The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has accused Fulani terrorists of attacking worshippers at St Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State.
In a statement, IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, urged Christians to take their safety and security personally and stop depending on the Nigerian Government.
The statement by Powerful reads partly: “We the global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the command and leadership of our great leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu condemn the Fulani terrorist’s attack on Catholic Church in Owo Ogun state today been Sunday 5th of June 2022.
“IPOB had repeatedly suggested that Christians should stop their dependence on the Government of Nigeria for the security of life and properties; the reason is that the current regime has only one interest and that is Fulani’s interest. Fulani terrorists masquerading as politicians and security agents are the ones heading Nigeria Army, Police and other security agencies and are responsible for the recruitment of terrorists who were massacring innocent Christians, Muslims and Non-Muslims.
“We are equally advising the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, to stop condemning attacks from these terrorists from the Sahel or praying for God’s intervention and start acting in defence of Christians in Nigeria. “CONDEMN” do not raise people from graves; therefore, we suggest again to the Christian Association of Nigeria CAN that the only remedy is to be prepared to withstand the terrorists and jihadists who were sponsored by unfortunate politicians and the Government of Nigeria to eliminate every citizen in the country.”
President Muhammadu Buhari is currently in a closed-door meeting with Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, from the northern region.
Naija News learnt that the meeting is being held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Reports confirmed that while other concerned governors are already on sit, Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello is nowhere to be found as of reporting time.
Naija News understands that the ruling party commenced processes for its presidential primaries on Monday ahead the 2023 general elections.
Although President Buhari has maintained his position on the consensus arrangement, there has not been any agreement among the 23 APC presidential aspirants screened last week.
Hopefully, the meeting with the APC governors from the north would ease the party’s effort to get a consensus candidate so as to reduce acrimony that may arise at the end of the convention.
Governors reportedly present at the ongoing meeting include the Chairman of Progressive Governors Forum and governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, chairman of Northern governors Forum and governor of Plateau State, Simeon Lalong, Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa) and Babagana Zulum (Borno).
Others are Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Bello Matawale (Zamfara), Mallam Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Yahaya Inuwa (Gombe), Abubakar Bello (Niger), and the Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni.
An aide to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has debunked reports that the convoy of the Vice President was involved in a road accident along Airport Road, Abuja.
Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to Vice President, said in a tweet on Monday that contrary to media reports, Osinbajo’s convoy stopped to assist victims of the road crash before proceeding to Owo, Ondo State, on a condolence visit over the killing of many worshippers in the town on Sunday.
Some media reports, not THE WHISTLER, had alleged that one of the vehicles conveying the Vice President’s aides somersaulted while making its way to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
Akande, however, described the reports as untrue, saying that Osinbajo’s convoy ambulance was only used to convey the victims to a hospital.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo assists accident victims in Abuja.
“On his way to the airport this morning, VP came across a road traffic accident, stopped to lend assistance, & ensured victim was taken to the hospital with VP’s convoy ambulance. He then proceeded on his trip and is now in Ondo State heading to site of yesterday’s attack in Owo,” the tweet read.
“VP’s medical and security teams quickly intervened removing the victim from the crushed car which somersaulted on the opposite side of the road and got stuck on a tree. Victim now moved to an hospital,” he added.
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has expressed sadness over Sunday’s attack at the St Francis Catholic Church, Owo, and vowed to hunt down the masterminds of the assault.
He said this in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Richard Olatunde, shortly after the attack which killed many.
“It is a black Sunday in Owo. Our hearts are heavy. Our peace and tranquility have been attacked by the enemies of the people. This is a personal loss, an attack on our dear state,” Governor Akeredolu said.
“I have spoken to the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ondo, Most Reverend Jude Arogundade, who is presently on his way to Owo. Similarly, I have had to cut short my party’s national assignment in Abuja and visit Owo immediately.”
The governor, who said he had cut short his visit to Abuja ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to visit Owo immediately, vowed to fish out the culprits.
“This is an unexpected development. I am shocked, to say the least. Nevertheless, We shall commit every available resource to hunt down these assailants and make them pay. We shall never bow to the machinations of heartless elements in our resolves to rid our state of criminals,” the statement added.
“I commiserate with my people in Owo, particularly families of the those who lost their lives to this ugly and unfortunate attack. I extend my condolences to Olowo of Owo, Oba Gbadegesin Ogunoye as well as the Catholic Church.”
Governor Akeredolu called for the people to remain calm, assuring them that “security operatives would be deployed to monitor and restore normalcy to Owo kingdom”.
Read the full statement below:
PRESS STATEMENT.
Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, is deeply saddened by the unprovoked attack and killing of innocent people of Owo, worshiping at the St Francis Catholic Church, Owa-luwa Street, on Sunday.
The vile and satanic attack is a calculated assault on the peace-loving people of Owo Kingdom who have enjoyed relative peace over the years.
“It is a black Sunday in Owo. Our hearts are heavy. Our peace and tranquility have been attacked by the enemies of the people. This is a personal loss, an attack on our dear state.
