Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari has chided Nigerian elite for remaining silent in the face of alleged misrule of the country by the Peoples Democratic Party between 1999 and 2015.

He said while they allowed Nigeria to be mismanaged in 16 years without raising a voice in consternation, they have been accusing him of being too slow.

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He wondered where those that were considered to be fast got to.

According to a statement on Friday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President spoke at a meeting he had with the Nigerian community in the United States of America on Thursday in New York.

The meeting was held on the margins of the 73rd United Nations General Assembly holding in New York.

Buhari said he had taken ordinary Nigerians as his constituency because of the way they had been standing by him.

He said this was the reason he has been conscious of them.

The President said, “They (Nigerian elite) didn’t say a word. Under the PTF (Petroleum Trust Fund, of which he was Chairman), we did roads from Lagos to Abuja, to Onitsha, to Port Harcourt.

“Since then, the roads were not done, between 1999 and 2015, yet the elite did not say a word.

“I was called Baba Go Slow. Those who were going fast, where did they get to?

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“In 1983, military officers gathered and made me Head of State. I packed the politicians into jail, told them they were guilty until they could prove their innocence. We seized what they had looted, but after I myself was put in detention, the politicians were given back what they had looted. How many elites complained about that?

“Three times I contested elections; three times I went to court after the elections were rigged against me. No justice, but I said ‘God dey.’

“It was mainly the ordinary people that stood by me. That is why I am always conscious of them. They are my constituency. Even pregnant women on the queue would fall into labour, go to have their babies, and still come back to vote for me. I will keep doing my best for the country.”

Buhari told the Nigerians living in America that if he won the 2019 election, and he spent another four years in office, “I will leave some difference in that office.”

The diaspora Nigerians, in their scores, are top-flight professionals, drawn from fields like medicine, engineering, sports, the arts, investment, academia, politics, agriculture, transport, education, publishing, and many others.

Most of them expressed the wish to come back home and contribute to the change making a headway in Nigeria, to which the President replied, “You are contributing to this great country (America).

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“If you want to help back home, invest in education in your constituencies. If you educate people, they won’t then accept nonsense from anybody.”

Olaleye Aluko, Abuja

Operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and the Nigeria Police Force in a joint raid have arrested four suspected traffickers and rescued 11 girls in the Pipeline, Kubwa area of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Our correspondent learnt that the human trafficking gang was busted on Thursday evening in a hotel where the girls were harboured and the facility was thereafter sealed.

According to NAPTIP in a release on Friday, the hotel, Thales Guest House, also known as 33, was reported to be a criminal hideout for under-aged and exploitative prostitution.

The agency said it mounted an intense surveillance on the facility and arrested the four suspects identified as 32-year-old Onyinyechi Osuoha, Nkechi Chukwuma, 37; Sandra Chi, 32; and Favour James, 27.

Our correspondent learnt that preliminary investigations showed that the suspects allegedly lured the girls, who are under 18, from various parts of the country with promises of employment in the FCT.

However, the syndicate, upon the arrival of the girls in Abuja, allegedly turned them to sex workers at the hotel.

It was said that the suspects collected the money paid to the girls by men.

In the release by the agency’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Mrs Nneka Aniagoh, the raid was carried out in accordance with sections 43 and 52 of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act 2015, which authorised NAPTIP to enter, search and seal properties suspected to be used for human trafficking purposes.

She said, “Our operatives and the police in a joint raid busted the human trafficking gang on Thursday night. Eleven girls were rescued while four suspects were arrested. The hotel where the girls were harboured; Thales Guest House, was also sealed.”

The NAPTIP Director-General, Mrs. Julie Okah-Donli, said the agency was monitoring operators of brothels who used under-aged girls as prostitutes, warning them to desist from such an illegal act.

She said, “We enjoin members of the public to report such brothels to NAPTIP, as they are not only an abuse of human rights but also a criminal act that is punishable by law. Young girls should either be in school or learn skills that will enable them to be empowered as functional members of the society. They should not be holed up in brothels or be sexually exploited by human traffickers.

“These suspects will be charged to court and prosecuted accordingly, on completion of investigations.”

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Success Nwogu with agency report

The Kwara State Police Command has arrested five members of a fraud syndicate that specialises in producing fake foreign currencies.

It was learnt that the operational vehicle of the suspects, a Mazda 323 with the number plate, FUF 646 XA, painted in Kwara taxi colour, was also recovered by the police.

Our correspondent gathered that the suspects usually operated in threes. While one would act as a driver, two others would pretend as the passengers.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that they would target good-looking persons waiting by the roadside for a cab.

After their victims had boarded the cab, they would initiate a discussion on mass production of foreign currencies.

It was said that the passengers, having got enamoured with the gimmick, would show interest in the “business.”

They would subsequently pay the driver millions of naira in exchange for the purported mass foreign currency production only for them to later realise that the currencies were fake.

The suspects, Sesan Oguga, Owoyemi Gbenga, Sebile Oluwafemi, Adebayo Akeem and Ayoola Issac, were paraded on Wednesday by the state Commissioner of Police, Bolaji Fafowora, at the state police command headquarters in Ilorin.

Fafowora raised the alarm that fraudsters had devised new means of swindling money out of unsuspecting members of the public, advising people to be wary of the vehicles they boarded.

The CP stated that the syndicate specialised in defrauding innocent commuters of their money in exchange for fake foreign currencies.

He stated that the suspects had defrauded two victims, Mrs. Adekeye Feyisayo of N1.055m and Bilikis Abdulkareem and five others victims of N3.5m.

He said, “The suspects pretend to be taxi operators and defraud their unsuspecting passengers.  Their operational vehicle, a Mazda 323 with registration number, FUF 646 XA, Kwara taxi colour, has been recovered.”

The CP also said the command had arrested some suspects for illegal possession and repair of firearms.
He explained that some suspects were equally arrested for armed robbery, cultism, vandalism of transformers, as well as armoured cables and drug peddling.
Fafowora said, “Nineteen suspected armed robbers and thieves were arrested. Eleven suspected cult members were equally arrested within the last two weeks. Members of the public are advised to continually make information available to the police and be vigilant of happenings around them.”

One of the suspected fraudsters, Adebayo Akeem, said the gang usually went after greedy people by luring their victims with foreign currencies.

He said, “Those people that have ojukokoro (greedy people) are the ones we collect money from. We have dealt with two people. At times, we connive with the aides of rich people to defraud them.”

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Borno State Command, has discovered $144,000 counterfeit notes in an uncompleted building at Shagari Low Cost Housing Estate in Borno.

The Commandant of the corps, Ibrahim Abdullahi, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, on Friday in Maiduguri.

Abdullahi said one Bukar Goni, a 40-year-old bricklayer, found the counterfeit notes in an uncompleted building in the estate on September 16, 2018 and reported to the command.

 Goni said, “Preliminary investigation by our personnel revealed that the notes have the same serial number. Also, some of the stakeholders from bureau de change, said they had noticed the fake currency in circulation some months ago. We have put our men and other sister agencies on notice of the trend.

“We believe they are trying to bring in this fake currency to destabilise the economy of the state and defraud unsuspected persons.”

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Timileyin Akinkahunsi

 October 1 is a remarkable date in the history of Nigeria; the giant of Africa gained independence on this date under a constitution that provided for a parliamentary government and a substantial measure of self-government for the country’s three regions.  In October 1963, Nigeria proclaimed itself the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and former Governor General Nnamdi Azikiwe became the country’s first President. With independence, the citizenry had high hopes and expectations for a better government, but contrary to their hopes they have sober tales to tell on the state of governance.

For instance, Raliat Adedeji is disappointed with the state of development in the country.

