members holding federal government positions.
“All these scenarios are glaring. The APC both at national and Abia State levels organised the party Congresses last year and elected officers at the Wards, LGAs and State levels, who are known non-members and non-supporters of the PDP Government of Abia State.
“These ruffling of feathers engendering anonymous write ups against Chief Ikechi Emenike are direct consequences of dislodging PDP stranglehold of APC in Abia State during 2021 Congresses.
“It was the vast majority of APC delegates who rejected these notorious politicians and their proxies in the last 2021 State Congresses, not the State Leader, Chief Ikechi Emenike, who voted like everyone else.
“There is freedom of association, whereby persons can join any political party of their choice.
“But to do so through maligning a leader of Chief Ikechi Emenike’s standing is, to say the least, irresponsible.”
Rave singer, Portable and his former promoter, Kogbagidi, have taken to social media to throw subtle shade at each other after a public fallout.
Kogbagidi took to his Instagram page to share a post that most followers believed was directed at Portable.
He wrote: “ Don’t wrestle with a pig in the mud, you will both get dirty but the pig likes it. If you are born in the mud you are gonna be dirty and people don’t understand that. Not only do we live among stars, not only do we make stars, stars live within us.”
Two hours after Kogbagidi’s post, Portable shared a subtle response: “Thank God say man no be God. Level don change, portable Omolalomi I’m a big man.”
The Zazu singer was seen at rapper Phyno’s house recently with other stars including Timaya, Peruzzi, Jude ‘Engees’ Okoye, Danku and a host of others.
Last week, a viral video hit the internet with Portable seen in a heated argument with his former boss.
In the video, Portable was seen verbally attacking Kogbagidi as he accused him of ripping him off.
He also alleged that Kogbagidi made a lot of money off him but never gave him his deserved share.
The two have since reportedly parted ways and unfollowed each other on social media.
The building housing Salvation Ministry, Okpanam, Oshimili North Local Government Area, Delta State, has collapsed, trapping unspecified number of worshippers with over
10 deaths recorded.
The building, which is being used for the first time, reportedly collapsed at about 5:55p.m. during Tuesday’s evening service.
Vanguard reports that about eight persons have been rescued unhurt, while four persons have been rushed to the Asaba Specialist Hospital.
At the time of filing this report, Secretary to the State Government, Chief Patrick Ukah; the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Ononye Mordi, team of Red Cross officers, and fire fighters were on ground on a rescue mission.
With rescue operations ongoing, worshippers, family members and sympathisers were seen crying.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has suffered a terrible business blow in the hands of the federal government led by President Muhammadu Buhari.
This is as the President has terminated the contract won by Integrated Logistics Services (Intels) to carry out the restoration of the boat pilotage for the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
Naija News reports that Intels, which is partly owned by Abubakar and an Italian national, Gabriele Volpi, won the pilotage contract in January 2021.
According to ThisDay, President Buhari cancelled the contract following legal advice from the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN).
The newspaper added that the Director-General, Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), and Acting Director-General, Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission (ICRC) also advised the president on the matter.
In a letter dated January 7, 2022, and signed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari, President Buhari directed the termination of Intels contract with the NPA.
Buhari’s letter addressed to Malami and the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, directed that the procurement process initiated by NPA be forwarded immediately to the BPP for action within 60 days to avoid further loss of revenue.
The President added that the Ministry of Transportation should present a memorandum on the procurement process to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for consideration.
He, however, directed the NPA to ensure that the sanctity of the agreements with respect to Onne 4 (Berths 9, 10 & 11) be maintained, as there is no subsisting contract with Intels for their utilisation.
Electronics, Home Appliances Store, CASH ‘N’ CARRY Berths at Ikorodu
Following the difficulties residents around Ikorodu axis of Lagos may have been going through in accessing and purchasing electronics and home appliances of their choice, this kind of frustration may have become history as number one electronic and home appliances store, CASH ‘N’ CARRY, has just opened an outlet in Ikorodu to ease the difficulties being faced in that axis.
The new store, a place where one can get quality of all brands of electronics and home appliances at best prices and best after sale, is situated at 73, Ayangburen road, Ikorodu.
Below is a snippet of goods that can be found at the store.
The Federal Government has reacted to viral reports claiming the nation’s National Identity Management Commission, NIMC server was hacked.
Naija News reports that a cyber-tech who identified himself simply as Sam, on Monday claimed in an article that he hacked into the nation’s NIMC server and stole over three million National Identification Number, NIN of Nigerians.
Sam’s claim has stirred a barrage of reactions among Nigerians on social media, as many berated the nation’s cyber security system.
The hacker had boasted in his post on infosecwriteups.com, that he got access to ‘juice’ on the Nigerian Government agency’s server and that he could go ahead to do whatever he desired with the sensitive data at his disposal.
Reacting, however, in a statement on Tuesday, the NIMC authority said its servers were not hacked but are fully optimised at the highest international security levels.
According to the Director-General of NIMC, Engr. Aliyu Aziz, the organization has built a robust and credible system for Nigeria’s identity database, therefore it couldn’t be possible for some hackers to have access to details of citizens.
Naija News understands that the official statement quoted Aziz as saying that the commission, as the custodian of the foundational identity database for Africa’s most populous nation, has gone to great lengths to ensure the nation’s database is adequately secured and protected especially given the spate of cyber-attacks on networks across the world.
The statement read partly: “Over the years, through painstaking efforts, NIMC has built a robust and credible system for Nigeria’s identity database. The Commission and its infrastructure are certified to the ISO 27001:2013 Information Security Management System Standard which are revalidated annually”.
The statement signed by NIMC’s head of corporate communications, Kayode Adegoke, explained that the possession of an individual’s NIN slip does not amount to access to the National Identity Database.
According to Aziz, NIMC had ensured maximum security of its systems and database because of the critical nature of the identity data which the Commission collects, manages and maintains as critical assets for the country.
The Commission assured the public that it will continue to uphold the highest ethical standards in data security on behalf of the Federal Government and ensure compliance with data protection and privacy regulations.
The NIMC Director-General explained that the Commission does not use nor store information on the AWS cloud platform or any public cloud despite the usefulness of the NIMC Mobile App available to the public for accessing their NIN on the go.
It noted that the NIMC MobileID application has no database within the app, nor does it store information in flat files.
The Commission has made this app available to the public to reduce and eliminate any delay or challenge(s) in accessing one’s NIN.
The statement added: “The public should be aware that the possession of a NIN slip does not amount to access to the National Identity Database, but that the NIN slip is just a physical assertion of a person’s identity. Under the data protection regulations, no licensed partner/vendor is authorized to scan and store copies of individuals NIN slips but rather authenticate the NIN using the approved and authorized verification platforms/channels provided.
“As part of its policies to protect personally identifiable information stored in the National Identity Database, the public may recall that the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy through NIMC launched the Tokenization features of the NIN verification service. This solution is to safeguard the personal data of individuals and ensure continuous user rights and privacy.”
The commission commended the concerted efforts of several Federal Government agencies such as Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nigeria Immigration Services, Pension Commission (PenCom), the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Correctional Service, the Nigeria Customs, and a host of others, who have streamlined their services in line with the use of National Identification Number (NIN) as the valid means of identification.
