Police confirm 3 killed, one injured in farmland crisis in Nasarawa

Alhaji Lawal Shehu-Batsari, the Commissioner of Police (CP) in Nasarawa State, on Wednesday confirmed that three people were killed and one injured in a land dispute between Angwan Mamman and Dadere villages in Obi Local Government Area.

Shehu-Batsari who briefed journalists at Tudun-Adabu, a village near Dadere shortly after inspecting the crisis areas, said that the fight between farmers from warring areas started at about 8 a.m.
He said “we got information that there was a fight over farmland between Sule Musawa of Dadere and the Akun’s family of Agwan-Mamman.”

The commissioner added that it was alleged that the land was leased to Akun’s family by families of late Sule Musawa of Dadere.
He noted that fracas erupted when family members of Musawa went to the farm and were attacked by members of Akun family in the early hours of Wednesday.
Shehu-Batsari said that at about noon, another fight erupted at Tudun-Adabu, noting that the genesis of both crisis was farmland.
“But we are very proactive, we deployed our men to the crisis area to restore peace and order immediately and that is why everywhere is very calm now,” he added.

He said not much was lost and appealed to those within the area to remain in their places of abode, stressing that “we are on top of the situation.
“We observed that some people were packing from their houses and if this continue, it would send a wrong signal outside.
“That was why I personally led a team of security operatives to this area and I am impressed that the situation is calm.”
He assured that his men would be on 24 hours surveillance of the area, noting that “I have directed that no one should come to this area to harass or intimidate anybody.”
Shehu-Batsari, however, confirmed the arrest of five persons in connection with the crisis, assuring that more arrest would be made.
He warned that anyone caught trying to violate the peace would be dealt with according to the law. (NAN)

I Won Kogi Governorship Election – Idris Wada

Ex-Gov. Idris Wada of Kogi on Wednesday told the State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja that he won the 2015 governorship election in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the former governor contested the election on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Wada spoke through one of his witnesses, Mr Joe Agada, the PDP Chief Agent at INEC collation centre in Lokoja, while opening his defence. The witness was led in evidence by Mr Chris Uche (SAN), counsel to Wada.
Agada said Wada he won the election with 204, 877 votes against 6,885 scored by Gov. Yahaya Bello of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He said Bello could not inherit vote scored by late Audu Abubakar, who was until his death, the governorship candidate of APC in the election.


Agada said late Audu scored 240, 867 on Nov. 21 governorship election but died 7.45 a.m. on Nov. 22, 2015 before the election could be concluded.
The witness further stated that the APC had no valid candidate for the supplementary election because at the time Bello was substituted, the statutory time allowed for substitution had elapsed.
Wada scored 199, 514 on Nov. 2, 2015 election, while he polled 5,363 in the supplementary election on Dec. 5, 2015.
In the Nov. 21, late Audu scored 240, 867, while Bello who substituted him received 6,885 vote in the Dec. 5 election.
Agada said that with the figure polled by Bello, he could not be said to have won the election.
The witness, under cross examination, also maintained that the vote cast for late Abubakar Audu remained void after he died.
Agada further argued that Bello did not participate in the Nov. 21 governorship election as he had no permanent voter card.
According to him, none of the candidates won at the time the election was declared inconclusive by INEC.
Meanwhile, the tribunal admitted as exhibits, Agada’s statement on oath, result sheets from the 2,548 polling units in the state, voter register and PDP’s protest letter to INEC.
Other documents admitted by the tribunal were the witness’s party membership card, voter card and letter of his appointment as PDP chief agent at INEC coalition centre.
Another witness, Mr Samuel Oduntan, testified that he carried out a forensic analysis of the election material and discovered that there was over voting.
He, however, said that he could not remember the numbers of ballot papers he scanned, adding that he was the team leader of the forensic expert, who signed report presented to the court.
(NAN)

Prison transfer: Nigeria set to receive Ibori, others from UK

The Federal Government has said that it is ready to receive Nigerians serving various jail terms in different prisons across the world.

This was contained in a statement signed by Mr Francis Enobore, the Spokesperson of the Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS).

The statement said the decision followed the Prison Transfer Agreement entered with the governments of the various countries involved.