Adedeji is a 71-year-old grandmother of eight children. In the years she has spent on earth, Raliat has learnt to bury unpleasant memories but there is one that has refused to go away.

She was kidnapped along the Ikorodu/Itokin Expressway in Lagos on her way to her hometown, Epe, around 6pm in 2012. And after the sad event was relived over and over with all the accompanying trauma, Adedeji knew it was time to leave the shores of Nigeria for good.

Although, Adedeji has since relocated to the United States, she still sees her abductors in her sleep, with the thoughts waking her and making her break out in a sweat.

“They were all under the age of 30; I still see their faces when I sleep,” she told Saturday PUNCH in a telephone conversation.

Adedeji used to sell jewellery at Idumota Market in Lagos, a business that made her a lot of money, but even its lure was not strong enough to keep her back.

“I can never come back to Nigeria, at least, not for now. I said goodbye to Nigeria three weeks after I was released from the kidnappers’ den. Before I relocated to the US, I castigated people for leaving Nigeria, but when I had a taste of cruelty dished to me by those young men, I had a rethink.

“I will never wish that experience for my worst enemy. I know God protects but for the sake of good health and longevity, I chose to stay back in the US with my children and never return to Nigeria. When I return to Nigeria, I pray it will be my corpse.

“My experience was terrible because even after I came out of the kidnappers’ den, the police did not make any meaningful headway with their investigation. I was released because my family members paid the ransom demanded by the abductors. I love Nigeria, but the level of insecurity is high,” she said.

Adedeji misses Nigeria though, especially the fresh vegetables from her late husband’s farm, local delicacies and parties.

Admitting that living outside Nigeria doesn’t guarantee absolute security, Adedeji, who has chronic diabetics and arthritis, identified placing maximum on human life the edge the US had over her home country.

“The health care system is top notch; that is what is keeping me here. At least, I don’t have to stay in a very long and frustrating queue before doctors will attend to me.

“My friends in my age group still complain about these things anytime I speak to them on the phone; this was how I left Nigeria in 2012 and it has not changed till now; it is really sad. I wish I could come back but I want a peaceful death,” she said.

Nigerians seek greener pastures

As Nigeria is set to mark its 58th Independence anniversary on Monday, there is a general belief among citizens that the country’s situation has worsened since 1960 when it got independence from Britain.

And as a result of the poor health care, poor education, dearth of infrastructure, high rate of unemployment and so on in the country, many Nigerians have continued to seek greener pastures abroad.

For instance, according to a report of September 2017, published by the House of Commons Library in February 2018, 5,405 Nigerian health practitioners were working in England.

Similarly, an academic based in the US, Andrew Akinmoladun, left Nigeria 35 years ago when he was 24 years old.

Although he had reasons to seek greener pastures abroad at the time, he recalled that Nigeria’s economy and the standard of living of its people were much better than they are today.

“I remember changing our currency for dollars in Badagry, Lagos at a very reasonable rate when I left home. There was a crisis in schools and as an executive of my school’s students’ union, I was rusticated. But I was lucky that my father supported me and ensured I left Nigeria. Here, I had to start my university education all over again.

“My expectation at the time was that by now, Nigeria would be compared to a place like the United Kingdom, but I later realised that my expectation was too high. We have a lot of Nigerian professionals that can develop Nigeria better than what the Chinese are doing to us now but unfortunately, I think we don’t like our own complexion.

“There have been instances where professionals in the US who are Nigerians went home, but had to return to the US in frustration. I’m one of such people as I was once in Nigeria on sabbatical and wanted to stay for a long time to help the country’s educational system but I realised it wasn’t worth it.

“Our orientation as Nigerians needs to change; there should be a cultural orientation from within families. People have to realise that the government cannot do everything by themselves, so we have to help ourselves.

“I will be 60 next February; it is a pity that in those days, Nigerians used to come to school abroad and later return to work at home. But now, even kids that come here for education don’t want to return to Nigeria because there is nothing for them there. I don’t see any positive change in sight. There is no support for people in the Diaspora to return home,” he told Saturday PUNCH.

The Osun State-born academic however prayed for a Nigeria where basic amenities would be provided for the citizenry.

“The new Nigeria I would love to see is one that provides the three basic amenities – food, security and shelter. When we have those basic amenities, everything will follow.

“We need very good education system; the product of an academia determines how productive the citizens will be. For example, when I was at home, I wanted to recruit an accountant to manage the records for my little business in Nigeria but the people that came for assessment were not up to the task.

“They couldn’t do basic book-keeping and they were graduates of our universities. We need to get our education system right. In those days, we used to mock the American education system but now they mock ours.

“I would love to see a Nigeria that gives its people potable water, good roads and adequate employment; that was the kind of Nigeria that we used to have. I remember that in those days, as soon as you graduated from university, you were already entitled to a car. But things started getting bad during our own time, it is very disheartening.

“The Nigerian government needs to work on the orientation of the citizens, they need to work on bribery and corruption; there should be checks and balances. There were times I had some paperwork to do in Nigeria and I was told to bribe some people to get things done.

“The way Nigeria is going, if we don’t arrest the situation, we will have another colonial master,” he said.

Akinmoladun, however, added that many US-based Nigerians missed home but that it was difficult for them to return home as they had become used to the high standard of living of their adopted country.

“Eventually, I am going to retire in Nigeria; that is why I am putting up infrastructure that befits the kind of life I am living here. I can live comfortably in Nigeria with my retirement benefits. They say it is one Nigeria but I don’t see it as one Nigeria; people are only about their selfish gains,” he said.

Deji Smith described his departure from Nigeria as a search for greener pastures.

“I left Nigeria 12 years ago but the economy was not too bad at the time compared to the situation now. Since I left, things have gone from bad to worse.

Like Akinmoladun, the graduate of Yaba College of Technology, Lagos added that the quality of education in Nigeria was in need of improvement for the state of the nation to move forward.

“We had quality education and reasonable security measures back then compared to now. When we were growing up, there were school activities to keep students busy; it didn’t leave room for young people to go into fraud and other vices.

Smith, who said he was not willing to relocate to Nigeria, spoke passionately about the decline in the quality of health care in the country.

“I am not encouraged to come back home but I can always come to visit. In the 1950s, people used to come to the University College Hospital, Ibadan, from Saudi Arabia for medical services. Now, Nigerians go to India, Ghana and all sorts of places in search of medical care.

“There is a hospital in Glasgow, UK. The hospital bill is very pricey and it is one of the best in Europe. But the money politicians embezzle in Nigeria is enough to build that type of hospital in the country.

“Some people in the Diaspora want to come to Nigeria to change things but the political structure in Nigeria doesn’t give room for that. If you don’t have millions of naira to spend on electioneering, you cannot get into some particular positions,” he said.

An engineer, Paul Eke, left Nigeria for the UK in 2003 to advance his studies as a scholar.

He expressed his wish to return to Nigeria but added that the structure was highly discouraging.

“There is no place on this planet that is like Nigeria. There are a lot of Nigerians who wish to return home and give back to the country but the major problems discouraging them are insecurity, quality of life, and dearth of social amenities and infrastructure.

“If you get back home, you will have to struggle with the fact that these social amenities are not adequate. It is good to fight corruption, but one very important thing is the rule of law; we need to get that right. If we can get the rule of law right every other thing will follow,” he told Saturday PUNCH.

Experts lament Nigeria’s situation

A lawyer and political analyst, Mr. Liborous Oshoma, said Nigeria’s Independence Day should not be a time of celebration but a time of sober reflection; assessing how we have performed over the years and how we can get better as a country.

“Independence Day celebration has become like a ritual but it should be a time of sober reflection; a time to ask ourselves, how can we be doing the same thing over and over for decades and yet we expect a different result?” he asked.