“I have spoken to the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ondo, Most Reverend Jude Arogundade, who is presently on his way to Owo. Similarly, I have had to cut short my party’s national assignment in Abuja and visit Owo immediately.
“This is an unexpected development. I am shocked, to say the least. Nevertheless, We shall commit every available resource to hunt down these assailants and make them pay. We shall never bow to the machinations of heartless elements in our resolves to rid our state of criminals.
“I commiserate with my people in Owo, particularly families of the those who lost their lives to this ugly and unfortunate attack. I extend my condolences to Olowo of Owo, Oba Gbadegesin Ogunoye as well as the Catholic Church.
“I urge our people to remain calm and vigilant. Do not take laws into your hands. I have spoken to the heads of the security agencies. I have equally been assured that security operatives would be deployed to monitor and restore normalcy to Owo kingdom.” Akeredolu said.
Former Governor of Borno State, Kassim Shettima on Sunday apologised to the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo for liking him to an ice cream seller for contesting against the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu.
Shettima while speaking on his earlier statement said it was not to claim that Osinbajo and Lawan are not worthy of the presidency.
He said his comment was to clarify that they are non-threatening contenders” to Bola Tinubu, under the ruling party.
The former governor had stated that the character can’t earn him the Presidency but should be selling Gala and popcorn.
Shettima title reacting to his earlier comment released a statement titled: “My Channels TV Interview Taken Out of Context” reads partly: “When I appeared on Channels TV last Thursday amidst the tension rippling through our political arena, it was to underline the promise Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s presidential bid held for those yet to establish the certainty of the hurdle ahead of the APC. I never set out to denigrate the personality of any aspirant and not that of my dear friends and allies.
“My assessments of Yemi Osinbajo, and the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, were well-intentioned.
“I never set out to subject them to ridicule but, rather, to stir up interest in the contrasting virtues of the cast of aspirants putting up a fight against my preferred aspirant, one most favoured and advantaged to guarantee APC’s victory in the forthcoming presidential election.
“The interpretations of my remarks on Osinbajo and Senator Lawan are, thus, being done literally and overblown. My words weren’t woven to portray them as unworthy aspirants, but merely to qualify them as non-threatening contenders.
“I, however, take full responsibility for my utterances and wish to appeal to our teeming supporters to neither take my words out of their metaphoric contexts nor interpret them as a measure and declaration of hostility towards my dear friends and allies.
“I, hereby, tender my unreserved apologies to the Vice President and the President of the Senate for the unintended pains my jibes might have caused them and their families and supporters.”
Many people have lost their lives after an explosion on Sunday hit St Francis Catholic Church, Owa-luwa Street, in the Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State.
Reports said the explosion on the church grounds killed several people and injured many more.
An eyewitness, Kehinde Ogunkorode, told Daily Post that the incident caused chaos in the vicinity, with residents fleeing for safety after being caught off guard.
Owo is the hometown of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu
The Chairman of the independent National Electoral commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, has announced withdrawal of sensitive electoral materials from the custody of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Yakubu disclosed this at an ongoing symposium tagged “The Electorate: A Conversation on Elections in Nigeria” taking place at the Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.
He said in the interim, the CBN will no longer be in charge of election materials beginning with the Ekiti state governorship election.
According to Yakubu, the commission took the decision to prevent such materials from being compromised.
THE WHISTLER earlier reported that the INEC Chairman had told journalists at a briefing last month the commission had “already started talking about what alternatives are available to us in case we need to change the arrangement for the handling of sensitive materials.”
The CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, had made a failed attempt to contest for the position of the president of Nigeria on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The move had sparked outrage from Nigerians and civil society organizations who called on INEC to withdraw the 2023 election materials from the CBN on the grounds that its head had become partisan and a politician.
The Federal Capital Territory High Court, Wuse, has remanded Peter Nwachukwu, husband of the late gospel singer, Osinachi, in the Kuje Correctional Facility pending the hearing and determination of the homicide related suit instituted against him by the Attorney General of the Federation.
Justice N.K. Nwosu-Iheme gave the order on Friday after he pleaded not guilty to 23 count charges bordering on domestic violence and homicide, among others.
She ordered that the suspect be remanded at the correctional facility while trial was adjourned to June 16 from 12pm and June 17 by 9am.
“The business for today is for arraignment, accelerated hearing is hereby ordered” declared Justice Nwosu-Iheme.
“Defendant should be remanded in Kuje Correctional Facility pending the hearing and determination of this suit,” she ruled.
Nwachukwu’s wife died on April 8 and many of her colleagues had accused her husband of subjecting the deceased to domestic violence, leading to her death.
Afterwards, the Nigeria Police arrested him and he has been in detention since.
FG claims that he contravened Sections 104 and 379 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, section 221 of the Penal Code and the Violence Against Person’s Prohibition Act (VAPP) 2015.
Some of the counts (like culpable homicide) recommends death penalty, 1-year jail term or fine (VAPP Act), among others.