A former governor of Delta state, Mr James Ibori, is among some high-profile Nigerians currently serving jail terms in the United Kingdom.

According to the statement, Dr Peter Ekpendu, the Comptroller-General of the NPS made the disclosure during an inspection visit to the Kuje Medium Security Prison. The Minister of Interior, retired Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, and officials of the UK Embassy in Nigeria were among dignitaries that paid the inspection visit.

“Our prisons are ready. We are ready to receive the prisoners anytime they are brought back,” the statement quoted Ekpendu as saying.

Earlier, Dambazau cleared the air on the speculation that government was concentrating on developing the Kuje Prison as it normally hosts high-profile inmates.

“Our concentration is not just on Kuje prison but some prisons in other states, including the Kirikiri Prison.

“We are hoping that by the time the budget is signed and we get our releases, we are going to embark on renovation of some prisons, capacity building and reinforcement of security.

“The prisoners exchange agreement is quiet at an advanced stage, but there are a lot of issues involved.

“First of all, we have to clear that, legally, in terms of the rights of the prisoner, so that we do not violate any and there are still other issues that we are considering,” the minister said.

PM

 

 

 

 

 

Declassified: Secretive North Korea lifts veil on arms program

Ahead of a rare ruling party Congress next month, secretive North Korea is revealing details of its weapons development program for the first time, showcasing its push to develop long-range nuclear missiles despite international sanctions.

Until recently, information on the North's weapons program was hard to come by, with foreign governments and experts relying on satellite imagery, tiny samples of atomic particles collected after nuclear tests and mangled parts and materials recovered from long-range rocket launches.

No longer. In just over a month, the North has published articles with technicolor photographic detail on a range of tests and other activities that point to fast-paced efforts to build a nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

The reason for the revelations, many analysts say, is that Pyongyang believes convincing the world, and its own people, of its nuclear prowess is as important as the prowess itself. Nevertheless, isolated North Korea's true capabilities and intentions remain unknown.

"Close-up pictures of ground test activities are almost unprecedented from the DPRK," John Schilling, an aerospace engineer specializing in satellite and launch vehicle propulsion systems, told Reuters.

DPRK stands for Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name. The reclusive state has conducted four nuclear tests in the past 10 years, the last in January.

"The openness suggests that the underlying strategy is as much diplomatic as military: it is important to Pyongyang not only that they have these capabilities, but that we believe they have these capabilities," Schilling said.

In its latest revelations, North Korean state media reported on Saturday that the country had carried out a successful test of a new ICBM engine. Pictures showed what experts said were the engines of two Soviet-designed R-27 missiles clustered together, ejecting two exhaust plumes.

The claims indicate the North has no intention of slowing down, despite last month's United Nations sanctions and stern warnings from Washington and elsewhere, said Michael Elleman, a U.S.-based rocket expert with the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Source - Reuters

