Category: News

ABDUCTION OF DISTRICT HEAD OF LINGYADO AND FOUR (4) OTHERS IN MARU LGA.

On 25th October 2020 at about 0800 hours suspected bandits attacked Lingyado village of Maru Local government and abducted the district head and 4 others.

Joint Police and Military units stationed at Bindin to avert and respond to any invasion in those areas were informed of the incident. They quickly respond to the distress call and arrived the village to counter the threat. Their arrival averted the ill – intention of the bandits to kidnap as many as possible.

It will be recalled that the Zamfara State government has stationed 80 combined Police Mobile, Soldiers and Civil Defence like many vulnerable areas in the state to counter threat posed by recalcitrant bandits.

Currently, the Police search and rescue team in collaboration with the Military are in the nearby forest of the sarrounding area to rescue the district head and the 4 other kidnapped victims along with him.

It is on this premise, that the command is calling on the good people of the state to report any threat of any kind to the security agencies in any part of the state for early response to any attack by these recalcitrant bandits.

SP Mohammed Shehu
PPRO,
For:- Commissioner of Police,
Zamfara State Command
Gusau.

RE: DISSOLUTION OF SPECIAL ANTI-ROBBERY SQUAD (SARS

In line with the directives of the Inspector – General of Police, IGP Mohammed A. Adamu, NPM, mni, concerning the dissolution of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), the Commissioner of Police, Osun State Command, CP Undie J. Adie psc (+), wishes to inform the good people of Osun State that, the IGP’s directives has been complied with and the redeployment of SARS personnel is underway.

It should be noted that, the dissolution of SARS is in response to the yearnings of the people. He assures that a new policing arrangement to address anticipated policing gaps the dissolution of SARS would have caused has been developed and shall be announced in due course.

The Commissioner of Police appeal to the members of the public in the spirit of community policing to collaborate with the police by giving prompt and useful information that will promote security of lives and property in the state.

He appreciates and commends all citizens, particularly those who genuinely express their concerns for a better policing orientation in an organized, patriotic and civil manner.

The CP assures good people of the state to go about their lawful business without fear of molestations from any person(s) as adequate security measures have been emplaced for maximum security of lives and property of the citizens.

Signed
SP OPALOLA YEMISI OLAWOYIN
Police Public Relations Officer
For: Commissioner of Police
Osun State Command, Osogbo

APAPA PRESIDENTIAL TASKFORCE: ALLEGATION OF SHOOTING ACP BASELESS, UNFOUNDED.

The attention of the Lagos State Police Command has been drawn to the news making waves on the social media and some Nigerian dailies that one ASP Kayode Falade shot at the Area Commnader, Area B, Apapa, Lagos State, ACP Soji Akinbayo, while on routine patrol and traffic control in the area on Friday.

The Command was taken aback by the trending news which is false, unfounded and malicious, as the Area Commmader was never shot or attacked by any police officer.

The Commissioner of Police, Lagos state, CP Hakeem Odumosu, personally investigated the matter and discovered that the ASP, who was challenged and cautioned by the ACP for improper dressing, while on duty, was unruly and made some complimentary statements on the superior police officer. The ASP did not fire any shot or attack the Area Commander as wrongly reported in the fake news.

The Commissioner of Police has promised to handle the unruly behaviour of the ASP departmentally, while the Police boss assured the general public that the command, under his watch, will maintain discipline, uphold and respect rule of law, ethics and core values of modern policing according to the international standards.

The Commissioner of Police then appealed to the general public to regard the news as false, malicious and mischievous to heat up the state more so that the #endsars# protests are ongoing.

SIGNED

SP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI(mnipr)
POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
LAGOS STATE COMMAND
IKEJA.

On Monday morning, October 19 after an unusually emotional weekend across Nigeria, where #ENDSARS protesters had revealed the name of those killed over the years by the rogue police unit, the city of Abuja was experiencing an uneasy calm. In the weekend before, the Vice President has shocked the world when he publicly apologized to Nigerians for the errors of SARS after a week that saw their ban- announced by both the President and the IG.

