News

Fresh Twists, Controversies Over Disappearance Journalist

Published

3 years ago

September 20, 2022

A new twist has emerged over the controversy surrounding the death of The News journalist in 1995, Bagauda Kaltho.

The journalist’s disappearance and suspected murder case was not concluded for 27 years.

However, a businessman, medical practitioner, and activist, Mahdi Shehu recounted an event that he claimed happened 27 years ago on Arise News Channel recently, that Kaltho was killed by a bomb parcel in the bookshop of Durbar Hotel, Kaduna, which he (Kaltho) was sent to detonate by American ex-envoy, Russell Hanks.

According to him, Hanks offered him (Mahdi) N1 million at the time to bomb the Durbar Hotel which he refused, but as he was about to leave, he saw the late journalist, Bagauda Kaltho, at the entrance of Hanks’ room.

He went on: “We went to the door together, and he wanted to see me off. At the door was Bagauda Kaltho, the journalist that was said to have been killed by Abacha. Bagauda was right at the door there. I think he gave him an hour before me, but I keyed into Bagauda’s hour. Bagauda went into the room, and I left. What happened? Not long after that, two hours later, bomb! Where? Durbar Hotel. Where? At the bookshop.”

Also, LEADERSHIP Newspaper reported that in an interview, an anonymous journalist, who claimed to be at the hotel for an assignment, said, “We were at Durbar Hotel for an assignment, and we left for the secretariat when we heard that there was a bomb blast, so the NUJ chairman at that time and some few others, including one other person who is now a member of House of Representatives, Rima Shawulu, representing Tukum/Donga/Ussa Federal Constituency (PDP), Taraba State, went to the hospital to see the body of Bagauda.”

DAILY POST put a call through to Rima Shawulu, representing Tukum/Donga/Ussa Federal Constituency (PDP), Taraba State on Monday and the lawmaker told this reporter to send a text message.

Shawulu has not responded to the text sent to him, while his phone was switched off as of the time this medium put another call to his phone on Monday night.

However, the United State Embassy has also not responded to the accusation as of the time of filing this report.

Speaking with the late journalist’s wife, Martha Kaltho, she told DAILY POST that the family did not see her husband’s corpse.

“The claim of him being killed in a bomb blast is not new to me but the allegations by Mhadi that my late husband planted the bomb is baffling. Why is it now that he is coming out to say this 27 years after? Where was he when the matter was before the Oputa panel. This is contrary to the claim that the bomb blast burnt the body beyond recognition.”

Findings

On January 19, 2012, DAILY POST, in a piece co-author by Olukorede Yishau and Olukayode Thomas titled, “The Man Called Zakari Biu” stated some facts over the death of Kaltho. Biu is an embattled police officer who was promoted to Commissioner of Police (CP) after a recommendation from the then Inspector-General of Police Hafiz Ringim.

Biu was linked to degrees of atrocity under the regime of the late Gen. Sani Abacha; the embattled cop was terror personified. As head of the regime’s Presidential Task Force on Terrorism, he terrorised journalists and human rights activists, who he labeled terrorists.

Journalists on the stables of The News, TSM and Tell were the worst hit.

The piece stated that “Biu, at a press conference after Abacha’s death, said Kaltho was the “unidentified” person who died while planting a bomb which went off at Durbar Hotel, Kaduna in January 1996. He then showed the media a video recording of the scene of the blast and two photographs – one of a charred body and another of the journalist. Biu said he “strongly suspects the management of ICNL of having connection with the Durbar Hotel bombing or else James Bagauda Kaltho.”

He later said Abacha’s Chief Security Officer, Major Hamza al-Mustapha, may have been responsible for Kaltho’s fate.

“I have never seen Kaltho in my life, either alive or dead and don’t know the whereabouts of Kaltho. Only the Chief Security Officer to the late Abacha, Maj. Hamza al-Mustapha, can explain what happened to Kaltho,” he said

When Biu appeared before the panel, he refused to be put on oath with the Holy Quran, because “he is not pure.” He denied all the allegations against him.

