A 25-year-old housewife, Sadiyya Idris and her 4-year-old daughter have been brutally murdered by unknown gunmen in Labarana rice mills area in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State capital.
The father of the deceased, Malam Idrisa said he was informed of his daughter’s passing around 5am on Monday morning.
Idrisa told the deputy governor of Kebbi state, Colonel Samaila Yombe (rtd) and Wazirin Gwandu Abdullahi Umar, who paid condolence visit, that the assailants broke into his daughter’s matrimonial home and carried out the dire act.
He said, “When I and my relatives came we saw our daughter and our granddaughter in a pool of blood, lifeless, nothing was missing and no traces of the murderers, we want justice for our gruesomely murdered daughter he told government officials who visited on behalf of Kebbi governor”.
Sister to the deceased told Vanguard that the deceased husband who is a tailor left their home around 1am for his shop and his wife was killed around 4 am with a machete.
She said that Sadiyya also had a 3-month-old daughter who was breastfeeding.
The husband, Hakilu Muhammad is currently undergoing treatment at the Sir Yahya memorial hospital as he collapsed from shock after hearing the news of his wife and daughter murder.
However the State Police Spokesman, SP Nafiu Abubakar, could not be reached when contacted by the publication.
A Competition and Consumer Protection (CCP) tribunal sitting in Abuja has directed MultiChoice Nigeria Limited to maintain the status quo on its subscription packages, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive matter.
Multichoice is the owner of the satellite television services, DStv and Gotv — popular subscription-based platforms in Nigeria.
A three-member tribunal, presided over by Thomas Okosun, gave the order on Monday
following an oral application for adjournment moved by Jamiu Agoro, counsel for the firm, to enable him to respond to counter-affidavit and written address, including the contempt charge, filed against his client.
Agoro also said he had filed an application challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal to hear the matter.
Festus Onifade, a legal practitioner, had sued the company on behalf of himself and the coalition of Nigerian consumers.
While MultiChoice Nigeria Limited is the first defendant, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) is the second respondent.
Onifade had prayed the tribunal for an order, restraining the firm from increasing subscription for its services and other products on April 1, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice dated and filed on March 30.
The tribunal had granted the ex-parte motion, directing parties to maintain “status quo antebellum” (to maintain the situation as it existed before).
But on Monday, Onfade said he had filed a written address and contempt proceedings against John Ugbe, managing director of MultiChoice, and the company’s directors for them to show cause why they should not be committed to prison for alleged disregard of the panel’s order made on March 30.
Checks by TheCable showed that the prices of DStv, GOtv packages have been increased to the new rates announced by the company.
When asked about disobeying the court’s order, Agoro said, “As much as the questions which the tribunal has posed, the issue has been where there is an order of the court and an aggrieved party who had either applied to set aside that order or had exercised its rights of appeal against that order, such party cannot be held to be in contempt of that order.”
He cited previous cases to back his arguments.
“So on that basis, as contained in this authorities and avalanche of others, we submit that we are not in contempt of order of this honourable tribunal,” he said.
He said in view of his application challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal, “this court is to first inquire whether it has the jurisdiction to determine the application”.
Onifade said the matter was slated for the hearing of the motion on notice, seeking a perpetual restraining order against the firm pending the determination of the suit.
He said he also filed a counter-affidavit against a motion filed by the company challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal to hear their application.
In a short ruling, Okosun ordered that the status quo be maintained antebellum, pending the hearing and determination of the matter.
“Having listened to arguments of counsel to parties and upon the argument of counsel to 1st defendant and 2nd defendant for adjournment to enable them file their processes, this matter shall be adjourned,” Okosun said.
“Therefore, an order of March 30 still subsists and parties shall maintain status quo antebellum.”
At least one inmate died, while 12 others were injured, during a fight that snowballed into an attempted jailbreak at the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre on Monday.