Then came the enfant terrible of South West Politics. The sleazy and uncanny gap toothed Governor of Ekiti state, whose plastic smile bellies his ambition to emerge a national player in 2023 by all means, he led a group of Northern Governors into a clandestine meeting with the President. Having seen a potential opening, he went for the gauntlet as he seized the mantle of circumstance to manipulate President Buhari in their little over one hour private discussions about the #EndSARS movement that had rattled the establishment in the previous 10 days.

The plan was simple; Fayemi speaking on behalf of his colleagues, whom he claimed disagreed with their southern counterpart and with whom he clearly agreed, stated they needed the President to reinstate the dreaded Police Unit in their domain despite the nationwide protests. The President, normally taciturn, listened carefully and promised to revert. He also asked Governor Fayemi to stay behind.

During his elongated meeting with the President, Fayemi was said to have nailed Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the real sponsor of the protests that was rocking Buhari’s presidency. Using proof of Asiwaju’s son relationship with the technology and creative world who were leading minds behind the the protest, he told the President to leave sorting Tinubu to him. Which set off the black operations of Tuesday, October 20.

Fayemi, whose close relationship with Nigeria’s and foreign intelligence network is well known, immediately swung into operation and found an opening in a matter of hours with a deception. First, he leaked his meeting with the President to Asiwaju through his aides, and then seemingly boxed Asiwaju into a corner on Tuesday morning that he had to reveal his sympathies for protesters publicly while calling for an end to protest. This reportedly incensed the President.

Secondly, his security operative network, having mobilized youths the previous night in Abuja to go around marauding on behalf of the President, in which process several lives were lost including cars burnt then proceeded to activate Lagos. This time around instead on focusing on targeting Igbos, he reportedly decided to take advantage of the gap between the curfew commencement to unleash terror on innocent protesters.

As a proof that Governor Fayemi had a hand in the plan, detachments of Black Ops soldiers moved into Ekiti as early as Monday night. A few of them were then sent to Lekki to carry out the hatchet job. The idea behind the Lekki shooting was to insight Lagos against Tinubu and cut off the economic power base of Tinubu’s political power. Such was the power of this narrative, that Black Ops social media handles (now mostly taken down), were the ones that promoted the initial stream of fake pictures from the Lekki protest site after the shooting. A lot of these were later debunked later on Wednesday as the state took stock.

However, it was too late. Mob action promoted by operatives in various Whatsapp forums was busy directing attacks on various institutions of Lagos state, including homes and businesses of both the Governor and Tinubu. The mob action was very coordinated and aligned with the desire of Fayemi. Some evidence of dark money funding of the arsons on TVC and The Nation, were also obtained by our corespondent.

As at the time we are going to Press, the Tinubu political family is in deep state of mourning and are now demanding explanations from the President. This is inclusive of a demand that the President address the nation, and the shooters be brought to book while arsons across the state controlled.

In an emotional interview granted to Channels TV on Wednesday morning, Tinubu confirmed that “they accused me of sponsoring the protesters last week, and now accuse me of shooting them”. Who is this “they” is what inquiring minds like to know…..

– Tanko Yusuf writes from Suleja Yusuf writes from Suleja

The Twitter has been buzzing with the trend of a young intelligent and hardworking Nigerian who died as a result of the now hijacked #EndSARS protest.

According to many Twitter users who are trending the #RIPOke, in honour of Okechukwu Obi-Enadhuze the now dead website designer, they were of the opinion that he died by the bullet of the police and thereby heaping the blame of his death on the government.

In a new twist, his younger brother, Obi-Enadhuze Daniel has come out to clear the air that against the belief that he fell to the bullet of the police the young Oke died to the dagger of a mob when he was defending his mother and younger brother from attack.

It is to note that the Federal Government under the leadership of General Buhari is to blame for the sudden death of another Nigerian that is supposed to fly the country’s flag in future for not being proactive in tackling the demands of the Nigerian Youths who wants better for the country, it is even more disheartened that the president has not deemed it fit to talk to the people since the protest has started.