A retired Commissioner of Police, Abubakar Tsav, who also appeared before the panel, debunked Biu’s claim.

He said: “Everything he is saying is not true. I mean the evidence he gave in respect of Bagauda Kaltho. He said he got photographs from the wife of Bagauda Kaltho. He also said he got reports from the SSS through the Inspector-General of Police, which said the person who was killed in the bomb blast at the Durbar Hotel was Bagauda Kaltho. And he said that he never met Bagauda anywhere in his life. Then how could he come to that conclusion that the man killed was Bagauda Kaltho? He merely saw his pictures …He (Biu) should be in prison. As far as I’m concerned, he is a prisoner on parole.”

James Danbaba, a colleague of Biu, said Kaltho was “summarily executed on the orders of the Inspector-General of Police, because Kaltho was said to have seen IGP Ibrahim Coomasie suddenly collapse and was foaming in the mouth.”

Danbaba added: “ The journalist was ordered to be arrested and executed because of a disclosure that he (Coomasie) is suffering from epilepsy may jeopardize the IGP’s well preserved and seriously guarded position and ultimately lead to his untimely retirement from the police force.”

He added: “After the said journalist, Bagauda Kaltho’s summary execution, a learnedas attached to his corpse and detonated. I reliably learnt that this was directed at selling a story to the C-in-C that a NADECO journalist has died of a bomb explosion while attempting to plant a bomb, thereby finally covering their track of having killed Bagauda Kaltho and the reason for his murder.”

DAILY POST

News

Atiku Slams Tinubu Over U-turn On Pardon For Convicts

Published

9 hours ago

October 29, 2025

Editor

The former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, on Wednesday berated President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s reversal of the presidential pardon list, describing the move as “an act of shame, not wisdom.”

In a statement signed by his aide, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku accused the administration of lacking foresight and moral consistency, following Tinubu’s decision to revoke the earlier pardon granted to Sanda and several other convicts.

“Once again, Nigerians have witnessed a government that doesn’t lead — it reacts,” Atiku said.

“President Bola Tinubu has ‘cancelled’ his own pardon for drug traffickers, kidnappers, and other hardened criminals — but only after Nigerians shouted loud enough to wake him from his moral slumber.

“Let’s be clear: this U-turn is not an act of wisdom, it’s an act of shame.”

He questioned the process that led to the initial inclusion of many convicts on the list, demanding transparency from the presidency.

“Who compiled the list of beneficiaries? What criteria justified freeing kidnappers and drug offenders? Where was the Attorney-General when this absurdity was cooked up? And why does this government only ‘discover its conscience’ after Nigerians express outrage?” Atiku asked.

Describing the pardon saga as “a national embarrassment,” he added that the presidency’s frequent reversals on policy decisions showed Nigeria was being “governed without foresight, without empathy, and without shame.”

“If the President truly means well, let him publish the list of all those who were meant to benefit from this scandal. Until then, this cancellation is nothing but damage control — too little, too late,” he said.

The remarks came amid widespread reactions trailing Tinubu’s revocation of the earlier pardon granted to Sanda, who was sentenced to death in 2020 for murdering her husband, Bilyaminu Bello.

While the Labour Party commended the president for bowing to public pressure, the New Nigerian Peoples Party faulted the administration’s inconsistency.

NNPP spokesperson, Ladipo Johnson, said, “It is disgraceful that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will announce pardons and then the presidency will say they want to vet and go over the things again.

“Given public opinion, it’s not a surprise that they have reversed it, but it just shows that the presidency needs to get its act together.”

However, Labour Party interim National Publicity Secretary, Tony Akeni, commended Tinubu’s decision to listen to public sentiment, saying, “What Tinubu has demonstrated is that he listened to the people of Nigeria. We commend him for that.”

He urged the president to extend such responsiveness to “issues that affect Nigerians,” including the nation’s debt profile and policies that “promote hunger and hardship.”

Tinubu’s reversal, announced through an official gazette by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, commuted Sanda’s death sentence to 12 years imprisonment, factoring in the six years and eight months already served.

