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Ex-Army Officer Jailed By Abacha Recounts Experience 25 Years After

A former Army officer, (retd.) Col. Bello Fadile, who was sentenced to life imprisonment during the regime of the late Gen. Sani Abacha, has recounted his experience 25 years after the incident.
Fadile, who observed his prison term at the then-Argungu prison now known as the Kebbi State custodian centre, recalled he was court-martialled for advocating a non-violent composition of an interim government to replace the military junta of his-then friend and boss, Abacha.
Speaking with select journalists on Saturday, Fadile, an ex-intelligence military officer described his freedom from the prison on March 4, 1999, as unexpected.
Fadile noted that the news of his freedom got to him while on a three-day dry fasting and prayer.
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He said, “I was court-martial to life sentence for advocating a non-violent composition of an interim government to replace the military junta of a friend and boss, Abacha.
“ 25 years ago, in the wee hours of March 4, 1999, I had a tap on my cell window. I got up and went closer. Then I saw the warder on duty, a retired Warrant Officer of the Nigerian Army now working for the Nigeria Prison Services. He said, “Oga you don free, congratulations sir, start packing your things, you are going home.
“I asked him, what did you just say? ” He said, “Yes sir you are to be released today, sir.” I did not say anything. I just believed him and rushed to the general open cell opposite my cell to tell the two other inmates who were on a three-day dry fasting with me, seeking the face of God in my situation.
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“It was the beginning of the third day. I told them the good news and they shouted, “Hallelujah!” and we stood up and joined hands to sing out a sing-song chorus; God is able, abundantly able, to deliver and to save; The Lord is able, abundantly able, to deliver those who trust in him. Hallelujah!”
Fadile said he was preparing to leave when the Officer-In-Charge of the prison intimated to him that former Head of State, (retd.) Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar granted him pardon.
He said, “Thereafter I went to my cell, packed my stuff, and went to take a shower. At about 5.30 am, March 4, 1999, the Officer-In-Charge came to my cell and as usual, said, Doctor, you are free to go and you have to go out of my yard before 6 am today. The Head of State and Commander-In-Chief, General Abdusalami Abubakar has granted you and your colleagues a state pardon. Congratulations sir.
“And so it was 25 years ago that I breathed the air of freedom. To God be the honour and glory and of course gratitude to Gen. A A Abubakar (GCON) former Head of State. Special thanks to all others on whichever sides of the divide they were during the struggle to establish a truly democratic government in our dear motherland – Nigeria. God bless the Nigerian Military, my first love, God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria”
Former military leader, Abacha, seized power in 1993 and served as the military head of state until he died in 1998
Fadile was, however, not the only one imprisoned during Abacha’s reign.
Under him, former president Olusegun Obasanjo was jailed for 30 years but was later freed after Abacha’s death.
PUNCH
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VIDEO: Why I’ve Never Tried Convincing My Christian Wife To Convert To Islam — Tinubu

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has explained why he has never attempted to convince his wife, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, to convert to Islam, stressing his belief in love, religious freedom, and mutual respect among people of different faiths.
Speaking on Saturday at the funeral service of Nana Lydia Yilwatda, mother of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwada, Tinubu said his marriage to a Christian pastor has never created any conflict in their home.
The president, who arrived in Jos, Plateau State around 2 p.m. for the ceremony at the COCIN headquarters church, said he inherited Islam from his family and has always upheld the principle of freedom of religion.
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He noted that both he and the First Lady serve the same God and would ultimately be answerable to Him, adding that what matters most are people’s deeds, character, and love for others.
Tinubu urged Nigerians to embrace tolerance and peaceful coexistence, emphasising that hate should never have a place in the country.
He also prayed for the repose of the soul of the late Lydia Yilwada and asked God to grant comfort and blessings to those she left behind.
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He said, “Hate is not an option for us. Love is what you preach, that we should love one another.
“Nobody, nobody determines what God has ordained. God’s ordained action and his promises are what matter. I inherited Islam from my family. I didn’t change. But my wife is a pastor. She prays for me.
“No conflict. And I never did at any single time try to convince her or convert her. I believe in the freedom of religion.
“We are praying to the same God. We are answerable to the same almighty God. We will answer to him. We will account to him. Our deeds, our character, our love for our fellow beings are what are important.
“May the almighty accept the soul of Lydia and give all that she left behind blessings and glory, so we say, may her soul rest in peace.”
News
UK Police Quiz Six After Fatal Synagogue Attack