China says Kenya deporting 45 Taiwanese to mainland

Kenyan police will deport 45 Taiwanese to mainland China where they face investigation for fraud, Chinese state media said on Wednesday after Taipei blasted Beijing for “abducting” its citizens.Taipei said this week that Beijing had “illegally” pressured authorities in Nairobi to deport eight of its citizens to the mainland after they had been cleared of fraud charges in Kenya, in a case which has inflamed passions in Taiwan.A total of 67 people from Taiwan and mainland China will be deported from Kenya on Wednesday after 10 were sent back at the weekend, the official Xinhua news agency cited police as saying. Altogether, 45 are Taiwanese.
“Mainland police will investigate the Taiwanese suspects in strict accordance with the law and keep Taiwanese authorities informed,” Xinhua cited China’s public security ministry as saying.
China considers Taiwan to be one of its provinces awaiting reunification, by force if necessary, even though the island has ruled itself since 1949 following a civil war split.
Relations have often been tense, and the landslide election victory of independence-leaning Tsai Ing-wen in January’s presidential poll raised fears that Beijing will take a more assertive stance.
Political and trade ties between Taipei and Beijing grew in the last decade under the leadership of the China-friendly Kuomintang (KMT).
China’s President Xi Jinping met with Tsai’s KMT predecessor Ma Ying-jeou last year for the first summit between the two sides since their 1949 split.
But the meeting produced little of substance beyond the announcement of a telephone hotline between Beijing and Taipei. Xinhua said the hotline had been used to discuss the detainees.
“Judicial organs on the Chinese mainland have legal rights of jurisdiction over the repatriated suspects,” Xinhua cited the public security ministry as saying.
– ‘Disgraceful acts’ –
Taiwan said Wednesday that it had filed suit against several top officials in Kenya for ignoring the court decision which cleared some of the suspects in the cyber scam case.
The officials “allowed Kenyan police to disrespect a court ruling, forcefully detaining our citizens for over 24 hours and illegally cooperating with mainland personnel to deport them to China”, Taiwan’s foreign ministry said in a written report to parliament.
Taiwanese authorities hoped to send a delegation of senior officials to China within two or three days to discuss the matter, said Andrew Hsia, head of Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council.
China’s nationalist Global Times tabloid defended the deportations in an editorial on Wednesday, while acknowledging they had met with “strong protests and criticism” in Taiwan.
“Taiwan is making a fuss about the mainland extraditing Taiwan suspects from abroad. Don’t expect the mainland to yield to these disgraceful acts,” said the paper, which has close ties to the ruling Communist party.
It added: “The mainland’s handling of the case is supported by international laws… It is important that the Taiwan side does not politicise the matter.”
Xinhua reported that the head of China’s Taiwan Affairs Office Zhang Zhijun had informed Taipei about “a group of Taiwanese residents who are criminal suspects thought to have carried out electronic fraud and who have been detained by our public security agency”.
“Taiwanese suspected fraudsters are thought to have created a base overseas to defraud mainland people with increasing frequency… these criminals must be brought to justice,” Xinhua cited Zhang as saying, in a report which the office posted on its own website.
China resumed ties with Taiwan’s former ally Gambia last month, ending an unofficial diplomatic truce between the two sides. The African nation previously had relations with Taiwan.
Guardian

6 terrorists captured by troops in Boboshe, Kadawu

Troops of 22 Brigade Garrison, Army Headquarters Strike Group (AHQ SG) accompanied by some Civilian JTF on fighting patrol to Boboshe, Garna, Kyare, Kadawu, Gineba and Ajiri have arrested 6 Boko Haram terrorists.

They also recovered Improvised Explosive (IED) making devices on Sunday.

According to Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman, the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, “although the fighting patrol team found Boboshe village virtually empty, they however recovered 8 industrial gas cylinders and 5 regular gas cylinders at a Primary School being used for IED making and also recovered a Pickup vehicle.

“The patrol team captured 3 Boko Haram terrorists at Kadawu and recovered 4 motorcycles, 3 bicycles 1 solar panel and 2 liquid herbicides.

“At Garna, the troops also captured 3 suspects and recovered 7 locally made guns from them.”

NNPC gets 41% allocation for supply of PMS – PPPRA

The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) said the Nigeria NNPC would have 41.73 per cent allocation for supply of Premium Motor Spirit in the second quarter.
This is contained in a statement signed by Lanre Oladele, Head, Corporate Services, on Sunday in Abuja.

” The NNPC has 41.73 per cent of the total allocation, while the rest of the oil Marketing Companies got a total allocation of 58.27 per cent.


According to the statement, the Acting Executive Secretary of PPPRA, Mrs. Sotonye Iyoyo, says the agency will retain the retail prices of N86.00 for the NNPC, and N86.50 for the other Marketing companies.

It added that the pump price of Household Kerosene (HHK) would also remain unchanged from what it was in the last quarter.

“Therefore, marketers are advised to ensure that there is no price distortion in their respective retail outlets.”

It further added that PPPRA would continue to monitor the global oil market performances and make reasonable changes consistent with the newly-adopted price modulation principles.


It appealed to depot owners to strictly adhere to the prevailing truck-out policy made by the agency, to ensure that petroleum products got to their designated retail outlets nationwide.

It warned that adequate sanctions awaited any depot-owner found to be hoarding products.

On the news making the rounds that the agency was planning to increase the pump-price, it urged members of the public to ignore such rumour, as prevailing market indicators did not support such.