The U-turn followed a wave of public outrage that trailed the initial pardon.

News

Edo Deputy Gov Raises Concern Over Documentation On Radisson Hotel

Published

11 hours ago

October 29, 2025

Editor

Edo State deputy governor, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, on Wednesday expressed worry over the clarity of documentation surrounding Radisson Hotel, Benin City,
project’s acquisition and the roles of previous vendors and consultants.

In a statement, his Chief Press Secretary, Chief Press Secretary, Mr Friday Aghedo said the deputy governor spoke when he led a government delegation on an inspection tour of the five-storey luxury hotel.

Idahosa, who expressed dismay over certain lapses observed during the visit, however, appealed for calm among stakeholders and residents, urging patience as the state awaits the outcome of the legislative probe.

The governor said that Governor Monday Okpebholo had forwarded relevant documents to the Edo State House of Assembly for investigation into the acquisition process.

“Once the House concludes its findings, we will act accordingly to ensure transparency and accountability,” he assured.

Frustrated by what he described as “vague answers” from contractors about the project’s completion timeline, Idahosa pressed for clarity on when the hotel would finally be
opened to the public.

“Edo people deserve to know when this investment will start yielding value,” he stated.

He, nonetheless, tasked workers at the construction site to ensure strict adherence to safety and environmental standards.

He said the warning became necessary in order to avoid casualties at the site of the flagship hospitality project expected to redefine the state’s tourism and entertainment landscape.

He also challenged the contractors to ensure the best standard and quality materials are used for the project.

He emphasized that the state government’s intention was not to witch-hunt the contractors but to ensure the project meets both Radisson’s global benchmarks and the Edo State Government’s quality standards.

He reaffirmed that government agencies would maintain close oversight to ensure full compliance with building, safety, and environmental regulations.

“We will not compromise on standards. Radisson Benin must meet the expectations of the brand and the people of Edo State.

“Our goal is simple, Edo State deserves the best,” Idahosa declared. “We want a facility that will attract visitors from around the world and make our state the hospitality hub of Nigeria,” he stated.

During the visit, the deputy governor conducted an on-the-spot SWOT analysis of the project, examining facilities such as the water reservoir, power plant, and sample rooms.

Also speaking during the inspection, Mr. Igabali Darlington Imoesili, Managing Director of the Edo State Development and Building Control Agency, flagged inconsistencies in the facility’s documentation, including conflicting figures on the number of rooms and deviations from approved plans.

“We have records indicating 170 rooms, the site engineer says 169, and the project manager says 178. These discrepancies raise serious concerns,” Imoesili noted.

He added that his office would demand all approved documents for verification.

The hotel’s resident architect, Olumide Taiwo, who conducted the team around the site, assured the delegation that the firm was working closely with the Radisson brand to maintain its global quality and safety standards.

News

Reviewed List Of Presidential Pardon Recipients

Published

12 hours ago

October 29, 2025

Editor

President Bola Tinubu has approved a revised list of convicts granted clemency under the Instrument of Presidential Prerogative of Mercy, 2025.

This is as the Presidency announced a review of the pardon list following widespread criticism.

The list, dated October 21, 2025 and personally signed by the President, contains 86 names of inmates across various correctional facilities nationwide, whose sentences were reduced or commuted under Section 175 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

The document, sighted by PUNCH Online, titled “Reduced Terms of Imprisonment and Sentence, 2025,” shows that several inmates convicted for offences ranging from manslaughter, culpable homicide, drug trafficking, illegal possession of firearms, conspiracy, and unlawful mining were granted reduced sentences.

They include:

Homicide and Manslaughter Cases

•Yusuf Owolabi (36) – Convicted of manslaughter in 2015 and sentenced to life imprisonment at the Maximum Security Custodial Centre, Kirikiri. Now to serve 15 years based on “educational improvement, remorsefulness and acquisition of vocational skills.”
•Ifeanyi Eze (33) – Life sentence for manslaughter (2021), now to serve 15 years.
•Maryam Sanda (37) – Convicted for culpable homicide (2020) and sentenced to death by hanging. Her sentence commuted to 12 years based on “compassionate grounds, the best interest of her children, good conduct and remorsefulness.”
•Markus Yusuf (41) – Culpable homicide (2023), 13-year sentence reduced to 8 years due to ill health.
•Alhaji Abubakar Tanko (61) – Culpable homicide (2018), 30-year term reduced to 20 years.