Six people arrested on suspicion of “terrorism”-linked offences after a fatal car-ramming and knife attack on a UK synagogue remained in police custody on Saturday, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged people not to take part in pro-Palestinian protests.
Two people were killed and three others seriously wounded in Thursday’s attack in northwestern Manchester on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.
Police shot dead the assailant, Jihad Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old UK citizen of Syrian descent, within minutes of the alarm being raised.
Three men and three women are in custody.
The attack has heightened fear among Britain’s Jewish community.
Police said they were patrolling places of worship across the city “with a particular focus on providing a high-visibility presence within our Jewish communities”.
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The attack on Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in north Manchester was one of the worst antisemitic incidents in Europe since the October 7, 2023, attack in Israel led by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.
The Hamas attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive on the Gaza Strip has killed at least 66,288 Palestinians, also mostly civilians, according to health ministry figures in the occupied territory that the United Nations considers reliable.
The Gaza conflict has inflamed passions in Britain, with frequent pro-Palestinian rallies in cities that some critics allege have stoked antisemitism.
A “global movement for Gaza UK” protest went ahead in London late on Thursday, with police making 40 arrests.
London’s Metropolitan Police asked organisers delay another planned demonstration backing the banned Palestine Action group later on Saturday.
However, organisers Defend Our Juries rejected the calls.
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A spokesman said the group “stood in solidarity” with the Jewish community over the attack.
– Accidental shooting –
Starmer urged protesters not to join the pro-Palestinian rally.
“I urge anyone thinking about protesting this weekend to recognise and respect the grief of British Jews. This is a moment of mourning. It is not a time to stoke tension and cause further pain,” he said on X.
During the attack, Shamie was seen “with a big knife, banging his knife into the glass, trying to get through”, synagogue chairman of trustees Alan Levy, who helped barricade the doors, told ITV News.
“The heroes of the congregation who saw what was happening then came to the doors because he was trying to break the doors down to get in,” he added.
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A UK police watchdog, meanwhile, said it would look at the police shooting of Shamie.
The probe would also look at the shooting of a second victim who suffered a fatal gunshot and a third person who was shot but survived.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said there was no evidence anyone other than police used firearms at the scene.
“Our independent investigation will look at the circumstances surrounding the fatal police shooting of Jihad Al-Shamie,” it said in a statement.
“A post mortem has today (Friday) concluded another man who died at the scene suffered a fatal gunshot wound.”
IOPC investigations are standard practice in situations where the use of force by police may have resulted in the death of a member of the public.
News
Edo Inaugurates Committee On Drug Abuse, Healthy Living

Edo State Government has inaugurated Drug Control Committee for the state and local governments, aimed at curbing the menace of drug abuse in the state.
Inaugurating the committee, Governor Monday Okpehbolo said the committee was not only saddled with the responsibility of curbing the menace of illicit substances, but to promote healthier living across communities in the state.
Represented by his deputy, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, Okpebholo described the initiative as “a vital step in our unwavering commitment to stopping the menace of drug trafficking and substance use among youths.”
The governor, who bemoaned the rising tide of drug dependency and its impact on society, pointed out that the committee’s creation aligns with the national drug master plan and represents a bold stride toward protecting Edo future generations.
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On his part, Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, represented by ACGN, Fidelis Cocodia, Zonal Commander, Zone 13, emphasised grassroots interventions, awareness campaigns, and support systems as the backbone of the fight against drug abuse.
Edo State commander of the NDLEA, Mitchell Ofoyeju disclosed that while national drug use prevalence stands at 14.4 percent, Edo state surpasses the average at 15 percent.
He noted that the state is one of the hardest-hit states in the country, warning that the trend has fueled crime and heightened youth vulnerability.
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The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Oshiomhole pledged to make Edo a model in drug control through rehabilitation, youth enlightenment, and second-chance opportunities for recovering addicts.
Coordinator, Office of the First Lady, Edo State, Mrs. Edesili Okpebholo Anani, described drug abuse as a pandemic, noting that “you hardly see a crime without drugs being involved.”
She added that women’s empathy and influence must be harnessed in the campaign against drug abuse.
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