Northern Governors Seek Abolition of Indigene-Settler Dichotomy

The Governors of Nigeria’s 19 northern states are seeking the abolition of the indigenes-settler dichotomy which they have identified as one of the major causes of communal conflicts in the region.

This is part of the resolution reached at the end of their two-day meeting with traditional rulers in Kaduna state.

Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum and Governor of Borno state, Kashim Shettima, addressed journalists at the end of the meeting.

He decried the increasing level of insecurity and wanton destruction of lives and property in the region describing it as a cause for concern.

He said that abolishing the indigene/settler agitation will not only eliminate crisis in all parts of the country, but will also foster national integration and development.

According to him, every Nigerian should have a sense of belonging wherever they are residing in as much as such citizens abide by the traditional norms and values of their host communities.

The governors also linked the killings and other acts of violence against fellow Nigerians in Southern Kaduna and other communities as politically motivated from both within and outside the region.

They called on those they describe as ‘Conflict Entrepreneurs’ to desist from instigating crisis or face prosecution.

The forum, while commiserating with victims of the Southern Kaduna attacks and that of the recent accidental bombing in Borno state, also commended the federal government for providing the necessary leadership to security forces to defeat Boko Haram insurgency and for the drive to rid the country of all forms of vices that confront the society.

The meeting ended with a resolution that all the states must work closely in order to deal with peculiar security challenges confronting the region as well as ensuring that peace is restored in all troubled areas.

Nigerian Government Plans Mass Evacuation From Libya

The Senior Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa says the Nigerian government is executing mass evacuation abroad, particularly in Libya where many Nigerians still languish in deplorable conditions.

This is to check the worrisome consequence of illegal migration which is the subsequent mistreatment and abuse of Nigerians in various countries abroad once identified as undocumented.

Hardship and struggle is the experience of many in the cavity of Nigeria’s economic recession, but for some, it started a journey of unraveling.

Desperate for survival, many head for unknown destinations through unknown routes only to find conditions worse at the destination than conditions burdening at the origin, if the destination is ever seen at all.

The presidential adviser acknowledged this challenge but urged Nigerians to weather the storm at home where they are welcome.

She said that the current cash crunch does not shake the commitment of the federal government to prioritize the welfare of its people both home and abroad.

Officials from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) say 669 Nigerians were evacuated from Libya on chartered aircraft in 2016 alone by the federal government in rescue missions.

The Head Of Search and Rescue at NEMA, Bandele Onimode, made this disclosure, adding also that more operations are expected in the coming weeks.

The increasing rate of illegal outflows of migrants from Nigeria into various countries in northern Africa and Europe has become an issue of concern to all countries involved as the global community aims to check illegal migration around the world.

FRSC Auctions 37 Vehicles, 149 Motorcycles In Edo

The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC RS 5.1 Edo Sector Command has put up for sale 37 vehicles and 143 motorcycles in a public auction at two of its centres.

The centres are the sector command and the FRSC Oluku toll gate office.

Speaking to Channels Television at the office of the Edo Sector Command in Benin City, the Edo state capital, the Sector Commander of the FRSC RS 5.1, Samuel Odukoya, said that the exercise was well publicized as required by the FRSC Establishment Act 2007 and section 182 of the National Traffic Regulation 2012.

According to him, a Federal High Court in Benin on December 13, 2016 granted an order for forfeiture to the federal government, the listed items and also sales by public auction.

EFCC Urges Final Forfeiture Of Funds Allegedly Diverted By Allison-Madueke

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has told a Federal High Court in Lagos State that an Executive Director of First Bank Plc, Mr Dauda Lawal, allegedly laundered funds on behalf of former Minister of Petroleum, Mrs Diezani Allison-Madueke.

The counsel representing the EFCC, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, made the revelation on Tuesday while responding to a counter affidavit by the bank official.

Mr Lawal is seeking to discharge an interim forfeiture order of the sum of 9.08 billion naira.

About three weeks ago, Justice Muslim Hassan issued an interim order of forfeiture of the sum of $153 million to the Federal Government, following an ‘exparte application’ filed by the EFCC.

The EFCC linked the funds to Mrs Allison-Madueke.

The court had also issued 14 days to any interested party to appear and prove the legitimacy of the monies, failing which the funds would be permanently forfeited to the government.

At the resumed hearing of the case on Tuesday, Mr Charles Adeogun-Phillips announced appearance for Mr Lawal who is joined as respondent in the suit.

