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EndSARS: Vehicular Movement Grounded As Protesters Take Over Lagos – Benin Highway

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Vehicular and human movement were grounded for several hours on Thursday along the Benin – Lagos highway as thousands of young people took over the road, protesting against activities of the Nigeria police and humongous salaries for political office holders.

The carnival-like procession took over the entire highway and the flyover opposite the University of Benin with DJs blasting popular revolutionary songs of Fela Kuti, Femi Kuti, Idris Abdlukareem and several other popular artists.

Among the protesters were student union leaders of the University of Benin who were seen coordinating the demonstration.

Some stranded commuters also became part of the protesters pledging their support for reforms.

READ ALSO: EndSARS: Protesters Lower APC Flag, Replace It With EndSARS Flag In Osun Assembly

Some policemen who came to the scene stayed away from the protesters who conducted themselves peacefully for the almost five hours it lasted.

The carnival-like protest along the Benin-Lagos highway on Thursday

The President, Students Union Government of the University, Comrade Egwu Benjamin said they decided to add their voices to the protest going on across the country, just as demanded an end to SARS.

“We are adding our voice to what has been happening across the country, and we are demanding an end to SARS. We are saying end SARS and they are giving us SWAT.

READ ALSO: Just In: ‘SARS Must Go’ Protest Went Sour In Edo

“What we are saying is that we want police reforms. The government can do better; it should bring in more intellectuals into the police. More graduates and other intellectuals should come into the police, more persons will become interested. We were told Nigeria is the giant of Africa but now I can’t say our height. What we are saying is end SARS, end SWAT and give us a reformed police”, he said.

On his part, the SUG Public Relations Officer, Comrade Destiny Uanzekin said “This is a new generation and the beginning of a new order. It won’t just be end SARS now because our next point of call is the politicians.

“We are not just fighting just because we want the end of SARS neither are we fighting because we want the end of SWAT, we are fighting for a Nigeria that we believe in; we are fighting for a Nigeria that we trust is going to be happening very soon. We are in the street as youths because we know we have a higher stake in the Nigerian society; we are in the street as youths because we know we have the right as legitimate citizens to air our views.

The protesters on Thursday

“This is not illegal, this protest is legal, what they have been doing to us is what is illegal. Killing our youths, killing our sisters and brothers extra-judicially is wrong. The salaries of the people that we vote into government to represent us are being overpaid, let them earn the same salary like civil servants.”

A traveller who identified himself as Osarobo said he couldn’t help but join in the protest, adding that he was consoled with the fact that it is for the right course hence he joined the agitation.

READ ALSO: Confusion As SARS Kills Seven Police Robbery Suspects In Delta 

“I may be stranded right now but I am not frustrated because this is an overdue cry to reform the police force and not just SARS. Let police be well paid and see whether POS won’t stop on highways”, he added.

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How Flight Engineer Saved Us From Disaster — Ex-DG, Bureau of Public Service Reforms

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A former Director-General, Bureau of Public Service Reforms, Dr Joe Abah, has narrated how a ground engineer saved travellers on an Ibom Airlines flight from a “potential disaster”.

Narrating the experience on his X handle on Thursday, Abah said he boarded a 7 am flight from Lagos to Abuja on Thursday morning and the flight was ready to take off when the unusual happened.

The popular public commentator explained that he was on the flight heading to Abuja with the co-founder and Director of BudgIT, Oluseun Onigbinde when they heard a loud knock on the aircraft door.

He wrote, “I boarded a 7 am @ibomairlines flight in Lagos this morning, heading to Abuja. My brother @seunonigbinde was on the same flight and we had chatted briefly about work. The aircraft door was shut, phones switched off, and ready for takeoff.

READ ALSO: German Police Arrest 11 Nigerians For Dating Scam, Money Laundering

“As we were about to start taxiing, there was a loud knock on the aircraft door from outside. We all wondered what it could be. The knocking got more persistent. The attendant had to open the door again.

“As she did, a ground engineer came in and those of us in front clearly heard him say “You can’t go. Your landing gear is bad.”

“The pilot made a ‘political’ announcement that they needed to perform some additional checks before take-off and apologised for the delay. He spoke with the engineer and, a few seconds later, announced that we were to disembark.

“I thank God that we have the systems in place to check this and avert potential disaster. And that we have some diligent Nigerians who take their work seriously.

READ ALSO: Edo Cultists Kill Rival In Daughter’s Presence, Abandon Getaway Car

“If you are that young Nigerian engineer, God will bless you abundantly.”

He also urged the Nigeria Civil Aviation Agency to help him identify the engineer for him to personally thank their ‘saviour’.

Speaking with our correspondent on Thursday morning, the Ibom Airlines spokesperson, Annie Essienette, confirmed the development.

She said, “It is a technical thing. We were about to take off and someone called that the gear was faulty. So, the next thing to do was to disembark the passengers.

READ ALSO:JUST IN: Flights Diverted As Fire Breaks Out At Lagos Airport

“We are working on rescheduling the flight to accommodate the passengers so the faulty gear could be repaired accordingly and that is what we are doing.”

On Wednesday, the Federal Government suspended Dana Airline operations due to concerns surrounding safety.

This is coming after an aircraft belonging to the airline, with registration number 5N BKI, skidded off the runway at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Tuesday morning.

The aircraft, which flew from Abuja to Lagos, skidded off the runway in an attempt to land.

However, no casualty was recorded.

However, the Ministry of Aviation, through the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, suspended the airline’s operations in the country until a comprehensive audit is conducted.

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EFCC Withdraws Appeal Against Former Kogi Gov, Bello

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has filed a notice of withdrawal to discontinue an appeal against an order of a Kogi high court…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has filed a notice of withdrawal to discontinue an appeal against an order of a Kogi high court restraining the agency from arresting Yahaya Bello, former governor of the state.

In the notice filed on April 22, and signed by its counsel, J.S Okutepa, SAN, the EFCC said the withdrawal is predicated on the fact that events have overtaken the appeal.

The commission also admitted that the appeal was filed out of the time allowed by law.

“The appellant herein intends to and do hereby wholly withdraw her appeal against the respondent in the above mentioned appeal.

READ ALSO: Why Yahaya Bello Was Absent In Court — Lawyer

“This notice of withdrawal is predicated on the fact that; on the April 17, 2024, the application filed by the appellant herein was overtaken by the decision of the same high court of Kogi state,”

“The orders made ex parte by Jamil on the Feb 9, 2024 in the said suit which is the subject of this appeal, was made to last pending the hearing and determination of the originating motion on notice which was finally determined by Jamil J. on the April 17, 2024.

“Furthermore, the notice of appeal was filed out of time and we, therefore, pray that the appeal be struck out for being filed out of time and incompetent,” he stated.

On Feb 8, Bello instituted a fundamental rights enforcement suit, asking the court to declare that “the incessant harassment, threats of arrest and detention, negative press releases, malicious prosecution” of the EFCC — “without any formal invitation — is politically motivated and interference with his right to liberty, freedom of movement, and fair hearing”.

The former governor also sought an order “restraining the respondent by themselves, their agents, servants or privies from continuing to harass, threaten to arrest or detain him”.

READ ALSO: BREAKING: EFCC Chair Vows To Follow Yahaya Bello’s Prosecution To Conclusion

On Feb 9, the Kogi high court granted an interim injunction restraining the EFCC from “continuing to harass, threaten to arrest, detain, prosecute Bello, his former appointees, and his staff or family members, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive originating motion for the enforcement of his fundamental rights”.

On March 12, the EFCC filed an appeal against the interim injunction because the court could not stop the commission from carrying out its statutory responsibility.

The Kogi high court delivered judgment on the substantive motion on notice on April 17 wherein Isa Jamil Abdullahi, presiding judge, granted an order restraining the EFCC “from continuing to harass, threaten to arrest or detain Bello”.

However, Abdullahi directed the commission to file a charge against Bello before an appropriate court if it had reasons to do so.

The judgment coincided with the recent “siege” laid to the Abuja residence of Bello by EFCC operatives seeking to arrest him.

READ ALSO: Drama! Supporters Of Yahaya Bello Perform Rituals to Prevent His Arrest By EFCC [Video]

The commission had also obtained a warrant of arrest against the former governor from the Abuja federal high court.

The EFCC is seeking to arraign Bello on 19 counts bordering on alleged money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N80.2 billion.

At the scheduled arraignment on April 18, Bello was absent.

At the court session, Abdulwahab Mohammed, counsel to Bello, told Emeka Nwite, the presiding judge, that the court lacked jurisdiction to grant the warrant of arrest in the first instance.

He referenced the February 9 interim injunction issued by the Kogi high court, adding that the appeal filed by the EFCC was still pending. (NAN)

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Kanye West To Launch Yeezy P0rn Studio With Stormy Daniels

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Ye, the musical artist formerly known as Kanye West, 46, is considering the idea of launching a pornography studio as his latest non-musical project.

According to a new report by TMZ, Ye and his associates are reportedly now in advanced talks with Stormy Daniels’ ex-husband Mike Moz start building a supposed “Yeezy Porn” division, which would fall under the Yeezy parent company.

Moz is a veteran in the adult entertainment industry with over a decade’s worth of experience as a producer. He would reportedly be brought in to lead the new effort, which could launch as early as this summer.

Ye seems to have a complicated relationship with pornography. He wasn’t shy when it came to rapping about his fantasies with women at the start of his career but something shifted about five years ago when he confirmed he converted to Christianity.

During a 2019 interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, West—who served as creative director for the Pornhub Awards in 2018, complete with merchandize, said Playboy magazine was his gateway to a “full-on pornography addiction.”

“My dad had a full-on magazine laid out when I was five,” he told Lowe. “Playboy was a gateway to a full-on pornography addiction. … It has impacted every choice I have made in my life from age five to now.”

Elsewhere in the conversation, which was recorded ahead of the release of his Jesus Is King album featuring the Sunday Service Choir, Ye opened up about how his Christianity changed him.

“Now that I’m in service to Christ, my job is to spread the gospel, to let people know what Jesus has done for me,” said Ye, who was still with Kim Kardashian. “I’ve spread a lot of things. There was a time I was letting you know what high fashion had done for me, I was letting you know what the Hennessey had done for me, but now I’m letting you know what Jesus has done for me, and in that I’m no longer a slave, I’m a son now, a son of God. I’m free.”

In 2022, West wrote in a now-deleted Instagram post that pornography “destroyed” his family.

“Hollywood is a giant brothel Pornography destroyed my family I deal with the addiction instagram promotes it Not gonna let it happen to Northy and Chicago,” he wrote at the time, per Page Six.

A lot has changed between then and now, including Ye’s marriage to Bianca Censori, 29, which happened secretly in December 2022. She’s been photographed a number of times—by Ye and paparazzi alike—in clothing that tests the boundaries of the word “revealing.”.

On his latest album, Vultures, Ye sampled an infamous line from the 1999 film Dogma for his song “Back to Me” where he raps, “Beautiful, big titty, butt-naked women just don’t fall out the sky, you know?”

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