Suspected cultists behead man in Bayelsa
A 30-year-old man has reportedly lost his life after he was beheaded by suspected cultists in Sagbama town, Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
The deceased, identified as Honest Mathew aka Onions was killed on Wednesday following a cult clash between Icelanders, Greenlanders and Bobos cult groups, Daily Post reports.
It was gathered that the killer cult group sneaked into Sagbama town in the early hours of Wednesday and invaded the home of the deceased, where they beheaded him and went away with his head.
A community source, however, claimed the deceased was dragged away from his wife and three children before he was killed.
According to the source, “We gathered he was shouting but the guys slit his throat and cut off his head. When we woke up in the morning, we discovered the headless body of the victim.
“Upon further search for the missing head, we discovered it hung on a pole at the center of the town. We were later told it is a clear message of war against their rival which the deceased also belonged.”
Confirming the incident, the spokesman of the State Police Command, SP Asinim Butswat, said “On the 09/03/2022 at about 0200 hours Police Operatives were informed that a suspected cultist, one Honest Martin 30 years, was found outside his house at Sagbama Community beheaded by the suspected rival cult group. Police operatives evacuated the corpse to St Luke Mortuary Sagbama. Investigation is ongoing,” he said.
Court fixes date to hear Abba Kyari’s extradition suit
The Abuja Federal High Court will commence hearing in the extradition request of the federal government against the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari on March 23.
Kyari, who was arraigned last Monday for drug trafficking is also wanted in the United States of America, over his alleged involvement in fraud running to billions of dollars.
The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice had last week hinted that the federal government had already filed application for Kyari’s extradition to answer to fraud charge in the US, ThisDay reports.
The application was filed under the Extradition Act, as part of Nigerian government’s approval of the request by the U. S. for Kyari’s extradition.
The suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/249/2022, it was learnt was assigned to Justice Inyang Ekwo, who has fixed March 23 for hearing in the application.
Kyari, formerly the head of Inspector-General of Police special Intelligence Response Team (IRT), was said to be, “a subject in a superseding three counts indictment in case no: 2:21-cr-00203-RGK,” in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, USA.
The suspended DCP in count one was accused of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1349, ll.
“Count two: Conspiracy to commit money laundering in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1956(h)
“Count three: Aggravated identity theft and aiding and abetting, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C, Sections 1028A (a){1}j and 2(a)”.
According to the AGF, the punishment for the offences as contained in the superseding indictment carries a maximum of 20 years imprisonment for count one, 20 years imprisonment for count two and two years imprisonment for count three.
Malami had explained that the offence for which Kyari was accused of was an extraditable offence under Articles 3 (18 & 20) of the Extradition Treaty between the United States of America and Great Britain, signed at London, on December 22, 1931.
He said the treaty was recognised as binding on the Federal Republic of Nigeria, by legal Notice 33 of 1967.
He said the offences were also covered by Articles 3, 5 and 6 of the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime, adopted November 15, 2000 (“The UNTOC”).
Meanwhile about 20 lawyers have indicated interest to defend Kyari in the alleged drug suit filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Musa Shafiu, a legal practitioner, told newsmen yesterday that the team was made up of four Senior Advocates of Nigeria who represented him and his co-defendants during their arraignment before Justice Emeka Nwite of a Federal High Court, Abuja on Monday.
He recalled that Abba Kyari, in a motion filed before Justice Inyang Ekwo of Federal High Court sitting in Abuja denied the allegation linking him to an international drug cartel by the NDLEA.
“He filed the motion to seek for his fundamental rights enforcement. He said he was ready to appear in court to answer any charge against him because the allegation upon which he was arrested and detained is a trump-up allegation without sufficient proof,” Shafiu said.
The lawyer said the decision to support Kyari, was also premised on the sacrifices the suspended DCP had made for the country in the area of security.
He said Kyari has distinguished himself in areas of serving his father’s land as a police officer, with the arrest of many high profile criminals across the country.
He said his, “good work and dedication to the country is far more than his short coming.”
Kyari, alongside six others, including four suspended officers of IRT, were last Monday arraigned on an eight-count charge bordering on drug offences.
Kyari and four of the suspended police officers denied the charges, while the remaining two civilians pleaded guilty.
The suspended officers include; ACP Sunday Ubia, ASP Bawa James, Insp. Simon Agirigba and Insp. John Nuhu.
The civilians are Chibunna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne, whom are alleged drug traffickers that were arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu.