It was gathered that two inmates were engaged in a fight, which led to the death of one of them, even as a protest ensued amongst other inmates.
The situation spiraled as many inmates tried to scale the facility’s high walls, but were repelled by a combined team of security operatives who shot outside the fence, with 12 of them sustaining serious injuries.
Three persons have been reportedly killed as armed members the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) unleashed mayhem in Fagba area of Lagos State on Monday morning.
Recall that the Lagos State Chairman of the Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria (TOOAN), Alhaji Azeez Abiola, popularly known as Istijabah had earlier alerted security operatives of an imminent danger in the state.
Istijabah had been involved in a leadership tussle since the start of the year, with Musiliu Akinsanya, aka MC Oluomo, the suspended Lagos State Chairman of the NURTW.
Istijabah’s TOOAN is a sub-component of NURTW in Lagos State. While MC Oluomo wants to have total control of TOOAN, Istijabah and his followers feel they should have their autonomy.
Speaking with Vanguard in a telephone conversation, Istijabah said the body language of some people suggests plans to launch an attack in some parts of Lagos this week.
His fears have now been confirmed as reports reaching this newspaper indicates that people have been killed by NURTW thugs on Monday morning. A tricycle was also burnt.
Police officers have arrived the scene, and have kept the situation under control.
Operatives of the Federal Capital Territory Police Command have arrested Peter Nwachukwu, husband of the deceased gospel singer, Osinachi Nwachukwu.
The Command Spokespersons, DSP Josephine Udeh had confirmed his arrest in a phone conversation with THE WHISTLER on Sunday.
The mother of four children and indigene of Abia State reportedly died on Friday at an Abuja hospital after alleged domestic violence by her husband, Nwachukwu.
Udeh while confirming the situation, said Nwachukwu was arrested on Sunday after the younger brother to the deceased reported a case of “culpable homicide against one Mr Peter Nwachukwu who is a husband to the deceased.”
She added, “We picked him up and he is in our custody, Investigation is ongoing.”
Nwachukwu’s arrest came after the reports of his spouse’s death unravelled the situation of her marital situation that eventually led to her death.
Contrary to previous claims that the soul-driven singer had died due to throat cancer, many acquaintances, colleagues, neighbours and friends of the late singer had disclosed how high-handed Nwachukwu was in his marriage with Osinachi.
Many alleged that Nwachukwu was fond of physically abusing her while gagging her ministerial exploits. He had allegedly appointed himself manager over her art and proceeds.
The elder sister of the deceased, Favour Made in an interview said, “She did not die of cancer, The husband Mr Peter Nwachukwu hit her with his leg on the chest. All this while he had been beating her but my sister hid all that she was passing through from us.
“Before now, we told her to come out of the marriage, we told her that they are not divorcing, that it’s just separation. But she felt that God is against divorce.”
NDLEA Intercepts Cocaine In Children Duvets, Seizes Drugged Milo Beverage
No less than 101 parcels of Cocaine concealed in eight children duvets have been intercepted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos.
According to a signed statement by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA Director, Media & Advocacy and made available to the National Association of Online Security Reporters, NAOSRE, the illicit drug was brought into the country by a 52-year-old Brazilian returnee, Akudirinwa Hilary Uchenna who hails from Oru East Local Government area of Imo state.
He was arrested on Saturday 9th April at the D-Arrival Hall of the Lagos airport upon his return from Sao Paulo, Brazil via Doha aboard Qatar Airline flight, while the 101 parcels of the class A drug with a gross weight of 13.2 kilogram were recovered from his only check-in bag.
During preliminary interview, Uchenna who claimed to be a carpenter confessed that he was to be paid N5million for trafficking the drug after successfully delivering the consignment in Lagos.
In a related development, big pellets of skunk concealed in detergent containers have been intercepted at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, AIIA, Enugu. A 37-year-old South African returnee, Ezekwesili Afamefune brought in the consignment weighing 730grams aboard Ethiopian Airline flight from Johannesburg, South Africa via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Ezekwesili is from Awka south local government area of Anambra state.