In the statement shared on his twitter handle the younger Obi-Enadhuze explained how his brother died.

Below are the tweets;

Lekki Concession Company (LCC) has said that it did not send anyone to remove the CCTV cameras at the Lekki toll gate which it manages.

Recall that social media reports had said that the cameras were removed hours before soldiers allegedly opened fire on EndSARS protesters on Tuesday.

In statement issued, LCC said that the cameras are still there and that the removal would require the use of machinery to reach the heights that they have been installed and are still installed.

The statement reads: “Lekki Concession Company Limited (LCC). strongly condemns the shooting of peaceful protesters at the Admiralty Circle Toll Plaza yesterday, 20 October, 2020, LCC would NEVER support or condone such unscrupulous act meted out on unarmed protesters. Since the commencement of the protests, LCC has allowed free access to the protesters without any disruption to their activities.

“LCC has cooperated with the protesters from onset, identifying with the cause and need to end the police brutality. We provided lights, toilets among other items to the youths as a show of solidarity.

“As the protests progressed, our tolling equipment were being looted. We recovered items daily with the help of some of the protesters. Such items included air conditioners, violation alarm bells, monitors, keyboards etc.

“On the 20th of October, we received feedback that some of the tolling equipment were being pulled off, hence we went into the lanes to recover more items including analogue BOSCH tolling devices-used to-monitor-transactions-carried out in the toll lanes.

“The perimeter closed circuit television system (CCTV) are Mobotix Digital cameras. They were not removed and are still installed in the lanes even now. There was no instruction from ANYONE to remove the perimeter CCTV cameras. Removing them will require the use of machinery to reach the heights that they have been installed and are still installed.”

On the issue of power going off on the night of the attack, LCC said that it “receives power from the IPP grid, the power albeit stable is taken off from time to time. At such times, LCC relies on the backup generators for power supply, however, following the declaration of the curfew by the state governor. LCC withdrew ALL her staff from the office locations. This is the reason why the lights could not be restored when the mains from IPP went off temporarily. This is verifiable.

“We sincerely regret this unfortunate incident and condemn the shooting of unarmed protesters Toll Plaza and other locations in the State.”

#ENDSARS PROTESTS – THE REMEDY FOR NATIONAL MALADIES IS MORE, NOT LESS, DEMOCRACY’

For the past twelve days, our country has witnessed massive protests by youths in different cities, which were ignited by widespread disenchantment with the gross human rights abuses including torture, extortion, harassment, intimidation and even extra-judicial killings of Nigerians by members of the disbanded Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS). The demands for fundamental police reforms by the protesting youths are in pursuit of our aspiration in our national anthem “to build a nation where peace and justice shall reign”. Justice as one of our greatest writers has memorably noted is “the first condition of humanity”. A society where those who are paid from the public purse to protect the lives and property of the people become themselves threats to the liberty, safety and dignity of the people; where human life is difficult to distinguish from Thomas Hobbes ‘State of Nature – ‘solitary, poor, nasty and brutish’ is not one fit for free and decent people to live in. Such impunity and lawlessness are incompatible with the values and tenets of a democratic society governed by the supremacy of the rule of law.

It is impossible for anyone truly committed to the rule of law, democracy and good governance to be opposed to the concern and demands of the protesters. There is no way that any society can make meaningful progress without the enthronement of these values. The protesters have for the better part of the commencement of their civil action conducted themselves with an admirable sense of responsibility, restraint and maturity. This is commendable. Indeed, the high level of organization demonstrated by the protesting youths shows a new level of consciousness of the capability of a vigilant civil society as well as the efficacy of people’s power. This can only ultimately strengthen the country’s democratic evolution and sustainability.

