Headline

Bauchi Govt Demolished Citizen’s Property Without Court Order Because Of Party Differences- Aide

Published

5 years ago

October 6, 2021

Mr. Ukkasha Rahama, the Secretary to Hon. Yakubu Abdullahi, member, representing Bauchi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives has insisted that the state government demolished his principal’s building in the middle of the night and without any court order.

Rahama, who stated this in a news conference with journalists in Bauchi on Wednesday, further stated that the state government was aware that his principal had instituted a legal action against it, the Attorney General of the state, Ministry of Land and Survey as well as Bauchi State Urban and Development Board.

It could be recalled that the state government had on October 1, 2021
demolished the building of Hon. Yakubu Shehu Abdullahi.

The state government explained that the building belongs to it but was illegally sold out by an official of the immediate past administration.

The government, through a team of officials led by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Governor of Bauchi State, Mukhtar Gidado, explained that the building was part of the nine houses dedicated as ‘legacy assets’ having been there right from the creation of the state in 1976.

The government further said that the nine houses have over the years been used as official residences of Commissioners and other top Government functionaries including security chiefs posted to the state and therefore could not have been sold on owner-occupier basis as claimed by the Federal lawmaker.

While reacting to the government’s stand, Rahama said “For record and clarity, Hon. Yakubu Shehu Abdullahi owned the property through purchase from the original owner. A Deed of Assignment was prepared between him and the original owner. The Deed of Assignment was duly registered after the State Government approved the consent to assign the property to him.

“The Honourable paid all the necessary fees to the State Government for registration of his title in the land registry Bauchi in 2018 after obtaining the consent of the Bauchi State Government. He acquired title to the property in 2018 before the birth of the current administration of Governor Bala Mohammed.

“Before commencing building on the land he lawfully acquired, he submitted a building proposal to the State Urban and Development Board for approval. The building proposal and plan was approved by the Board in 2018 and the amended building proposal was approved on the 22nd October, 2020 and he paid all the necessary fees.

“After obtaining building approval from the Board to erect structures on his plot of land he lawfully acquired and the structures have gone far, the saddest thing that will ever happen to a Nigerian citizen was what befall Hon. Yakubu Shehu Abdullahi, member representing Bauchi Federal Constituency at the National Assembly because of political party differences.

“The State Government, after collecting a huge sum of money from him for registration of title documents with the land registry and hugely paid for obtaining building approval from the State Government as well as spending millions of naira in raising the structure, the Bauchi State Government has done what can be termed as robbery,” he said.

Rahama further stated that the building construction on property covered by Certificate of Occupancy No. BA/39705 was not an illegal construction, adding that the state government granted approval to his principal to erect the structures.

He also said that in line with the State Government approval, his principal commenced construction on his plot of land at No. 7 Buba Yero Road, old GRA, Bauchi.

“Having collected huge money from him, the State Government is now raising issues on the property just because of political differences with him.

“Hon. Yakubu Shehu Abdullahi came into the property lawfully after following due
procedure for acquisition of the landed property and at no time his title was challenged by the Bauchi State Government before a Court of law.

“It is unfortunate that the Government that ought to protect the life and properties of its citizens as guaranteed in our law, is the one using its hands to grievously injure the citizens and demolish the property.

“The causing of grievous injury to the security guards of the property without any provocation in a desperate attempt to illegally demolish the property of Hon. Yakubu Shehu Abdullahi further confirmed that the Bauchi state government does not value the Sanctity of human lives created by Almighty Allah,” He stated.

Headline

Woman Passes Out After Receiving 100 Strokes Of Cane

Published

4 days ago

May 24, 2026

Editor

A woman has passed out after she and her partner were each flogged 100 times in public for engaging in sex outside marriage under strict Sharia laws in Indonesia’s Aceh province.

The woman, whose identity was not disclosed, was later carried away after the punishment was carried out in Banda Aceh, located at the northern tip of Sumatra island on Thursday.

A masked official dressed in brown robes administered the caning before members of the public who gathered to witness the punishment.

Her partner was also seen wincing in pain while receiving the lashes.

The pair were among several individuals punished for violating Sharia regulations in the province.

Authorities from the Banda Aceh Sharia Court and the Prosecutor’s Office handed down punishments ranging from 25 to 100 lashes for offences including extramarital sex allegedly arranged through online applications.

Aceh remains the only province in Muslim-majority Indonesia operating under Sharia law, where unmarried couples are prohibited from having sexual relations.

Caning is commonly used in the province as punishment for offences such as gambling, alcohol consumption, same-sex relations and sex outside marriage.

Under Aceh’s Sharia regulations, child rape offenders face some of the harshest penalties, including up to 200 strokes of the cane, a prison sentence of as long as 200 months or fines equivalent to two kilograms of gold.

The punishments are usually carried out publicly as a way of shaming offenders in addition to inflicting physical pain.

Such canings are often conducted outside mosques or in open public spaces, with residents watching and taking photographs during the exercise.

Human rights organisations have continued to condemn the practice, arguing that it causes emotional trauma and violates international human rights standards.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have repeatedly criticised the punishments, saying they conflict with Indonesia’s constitution and global legal obligations.

Amnesty said in a statement: “Caning contravenes Indonesia’s constitution and is in clear violation of international human rights law and standards.

‘It constitutes a cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and can amount to torture in violation of the UN Convention against Torture and other international covenants, to which Indonesia is a State Party.’”

Despite the criticism, local authorities have defended the punishments as part of Aceh’s religious and cultural identity, insisting they serve as a deterrent against immoral behaviour.

Earlier in January, another couple in the province reportedly received 140 lashes each after being found guilty of drinking alcohol and engaging in sex outside marriage.

(Daily Mail)

Headline

Senegal’s President Sacks Prime Minister After Months-long Feud

Published

4 days ago

May 24, 2026

Editor

Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has sacked Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and dissolved the government following months of rising political tension between the two former allies.

The decision was announced in a surprise decree read on national television by a presidential aide, stating that Faye had “ended the duties” of Sonko and “consequently those of the ministers and secretaries of state who are members of the government”.

Sonko, who remains a highly influential figure among Senegal’s youth, responded on social media, saying he would “sleep with a light heart”.

The political fallout comes at a time of growing economic strain in the country, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) putting Senegal’s public debt at 132% of its GDP.

His removal followed a tense parliamentary session on Tuesday, where Sonko openly criticised President Faye’s handling of the debt situation.

The development is striking given that Faye’s rise to power was largely tied to Sonko’s popularity and political backing.

Sonko would almost certainly have contested the presidency himself in 2024, but was barred from the race due to a defamation conviction. Instead, he threw his support behind Faye, rallying voters with the slogan “Diomaye is Sonko, Sonko is Diomaye”.

The alliance helped unseat former President Macky Sall in a dramatic electoral victory, despite both men having been released from prison only days before the vote.

Tensions between the two leaders had been building for months, with Faye reportedly accusing Sonko of excessive dominance within the ruling Pastef party, while Sonko accused the president of weak leadership and failing to defend him against critics.

(BBC News)

Headline

Six Nigerians Arrested In Thailand Over AI-Powered Romance Scam

Published

4 days ago

May 24, 2026

Editor

Six Nigerian nationals have been arrested by the Thailand Police Force for allegedly operating an AI-powered deepfake romance scam syndicate from a luxury condominium along the Chao Phraya River in Nonthaburi Province, following a cocaine trafficking investigation that exposed their activities.

Thai authorities said the operation began after police arrested a Nigerian suspect identified as Patrick and three associates in April over alleged drug trafficking offences. During the raid, officers reportedly seized assets valued at about 2.5 million baht.

Investigators said financial transactions linked to the suspects led them to several foreign nationals living in a high-end riverside condominium near Phra Nangklao Bridge in Nonthaburi. Police discovered that many of the occupants were staying in groups of five or six per apartment under student visas despite not being enrolled in any educational institution or engaged in lawful employment.

According to Thai police, officers executed search warrants on three condominium units on May 22. The suspects allegedly refused to open their doors, forcing authorities to break into the apartments.

Videos circulating on X captured the moment police officers forcefully gained entry into one of the apartments before arresting the suspects.

During the operation, one suspect reportedly attempted to escape by climbing over a balcony, while another was found hiding on the bathroom floor while allegedly sending warning messages to occupants in neighbouring units.

Police recovered 18 mobile phones, three laptop computers and three bank passbooks from the apartments. Authorities said some of the phones were still logged into active conversations with victims at the time of the raid.

Investigators alleged that the syndicate specialised in romance scams targeting older Thai women by using AI-generated faces and manipulated video calls to create fake online identities.

The suspects allegedly posed as pilots, United States military officers, doctors and engineers to gain the trust of victims before requesting money under false pretences.

Police said the fraudsters typically claimed that valuable packages or gifts sent to victims had been withheld by customs officials and required payment of clearance fees before release.

Authorities also said they recovered scripts for sexually explicit conversations allegedly used to emotionally manipulate victims into transferring funds. Investigators claimed the group relied heavily on artificial intelligence technology to generate realistic Western faces for fake video interactions.

Thai police said all six suspects are currently facing preliminary charges bordering on illegal association and immigration overstay, while additional fraud and romance scam charges are expected to follow as investigations continue.