News

Amnesty: Niger Delta Group Links Latest Attacks On Ndiomu To Atiku, Obi Supporters

Published

2 years ago

June 5, 2023

The Niger Delta Integrity Group (NDIG) has ascribed the latest attacks on and blackmail of Major General Barry Ndiomu (rtd), the Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), to supporters of Labour Party’s Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The group in a statement on Friday issued by its convener, Dr. Boma Horsfall, accused those who worked against President Bola Tinubu at the February 25 presidential polls of being behind the recent blackmail of Ndiomu, insisting that their actions were not altruistic but “grossly a show of their anger at the emergence of Tinubu as the President of Nigeria.”

NDIG said that the reasons adduced by the faceless group of blackmailers against the person of Ndiomu and his leadership were baseless, frivolous and a concoction of fairy tales and primitive lies intended to advance their selfish interests.

The statement said in part: “The NDIG after conducting due diligence and investigation, discovered that these resentful elements who issued a misleading statement bogusly titled: ‘Amnesty Fraud: Stakeholders write Tinubu, halt N5.6b fraudulent payment hanging on GIFMIS platform, seek immediate hand-over to the most senior director’, are not ex-agitators and are fictitious designations that are not captured in the PAP database.

“For the records, their claims are false and non-existent.

“It is disappointing that they have now descended to the gutter of lunacy. Who are the purported Elders and Traditional Rulers that endorsed the statement? It is public knowledge that all critical stakeholders of the Niger Delta region, including Elders and Traditional Rulers, are in full support of Ndiomu’s undertakings at the PAP.

“These are people that he has been constantly engaging with.

The statement said that Ndiomu who is fondly regarded as the ‘People’s General’ is “widely loved and accepted across the region.”

It urged Ndiomu not to be deterred by the “fraudulent schemes of a few dishonest elements who are driven by the dictates of their bellies.”

The group appealed to the general public to “disregard such sponsored statements from these unprincipled individuals who have in the past come forth with bogus contract claims that PAP has refused to attend to. They were exposed through an audit as those having multiple accounts linked to one BVN with which they fraudulently collected monthly stipends for many years before the arrival of Ndiomu.”

NDIG said that if the jobs that they claimed they have done, for which huge sums were paid for by past PAP administrations were in existence, the region would have developed beyond its status today.

“They should therefore shut their mouths and bury their heads in shame, as it is now crystal clear that the reason why they want Ndiomu out is because he has refused to do their criminal bidding.

“It is sad that the region has become a warehouse of falsehood and self-denial. Those affected by BVN issues are encouraged to look for lawful means to clear their names, as the NDIG will not hesitate to publish the names of these contractors and sponsors soon if they don’t desist from spreading falsehood.

“The NDIG commends General Ndiomu on the recently launched Cooperative Scheme, and considers it one of the best ways to create windows of opportunities for youths in the region.”

News

Idahosa Optimistic Shaibu Will Perform As National Sports Institute DG

Published

10 hours ago

June 22, 2025

Editor

The Edo State deputy governor, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, has expressed optimism that his predecessor in office, Hon. Philip Shaibu will excel in his new role as Director General of the National Institute for Sports (NIS).

The deputy governor expressed his optimism during the Thanksgiving Mass to celebrate the appointment at St. Paul Catholic Church in Benin on Sunday.

Idahosa, who appreciated President Bola Tinubu for the appointment, said Shaibu will bring to bear on the new job his experience as an astute sports administrator.

“We are indeed grateful for what God has done. We will continue to thank God on his behalf, because, he has served our state.

“Now, God has given him the opportunity to serve the nation. We will continue to pray for him for a successful tenure,” he stated.

The former deputy governor appreciated Idahosa for according him the honour with his physical attendance at the Thanksgiving Mass.

He assured the state of his readiness to effectively be a good ambassador effectively by working to reposition of the NIS in line with the renwew hope agenda of the President.

“I will try my best to bring the institute back to life. I will ensure that the reason for setting up the NIS is achieved,” he stated.