The legal practitioner described the continuous exit of professionals from Nigeria as having grave implications for its economy.

He said, “The more people leave here, the more there is brain drain. Nigerians have broken records abroad in different fields as surgeons, engineers and so on. Imagine if those people were all contributing to the economy, America would be competing with Nigeria.

“But because of bad leadership, we are unable to manage our affairs well and the implication is that people want to leave Nigeria in droves. Also as we are not able to utilise our resources, there is a lot of insecurity. Since there are no jobs, many people take to vices.

“Anytime its independence, I always ask myself: what is really independent about Nigeria? All of these negatively add to the economy. This year alone, the number that has left Nigeria to other countries illegally is innumerable, even through the land borders to Libya.

“They would rather die on the road than remain in Nigeria. People sometimes think it is about money but it is not; people just want to live a good and comfortable life where they can access basic social amenities.

“Even the judicial system and educational system are bad. People would rather send their children to schools in Ghana because of the curriculum and the certainty that a four-year course will actually be completed in four years.

“Even our President cannot access medical facilities here; he always has to go to London because of the state of our health sector. Workers are on strike presently over minimum wage. When it comes to independence, I question our independence economically. The basic necessities of life: shelter, water, electricity good roads are not there; even in Lagos, a metropolitan city, the roads are deplorable.”

Also, an economist, Prof. Sheriffdeen Tella of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, also described the situation in Nigeria as bad.

“The implication of Nigeria professionals staying back abroad is brain drain on the economy. The incentives to work here are not there; we have lost them to the other side. The exchange rate is also another factor because when they earn in foreign currency and change it to naira, it becomes a reasonable amount. If we increase productivity in Nigeria our exchange rate will improve. If crude oil should dry up in Nigeria today, the country would be finished,” he told Saturday PUNCH.

“Delving into agriculture will also make the exchange rate better as against depending on oil alone; oil is just free money. We should increase our productivity level. Relatives even encourage themselves to stay abroad and keep sending money to them because the exchange rate is bad.

“In those days, there was serious productivity; people were working for money. Government should finance education properly. What is happening now is that we are working to make money, not for productivity,” he said.

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Tony Okafor, Awka

There was tension in Governor Willie Obiano’s Anambra East constituency on Friday following an alleged attempt by the hierarchy of the All Progressives Grand Alliance to impose a certain candidate on the people of the area for next year’s general elections.

As a result, the people of the area have asked the governor to intervene to prevent a possible breakdown of law and order.

They said they had an established  agreement over the rotation of House of Assembly seat among the communities in the area.

The people of Igbariam, the only community yet to produce a member of the House of Assembly for Anambra East had threatened that they would embark on a protest to the headquarters of APGA to drive home their displeasure over the decision to impose a certain candidate on them.

The traditional ruler of Igbariam, Igwe Kelly Nneli, said it was the turn of his community to produce the next lawmaker of the constituency based on the understanding.

He added  that his people had already selected one Chief Lawrence Anikpe to contest the election on the platform of APGA.

Igwe Nneli, who introduced Anikpe to the people, insisted that Igbariam people would resist any attempt to deny them their right to produce the next lawmaker for the constituency.

Anikpe, while addressing journalists, said communities in the constituency had religiously followed the selection of their member in the legislature and hoped that the agreement would be kept by APGA during the forthcoming party primary.

He said: “We have six communities in Anambra East constituency. O.C Chinwuba from Aguleri represented us from 2003-2007; Mike Obiodu from Nsugbe and Joe Isiagu from Umuleri had also been there at various times, while Obinna Emeka has been there since 2011. Because of the understanding the governor had with members of the state House of Assembly in 2011, he stayed for another four years, which will end in 2019.

“It is therefore the turn of Igbariam and our people have decided that I should represent them.

“The governor appealed to Igbariam people in 2015 to allow Emenaka to retain the seat because of the agreement he had with members of the house then and that it would be our turn this time round.

“We are very hopeful that the governor will call the people together to address the issue and to remind the stakeholders of the agreement reached in 2015.

“It is zoning that produced Governor Willie Obiano. Our people demanded equity and justice during the administration of Governor Peter Obi, who zoned the governorship to Anambra North and we expect that for equity’s sake, the governor will keep the promise he made to our people.

“It would be improper for one community to be in the House of Assembly for three tenures when other communities had not been given a single opportunity.

“The people of Igbariam have nominated me to represent the constituency because they believe that I have paid my dues in APGA.”

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Jose Mourinho has warned Paul Pogba that no player is bigger than Manchester United, Skysports reports.

His comments follow a turbulent week in the pair’s relationship which saw Mourinho inform Pogba he will never captain the side again under him after the French midfielder criticised his tactics in last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Wolves.

The pair then had a disagreement in front of television cameras at training on Wednesday, when Mourinho appeared to take issue with an Instagram post from Pogba during the previous night’s disappointing Carabao Cup defeat by Derby County.

Speaking at his press conference on Friday, Mourinho said he felt compelled to act.

“Manchester United is bigger than anyone and I have to defend that,” Mourinho said.

“After weeks of analysing and exchanging opinions with my coaching staff, we made the decision that from now Paul is just a player and not a captain. So, the decision is made.”

Jose Mourinho and Paul Pogba had an awkward exchange as the midfielder returned to training after being stripped of the Manchester United vice-captaincy.

Despite the tension between the pair, Mourinho insisted their relationship has not broken down and confirmed Pogba is set to play against West Ham on Saturday.

“The relationship between player and manager is good. It is not any more a relationship between captain – or one of the captains – and manager,” Mourinho said.

“Nobody trained better than Paul on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Some trained as well as him but nobody trained better than him and tomorrow he plays.

“No player is bigger than the club. If I am happy with his work, he plays. If I am not happy with his work he does not play. I am happy with his work this week, really happy. The team needs good players. He is a good player. The team needs players with the personality to play. He has (it). So he plays tomorrow (Saturday).”

Mourinho was defiant when asked why he chose to confront Pogba when he knew there were cameras filming the training session.

“I don’t care about the cameras,” the United manager said.

“What confrontation? It was not a confrontation. Do you think it was a confrontation? What happened the other day, happens many days. Conversations with players, I have many times. It was not the case but loud critiques, loud instruction happens every day. Coaching is about that.”

Idris Adesina

USA coach Dawn Staley was full of  praise  for D’Tigress after  she led America to  71-40 victory over Nigeria  on Friday  in their 2018 FIBA Women’s World Basketball Cup  quarterfinal match in Tenerife, Spain, on Friday.

Staley said the Nigerian side was difficult to beat, adding that the match was one of their toughest.

USA started the game slowly as D’Tigress pegged the world champions back in their half of the court. Nigeria won the first quarter 17-9 but a loss of concentration in the second quarter brought USA back in the game with an 18-6 win. USA took control of the game in the third quarter – winning 19-12 – and completed the last quarter with a  25-5 win.

Ezinne Kalu was the top performer for Nigeria as she accounted for eight points, four rebounds, six assists and five steals. Former Dallas Wings forward Evelyn Akhator also weighed in eight points and five rebounds. But Breanna Stewart led the game for USA with 19 points, three rebounds and five assists.

The Americans converted 43 per cent of their two point field goals against Nigeria’s 28 per cent. D’Tigress had a three point field goal conversion rate of 14 per cent against 36 per cent for USA. Nigeria had a total of 32 rebounds and USA had 62. The defending champions had 23 turnovers in their favour against Nigeria’s 22.

USA converted 59 per cent of their free throws while D’Tigress converted 40 per cent of theirs. Nigerian players made 10 assists while   American players made 22. D’Tigress made 10 steals against the seven made by the Americans. USA players raked up seven blocks with Nigeria managing only two. Nigeria’s bench proved less effective on the day as they accounted for only 15 points while the Americans got 31 points from the bench. The USA held a lead of 31-9 before Nigeria could get a point in the match. They got 38 points in the paint while Nigeria managed 14 points.