Arnold Toynbee, the great 19th century historian observed that societies progress through a process of ‘challenge and response’. Society confronts challenges such as injustice, impunity, corruption, dictatorship and are forced to respond in resistance and struggle for emancipation. The result is the triumph of justice over injustice, liberty over tyranny and right over wrong thus enabling the society to be elevated to a higher level of good, accountable, responsible and responsive governance. It was through this process that colonialism, apartheid, and all forms of dictatorship, misrule and tyranny have been overcome across time and space. Our current democratic dispensation was borne of struggle in response to the challenge of military dictatorship.

The impunity of SARS was thus a challenge that the youth have responded positively and courageously to and has triggered the commencement of the fundamental reform of the country’s policing system. But then, the protesters must admit that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has acted with commendable dispatch by not only scrapping SARS but also accepting the five-point demand that triggered the protests. This shows a laudable sensitivity to the grievances of the youths. It is only fair that government must be given the chance to implement the reforms demanded by the protesters. This can certainly not be done instantaneously by the waving of a magic wand. If government had not implemented promised reforms in the past, the swiftness with which it has responded to the demands of the protesters this time around shows that that there is a positive change by government both of attitude and of a new sense of urgency.

The protesters have made considerable gains within a very short period. But they should also be careful not to fritter away such gains due to lack of moderation and strategic thinking. For instance, it is unfortunate that hoodlums, thugs and assorted criminals have seized on the protests to perpetrate violence, disrupt civil life and harass, intimidate and assault innocent persons going about their lawful business. The intent of the organizers of the protests is to achieve stated objectives on police reform, which the government has in principle accepted. It can certainly not be their motive to cause generalized anarchy or effect regime change. If they give the impression that that is their goal, then any government will necessarily have to act with the requisite decisiveness and force to restore law and order and preserve constitutional rule.

The vigour and vibrancy of the protests are an indication of the growing strength of the democratic culture in Nigeria. It is a demonstration of the beauty of democracy and its promotion and protection of people’s power. However, the protesters must be careful not to set the stage for the erosion or destruction of the same democratic process that gives them the freedom and right to protest in the first place. Their democratic right to protest must not be exercised in such a way that impedes the democratic right of other citizens to freedom of movement, expression and the liberty to pursue their livelihoods. The fight for police reforms is surely to promote and protect the wellbeing of millions of Nigerians. It is a contradiction for the protesters to act in ways that will further worsen the economic well being of the very people they are fighting for.

It is important that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) utilize this protest as an opportunity to go back to the drawing board and recommit itself to the values for which the party was formed through extraordinary hard work, dedication and commitment. There is no doubt that the party has recorded tremendous achievements in diverse sectors since 2015. But it now has to sit back, examine the gaps between its promises and its performance in order to make necessary amends. It is important that all members of the party put aside petty and shortsighted ambitions, needless infighting and unite to support the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to focus on delivering on its mandate for the remainder of its tenure.

In the final analysis, the cure for protracted and delicate national problems is to continue to strengthen the democratic process rather than engage in acts that can lead to generalized anarchy in which democracy cannot thrive. The protests have forcefully demonstrated the reality and potency of people’s power and the new energy must be tapped and channeled to strengthen, not weaken the country’s democracy. Surely, the country cannot remain the same after this. The government has demonstrated its sensitivity to the demands of the youth and must now be supported to implement the reforms it has committed itself to. It is a good sign that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in Lagos and a number of other state governments have speedily set up judicial panels of inquiry into acts of police brutality over the years. I urge the state governments which are yet to do so to emulate this example. This process of change should be supported and this cannot be done in an atmosphere of endless protests that are also crippling an economy already enfeebled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Let me commend all our religious leaders, Christians and Muslims for their patriotism and high sense of responsibility at this sensitive time. I appeal to them to call on their teeming followers to call of the protests for now and give peace a chance. Finally, I also strongly appeal to the protesters – YOU HAVE MADE YOUR POINT. GOVERNMENT HAS MADE ITS COMMITMENT TO YOU. PLEASE, PLEASE AND PLEASE, CALL OFF THE PROTESTS. GIVE GOVERNMENT A CHANCE TO IMPLEMENT YOUR DEMANDS. GOD BLESS YOU.

SIGNED
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu