Eyewitnesses told Blaze Newz that one Afeez Lotto and Akin Owoaga were shot dead by a member of Odua people Congress, who was recruited into Amotekun, Sikiru Apanpa.
Our correspondent gathered that the incident started when youths in the area disagreed on a certain issue, and Lotto had invited the Amotekun personnel to control the situation.
Blaze Newz learnt that when Amotekun personnel arrived at the scene of the incident with their vehicle, Apanpa did not ask questions before he shot at the two.
It was gathered that the two victims died instantly.
While going out of the community, the men of the Amotekun also shot at an old man, Matthew Owolabi, at Ike Olu junction who later reported at Mapo and Babaganku Police Stations.
Following the development, the men of the Nigeria Police Force, Mapo Area Command, Ibadan, arrested Saheed who invited Amotekun to produce the killer of the two victims
Civil society organizations in Osun state Invaded major streets of Osogbo, the state capital protesting against insecurity and bad governance in Nigeria.
The protest, according to the Convener, (Comrade Waheed Lawal), is to sensitize residents of the state to always stand against injustice and maladministration rather than dying in silence.
The protesters took off from the popular Freedom Park at Old Garage and marched through station road where they addressed shop owners around Fagbewesa junction on the need to join the advocacy for better Nigeria.
Comrade Waheed Saka who spoke at the Fagbewesa junction said that despite the human and natural resources the country is endowed with, poor leadership has put the country in the wrong direction leading to untold hardship among the masses
The FCT police command has reacted to information making the rounds that #RevolutionNow convener and former presidential candidate in the 2019 elections, Omoyele Sowore was shot by one of its officers a few hours ago during a protest in the nation’s capital, Abuja.
This was disclosed in a statement by the police public relations officer of the Command ASP Mariam Yusuf.
The police noted that contrary to the speculation, all the officers that were assigned to the location were professional in their conduct as they restored calm at the Unity Fountain after a group of protesters had attempted to incite a public disturbance.
The statement further mentioned that Sowore and his group had gone on a rampage and were resisted by the police officers who acted in a bid to prevent them from causing a breakdown of law and order.
The police spokesperson added that there was no record of any gunshot incident at the unity fountain as at the time of the statement
The command further enjoined FCT resident to go about their normal businesses and be law-
Former Kaduna State lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani has called on Northerners to desist from avenging the murder of Ahmed Gulak who was killed on Sunday in Owerri, Imo State capital.
Gulak, an aide to former President, Goodluck Jonathan was murdered by gunmen while on his way to catch his flight at the Sam Mbakwe Airport.
The former Kaduna senator in a statement on Monday said the murder of Gulak was an attempt to cause an inter-tribal conflict.
He noted that for the Indigenous People of Biafra to have disassociated themselves from the murder, it shows it is pure criminal action.
Sani pleaded with Arewa youths that to avoid a major conflict with the Igbo by not revenging Gulak’s death.
“The cold blood murder of Ahmed Gulak in Owerri stands unreservedly condemned, the statement read.
“The murder has all the elements of some forces trying to trigger an inter-ethnic war between Northerners and the Igbo.
“We must resist that plot. The statement by IPOB dissociating themselves from such despicable and barbaric act and even extending their condolences to the family of the late Gulak should be accepted in good faith.
“The police and other associated security agencies should do a diligent investigation and look beyond hurried finger-pointing. May Allah grant Ahmed Gulak Aljanna Firdausi. Amin.”
About six persons were injured while traders and motorists scampered for safety after a substance suspected to be dynamite exploded at the popular Mile 3 Park in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Monday.
Residents of the area said they heard a loud sound at about 6.20am when traders were bringing in their goods and others opening for business.
The explosion occurred at the dry fish section of the park.
In the confusion that ensued, two persons were severely injured, while scores, mostly women, suffered various degrees of injuries. The injured have been rushed to a nearby hospital.
It could not be immediately ascertained what could have led to the explosion or those behind it.
Our correspondent who visited the area reports that the stretch of shops and businesses on both sides of the streets leading to the market was closed.
When contacted, the spokesman of the state Police Command, Nnamdi Omoni asked our correspondent to send a text message, but he was yet to respond to it at the time of filing this report.
Ex Presidential Candidate, Omoyele Sowore shot be Female Police Officer in Abuja
The founder of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore has reportedly been shot by a female police officer in Abuja. He was reportedly shot at the Unity Fountain in Abuja.