Staley said at a post-match press conference that USA played against a good team.

“It was a hard-fought game. Nigeria came out and pressured us and it bothered us,  probably in the first 20 minutes of the game, and then we made an adjustment in the style of play,” she said at the press conference monitored by our correspondent on FIBA’s Youtube page.

“We started making plays in the second half. Hats off to Nigeria for giving us a tough game, but at the same time I am proud of the team for making the adjustments needed and turning it around in the first.”

Nigeria coach Otis Hughley  said at the conference, “I love these girls. I have two biological daughters and I feel like I have 12 more daughters.

“I thought they fought really well in the first half. I think the difference in the game is who shot well. I thought we played exponentially above what we have. Our girls dug down until there was nothing left.

“I’ve never felt so happy after a 31-point loss. I am grateful to every journalist at this competition for paying attention to Nigeria.”

D’Tigress are the first African team to reach the quarterfinals of the World Cup. They won three consecutive matches against Turkey, Argentina and Greece to reach the quarterfinal.

They are making their second appearance since the tournament was first hosted by Chile in 1953. Nigeria’s first appearance was in 2006 when they failed to win a match.

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Despite threats made by the Independent National Electoral Commission, as well as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, to use the Osun State governorship election to make a bold statement against vote-buying, widespread cases of the phenomenon were still reported at the poll on Saturday and Thursday. This has therefore called for concerns over INEC’s capacity to stem the ugly tide, JESUSEGUN ALAGBE writes

Less than 24 hours before the Osun State governorship election last Saturday, the Independent National Electoral Commission called a gathering full of journalists and local and international election observers at Osogbo, the state capital.

There, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Olusegun Agbaje, spoke in stern tone, saying the commission was fully prepared to conduct an election that would be free of vote-buying.

He vowed the commission was ready to use the election to make a bold statement against the “monster,” which had marred previous elections in the country, including the recently held governorship election in Ekiti State, where widespread vote-buying and vote-selling cases were recorded.

Agbaje also warned politicians and voters against vote-buying and vote-selling respectively, saying the commission was ready to unleash the full wrath of the law against anyone found doing so.

“Politicians must not induce voters with money during the election and voters must only vote for the candidate of their choice while resisting any attempt by anyone to buy their votes,” he said.

“It should be noted that the commission has perfected plans with the security agencies to decisively deal with anyone engaging in any illicit act, especially the notorious act of ‘see and buy’ during the election in line with the relevant laws.”

The REC went on to list the penalties for those caught in the act of vote-buying.

He cited, “For the avoidance of doubt, Section 24 of the Electoral Act (as amended) states that a person who gives voters money to vote for or refrain from voting for a candidate is liable on conviction to a fine of N500,000 or 12 months imprisonment.

“Similarly, any person who violates the secrecy of vote, according to Section 25 of the Electoral Act (as amended), is liable on conviction to a fine of N100,000 or six months imprisonment or both.”

He added, “I want to reassure all stakeholders in the Osun State governorship election that INEC, under the leadership of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, will never do anything that will alter the gains it has so far achieved in terms of credibility.”

By the electoral commissioner’s threats against vote-buyers, anyone at the gathering would perhaps be fully convinced that INEC had truly perfected all plans to curb the plague, more particularly as the commission’s Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, had earlier stated it was working with security agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, to check vote-buying.

Two days before the election, Yakubu had during a visit to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja raised concerns about vote-buying, while seeking the anti-graft agency’s help to combat the “worrisome situation.”

He said, “We are here as part of our consultations with critical agencies that are connected to the electoral process. We have undertaken a number of innovations to strengthen the electoral system and these days, you hear less of ballot box snatching and kidnapping of INEC officials. But as we solve one problem, another one is coming up.

“Of immediate concern is the election we are holding on Saturday (September 22) in Osun State and it is going to be the last major election before the 2019 general elections.

“We have taken steps as a commission, but we need the support of the EFCC in this respect. Vote-buying and selling is earning a bad reputation for our democracy, for our elections and we thought we should visit national institutions like the EFCC because you have the powers under the law to arrest, investigate and prosecute so we can stem this ugly tide.”

Assuring the INEC chairman of the EFCC’s support, the anti-graft agency’s Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, said, “There’s indeed a lot of concern about vote-buying and -selling. There’s also a lot of concern about the possibility of moneybags trying to derail our democracy and democratic process.

“We have the mandate to monitor money transfers and we are collaborating with the banks. We have the mandate to arrest, investigate and prosecute and we are going to use the Osun State governorship election as a test case.”

He emphasised, “We will work with you. We will do our best.”

Prior to its partnership with the EFCC, the electoral commission had also forged alliances with the police and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other relatedoffences Commission to tackle vote-buying during the Osun State governorship election.

On September 10, Yakubu had requested the acting ICPC Chairman, Mr. Musa Abubakar, to deploy its operatives to arrest and prosecute vote-buyers in the Osun State governorship election.

“INEC is determined to deal with the problem of vote-buying. We have called on the citizens to report any form of vote-buying. The commission is determined to introduce an inter-agency framework for the collaborative effort in tackling this issue,” Yakubu said.

On his end, Abubakar said, “We are ready to collaborate with the electoral commission in dealing with the issue of vote-buying. We will do what is required within the law in the discharge of our duties.”

However, despite INEC’s vow to use the Osun State governorship election to make a strong statement against vote-buying, several incidents were reported across the 30 local government areas of the state.

A day before the election, some of the governorship candidates and their political associates had devised several means to induce voters with cash ahead of the poll. Representatives of at least one of the contestants even used the WhatsApp social media platform to woo Permanent Voter Card holders to sell their votes.

The associates of a contestant had set up a WhatsApp number, 08120569530, where the voters were asked a series of questions to ascertain if they actually had PVCs and were Osun State indigenes.

After making enquiries from a potential vote-seller, the administrator of the WhatsApp line had then promised that N10,000 would be deposited into their account number at 6am on the election day, after sending their account details, age, town, ward and unit to claim the amount.

A message from the administrator as seen by Saturday PUNCH had read, “You’ll receive bank alert 6am on the election day. Don’t forget to pass this good news to all your friends and family. Make sure you add us to your phone book and don’t forget to send this to all your friends and family living in Osun State.”

One of the election contestants was said to have even started distributing money to the party’s ward leaders, who would identify the names of their party members on the voter registers and pay them ahead of the poll.

Also, the sponsor of another candidate was said to have compelled some party leaders to swear an oath that they would spend the money he wanted to give them to induce voters and not pocket them.

Some of the leaders were said to have agreed while a few of them were said to have rejected the money because they could not swear the oath of allegiance.

The same candidate was said to have also distributed forms to prospective voters with PVCs, asking them to fill in their accounts details to enable them to be credited with the sum of N10,000. The amount is said to be meant for any voter with a PVC.

And then, on the election day, several cases of vote-buying were reported while some were witnessed firsthand by our correspondent – from Osogbo, to Iragbiji, to Ikirun, to Iwo, to Ede and Ilesa, among several other towns in the state.

Some of the political parties’ agents were seen handling cash brazenly, close to the polling units and sharing among those who had voted for their parties.

Speaking to our correspondent, a voter at Ward 9, Unit 3 at Osogbo, simply identified as Akeem Osuntokun, said he was also lured to sell his vote but rejected it because he didn’t want to sell his future.

He said, “All the three major parties lured me with sums ranging from N2,000 to N5,000. I rejected their offers because I wasn’t willing to sell my vote again. I did during previous elections.