Drug and Narcotics Offences

•Patrick Mensah (40) – Drugs (2015), 17 years reduced to 13 years.
•Obi Edwin Chukwu (43), Tunde Balogun (32), Lima Pereira Erick Diego (27), Uchegbu Emeka Michael (37), Salawu Adebayo Samsudeen (46), and Napolo (61) were all convicted for drug trafficking between 2015–2017.

“Sentences of 15 years reduced to 12 years each based on “remorsefulness and vocational skill acquisition.”

Financial and Fraud-related Offences

•Mustapha Ahmed (46) – Criminal breach of trust; 7-year sentence cut to 5 years.
•Innocent Brown Idiong (60) – Possession of Indian hemp; 10-year term reduced to 6 years.
•Inibong Imayen Nuikidem (46) – Obtaining money by false pretence; 7 years cut to 5 years.
•Buka Adamu (40) – Advance fee fraud; 20 years reduced to 9 years.
•Ada Audu (72) – Fraud; 7-year mandatory imprisonment cut to 4 years.
•Chief Jonathan Alatoru (66), Umannah Ekatte (70), Utom Thompson Udoaka (60) – Granted reduced terms for age, remorsefulness and good conduct.

Firearms and Related Offences

•Abubakar Mamman (38) – Possession of AK-47 rifle (2020); 10-year sentence cut to 7 years.
•Muhammed Bello Musa (35) – Possession of firearms; 10 years reduced to 7 years.
•Nnamdi Anene (67) – Illegal dealing in firearms; life sentence commuted to 20 years.
•Alhaji Ibrahim Hameed (71) – Illegal property possession; 7 years reduced to 5 years.

Maritime and Conspiracy Offences

•Bright Agbedeyi (46), Babangida Saliu (35), Jude Saka Ebaragha (44), Frank Insort Abaka (46), Sluna Alolo (42), David Akinseye (39), Ahmed Toyin (46), Shobajo Saheed (57), Adamole Philip (52), and Mathew Masi (39) were all convicted for conspiracy to hijack fishing vessels in 2020. Their 12-year sentences were reduced to eight years with N1m fines waived “based on remorsefulness and impecuniosity.”

Unlawful Mining Offenders

A total of at least 45 inmates across the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Agodi, Oyo State, were convicted in January 2024 for unlawful mining.

Each was sentenced to three years, now reduced to two years, “based on remorsefulness, good conduct and a letter of undertaking dated April 22, 2025,” reportedly facilitated by Senator Ikra Aliyu Bilbis for their rehabilitation and empowerment after release.

The list includes:
Yusuf Alhassan, Abdullahi Isah, Zayanu Bello, Habeeb Suleman, Jubria Sahabi, Shefiu Umar, Seidu Abubakar, Haruna Abubakar, Rabiu Seidu, Macha Kuru, Zahradeen Aminu, Nazipi Musa, Abdullahi Musa, Habibu Safiu, Husseni Sani, Musa Lawali, Suleiman Lawale, Yusuf Iliyasu, Sabiyu Aliyu, Halliru Sani, Shittu Aliyu, Sanusi Aminu, Isaaka Adamu, Mamman Ibrahim, Shaibu Abdullahi, Sanusi Adamu, Sadi Musa, and Haruna Isah, among others.

Presidential Approval and Legal Backing

The document cites Section 175 of the 1999 Constitution, which empowers the President to “grant any person concerned with or convicted of any offence in Nigeria a pardon, either free or subject to lawful conditions.”

It was formally titled: “S.I. No. 79 of 2025: Instrument of Presidential Prerogative of Mercy (Reduced Terms of Imprisonment and Sentence).”
(PUNCH)