Tag Archives: Storms

Niger Delta Group Storms Villa, Gives Fresh Conditions For Peace

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delegation of the Niger Delta Peoples Congress (NDPC) was at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja yesterday and gave fresh conditions for peace during a meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

It would be recalled that elders from the region, under the auspices of Pan-Niger Delta Forum, had on November 1 met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa where they presented a 16-point demand to him.

The secretary of the Niger Delta Peoples Congress, Professor Benjamin Okaba, told Osinbajo yesterday that their visit was to re-affirm the plausible submissions earlier made, prioritise their concerns and place them in clearer perspectives.

Okaba listed his group’s demands as including political reconstruction and fiscal federalism, saying the derivation principle should allow the different units annex and control their resources and pay appropriate and agreed tax to the centre.

The group also demanded stoppage of further invasion of the region under any guise; unconditional release of all freedom fighters from detention, relocation of multinational corporations’ operational bases to the region and creation of at least 6,000 jobs for the teeming population of unemployed and restive youths of the region.

It also demanded resumption of academic activities at the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Delta State and establishment of similar institutions in other parts of the region; release of over N800bn outstanding allocations to the NDDC; building of more modular refineries; reduction of the current state of environmental degradation and threat to life occasioned by the activities of the mult-national corporations in the region as well as comprehensive remediation of areas affected by oil spill.

Other demands were provision of medical facilities and attention to people suffering from ailments associated with oil and gas activities; prompting the legislative process for the review of the nation’s laws on environmental impact; immediate implementation of all laws stopping gas flaring in the region and establishment of internally displaced persons camps for the re-settlement of displaced persons at Bakassi, Gbaramatu, and so on.

In his response, Osinbajo charged the delegation to first address the issue of continued vanadalism in the region which, according to him, he said is the most important thing.

He noted that the problems in the region had always been there, saying if the elite in all regions of the country decide to end the problems in their regions, the crises would be resolved.

The vice president also told the delegation that independent producers who are Nigerians are the ones suffering from vandalism, not the international oil companies.

Credit: dailytrust

Sacked NUJ Chairman Storms Press Centre with Thugs, Breaks into Office

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The Kaduna state council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), has accused the “impeached” chairman of the union, Mallam Garba Mohammed,  of forcefully  breaking into the chairman’s office following his removal from office.

Garba, according to a statement by the council secretary,  Mallam Dauda Idris Doka, stormed  the Press Centre, along Warf Road, Kaduna, on Tuesday with thugs, wielding dangerous weapons and broke into the office  office which was locked.
Doka said incident had been  reported  to the police by the state executives of the NUJ.

Mohammed was removed at a congress meeting which held on September 7, 2016 while he was on pilgrimage in Mecca for allegedly failing to hand over  documents, the cheque book and the council’s vehicle to his deputy, Mrs Zhiroh Jatau, thereby crippling  the smooth running of the council.

Doka, while affirming the impeachment of Garba in the statement, said:  “In a brazen show of force, Mallam Garba arrived at the premises of Kaduna Council Secretariat with a few armed members and thugs.

“They were very unruly, and wielded machetes and knives, creating tension in the secretariat and environs. They then forced open the office of the acting Chairman.”

Credit: thisdaylive

Saraki Storms CCT With 90 Lawyers

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The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday appeared at the Code of Conduct Tribunal with 90 lawyers for the continuation of his trial.

Mr. Saraki had in the last two sittings presented 80 lawyers.

But in Wednesday’s sitting, Mr. Saraki’s lead counsel, Kanu Agabi, told the court that 90 lawyers formed the defense team for the Senate president at the tribunal.

“We are altogether 90 of us here today”, Mr. Agabi told the tribunal shortly after the commencement of trial.

During the previous sitting, when Mr. Agabi was accompanied with 79 lawyers, he (Mr. Agabi) told the tribunal that his client was well prepared for a contest by vote, between counsels, if the need arises.

“At some point, the trial should be subjected to vote, My Lord,” Mr. Agabi told the court in an effort to buttress the fact that they had a numerical strength.