“Any party that is offering money before voting for its candidate is a fraud. This is my belief. It’s unfortunate so many people didn’t see things this way.”

An Osogbo-based lawyer and social commentator, Mr. Matthew Asubiojo, noted that vote-buying during the Osun State governorship election wasn’t in any way different from the Ekiti State scenario.

He said, “I thought we had seen the end of it all at Ekiti State until it happened in my very own state. I was surprised because I was convinced that INEC would really stop it.

“The commission boasted and made lots of threat against it, but it was like those threats were empty. Nothing was curbed, nothing was reduced. I think it was even more pronounced at the Osun election.

“You know it didn’t start with Ekiti State. We have had it in Anambra State, and before Anambra State, Edo State. But initially it had always been done discreetly; voters wouldn’t dare queue up near a polling unit to collect money from party agents.

“But just like it happened in Ekiti, it happened last week in Osun. I think INEC still has a long way to go. It is not by making threats but by really carrying out the threats.

“I know some party agents were arrested, but they were very few compared to those who actually participated in it. INEC needs to do more, especially now that it has failed to use the Osun election to make a bold statement against vote-buying as it promised before.”

Although the Osun electorate were advised against selling their votes by different national and international bodies, including the European Union, a public affairs analyst in Lagos, Mr. Suleiman Kingsley, said poverty could sometimes make people do what they never imagined they would do.

He however doubted INEC’s capacity to close all loopholes making vote-buying to be possible ahead of the 2019 general elections, having failed to prevent it during the Osun election.

He said, “Vote-buying stems from poverty, while poverty is caused by poor governance. In a way, INEC can’t stop vote-buying because those behind it are the employers of the commission’s leadership.

“While I am not making any allegations, but our rulers are the ones who appoint the commission’s chairman, so in a way, INEC can’t prevent it, except if its boss wants to lose his job. He must bend to the demands of his employer.

He added, “Another thing is poverty, as I said before. Look at the Osun scenario: it’s not an economically buoyant state, most residents rely on salaries, which have not been even paid regularly. So, if a politician promises to give you N10,000 in just a day for just voting for them, you might not think twice before saying yes. That was what happened.

“Vote-buying might not work very well in places like Lagos and Abuja, but trust me, in places where there is a bit of poverty and hunger, people would vote for the highest bidder.”

Nevertheless, Kingsley urged INEC not to think of its failure to curb vote-buying in Osun State but do everything in its power to fight against it at the 2019 general elections.

“And I think the electorate should also love themselves and stop selling their future because of a morsel of bread,” he added.

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Afeez Hanafi

A Lagos Magistrate’s Court sitting in Igbosere has sentenced a security guard, Celestine Kyosu, to seven years’ imprisonment for allegedly stealing goods at a boutique in a mall on Prince Adelowo Adedeji Street, Lekki Phase 1.

Kyosu reportedly burgled the shop on June 18, 2018 around 3.30am when he was on duty and stole several clothes, bags and shoes estimated at about N2m.

It was gathered that Kyosu fled to Benue State after committing the crime, which was reported to the police at the Maroko Police Division.

Our correspondent gathered that the 28-year-old was traced to Benue where he was arrested and brought back to Lagos.

The 28-year-old was arraigned before Magistrate B. I. Bakare on two counts of stealing to which he pleaded guilty.

The police prosecutor, Sergeant Francisca Job, told the court that the convict had not succeeded in selling “the expensive items,” adding that they had been recovered.

She said, “The complainant, Mrs. Chisoma Ozioma, stated that she received a phone call from one of her salesgirls, Chinansa Nnaji, while she (Ozioma) was at home that her boutique had been tampered with.

“When she got there, she discovered that 29 assorted ladies’ clothes, six assorted handbags and 15 pairs of ladies’ shoes; all valued at N2m were stolen. She said she suspected the security man on duty, Kyosu, and that he was nowhere to be found.

“Police detectives have recovered the stolen items in Benue State where the defendant ran to. He confessed to the crime in his statement.”

The prosecutor told the court that the offence contravened sections 168(d) and 287(7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Kyosu’s colleague, Michael Ofogor, told the police that he (Ofogor) had come to pass the night in the mall on the day the convict was on duty.

Ofogor, who is also a cleaner at the mall, explained that he could not find Kyosu at the duty post round 6am when he wanted to resume for work.

He said, “I was off duty on June 17, 2018, but I was in the mall because I sleep there at times. I work as a guard and cleaner in the mall. Earlier that day, around 6am, Kyosu had reported for work and I went to do my cleaning work after I handed over to him. I was supposed to take over from him at 6am the following day.

“In the midnight, he asked me to give him my phone to make a call. I left him and went to sleep when he was through with the call. When I woke up at 4am the next day, I saw his uniform at the back of the mall. I started calling his name, but he did not answer. I called him on the telephone; his line indicated it was switched off.”

Ofogor said Kyosu made away with his Automated Teller Machine card.

“While I was waiting for him to come back, the salesgirl came and opened the shop around 10am. She raised the alarm a few minutes later that some items had been stolen from the shop. I did not know anything about the stolen items,” he added.

In his ruling, the presiding magistrate, Bakare, sentenced Kyosu to seven years’ imprisonment without an option of fine.

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•We are still expecting results from presidential primary – Oshiomhole

John Alechenu, Abuja

The All Progressives Congress says it has sent membership registers to the state chapters of the party ahead of the governorship primary elections holding on Sunday.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, said this in Abuja on Friday.

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This came just as the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, said that the party was still expecting the results of the presidential direct primary election which held across Nigeria on Friday.

He said this in response to a question from reporters about the exercise at a press conference in Abuja, on Friday.

Oshiomhole said, unlike the former ruling party-the Peoples Democratic Party which claimed it collected two million signatures from people it could not verify, the APC decided to do the proper thing by asking it’s close to 16 million members to vote.

He said, “The process entails collating the results from ward levels to local council and then state level, to know how many persons participated in the primary election. These are well thought out ideal meant to return the country to democratic ideals.”

According to Oshiomhole, the party has close to 16 million members but that he was not in a position to say how many would vote because states were adopting the indirect and the direct modes of primary depending on their peculiarities.

He also asked a rhetorical question, “Have we had up to fifty per cent of registered voters in this country voting in an election?”

Members of the APC are expected to come out in their numbers to elect governorship candidates to contest the 2019 elections on Sunday.

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Nabena said the party’s national chairman had handed over the party register to each of the state chairmen and that membership cards had also been dispatched.

He said, “Our National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole handed over the registers to state chairmen a few days ago. The cards have also been dispatched. We are expecting a hitch-free exercise.

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Olusola Fabiyi, Abuja

The National Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party on Friday resolved the lingering crisis over the choice of venue for its national convention.

The NEC meeting, which was held at the national headquarters of the party, agreed to hold the convention at Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

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The presidential candidate of the party for the 2019 election is expected to emerge at the convention.

The convention will now hold in the state between October 6 and 7.

It was gathered that the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike, however, apologised to the meeting over his outbursts and threat over the move by some people to make sure that the convention was taken out of the state.

The NEC meeting, which was presided over by the National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, was also attended by some presidential aspirants including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; a former Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi;  President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, and a former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN ).

Also at the meeting were a former member of the Senate, Datti Baba-Ahmed and the Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal.

Apart from the issue of venue, it was gathered that the budget for the convention and number of delegates were also ratified.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, who briefed journalists after the meeting, said that all the presidential aspirants had agreed to be at Port Harcourt for the convention.

He also said that the aspirants were given assurance of a level-playing field by the party.

He said, “All our presidential aspirants were assured of a level-playing field, and they were told that none of them would be accorded any form of preferential treatment.”