Part of the charges read: “That you Peter Nwachukwu, 56, male, on the 8th of April, 2022 at Aco Estate, opposite police station, Lugbe, Abuja, FCT, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did commit an offence to with: culpable homicide punishable with death in that you caused the death of Mrs Osinachi Nwachukwu by your various acts of violence and aggravated assault with the knowledge that her death would be the probable consequence of your acts.”
“Statement of offence: Emotional, verbal and psychological abuse contrary to section 14(1) of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same section of the Act.
“Particular of offence: That you, Peter Nwachukwu, male, sometime between 14th November 2009 and April 2022 at Aco Estate, opposite police station, Lugbe, Abuja, FCT, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did commit an offence to wit: emotional, verbal and psychological abuse on Mrs Osinachi Nwachukwu (deceased) by humiliating her and making utterances like ‘you are smelling,’ ‘you are mad,’ to her in the presence of her music crew members.”
Buratai To Speak At ABU Symposium On National Politics And Insecurity
Nigeria’s Ambassador to Benin Republic, Amb. Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai (Rtd), would deliver a lecture at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna on Saturday, June 11.
National Association of Online Security Reporters, NAOSRE reports that the lecture would take place at a day symposium on national security organised by the centre for research and historical documentation, Ahmadu Bello University with the theme: “Politics And Insecurity In Nigeria: Way Forward”.
Buratai, former Chief of Army Staff, would speak on issues bordering on Nigeria’s politics and insecurity. The discourse would proffer solutions to challenges bedeviling Nigeria at large, as well as empower students to generate ideas for equitable development in the political sector.
Expected guests are His Excellency Mallam Nasiru El Rufai, the executive governor of Kaduna stare, His Excellency Prof. Babagana Zulum, the executive governor of Borno state, His Eminence Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, the Sultan of Sokoto and other notable Nigerians.
A 39-year-old man, Niyi Adeyemo, has cried out after his wife, Jumoke Bamgbola, 38, beat him to a pulp during a disagreement at their residence in Ikosi-Ketu area of Lagos State.
Adeyemo, who is currently receiving treatment in a hospital bed, disclosed that the trouble in his marriage started after his aged mother came to visit him and she objected saying she don’t want relatives around.
According to reports, the alleged assault had happened on Monday, May 30.
He claimed that his wife’s demand for a divorce became intense when she returned from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in January 2022.
He said, “Bamgbola stormed my house on May 30, 2022, around 11 am, and asked me why I had not been picking her lawyer’s phone calls.
“After I refused to respond, she said that I must talk to her because she came prepared for me.
“I tried walking away, but my wife dragged me back, and tore my native attire specially sewn for my late mum’s burial, and became violent.
“She started throwing punches at me all over my body, especially on my legs because she is aware of my health condition.
“She tossed me around the house, and kept saying that she would make sure I was admitted to a hospital.
“She also dragged my private parts and bit my hands as I tried to prevent her from biting my manhood.
“I deliberately stopped myself from hitting my wife like I was advised.
“I called her dad afterwards, and put the phone on speaker, her dad called out her name during the conversation, but she refused to respond or listen to him.
“My wife’s demand for a divorce became intense when she arrived from Dubai early this year.
“While she was in Dubai, we resolved our differences through video calls.
“However, she suddenly changed and began comparing me with another man she met over there.
“My wife came back in January 2022 and requested to lodge at a hotel in the Lekki area of Lagos so as to self isolate because of Covid-19 to avoid virus infection on our son.
“Apparently, she came back to Nigeria with a boyfriend with whom she had arranged to spend the night in the hotel.
“I called her several times, but she refused to receive my calls.
“She once called me, and said that our child is the only bond between us.
“She later threatened to kill me with her bare hands if I didn’t give her a divorce because her boyfriend said that he could not marry someone who was married with a child.
“The matter has been reported at the Ketu police station,” he added.
In response, Bamgbola stated that she filed for a divorce and her husband was served, but he refused to honour the court invite, The Punch reports.
She said, “I called my husband after a visit to see the lawyer, and he complained that my husband had not been picking up his calls or from my mum as well.
“He kept pleading with me that he did not want a divorce.
“He admitted that he allowed a third party in our marriage, and apologized.
“Afterwards, the lawyer told me that I had to see my husband, and make him understand what I wanted because of our only child.
“So, I went to his place, and met another lady with him in the kitchen.
“I asked him why he refused to pick the lawyer’s calls, and why he was telling people that he gave me N1.5m to rent an apartment, but he denied it.
“I actually visited to inform him that the court had fixed June 28, 2022, for our divorce case, and discuss the matter with him if we could settle the dispute amicably.
“He usually beat me, but I always tried not to hit him back because he is a sickle cell patient.
“Apparently, it resulted in an argument, as I was also admitted to a hospital at the Ijoko area because I had a swollen face and bruises all over my body and could hardly talk.
“I was invited to Ketu police station on Tuesday, May 31, about how my husband had filed a case of assault against me.
“I denied the allegation, and told the police operatives that I would visit the station as soon as I get better,” she added.
The state police public relations officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident, however, he is yet to say anything concerning the case.
