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Youth Leader Weeps As Court Remands Him For Raining Insults On Buhari, SFG

Published

3 years ago

July 30, 2021

Our Reporter, Yola

The youth leader of Hong Local Government Area, Adamawa Dtate, Ikamu Hamidu Kato, on Friday wept uncotrollably after he was docked for allegedly insulting President Muhammadu Buhari and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Gida Mustapha.

The 41-year-old youth leader and resident of Wuro Dole in Hong LGA, described Buhari and Boss Mustapha as useless human beings and specifically called SGF bastard and a dog in a video he posted on social media on the 10th July, 2021, which went viral.

Kato in the video clip he produced and posted on his Facebook page allegedly rained insults on the SGF and blamed Mr. President for appointing him in that capacity.

Kato was later invited, investigated and arraigned before Chief Magistrate Dimas Elishasma of Chief Magistrate court 4 in Yola by the DSS through the office of the Attorney General and Commissioner Ministry for Justice in the state.

The defendant told DSS that he produced the video clip out of anger as a result of the hovering of military jets over the people of Hong LGA few days after attacks on Dabna community in the area.

According to the complainant, the video generated so much public outcry, tension and breached public peace more especially between the supporters of the President, SGF on one side and those of the accused person on the other side.

The complainant further alleged that the defendant created so much tension across the state that it took the intervention of the Department of State Security Service (DSS) to calm both factions, so as not to take laws into their hands by channeling their grievances to the appropriate authorities.

According to complainant, the timely intervention of non-governmental organisations who petitioned the department, and urged it to investigate the matter so as to serve as measures to prevent the agrieved factions from disrupting public peace.

Prosecutor informed the court that action of the defendant amounted to the use of insulting or abusive language contrary to section 385 and inciting disturbance contrary to section 80 of the state penal code law.

Earlier, when the charge sheet was read and interpreted to the defendant in Hausa language as prayed by the counsel to the complainant, M. A. Adamu, Senior State Counsel 2, the defendant admitted committing the offence.

While in the dock, the defendant was said to have wept profusely while pleading guilty to the allegation levelled against him, and further admitted that he actually did it and he is regretting his action.

It took extra effort of the presiding judge to calm him where he urged him to stop weeping as court is not a place of killing people

Thereafter, M. A. Adamu, urged the court to adjourn the matter to enable him call a witness and tender exhibits in order to corroborate the plea of the defendant.

Ruling on the application, Chief Magistrate Dimas, granted the application and adjourned the case to the 2nd August, 2021 for hearing and ordered that the defendant be remanded at a correctional facility till then.

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Man, 38 Escapes Assassination Attempt In Benin

Published

9 months ago

July 22, 2023

Editor

Innocent Omoruyi

By Omokha Andrew

A 38-year-old activist, Innocent Omoruyi, narrowly escaped assassination in the early hours of Wednesday, July 19, 2023 as his residence at Obe Community,Sapele Road in Benin city was attacked by yet to be identified gun men.

The attack which eye witnesses say was viciously executed on Wednesday, July 19, 2023 bore the markings of a dreaded cult group terrorizing Benin City, the state capital.

The Obe, Sapale Road incident, it was learnt, happened soon after Omoruyi left the house to attend to matters of interest some few metres away from his home.

The assailants were said to have shot sporadically in their frustration as residents scampered for safety.

However, Omoruyi escaped unharmed.

One of the eye witnesses who craved anonymity said: “The felons apparently went for the kill, weilding guns and other dangerous weapons. “We are shocked that they didn’t see Innocent Omoruyi who was just some few metres away from home when they arrived”.

“How that happened, only God knows and it was obvious that it wasn’t his time to die yet and just before that not long ago his business place on Lagos Street, Benin City was burnt down in the middle of the night by unknown arsonists.

“This sequence of events is not ordinary. We know it’s politically motivated due to the role he played in the last general elections. He has been advised to go into hiding at the moment for his personal safety”, he concluded.

When contacted, the police Public Relations Officer Chidi Nwabuzor said he was yet to get any information as regards the latest incident. He promised to feed our correspondent with relevant details as soon as they become handy.

Our information source however revealed that the matter has already been incidented at the Love World Police station on Sapele Road, Benin city.

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Nigeria To Earn Over $4bn Revenue As FEC Okays Concession Of Abuja, Kano Airports

Published

11 months ago

May 18, 2023

Editor

Nigeria will earn over $4 billion in nominal revenue as the Federal Executive Council, FEC, on Wednesday okayed the concession of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, to the Corporacion American Airport Consortium, a Luxembourg-based company.

James Odaudu, the Special Assistant on Public Affairs to the Minister of Aviation, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

According to him, the Council also approved that the Federal Ministry of Aviation would be renamed the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace.

The statement noted that the company would make combined upfront payments of $8.5 million for the concession of NAIA and MAKIA.

He added that the development would spur evidential growth within the Nigerian aviation industry.

“In alignment with the Aviation Roadmap, approved by Mr President on 18th October 2016, the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace is delighted to inform all stakeholders, both local and international, and the media, that the concession of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano has been approved by the Federal Executive Council,” the statement said.

In December 2022 and January 2023, Corporacion American Airport Consortium was announced as the preferred bidder for the airport’s concession after scaling through a series of evaluations of technical and financial bids.

Nominal revenues mean income not adjusted for inflation and decreasing purchasing power.

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Russia Expelled From Council Of Europe Amid War With Ukraine

Published

2 years ago

March 16, 2022

Editor

The Council of Europe says it has expelled Russia with immediate effect after 26 years of membership because of the Ukraine war.

The Committee of Ministers took the decision in a special session, the rights body announced in the French city of Strasbourg on Wednesday.

Earlier, Russia had already declared its withdrawal from the Council of Europe after it had taken steps to exclude it.

On Tuesday evening, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe voted unanimously in favour of Russia’s exclusion.

Russia joined the Council of Europe on Feb. 28, 1996.

Together with the formal notification of the withdrawal, the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe also received information from the Russian Federation on Tuesday about its intention to denounce the European Convention on Human Rights.

In a statement on Tuesday evening, the leaders of the Council of Europe once again condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

They expressed their solidarity with the Russian people, who continue to belong to the European family and share its values.

The body said it would continue to stand by Ukraine in the fight against the aggressor.

The Council of Europe monitors the observance of human rights in its 46 member states and is not part of the European Union.

The body reacted to the Russian invasion of Ukraine two weeks ago by suspending Russia’s membership, this decision was considered historic.