In Edo state, a 24-year-old drug dealer Christian John was arrested by NDLEA operatives in Egbeta, Ovia North East LGA for selling assorted illicit drugs which include sachets of drugged Milo beverage, cannabis sativa, swinol and tramadol tablets, while in Zamfara state, one Chibuzor Uba, 30, was arrested on Friday 8th April with 1,955 ampules of pentazocine at Kaura Namoda area of Zamfara state.
A cross-border drug trafficker, Stanley Chibuzor, 21, was on Friday 8th April arrested by officers of the Marine Unit of NDLEA stationed at Oron beach, Oron, Akwa Ibom state. The suspect who hails from Ihiala, Anambra state was nabbed with 11,190 tablets of Tramadol during the outward clearance of passengers traveling to Cameroon.
In Ondo state, a drug dealer who produces and sells skuchies, Oluwaseun Agboola, 25, was arrested on Thursday 7th April, at his Igoba, Second Gate, Akure residence where 73 bottles of skuchies weighing 77kg stocked in his kitchen were recovered. Skuchies are usually a mixture of Tramadol, Cannabis sativa, Codeine, Black Currant (popularly called Zobo) and water.
In Lagos, an early morning raid in the notorious Akala, Mushin area of the state on Saturday 9th April led to the seizure of 746.25 kilograms of cannabis.
While commending officers and men of the MMIA, AIIA, Edo, Zamfara, Akwa Ibom, Lagos and Ondo state Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) charged them and their colleagues across the country to remain focussed and abstain from acts capable of compromising or jeopardising the collective goal of ridding Nigeria of drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that subscribers whose SIM cards have been barred from making outgoing calls will not be unblocked by telcos if such cards are not linked with the National Identification Numbers (NINs).
The regulator revealed the condition in a statement where it said network service providers have been directed to strictly comply.
The NCC said, “This information has become necessary in view of a viral web link (https://bit.ly/NCC-Sim-Unbar-Gov-Ng) being circulated on social media and on some websites.
“The link and accompanying narrative represent patent misinformation and disinformation certainly designed to mislead the general public about the SIM cards that are barred from making calls, due to non-linkage with NIN at the set deadline.”
Networks service providers on March 4, 2022 barred over 73 million SIM cards that were not linked to a NIN from making outgoing calls following the Federal Government directive.
The FG had directed subscribers to link their SIMs to their NIN back in December 2020 with several deadlines. The final deadline was March 31, 2021.
But subscribers whose lines have been blocked are seeking solution from several sources, both unapproved.
“The misleading, viral message mischievously displays NCC logo and ostensibly promises members of the public that, by clicking the web link and following further instructions in that regard, subscribers with barred SIM cards can unbar such SIMs across mobile networks without a valid NIN.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the NCC wishes to state categorically that it never issued such statement, directing subscribers or indicating that subscribers can unbar their SIM without a NIN. As such, the originators and peddlers of the spurious message were out to mischievously mislead unsuspecting members of public. Therefore, their message should be disregarded.
“The NCC is the national regulatory authority for telecommunications in Nigeria, and it is co-driving the process of the NIN-SIM linkage with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) as directed by the Federal Government.
“The Commission will not, under any circumstance, act contrary to Federal Government’s directive to MNOs to bar SIMs cards not linked to NINs at the expiration of the last deadline given for the NIN-SIM linkage exercise.
“Having disclaimed the false viral message, the Commission wishes to officially inform affected telecom subscribers on how they can get their SIMs actively connected to make calls.
“First, for subscribers that have not registered for their NIN, what to do is to get their SIM registered at accredited centres across the country and then link the NIN with their SIM cards through channels provided by their service providers.
“Secondly, for subscribers with registered NINs, what to do is to simply go and link the NIN with their SIMs through channels provided by their service providers.
