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What Boko Haram told me during our meeting – Obasano reveals

Former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed what the Boko Haram terrorists told him during a meeting he had with them in 2011.
Obasanjo who spoke on Monday at the 2022 Murtala Muhammed Foundation (MMF) annual lecture said he held a private meeting with the Boko Haram group in Maiduguri, Borno State in 2011.

According to him, the group lamented frequent attacks from government military forces and wanted legitimate jobs for their members while being allowed to practice Sharia.

He said at that time, the terrorists didn’t have much exposure to the outside world neither did they have connections to other international terrorist organizations.

Chief Obasanjo however lamented that as things stand now, a lot has changed, and with Nigeria having 15 million out-of-school children, they may be ready materials to join the now exposed and much sophisticated and attacking Boko Haram terrorists except urgent action is taken to solve the challenge.

Speaking virtually on the topic “Beyond Boko Haram: Addressing Insurgency, Banditry and Kidnapping across Nigeria,” Obasanjo who is the chairman Board of Trustees of the Muritala foundation said it’s not too late to avoid future problems by getting the children back in schools.

“I believe it is not too late to start and say to ourselves ‘we do not want the Boko Haram of 2030 or 2035″, he was quoted as saying.

“But if we don’t do anything about those 15 million out-of-school children, we are already in more trouble with Boko Haram of the future.

“We, the society, must be willing to give them education and employment or they extract it from the society unwillingly,” Obasanjo added.

Recalling his encounter with the Boko Haram group back in 2011, Obasanjo said: “What I feared at that time seems to have been happening because in 2011, Boko Haram had not much of external connection.

“My fear was: could we be able to get them away from Al-Qaeda and other international terror organizations? We seem not to have been able to do that.

“Today, Boko Haram and those who have come to work with them are making the matter much worse than it was 11 years ago,” he asserted.

JUST IN: Abba Kyari demands N500 million from NDLEA over ‘Unjust Detention’

Embattled Police Chief, Abba Kyari has demanded N500 million as compensation from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA over his ‘Unjust arrest and Detention’.

It was earlier reported that Kyari was arrested last week by the police after he was declared wanted by the agency. The Deputy Commissioner of Police was caught bribing an NDLEA agent with $61,000 to facilitate the release of 17 KG of seized Cocaine. He has been in detention ever since.

However, on Monday, in. surprising twist, Kyari sued the Federal Government. In an originating motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/182/22, filed before Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, he also sought an order directing the NDLEA to tender a written apology to him in two national dailies.

The Motion filed on the 16th of February by his lawyer, C.O Ikena sought an order “restraining the respondent (NDLEA), its agents, servants, privies, police or anyone acting on their behalf from further harassing, detaining, intimidating, arresting the applicant unlawfully.”

“An order of this court directing the respondent to pay the sum of N500,000,000.00 (Five Hundred Million Naira) to the applicant, for unlawful violation of the applicant’s constitutional right provided for in Sections 35 and 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended).”

The motion also sought a declaration that his arrest and continued detention by the NDLEA “without bringing him before a court of competent jurisdiction from Feb. 12 till date is illegal, unlawful and a gross violation of his fundamental rights”.

He requested that the court orders his release on the grounds that his health was deteriorating. However, the Presiding Judge refused to grant the order as there were allegations in the suit that needed a response from the government.

Drycleaner Found Dead In His Shop In Abuja

A drycleaner identified as Mr Yahaya Musa has been found dead in his shop in Kubwa, Abuja.

Daily Trust reported that the incident which occurred on Saturday morning in Byazhin area of Kubwa, a suburb of Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), left residents of the area shocked.

An eyewitness revealed that Musa was found hanging from the roof of his shop at 8am. Musa’s landlord, Mr Yusuf Tijani on his own part said the drycleaner was murdered.

Tijani said;

“How can people say he committed suicide when it was obvious he was killed? His carpet was stained with blood and his mattress and other clothes were in blood. We found him hanging from his ceiling fan and his legs were firmly on the ground. So it was stage managed to make everyone believe it was suicide; but it’s murder.

The deceased have been buried by his family members according to Islamic rites.

Why Justice Delivery Is Delayed in Nigeria – Osinbajo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has revealed the reason for the delay in the delivery of justice in the country.
Speaking at the 20th Memorial Anniversary Symposium of Bankole Olumide Aluko (SAN) in Lagos on Sunday, Osinbajo stated that the reason for the delay in justice delivery is bad leadership and misgovernance.