He added, “The NEC also approved the budget for the 2018 national convention which will hold in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.

“NEC further resolved that we will be committing all our presidential aspirants to a bond on the outcome of the election.

“What this translates into is that all our aspirants will sign  an agreement with our party in order to ensure that the outcome of the national convention which the party has promised to be transparent, free, fair and acceptable to Nigerians,  must be accepted by all our aspirants.

“The aspirants have been assured of a transparent process at the national convention. The aspirants collectively assured the party also that their fears over the Port Harcourt convention has been allayed by the party.”

On why the party caved in to Wike’s threat, Ologbondiyan said the party resolved the issue, using its internal conflict resolution mechanisms.

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Wike had, earlier in the week, threatened to deal with the PDP should it bow to pressure to move the convention away from his state.

A party official, who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said that Wike apologised for his outbursts and pleaded with party leaders to gloss over the threats.

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Niyi Odebode, John Alechenu, Olusola Fabiyi, Friday Olokor,  Adelani Adepegba, Femi Makinde, and Olaleye Aluko

The Peoples Democratic Party on Friday said that it was wrong for President Muhammadu Buhari to have congratulated the All Progressives Congress candidate in the Osun State governorship election, Adegboyega Oyetola.

READ ALSO: Why APC disqualified Shittu, Al-Hassan – Oshiomhole

It said that the President by the action, had shown that the Presidency was behind the alleged electoral manipulations, outright rigging and bloodletting that the PDP said marred the process.

In a statement in Abuja on Friday, the PDP said it was sad that Buhari chose to ignore the observations of both local and international observers who he said monitored the rerun.

“Nothing can be more reprehensive; while the entire world is condemning the process and the blood of the innocent that were maimed by the APC thugs is yet to dry on the streets of Osun State, the Presidency and the APC are busy celebrating a stolen mandate,” the party said.

This came just as civil rights groups and chieftains of the PDP, including the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki and ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, berated the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Buhari-led administration over the conduct of the Osun State governorship election.

Osun poll, a demonstration of tyranny–Atiku

Atiku, in a statement on Friday, described the declaration of the candidate of the APC in the election, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, as the winner as triumph of tyranny.

He said the announcement did not tally with what happened in the state on Saturday, September 22, and Thursday when the rerun in seven polling units was held.

According to him, the PDP candidate in the election, Senator Ademola Adeleke, won the poll.

The former Vice-President stated, “The result just declared today (Friday) in Osun by the INEC in favour of the APC and its candidate is a travesty of justice. That was not democracy. That was a demonstration of tyranny.

“The victory of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Ademola Adeleke, was firmly established last week on Saturday the 22nd of September, 2018.

“This so-called victory of the APC is not a democratic victory. Observers, both foreign and domestic, reported the brazen intimidation of voters and outright suppression of voting in the PDP strongholds with even the PDP agents physically prevented from being at the polling units.”

It is an embarrassment to Nigeria’s democracy –Saraki

On his part, Saraki said the supplementary election was a charade and an embarrassment to Nigeria’s democracy.

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In a statement on Friday in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki stated that the rerun was not needed in the first instance while the supplementary poll was unfair.

The statement read, “Yesterday (Friday), we witnessed another display of the subversion of the will of the Osun people during the rerun gubernatorial election in the state. The election was characterised by widespread voter intimidation, violence and harassment. Accredited observers were denied access to polling units and duly registered voters were prevented from participating in the electoral process by thugs and compromised security agents.

“Like I said a few days ago, this needless rerun election was only designed as an avenue for the ruling party to perpetrate electoral fraud. The nature of this election is an embarrassment to our democracy and casts an alarming pall on the institutions responsible for protecting the will of the Nigerian people as stated through their votes. That was why for more than 10 hours, INEC could not collate and announce results in just seven polling units with just over 2,000 votes.”

PDP calls for Yakubu’s resignation

Meanwhile, the National Executive Committee of the PDP called for the resignation of the Chairman of INEC,  Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, stated this while briefing journalists after the NEC meeting on Thursday.

The party accused the Yakubu-led INEC of connivance and manipulations of the electoral process in Thursday’s governorship  rerun in Osun State.

The PDP spokesman said, “NEC warned against allowing the current INEC leadership under Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to continue in office as it has shown it cannot conduct a free, fair and credible election at any level.”

INEC declines comment

However, INEC  refused to make any comment on the PDP allegations on Friday. Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, declined to speak on the matter.

A top source in the commission, however, said, “This is the fifth or sixth time that the PDP would make such call for the chairman’s resignation and all is because of the elections that they have lost. In a democracy, when you are the loser, it is easy to make noise.”

APC hails poll, Oyetola’s victory

But the APC, however, insisted that its candidate in the election, Oyetola, won the poll.

It described his victory as an “emphatic and hard-fought win.”

This was contained in a statement signed by the acting National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Yekini Nabena, in Abuja, on Friday.

The ruling party said its candidate won the election despite attempts by the PDP to subvert the will of the people through various attempts to rig the poll.

Oshiomhole taunts Saraki, PDP

Also, the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, said the party succeeded where  Saraki and the PDP  failed to strike a deal with Senator Iyiola Omisore.

Oshiomhole said Omisore’s support played a decisive role in galvanising support for the APC candidate who won the election.

The APC chairman said this at a press conference in Abuja, on Friday.

He said, “I will like to again express our gratitude to God and to the great people of Osun State for renewing confidence in our party as evidenced by their free choice of the APC candidate in the 22nd September election.

“I want to be able to assure the great people of Osun State that the new governor under the guidance of the party will do everything possible to justify the confidence reposed, not only in the governor as a person, the governor-elect but also in our party as a political party platform.”

Our pact with Omisore—Oshiomhole

Oshiomhole has explained the agreement of the party with the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party in the election, Senator Iyiola Omisore.

Oshiomhole, who gave the explanation at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, said that there would not be automatic ticket for Omisore.

Responding to a question on whether the APC promised Omisore an automatic ticket to contest  a senatorial seat, He said, “I don’t like those words  ‘automatic tickets.’ I was careful even after the meeting we had with our lawmakers not to use those words.

“We will provide a level-playing field for all to contest, if I didn’t promise our members automatic tickets, how can I promise a person I do not yet know?”

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He noted that, perhaps, the PDP forgot that Omisore had served as a deputy governor to Chief Bisi Akande, the pioneer interim national chairman of the APC before the then PDP government “rigged them out of office.

Oshiomhole said the working relationship between Omisore’s Social Democratic Party and the APC in support of Oyetola, proved decisive.

Oshiomhole said, “I said we had a negotiation and had a deal that has to do with the governance of Osun State. I didn’t go with money and I don’t have money to give to anybody. He didn’t ask and there was no basis for him to ask.

“We agreed that he would have an opportunity for him to contest for a seat on the APC platform. Not just for Senate or House of Representatives, but also for house of assembly. That is why I said we spoke about the immediate which is the Osun election and going forward.”

He said the APC having recognised the fact that the SDP was critical to the rerun, decided to a open negotiation with its leadership.

Oshiomhole stated,  “He (Omisore) told us that, yes he has lost, but he believes that he can still win if we have a deal that seeks to address the primary purpose of his participation in the process which is the governance of the state and specific policy issues that were of concern to him.

“We had a robust conversation and reached an agreement which I think is healthy. We didn’t have to negotiate about compensation or about paying money to anyone. The issue was about governance, education and how we can have a working relationship ahead of the general election and in future elections.

“We were able to strike a deal that has to do with the specific issues that affect the welfare and the well being of the people of Osun State. Whereas Saraki failed to strike a deal with the SDP, we secured a deal with them and now the APC, working with the SDP had a huge influence in those areas and combining our efforts, it was not strange that at the end, we won.”