News

Falana Slams Government Over Failure To Prosecute Suspected Killers In Benue

Published

10 hours ago

June 22, 2025

Editor

Human rights lawyer and senior advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana (SAN), has criticized the Federal and Benue State Governments for consistently failing to prosecute suspects arrested in connection with ongoing violent attacks across Benue State.

In a statement issued under the platform of the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB), which he chairs, Falana lamented that although hundreds of suspects have been arrested over the years for crimes ranging from illegal possession of firearms to mass killings and kidnapping, most of them are never charged or brought to trial.

The legal luminary’s reaction follows President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent visit to Benue, during which he directed the Nigeria Police Force to arrest and prosecute all those involved in the latest wave of violence in the state. However, Falana described the president’s order as potentially symbolic, pointing out that previous arrests had not led to convictions or justice for victims.

Falana also berated the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, for alleging that residents of Yelwata community provided shelter for the killers. He described the statement as an attempt to shift blame onto victims instead of addressing the systemic failures of security and governance.

Providing a timeline of law enforcement actions, Falana stated:

On December 30, 2024, the Benue State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hassan Yabanet, announced the arrest of 273 suspects involved in capital crimes, along with the recovery of 20 firearms and 51 rounds of ammunition.

On January 17, 2024, Police spokesperson Olumuyiwa Adejobi revealed that an illegal firearms factory had been uncovered in Benue. Two suspects—Friday Aduduakambe and Iorwashima Iornyume—were arrested, and a cache of weapons, including nine locally made pistols and one unfinished AK-47, was seized.

On April 17, 2025, Governor Hyacinth Alia disclosed that three herdsmen were arrested over the killing of 11 people in the Otobi community, Otukpo Local Government Area.

On June 19, 2025, Community Volunteer Guards apprehended three suspected kidnappers at the Otukpo motor park with ransom money collected from their victims.

According to Falana, between January and June 2025 alone, dozens of violent crime suspects have been arrested, including 43 suspected killers in the last 10 days. Despite these arrests, no significant prosecutions have been reported.

“It is undoubtedly clear that the authorities have continued to treat suspected killers in Benue State like sacred cows,” he said. “The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Benue State, Mr. Fidelis Mnyim, must take immediate steps to ensure that justice is served.”

Falana stressed that the right to life, guaranteed under Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution, is meaningless unless the state acts decisively to punish those who violate it.

He warned that unless concrete action is taken, the ongoing culture of impunity will only worsen the bloodshed and erode public trust in the rule of law.

News

Troops Nab 8 Kidnap Suspects, Rescue 2 Victims In Kwara

Published

11 hours ago

June 22, 2025

Editor

Troops of the 22 Armoured Brigade, deployed at the Forward Operation Base (FOB) Patigi, in Kwara have nabbed eight suspected kidnappers and rescued two victims.

This is contained in a statement signed by Lt. Stephen Nwankwo, Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations of the Brigade in Ilorin on Sunday.

“Acting on credible intelligence, troops launched a tactical operation on Saturday, targeting a hideout on the outskirts of Latandaji Village in Patigi Local Government Area.

“During the engagement, troops encountered mild resistance, but swiftly subdued the criminals with superior firepower,” he said.

Nwankwo said that the operation led to the rescue of two kidnap victims, identified as Amos Moses and Philip Michael, while eight suspected kidnappers were arrested.

He, however, said that one Mohammed Mohammed sustained gunshot wounds during the exchange of fire and had been taken to hospital for medical attention.

The brigade spokesman said that further operational exploits in the area led to the recovery of two motorcycles and two expended cartridge shells, believed to be used by the suspects.

“All arrested individuals are currently in military custody for preliminary investigation and will be handed over to relevant authorities for prosecution,” Nwankwo said.

He said that the operation underscores the Nigerian Army’s unwavering commitment to ensure safety of lives and property across the country.

“We urge members of the public to continue providing actionable intelligence to security forces in order to dismantle criminal networks.

“The Nigerian Army remains resolute in its mission to safeguard communities and restore lasting peace in all regions of deployment,” he said.