He described the delay in the delivery of justice as one of the serious challenges facing the judicial system in the country.

Osinbajo stated in order to address the delay in justice delivery, there must be the maintenance of law and order as well as governance.

He said: “The administration of the justice system is the foundation of law and order, commerce as well as democracy. When the system of administration of justice fails, these pillars of governance and orderly society also collapse.

“Investor hesitancy or reluctance is also a reflection of the inefficiency and lack of confidence in the integrity of the commercial dispute resolution process, delay is disastrous.”

Speaking further, the vice president described the late Aluko, who died on 18th February 2002, as an icon and a multi-talented legal luminary.

He said: “Every once in a while, a truly iconic figure comes by this way, usually, one who excels in the accumulation of unique talent who we would describe as an icon. But not often is it the case that the icon is multi-talented and gifted in several ways. We had one of such icons 20 years ago; Bankole Olumide Aluko (SAN).”

BREAKING: Boko Haram terrorists dislodge Nigerian Army, burn down military base

Members of Boko Haram’s Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) faction on Sunday night infiltrated Gamboru-Ngala in Borno State, northeastern Nigeria.

It was learnt that the terrorists launched an offensive attack at the military base in Gamboru Central Primary School, dislodged men of the Nigerian Army (NA) and proceeded to burn down the security facility.

It is believed that this latest attack by ISWAP insurgents is a reprisal for the devastating offensive of Nigerian troops which led to the killing of many commanders and fighters in Lake Chad Basin (LCB) and Sambisa forest.

Recall that recent Nigerian Armed Forces’ airstrikes eliminated Amir Buba Danfulani and four other notorious ISWAP commanders in Tumbuns and Sambisa axis.

Danfulani was a senior ISWAP Commander saddled with indoctrinating Fulanis and herdsmen in joining a terrorist group. He also coordinated activities of the terrorists ranging from the deployment of spies as well as tax collectors.

It was gathered that the terrorists got upset, and targeted military base. They were said to have fired explosives into Ngala town at the weekend which also resulted to the killing of one civilian while six persons were injured.

Full details are still skechy on aftermath assessment.

Photos: Moment Tinubu, Obasa Arrive Agege, Visit Home Of Late Prof Samuel

The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and presidential hopeful of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Sunday evening paid a condolence visit to the home of late Professor Tunde Samuel, a member of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), who passed on recently.

Asiwaju, who arrived Lagos from a visit to the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, moved straight to the home of the deceased ally, accompanied by the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.

The duo had earlier expressed sadness at the demise of the academic, who was 73.

In the Speaker’s condolence message, he had described the death of Prof Samuel as “a blow, a pain that would take long for us to bear both as people of Agege, the APC as a family, the GAC and the entire Lagos State.

“His importance to Lagos State can never be under-emphasised. He was a passionate Lagosian whose thoughts, actions and activities were all geared towards strengthening democracy in Nigeria and the creation of an egalitarian state where individuals would live their lives in peace.”

Obasa, who visited the family of the deceased on Wednesday, added: “We will continue to miss his wisdom, knowledge and understanding of how Lagos and Nigeria should be run for the utmost good of the people. We will miss his advice and productive efforts to keep a united APC in Lagos.

“I, on behalf of my colleagues at the Lagos State House of Assembly, pray that God grant him peace and give his immediate family, friends and associates the fortitude to bear this huge loss, amen.”

NDLEA Arrest man with fake $4.7million Cash, Apprehend Nursing Mum For Drug Offence

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have foiled attempt by a syndicate to steal at least N2.7 billion from the Nigerian economy by pushing into circulation fake $4.7 million cash.

According to Femi Babafemi, Director, Media & Advocacy, the operatives had in the early hours of Friday 18th February 2022 intercepted a consignment sent from Lagos to Abuja at Abaji area of the Federal Capital Territory.

Babafemi, in a statement made available to the National Association of Online Security Reporters, NAOSRE, a controlled delivery of the parcelled counterfeit US dollars totalling $4, 760, 000.00 led to the arrest of a principal suspect, 52-year-old Abdulmumini Maikasuwa.

The seizure followed intelligence received by the FCT Command of the Agency detailing the movement of the cash and the vehicle conveying it. Meanwhile, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has directed that both the cash and the suspect in custody be transferred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for further investigation.