Buhari’s integrity at stake –ADC

However, the African Democratic Congress, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mrs. Yemi Kolapo, said the supplementary poll was nothing but a sham.

According to the ADC, it is now clear that “the failed government will stop at nothing to subvert the people’s will.”

The party stated, “For a government that has failed to deliver on all its promises and has instead foisted untold suffering on citizens, while resorting to lies, bogus claims, witch-hunting to cover up its gross deficiencies, the Osun debacle was, indeed, a desperate last resort to retain power by all means.

My mandate is sacred, says Oyetola

However, the Osun State governor-elect, Oyetola, has described the mandate given to him by the people of the state as sacred

Oyetola, who said this in his acceptance speech made available to one of our correspondents in Osogbo on Friday, expressed gratitude to the people of the state and to the APC leaders and members, saying he would not let the people down because he was familiar with the challenges ahead.

He said, “I regard the mandate given to me by the good people of Osun as sacred and I am taking it seriously. Of course, I have been part of the new beginning that started eight years ago.

Oyetola stated that he won the governorship election at the first ballot, saying there were loads of evidence to prove this but he just accepted the INEC’s decision on the rerun supplementary poll.

However, the PDP governorship candidate, Adeleke, insisted that the APC had stolen his mandate, assuring his supporters that he would reclaim it in court.

Police, CDD disagree over violence at Osun poll

Meanwhile, the Police and the Centre for Democracy and Development have disagreed over cases of violence at the Osun State governorship election.

Although the Nigeria Police Force said there was no record of violence during the supplementary poll, the CDD, in its assessment, stated that the conduct of some key stakeholders during the poll clearly ran contrary to democratic norms and standards.

The police had debunked reports that thugs harassed some voters, journalists and observers at some wards, saying no one was prevented from carrying out their civic responsibility during the election.

The NPF spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, said in a statement in Abuja on Friday that there was no official complaint of violence or injuries, stressing that the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the police personnel during the poll.

But the CDD, in a statement by its Executive Director, Idayat Hassan, berated the conduct of security agents and politicians, who she said took steps that were clearly inimical to the conduct of a free, fair and credible election.

Hassan said, “The CDD observers reported several cases of denial of access to polling units to observers and even voters. CDD’s field observers deployed to observe the process and ensure its credibility, especially in Orolu and Osogbo local government areas, were intimidated, threatened and in some cases arrested by security forces.

“Credible reports from our field observers showed that despite being duly accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission, several of the observers and journalists were stopped from observing the process.”

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Ihuoma Chiedozie, Enugu

Two armed robbers, who specialised in breaking into homes to steal valuables, have been apprehended by the police in Enugu.

The two suspects – Ejike Nomeh and Sopulu Edeh – were nabbed for allegedly committing separate offences by operatives of the Emene Division of the Enugu State Police Command.

Nomeh, a native of Ebonyi State but resident in Enugu, was nabbed on September 27 after breaking into an apartment in the Emene area of Enugu in the early hours of the morning.

The suspect, who was armed with a gun, was said to have ransacked the apartment, after which he made away with the phones and other valuables of the occupants of the apartment.

However, Nomeh ended up in police net barely an hour after the operation as the alarm raised by the victims attracted the attention of police operatives who were on patrol in the area.

The police apprehended the suspect while he was still holding the items he stole from the apartment.

Spokesperson for the Enugu State Police Command, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed the development, said Nomeh was taken by the police patrol team to the compound where he executed the robbery operation, after which the stolen items were returned to their owners.

Amaraizu, who said Nomeh would be taken to court when the police conclude investigations into the matter, further disclosed that the suspect had confessed that he sometimes raped his female victims.

“The suspect, Ejike Nomeh, is now helping the police operatives in their investigations and he has revealed that he is an ex-convict, after he was jailed for committing similar offences in the past.

“According to him (Nomeh), he specialised in breaking into peoples’ houses to steal valuables at gunpoint, and sometimes, he raped his victims,” Amaraizu said.

Sopulu Edeh, the other suspect, is said to be a member of a gang of criminals who specialised in burglary and armed robbery.

Amaraizu, who also confirmed Edeh’s arrest, said he and his gang members, said to be four in number, were usually armed with machetes during their robbery operations.

The suspect ran out of luck on September 26 when he and his gang broke into the house of an unnamed woman at Rehab Road, in the Emene area of Enugu, and demanded money and other valuables.

It was learnt that the police got wind of the incident and swooped on the scene.

Edeh was apprehended but other members of the gang escaped.

Amaraizu said the police was on the trail of the fleeing members of the gang.

Meanwhile, Edeh is pleading for mercy, claiming that the September 26 robbery operation, during which he was arrested, was his first outing with the gang.

But Amaraizu said the suspect had been on the wanted list of the police for a while, due to his previous criminal activities.

“Sopulu Edeh claimed that it was his first time of joining the gang for an operation but, from police records, he has been on the wanted list following his criminal activities within Emene and its environs,” Amaraizu said.

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Gibson Achonu, Owerri

The former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, says he will continue to pursue his legitimate ambition of  becoming the governor of Imo State in 2019 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, against all odds.

Ihedioha, in a press release signed by his media aide, Mr. Chibuike Onyeukwu, on Friday, stated that “the orchestrated malicious blackmail by the agents of some desperate governorship aspirants’’ in the state cannot stop his ambition.

The release said that his interest to become the next governor of the state had continued to receive unprecedented enthusiasm and grass roots support by the entire people of the state.

Southern City News however, gathered that one of the things being said about him was that he (Ihedioha) was boasting of single-handedly installing Chief Uche Secondus as the PDP National Chairman, who it was also said would  assist him in achieving his governorship ambition.

The release read in part, “This is yet another failed attempt to impugn the character of the former Deputy Speaker and create frosty relationship between his good self and leading Nigerian politicians within and outside the PDP.

“Knowing the antecedents of these opponents, who are proven agents and allies of the All Progressives Congress, we expected this flurry of attacks, which indeed has been their age-long trademark. We are not surprised.

“It is, however, important to put the record straight that Emeka Ihedioha will remain a loyal and committed leader of the PDP, who will operate within the dictates of the provisions of the PDP Constitution, as well as the electoral guidelines, set by its relevant organs and importantly the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Ihedioha will continue to pursue his legitimate ambition to provide good leadership for the good people of Imo State which, interestingly, has continued to receive unprecedented enthusiasm, grass roots support and wide acceptability.

“Attempts, through a wave of their falsehood  and propaganda, to smear his reputation and relationship with Nigerians will, by the grace of God, remain an effort in futility.”

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Success Nwogu, Ilorin

The member representing the Irepodun Isin-Ekiti  Oke Ero Federal Constituency of Kwara State in the House of Representatives, Ms. Funke Adedoyin, is dead.

Our correspondent gathered that she died in a hospital in Abuja on Friday.

It was further learnt that she had been treated abroad for cancer.

A sister to the late lawmaker, Mrs. Omolola Olobayo, confirmed the death of her sister in a telephone interview with our correspondent.

Olobayo, who is a former chairman of the Kwara and Kogi states chapter of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, said her sister died in an Abuja hospital after returning from a treatment abroad.

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Olufemi Atoyebi, Lekan Adetayo, Success Nwogu, Samuel Awoyinfa, Simon Utebor, Mudiaga Affe, Etim Ekpimah, Jesusegun Alagbe and Alexander Okere

The Presidency on Friday said it had begun moves to end the nationwide strike organised by the Nigerian Labour Congress.

The Presidency in a statement said a meeting had been scheduled for Thursday.

[READ ALSO] Strike: Unions disrupt flight operations at Lagos airport

The NLC had on Wednesday directed all its members and affiliate unions to commence a nationwide strike on Thursday, following the failure of a meeting with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, in Abuja, to produce a positive result.