2023: Senate tells INEC to allow prisoners to vote
The Nigerian Senate has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to allow registered and eligible prisoners to vote in the 2023 general elections.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in Kaduna, Hajiya Asmau Sani Maikudi, had announced at the first quarter press briefing on the ongoing voter registration the National Assembly had the sole right to decide that.
“It is at the discretion of the National Assembly. If it is a law, INEC has no option but to implement the law and once it is passed by the National Assembly, people in correctional centres will be allowed to vote,” Maikudi said.
Meanwhile, at plenary on Tuesday, during the consideration of a motion on “The prerogative of Prison Inmates to vote in general elections in Nigeria,” sponsored by Senator Abba Moro, the lawmakers called on INEC to determine the status of the inmates that are legally qualified to be registered as eligible voters.
They urged INEC and all relevant agencies to carry out a voter’s enlightenment in Nigerian prisons, to educate the inmates of their rights and importance to exercise their franchise in the upcoming elections.
The Senate also tasked INEC to update its register of voters to capture the prison population for the purpose of elections as well as work in synergy with the Nigeria Correctional Service to locate voting centres at custodial centres across the country.
NAPTIP rescues 105 victims of human trafficking, arrest 75 in Benin
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Benin Zonal Command has said it rescued 105 victims of human trafficking in various operations in 2021.
It said 75 suspected traffickers were arrested, while three human traffickers were convicted by law courts during the period.
This was disclosed by the Zonal Commander, NAPTIP, Nduka Nwanwenne when he spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria in Benin on Wednesday.
Nwanwenne said that some of the rescued victims have already been reunited with their families, while some have been empowered with skills to engage in businesses.
He noted that 134 cases of human trafficking were received by the command in the period under review while 65 cases were still pending in law courts.
He also maintained that the blue bus campaign concept aimed at raising awareness on the dangers of human trafficking had been effective in the zone.
“The blue bus concept is a one-stop-shop for issues of human trafficking.
“With the blue bus initiative which is been done with the International Organisation on Migration, there has been AN increase in reported cases of human trafficking,” he said.
2023: I’m not Amaechi’s running mate – El-Rufai
Success Nwanedo
Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has insisted that he has no intention to run for the 2023 presidency or be a running mate to the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi as being rumoured on social media.
He said that he would only join the race either as a presidential aspirant or a running mate to Amaechi if President Muhammadu Buhari insists.
El-Rufai, who disclosed this while speaking as a guest on Channel Television’s Politics Today, on Wednesday night said the Minister of Transport has the right like any other qualified Nigerian to contest the position.
“I’ve said over and over that I’m not a contestant for any office. I’m not aspiring for anything. If Governor Rotimi Amaechi is interested in running for any office, he has the right to do so. But I’m not running for anything and I’m not going to be on his ticket,” he said.
The governor maintained that he has no intention of coming back to politics after leaving office next year, adding that he is tired and needs to rest.
“I’m physically tired because I do take my work seriously. The last eight years, I’ve worked myself flat out and I’m not young anymore.
“I’ll be 63 next year. So I prefer to look at other options to contribute to the development of my country but of course, I didn’t want to run for Governor but the President insisted so if he insists that I do something I have so much regard for him and his judgement that I’ll do it even reluctantly.”
We await judgement of Ayade’s sack soon – Cross River PDP
Success Nwanedo
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River State has revealed that the same fate suffered by Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State is likely to befall Governor Ben Ayade soon.
Governor Ayade, who won the 2019 election as governor of Cross River State under the umbrella of the PDP, had decamped to All Progressives Congress (APC) on 20th May, 2021.
Chairman of the PDP in the state, Venatius Ikem, in a statement on Wenesday said the party has been in Court for months over the same case as seen in Ebonyi.
“We have been in Court for several months on the same claims like those of the PDP in Ebonyi State and we are being represented by the same lawyers, too.
“Indeed, the matter has been set for hearing.
“So, it is not a matter of if we are ‘thinking in that direction’, it is a matter of when our own judgment will be delivered.”
A High Court sitting in Abuja, had on Tuesday issued a sack to Governor Umahi of Ebonyi State and his Deputy for decamping to the APC after securing their positions under the platform of the PDP.
The Court presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo had directed the PDP to immediately nominate two persons to take over power in Ebonyi State as governor and deputy.
Speaking on the National Judicial Council (NJC) which Umahi had appealed to for a review of the judgment, the PDP boss said the NJC is not a Court and does not have powers to “review judgements of courts”.
According to him, “Only the appropriate Superior Courts have jurisdiction to review judgements of inferior or lower courts.”