Society gazette gathered that he sustained gunshots injuries and has been rushed to hospital for medical treatment.
The development was confirm by a right lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, who wrote on Twitter that “the criminal officer is said to be an ACP. I watched Sowore being shot live on Facebook.
“This is what Nigeria has been turned into under Buhari. They’ve declared war on the Civic Space.
“The unanimous position of the Nigerian people is the total overhaul of the present constitution. Nothing else will do. A genuine juncture of remedy will be to revisit the report of the 2014 Constitutional Conference which has been generally applauded for the sweeping breadth of its equity and democratic balance in rectifying the prejudicial and unworkable structures that are on the ground now.”
It was our first Prime Minister Alhaji Tafawa Balewa who once observed that the “Nigerian democracy should be an ethnic commonwealth which should give each constituent a fair place under its umbrella even if they have lost at the polls. “
This succinct wisdom long uttered more than sixty years ago is the very pivot of the present agitation for a more equitable union.
However, the present shadow boxing in the name of constitution review will not meet Balewa’s standard.
And thus, when the Senate Constitutional Review Committee berthed in Lagos the other day, it was without any inkling of democratic seriousness, totally devoid of any sense of fairness, indifferent to the equitable pursuit of justice.
The Lagos public hearing of the constitutional review committee was wrong footed ab initio. There was nothing genuine or sincere about the mode of presentation. There was no attempt to widen the pool of contributions or give the public hearing any semblance of popular input.
The Chairperson of the Lagos hearing, Senator Remi Tinubu, typified the narrow, restrictive nature of the Committee. She was overbearing, uppity, vain, even truculent in her engagement with contributors.
Many people were deliberately denied the openness of democratic contributions. The hearing was stage-managed, anchored in prejudice, framed in puppeteering identification. Alternative views were cast aside, flung into the pits . This is not right . This is not just.
It is obvious that the Committee is not interested in true and thorough representation of the will of the Nigerian people. It appears to be working with a script towards a predetermined end. The contributions were narrow, overtly partisan, one-sided, lacking in plural contributory logic.
This is not acceptable to the Nigerian people. The structures of the present constitution is so biased, so flawed and so mangled with inequities that a mere review will not be sufficient to correct all the glaring wrongs afflicting the Nigerian state.
The unanimous position of the Nigerian people is the total overhaul of the present constitution. Nothing else will do. A genuine juncture of remedy will be to revisit the report of the 2014 Constitutional Conference which has been generally applauded for the sweeping breadth of its equity and democratic balance in rectifying the prejudicial and unworkable structures that are on the ground now.
As a stakeholder in the Nigerian project and as someone who is sworn to the unity of the Nigerian state, I believe that our nation can emerge stronger and better only when all the component units that make up our nation have a sense of belongingness and general accommodation regardless of tribe or sectarian belief, when everyone is treated equally without ethnic bias, when merit is the sole determinant of public positions. This can only be achieved with a people’s constitution. This is indeed what we should work for rather than the charade and the present jamboree that is chaired by Senator Ovie Omo – Agege.
Enough of this false and misleading engagement. Let’s renew our nation through the pursuit of the truth and the resolve on the fairness doctrine. Their-in resides the national salvation.
It is only fit and proper that I should conclude this intervention with another nugget of wisdom from our first Prime Minister, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa when he observed :
“If crooks are allowed to determine the destiny of the people, the people will suffer indefinitely. “
⁃ Chief Olabode George, CON
⁃ Atona Odua of Yorubaland
Fidelity Bank remains committed to putting smiles on its customers’ faces by enriching their lives through its ongoing savings loyalty program. To mark this year’s Children’s Day, the bank doled out N150, 000 to 62 Sweet Account (SWEETA) holders across the country, a whopping total of N9.3 million. As part of its efforts to deepen customer engagement, the bank readjusted its approach with respect to the loyalty scheme.
Under the auspices of the loyalty scheme, the bank presented cheques to the beneficiaries of the loyalty scheme at various children’s events organised by Bounty Kiddies Bites & Event, Katsina; Zeelove Event Management; Pamvilla Primary & Secondary School; Refiner School; Ilupeju Junior & Senior Secondary School; Orphanage Home, IDP camp throughout Katsina, Niger, Abuja, Lagos, and so on.