Meanwhile, the strike entered its second day on Friday as banks, government offices, hospitals, schools, petrol stations, TV and radio stations, among others, were shut.

Schools, banks, hospitals, others shut in South-West

In Ogun State, one of our correspondents observed as government offices and schools were shut, while a few banks operated skeletal services.

At the Oke Mosan Secretariat in Abeokuta, the state capital, few civil servants were seen in some of the offices within the complex.

In Ondo State, there was compliance with the NLC directive as government offices remained shut.

Only two private TV stations were in operation in Akure, the state capital, as the government-owned radio and TV stations remained closed.

READ ALSO: During the civil war, we delivered bombs to soldiers –Prof. Nwamuo

However, when one of our correspondents visited some of the government hospitals in Akure, it was observed that some skeletal works were going on, while it was gathered that only senior medical officers were allowed to enter into the facilities to perform some skeletal works.

In Ibadan, Oyo State capital, the level of compliance with the NLC order was near total as banks were closed while civil servants stayed away from work.

All schools, except privately-owned ones, were also closed.

Patients patronise private hospitals in S’South as residents groan

The NLC strike also took its toll on residents in the South-South as government facilities, as well as commercial banks, remained shut.

One of our correspondents who monitored the situation on Friday in Edo State found out that some patients at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, had started leaving the facility for private hospitals due to strike by health workers.

In Akwa Ibom State, when one of our correspondents visited the Idongesit Nkanga Secretariat, the workers blocked the entrance gate and were seen drumming, dancing, and singing, “Monkey dey work, baboon dey chop; enough is enough!”

The state Chairman of the NLC, Mr Etim Ukpong, told Saturday PUNCH the workers had been pushed to the wall, which was why the strike action was needed.

The state Chairman of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Mr John Cebastine, also said he was happy about the level of compliance with the NLC directive by workers in the state.

In Cross River and Bayelsa states, the situation was similar as public and private enterprises, including government offices, schools and financial institutions were closed to the public.

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The NLC Chairman in Cross River State, Mr John Ushie, said the union was on an enforcement drive to ensure total compliance.

Ushie’s counterpart in Bayelsa State, Mr John Bipre-Ndiomu, appealed to the federal and state governments to make workers’ well-being a top priority so as to promote good governance in the country.

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Friday Olokor and Afeez Hanafi

No fewer than 15 persons have been killed after some gunmen reportedly in military uniform attacked houses on Rukuba Road, in the Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.

While eight members of a family of 10 were killed in the first attack, two residents of an adjoining compound lost their lives in the onslaught.

It was learnt that the gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen invaded the area in the early hours of Friday. The scene of the attack was a few kilometers from the 3rd Armoured Division of the Nigerian Army in Jos.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that the gunmen struck in the night when the victims were asleep. It was said that a teenage boy and his father managed to escape, but his mother and seven other members of the family were not lucky.

After killing them, the gunmen reportedly scaled the fence to the next compound where they killed two other persons.

Our correspondent learnt that a protest erupted on Friday morning when the boy identified a soldier at a military post in the area as one of the assailants. During the protest, five youths were reportedly killed by soldiers while several others were injured.

It was gathered that angry youths attacked the military post, but were repelled by soldiers who allegedly shot at them. The youths were also said to have marched to a police station in the community and set it ablaze, burning some vehicles.

A community leader, Chief Austin Ogbonna, who narrated the incident to one of our correspondents on the telephone, said many residents had fled the community.

Ogbonna said, “The gunmen were in military uniform. They attacked the family at night. A boy and his father escaped. They hid around the soak away in their house. But the boy’s mother and about seven other members of the family were unable to escape. They were massacred.

“The gunmen went to the next residence. They killed an Igbo man and one other person. Nobody knows their mission. In the morning, the boy identified one of the assailants at a military post close to where the incident happened. That triggered a protest. People attacked the military post and soldiers responded with gunshots. That was how the whole thing escalated.

“Five protesters were killed while several others were seriously injured and rushed to hospitals. The number of death may increase. Youths set ablaze Kabong Police Post in Gada Biu and vehicles parked around there were burnt.”

Ogbonna added that the tragedy had paralysed commercial activities in the community, adding that a curfew had been imposed on the area.

Meanwhile, the Special Military Taskforce, codenamed Operation Safe Haven, on Friday confirmed that 11 persons were killed during the attack.

The OPSH in a statement by its spokesperson, Major Umar Adams, said the killings had taken place before soldiers arrived at the scene.

In a telephone conversation with Saturday PUNCH on Friday, the Commander of OPSH, Maj. Gen. Augustine Agundu, denied that protesters were killed by soldiers.

The spokesperson for the Plateau State Police Command, Matthias Tyopev, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, confirmed that there were casualties, but did not give the exact statistics.

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Chidiebube Okeoma, Owerri

Operatives of Imo State Police Command have arrested a 34-year-old man, Chibuike Okorougo, while allegedly stealing solar batteries belonging to mobile telecommunications company, MTN, in the state.

The state Commissioner of Police, Dasuki Galadanchi, told Southern City News that the suspect, who is a native of Umuenyem Nkwerre, was caught in the act by the operatives of the command.

 The commissioner, who described the development as an economic sabotage, said Okorougo was arrested at a MTN base station at Area R, Umugweze Estate Road in Owerri, the state capital.

Galadanchi said, “While on a township patrol along Port Harcourt Road, Owerri, our operatives received a distress call from one Linus Umezuluike and we quickly swung into action.

“The complainant disclosed that hoodlums had invaded the MTN facility at Area R,  Umugweze Estate Road in Owerri.

 “The operatives of the Scorpion Unit of the Command arrested Chibuike Okorougo, 34, of Umuenyem Nkwerre in the act while three others escaped.

 “One white Mitsubishi bus with number plate – XF137GWA – loaded with solar batteries were recovered. We will charge him to court accordingly.”

 The police commissioner, who said that efforts were ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects, added that the community policing strategies of the Inspector General of Police, which his command was implementing, were yielding fruitful results.

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Ademola Olonilua and Timileyin Akinkahunsi

DMW star, Mayorkun, shared a video last week of how his car was badly damaged by some people after his show at the Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos. The reports, which made the rounds, stated that the award-winning singer was almost killed during the attack.

Speaking to Saturday Beat, Mayorkun’s manager, known as Sam, noted that his client was not hurt in any way.

He said they suspected that the assailants were hoodlums and not students of the school.

“We suspect that most of the people who did that were not students of the school; they were probably the thugs who gained access to the school because they heard that Mayorkun was coming for the show.

“Mayorkun was the last person that performed at the show, so after the show ended, everybody started coming out at once and the bad boys around started following him. He didn’t sustain any injury he was actually having fun until the glass was broken and all he said was that we should drive fast and leave the school.

“We were in two cars – a Toyota Land Cruiser and a Mercedes Benz. We consider it as showing of love by fans that got out of control.

“The report that Mayorkun was almost killed was false; he wasn’t hurt at all. The thugs just took it to the extreme. Mayorkun was in the SUV when it happened; he was in the back and that was why they hit the glass at the back while the car was in motion,” he said.

He further stated that it was the third concert they had had in the school and that the previous visits to the school never had any incident.

“At a point, we thought they were students coming to take some pictures, catch a glimpse of Mayorkun or ask Mayorkun for money, but everything suddenly changed when we noticed the ‘area boys’ (urchins). When we got close to the gate of the school, they turned violent. If they were students, everything would have ended at the school gate.

“Next time we are going there to perform, we will get the organisers to put more security in place. When it happened, he just laughed about it because he was used to it,” Sam said.

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