In his arguments before the court, Mr Adeogun-Phillips challenged the forfeiture order and urged the court to issue an order, directing a refund of the sum of 9.08 billion naira to his client, on the grounds that same was obtained by coercion.

He argued that his client admitted having received the sum of $25 million in clear dispensation of his duties, but was purportedly coerced by the commission to further admit receiving a total of $65 million.

The 9.08 billion naira represents the naira equivalent of the difference of $40 million which Mr Lawal said he was also made to give up after being coerced.

EFCC Counsel, Mr Oyedepo, however, challenged the claims and insisted that the First Bank boss allegedly conspired with some other persons to launder funds on behalf of Mrs Allison-Madueke.

He urged the court to order a final forfeiture of the $153 million and the 9.08 billion naira already surrendered by the respondent, to the government.

After listening to all the lawyers, Justice Hassan fixed the February 16 for judgment.

House Urges Sports Ministry To Revive Boxing In Nigeria

The House of Representatives has appealed to the Ministry of Youth and Sports to charge the Nigerian Boxing Federation to revive boxing in the country.

The call followed consideration of a motion sponsored by a member of the House from Lagos State, Representative Rita Orji.

In her motion on Tuesday, she asked the lawmakers to congratulate UK based Nigerian boxer, Larry Ekundayo, for his heroics in the field of boxing.

The House consequently mandated its Committee on Sports and Youth Development to work with the Sports Ministry to ensure sponsorship of the athletes.

The lawmakers asked the committee and the ministry to prevent Nigerian boxers from being lured to change their nationality.

Channels Television LIVE TV PROGRAMMES TOP VIDEOS Kidnapped Turkish School Students, Teachers Released

The five staff and three students of the Tulip International School, located in the Isheri area of Ogun State, who were abducted from their school premises by gunmen have been released.

They were released on Tuesday evening after spending 11 days in captivity.

One of the parents told Channels Television that ransom worth millions was paid through a negotiator and the gunmen gave the assurance that the victims would be released.

Gunmen invaded the school, formerly known as Turkish International School, on the night of Friday, January 13

Hilux and took the students and the teachers away.

Men of the Nigeria Police and the anti-kidnapping team of the Ogun State Police Command, have since been on the trail of the abductors.

The state government also assured parents, guardians and relatives of students and staff of the school of prompt action to ensure safe and immediate release of the kidnapped students and staff.

Barely two days after the incident, the kidnappers demanded 1.2 billion naira ransom for the victims to regain their freedom.

Channels Television gathered that the abductors reportedly called a family member of one of the victims on Sunday to make the demand.

In what seemed like a ray of hope, news emerged three days later that Police had arrested one of the three leaders of the armed gangthat kidnapped the students and their teachers.

A reliable Police source confirmed to Channels Television that the suspected leader, Phillip Joel Kakadu, also known as “General Kakadu” was arrested by men of the Intelligence Response Team in Warri, Delta State where he had come to spend his loot.

Kakadu was alleged to have confessed to possessing about twenty five AK-47 rifles with five of his boys among the 16-man gang that operated in the Turkish school on Friday.

However, friends and families of the abducted had to continue hoping that the arrest would lead to the release of their loved ones. This they had to endure for another six days.

Members of staff abducted, alongside the students, included three Nigerians and two Turkish nationals.

The students, two from the Junior Secondary School and the third in Senior Secondary, were said to have been part of a moral instruction class when they were taken.

According to staff of the school, the gunmen gained entrance through the back fence of the school, escaping through the swamp.

The unfortunate incident occurred on the 9th anniversary of the school.

It came barely three months after gunmen invaded Lagos Model College in Epe and kidnapped four students, a vice principal and a teacher from the school.

Angry MMM participant threatens to kill MMM founder over non-payment

Lagos - An investor in the MMM scheme has written to the support arm of the platform threatening to kill the founder of the Ponzi scheme, Sergey Mavrodi, with African magic if his money is not paid back in two weeks.

The investor also declared his readiness to kill his MMM guider and the person who refereed the scheme to him.

Since the return of the scheme on January 13 after a month break, confidence in MMM has been declining with participants questioning its mode of operation and faulting explanations offered by guiders.

When MMM resumed this year, it promised to attend to all payment (Get Help) requests of low income investors, while accounts of higher investors were frozen.

But investors in the scheme were shocked when payment (Get Help) requests by all participants were removed by the scheme. 

He wrote the message above