“The NCC, therefore, uses this opportunity to reiterate its commitment to the Federal Government’s directive on the NIN-SIM Linkage to among others, strengthen security situation in the country, assist in other socio-economic planning activities of the government, as well as to always advance the course of consumer protection from falling victim to the antics of cyber fraudsters.”
Meanwhile, the commision also denied conducting any form of recruitment .
It said the advertisement indicating there is ongoing recruitment at NCC, circulating on Twitter and through polymediation, may have been diffused to other social media networks, is a scam and should be disregarded.
” NCC wishes to also inform the general public that it is not recruiting at the moment.”
Serving Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church (CGCC) formerly Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has joined the list of aspirants vying for the presidency in 2023.
Bakare declared this at a virtual meeting on Saturday.
“I have a vision of a New Nigeria that was birthed in me from childhood and an honest aspiration to serve as the 16th president of my beloved nation, Nigeria,” he said.
The declaration is coming about six months after President Muhammadu Buhari received Bakare at the villa where his former running mate confided in him on his next political move.
The Coalition of Southern and Middle Belt Youth Leaders Assembly, COSMBYLA, has asked the Federal Government to immediately direct the network providers to unbar Nigerians who are blocked for failing to link their lines with National Identification Number, NIN.
DAILY POST recalls that about 72 million Nigerians have been barred from making calls following a directive by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Dr. Isa Ali Pantami.
Reacting, COSMBYLA condemned the development, saying several Nigerians have been denied access to their businesses.
A statement by the President General of the coalition, Goodluck Ibem alleged that some officials of the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC responsible for generating NIN are extorting some network subscribers who want to reinstate their line
The groups also demanded the immediate resignation of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami and the Chief Executive Officer of the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, Aliyu Azeez Abubakar over the alleged plan to cut some Nigerians off from their various livelihood.
The statement reads in part, “Nigerians who depended on phone calls to feed their families can no longer do so because their lines have been barred from making outgoing calls.
The long queue in NIN registration centres makes it very difficult for Nigerians to get registered, resorting to demands of a bribe by the NIMC officials.
Now that the telecommunication companies have barred outgoing calls of all unlinked lines, these NIMC officials will use it as an ample opportunity to increase the extortion rate.
It is so unfortunate that such a high-level fraud will be going on and the FG will look the other way as if nothing is happening, this tells of complicity on the part of the Federal government.
“We demand that the phone lines of Nigerians be unbarred immediately, NIMC Officials should stop extorting Nigerians”.
A former presidential media aide during the tenure of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri has mocked the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi for declaring interest in the 2023 Presidency.
It will be recalled that Amaechi on Saturday, officially joined the 2023 presidential race after declaring interest to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.
Reacting to the declaration, Omokri via his Twitter handle said Amaechi would not even win in Rivers State.
He charged the Minister to rather channel his energy towards the rescue of the kidnap victims from the recent Abuja-Kaduna train attack by terrorists.
He tweeted: “See the man who is suppose to be in charge of rescuing the over 100 Nigerians abducted by terrorists during last week’s Abuja-Kaduna train bombing!
“Even in Rivers, Amaechi will lose, because when you sell your brother to outsiders, even your buyer won’t trust you.”
Meanwhile, Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello has expressed confidence that he would emerge as the flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2023 presidential election.
Speaking on Saturday, Bello said he is sure of defeating the likes of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and other aspirants seeking to clinch the APC presidential ticket for 2023.
Naija News reports Governor Bello who is also a presidential aspirant expressed the confidence while answering questions at the second GYB annual seminar for political and crime correspondents and editors.
Specifically, he stated that he is not afraid of Tinubu or any other aspirant, boasting that he would defeat them all at the APC presidential primaries and go ahead to win the 2023 presidential election.
The Governor added that he has not less than 16 million ready votes from Nigerians and he is sure of becoming a champion.