In Kwara state, barely three weeks after a nursing mother, Mrs. Rashidat Adebayo, 38, was granted administrative bail following her arrest for dealing in illicit drugs, operatives have again arrested her in Offa with assorted drugs such as Tramadol, Swinol, Diazepam and Pentazocine injection ampules.

Before her latest arrest on Thursday 17th February, the nursing mother had been arrested and granted bail on 24th January 2022 for dealing in similar drugs.

In the same vein, NDLEA officers have arrested two drug dealers: Sani Isa (aka Bilaz) and Bala Yerima in Hong, Adamawa state with 239 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 209kg, just as operatives of the Bauchi state Command have intercepted a truck marked FFF 422 XB coming from Lagos to Maiduguri, at Azare, Bauchi. A total of 164.8kg of cannabis sativa concealed in peak milk cartons was recovered from the truck.

The NDLEA Chief Executive has commended the officers and men of the FCT Command for their vigilance and preventing counterfeit $4.7 million from going into the streets. He charged them and their counterparts in Adamawa, Kwara, Bauchi and others across the country not to rest on their oars.

Police IG Commends Constable Aina For Clinching WBF Super Bantamweight Female Title Belt

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, on behalf of the entire Police Force, has congratulated the famous Police Constable, Mary Yetunde Aina (aka Iron Abbey), on her victory at the international championship bout against United Kingdom’s Laura Pain, on her soil, to clinch the World Boxing Foundation (WBF) International Super Bantamweight title belt at City Coast Centre in Portslade, East Sussex, London on Friday February 18, 2022.

A statement, signed by Police spokesman, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi and made available to National Association of Online Security Reporters, NAOSRE, disclosed that, Abbey, who serves in the Lagos State Police Command, has distinguished herself greatly in the boxing sphere by winning several awards and recommendations as a Boxing Referee at the amateur level.

The statement added that she is equally a renowned boxing judge and professional boxer with a clean sheet and several amateur wins to her name.

The IGP, who intends to receive the champion in Nigeria on arrival soon, commended the cop for her courage and giant strides in making the nation and the Nigeria Police Force proud. In the same vein, the IGP called on sports enthusiasts within the Force to be unrelenting in developing their skills and dauntless in charting new frontiers in the world of sports.

Similarly, IGP while applauding the unprecedented feats recorded in the Nigeria Police Sports circle, charged officers of the Nigeria Police Force to develop and diversify their talents towards the advancement of modern policing strategies that are capable of strengthening the internal security of the country as required.

I AM NOT INTERESTED IN PRESIDENCY- Gen TUKUR BURATAI

In the past few weeks, speculation has been rife that former Chief of Army Staff, now Nigerian Ambassador to the Republic of Benin, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, Rtd, may be lacing his boots, once again, for 2023 political battle and contest the Presidency.

But a statement signed by Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka Usman, Rtd and made available to the National Association of Online Security Reporters, NAOSRE, denies such ambition and called on Nigerians to disregard the information.
The statement reads in full:

“The attention of His Excellency, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai (rtd), Nigeria’s Ambassador to Republic of Benin and former Chief of Army Staff, has been drawn to calls and dissemination of campaign posters calling on him to join partisan politics and contest for Presidential candidature of one of the political parties by some persons.

However, it is essential to state that Ambassador Buratai never indicated interest, discussed with, or directed anyone on such matters. Therefore, such calls and posters should be discountenance as they did not emanate from him, nor is he interested in them. It is entirely the handiwork of some people for reasons best known to them.

His Excellency wishes to reiterate his contentment and commitment to national service in his present capacity as Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Benin Republic. He remains loyal and eternally grateful to President Muhammadu Buhari for the opportunity to serve. He, however, wishes to thank all well-meaning persons, friends and well-wishers who showed concern over this development.”

Covid-19 Positive Queen Elizabeth To ‘Continue Duties’

British Queen Elizabeth (95) has tested positive for the coronavirus, but is expected to carry on some of her duties.

Buckingham Palace disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

The ailment is despite her being vaccinated.

But the royal family said the queen will be given further treatments in view of the latest development.

“The Queen has today tested positive for COVID,Her Majesty is experiencing mild cold like symptoms but expects to continue light duties at Windsor over the coming week.

“She will continue to receive medical attention and will follow all appropriate guidelines,” the Palace said