Commenting on this initiative, Fidelity Bank CEO, Mrs. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe pointed out that all round quality education remains a strong anchor in raising tomorrow’s children and breeding exceptional children who can compete globally. “This is why we have decided to contribute our quota as a bank by offering school fees support to select Nigerian children.
Mrs. Onyeali-Ikpe urged well-meaning Nigerians and corporate entities operating in the country to continue to support positive causes that would ensure a secure future for children. In the same vein, Richard Madiebo, Head of Product Development, encouraged prospective and existing customers to open SWEETA accounts for their children and wards to participate in this initiative.
It is worthy to note that the bank has given out N4.1bn to 10,280 customers (7,367 FPSS & 2,913 SWEETA) from the inception of the loyalty scheme to date. In keeping to its promise of rewarding N500,000 “extra income” and N150,000 “School Fees Support” to all active FPSS and SWEETA holders every quarter, the bank conducted random electronic selection of the loyalty beneficiaries across Regional banks/branches for quarter ended March 31, 2021.
During the week, the bank conducted a virtual cluster loyalty selection for Fr. Hillary Group of St. Peters Catholic Church, Awka, and Mrs. Ngozi Cynthia was the recipient of N500, 000 in “extra income.”
The Head, Agency Banking, Ecobank Nigeria, Olanike Kolawole has said there are many inherent rewards and benefits of being an agency banking partner, also known as Xpress Point agent of the bank. Kolawole, who was speaking on the bank’s ongoing mouthwatering gifts presentation to its Xpress Point agents across the six geo-political zones of the country for their increased transactions on the bank’s platforms, stated that apart from helping to drive Ecobank’s financial inclusion strategy in Nigeria, the agents were being empowered to create wealth and enjoy financial freedom.
She disclosed that the bank currently parades 30,000 agent locations across the country, stressing that the agency banking scheme is driving entrepreneurship, providing employment opportunities and supporting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
“We are happy with our Xpress Point agents, knowing they are playing a crucial role in helping us reach out to the unbanked and underbanked in the society. That is why we have designed a reward system for them. They are bringing more people to the banking space through their services. They carry out financial transactions on our behalf and earn commission on every transaction processed. The customer experience is very good as customers can do simple deposit, payment, and transfers in their own neighbourhood rather than travel for hours to a bank branch. The Xpress Point is also a channel that is being used for the deployment of national social intervention programmes of the government,” she said.
Further, Kolawole listed the services offered by the Xpress point agents as: cash in, cash out, fund transfer, bills payment, airtime recharge, remittances and account opening, among others. She added that the services are available for MSMEs, sole proprietors, partnerships, co-operative societies, microfinance banks, companies with large distribution network – like petrol stations, FMCGs, telecommunication companies, super agents, aggregators and unregistered businesses such as petty traders, hair saloon and others.
She enjoined the youths and owners of small businesses (both men and women) to use this initiative to expand their revenue streams while offering this value-added service to customers. “Are you looking for a business opportunity? Do you have a business and need an easy way to earn extra income? Xpress Point is the way. Become an Ecobank Xpress Point Agent today and enjoy financial liberty. Xpress Points are Ecobank approved agent locations that bring easy banking services closer to your neighborhood. Ecobank Xpress Point Agents offers simple banking services to solve your financial needs without you having to visit the bank.”
Ecobank boasts of a bouquet of digital channels comprising solutions aimed at delivering convenient, accessible and reliable financial services. The USSD platform, *326#, makes it possible to open an Xpress account and Xpress Save account instantly. The bank’s mobile banking app, Ecobank Mobile offers the option of generating a virtual card among other functions; this comes in handy as customers are continually turning to web payments for their shopping. The Ecobank virtual card offers the flexibility and convenience of creating a shopping card that is not linked to a customer’s account but is fully capable of carrying out online payments. The virtual card can also be shared with loved ones as a gift card for their own shopping.
A famous human right activist popularly known as Onuigbo has reportedly said that Igbos are creating a monster in Nnamdi Kanu.
This statement that was made by ij Onuigbo has been generating different reaction on the internet.
According to a recent report that was made by Sahara reporters, ij Onuigbo said Nnamdi Kanu has turned into a terrorist and he is shedding the blood of Igbo youths.
More reports from Sahara reporters also made it known that ij Onuigbo said that it is illegal, and wrong for Nnamdi Kanu to order closure of schools, airports, markets, and asked people to only go to church gatherings and march back to their homes or be killed if found otherwise on the streets.