“PPPRA is resolutely committed to the sustenance of its reform initiatives, in order to further guarantee adequate supply of products nationwide.

“We therefore assure Nigerians of our total commitment to service delivery, in the quest to deliver on our mandate to the people of Nigeria,” the statement said.

It urged motorists to desist from panic-buying, as PPPRA was working hard with other sister-organisations to ensure that the current supply and distribution challenges were resolved within the coming days.

Four Killed in Rival Cults’ Supremacy Battle

Four people, including a 20-year old man, have been reportedly killed in Ilorin, Kwara state capital, at the weekend when two suspected rival cults engaged in a supremacy battle in the ancient  town.

Last week Sunday, members of suspected cultists struck at Ikokoro/Sakamo  area of Ilorin and killed one person.

The current incident, according to THISDAY checks, happened at Babaoko, Ita-Amodu and Agbo-Oba areas  of Ilorin between 9.30 on Saturday night  and 4 o’clock on Sunday morning in the affected areas of  the town.

During the melee, dangerous weapons, like cutlasses, ‎dane guns, dagger among others were freely used by the suspected cultists.

It was gathered that, the development however created tension around the affected areas as residents of the areas ran for safety.

Eyewitness account  told journalists on Sunday in Ilorin  that, at the end of the different operations, four people including a 20 year old boy were  allegedly  shot by the cultists.

ThisDay

Fraudsters behind Boko Haram video – Arewa group

A socio-cultural organisation, Arewa Youths Integrity Forum, on Sunday in Abuja described the latest video of Boko Haram claiming that it had yet to surrendered as the handiwork of some selfish Nigerians who want insurgency to continue.

The group described the individuals as “war entrepreneurs”, who defrauded the administration of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan to the tune of billions of naira.

Speaking with journalists, the National President of AYIF, Alhaji Ibrahim Abubakar said with the recently released video, it was obvious that there is a crack within the ranks of the Boko Haram Islamic terrorists.

According to him, the fraudsters are now back to their game of wanting “to keep exploiting Boko Haram for monetary gains with the claims of negotiation and ceasefire.”

He said it was a good thing that the Nigerian Army and indeed the military dismissed the indirect call for a truce and pressed on with President Muhammadu Buhari’s orders as Commander in Chief to wipe out the terrorists.

Abubakar said, “They will use the two videos as compelling argument to draw the Federal Government into engaging them as brokers and will thus pocket the proceeds of the media they had carefully set up. The nation must not be led down this path again.

“Furthermore, an equally possible facet is that Boko Haram sponsors, patrons and benefactors who want to rubbish the Army and the Federal Government used paid actors for either of the videos or for both. The intention would be for the Federal Government and Army to become complacent and engage in premature celebration of a seriously battered Boko Haram and consequently slowing down the offensive against the murderers who will then have time to regroup and receive arms and logistics to take on the military.”

He appealed to the government not to be lured into any false sense of achievement by the kind of trick that Boko Haram just pulled to avoid the mistakes of the previous administration.

“The only surrender that Nigerians will recognise is that of Boko Haram members or leaders. Surrendering by video or any other indirect method is not acceptable. The crimes they committed were committed in person, so they should also surrender in person. Those who want to continue fighting the Nigerian state have made their choices as enemy combatants and the rules of engagement are clear”, Abubakar stated.

He called on the security agencies to use their wealth of expertise to review the hardware displayed in the second video with a view to establishing their country of origin.

The AYIF also drew the attention of the Nigerians to a deliberate and calculated campaign of  calumny aimed at misleading the public and cause disaffection among troops.

Abubakar said, “Any attempt by any individual or group of persons to associate the military and indeed the Nigerian Army with such will be a total waste of time, energy and resources. We are proud professionals bound by discipline, unflinching love, loyalty, espirit-de-corps and love for our colleagues and  our country.

“We would remain focused and would not be distracted by irritating campaigns of calumny or fabricated lies by some unscrupulous elements. It is therefore very imperative at this point to warn all those mischief makers to desist from these unpatriotic and  obviously subversive acts in any guise.”

Punch