The prosecution team had about 10 lawyers at Wednesday’s sitting.

But while calling for the appearance of the 90 lawyers, it was found that scores of them were not physically present in court.

This was not the case when Mr. Saraki arrived with 80 lawyers, as all 80 of them confirmed their presence in court.

Credit: SunOnline

PDP Crisis Intensifies As Staff Lay Siege, DSS Storms Secretariat

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The national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was Monday almost turned into a battle ground as the staff members laid siege at the premises, spoiling for war with members of the National Working Committee (NWC).

Reports gathered made members of the NWC to stay away from the party’s headquarters, for fear of being attacked by the aggrieved workers. Following the mounting tension, operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) stormed the party’s national secretariat, obviously to assess situation on ground.

Three of the DSS officials were sighted at the premises at about 12.15p.m., when they went upstairs and stayed for over 30 minutes as the directors were meeting with leaders of the aggrieved workers. The DSS officials left the party premises shortly afterwards.

It was further gathered that the NWC had resolved to dialogue with the aggrieved staff, following the meeting held by the party directors with leaders of the workers’ welfare committee at the party’s national secretariat yesterday.

A  member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the issue, said the problem started when some workers were brought into the party by their godfathers who had since defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“The fear at the party headquarters is that these workers, who owe allegiance to the godfathers that facilitated their employment in the PDP will be passing sensitive information and documents to their godfathers in the APC,” he said.

Read More: thisdaylive

Former First Lady Storms Liaison Office In Abuja, Takes Away N100m Property Worth

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Shocking details of a raid on the Benue State Liaison Office in the Asokoro area in Abuja by the former First Lady of Benue State Yemisi Suswam has been provided to newsmen.

Witnesses told SaharaReporters that the raid was conducted by associates close to Yemisi Suswam operating under the cover of darkness. These witnesses told our correspondent that Yemisi’s associates drove two large trucks to the Liaison Office in Abuja, with the intent to cart out and steal all the expensive furnishings.

It was learned that Yemisi Suswan and her sister received a contract from the Benue State government to furnish and design the Benue State Liaison Office in Abuja, which sources said was an unlawful government contract due to conflicts of interest. It was also learned that because the former First Lady and her sister furnished the office they knew the exact items to steal.

The night-time assailants–under the direction of Yemisi Suswan–stole everything they could fit into their trucks, especially pricey gadgets, electronics, and home-office accessories. The items removed included television sets, refrigerators, rugs, plates, pots, DSTV decoders, and bed sheets.

It has also been learned that the Federal Capital Territory Police Command have identified a Police Sergeant, Shola Adeniyi, and another unknown associate to First Lady Suswam, as suspects in this brazen raid and have began investigating these leads.

Read More: saharareporters

Again, Boko Haram Storms Maiduguri With RPGs, Destroys Houses

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Suspected Boko Haram terrorists last night stormed Maiduguri with sophisticated weapons with a view to take over the town.

Thunderous sound of Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs) fired by the terrorists forced the already traumatized residents to suspend their sleep.

Sources said the terrorists wanted to attack the town through Dala suburb, the same direction through which they attacked the town last Saturday.

“No life was lost but some houses have been detroyed, with two of them which the RPG bombs hit directly  at Ajilari Dalori completely  destroyed while  the occupants, including women and children sustained various degrees of injuries,” said Ajid Mohamed, a resident of the affected area.

The attack was launched between 12.20am and 1.40 am.

Though troops of the Nigerian army immediately responded by firing artillery guns in the direction of the approaching insurgents, the exchange of fire continued unabated for over one hour, forcing residents who were living around the red zone to flee their homes in the dead of the night.

Another resident of the area, Jafar Mukhtar Kolima complained that Nigerian troops are always on the defensive instead of taking the war to the insurgents.

“I strongly feel the terrorists are getting the audacity to attack because they believe nobody will pursue them to their hideouts. How can you always wait for your enemy to strike before you respond,”? he asked.

“We thank God that the whole of Maiduguri is surrounded by a trench otherwise these terrorists would have taken over Maiduguri long ago,” he added.

Credit: dailytrust