The proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has accused the Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, of harassing people of the South-East because the All Progressives Congress (APC) had promised to give him the vice-president ticket in the 2023 election.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, IPOB warned Umahi to stop intimidating the Igbos or risk the wrath of the people when they decide to rise against him.
“The media report of the statement credited to Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State where he reportedly ordered the arrest of innocent locals who had in a viral video exposed the latest atrocities of Fulani herdsmen in Ebonyi communities is madness taken too far.
“Although we are not surprised at such treachery, it defies logic that a sitting governor will rather choose to dine with the oppressors of his own people just for the derisive promise of an illusory vice-presidential candidacy to a Fulani presidential candidate in 2023. What a shame!
“We the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by our great leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, therefore, wish to warn Governor Umahi against the grave implications of his actions.
“Declaring law-abiding citizens wanted simply because they exposed and confronted foreign terrorists in Ebonyi State is worse than terrorism itself. It only goes to show that Umahi and other eastern politicians know more about the incessant killings, rapes, and other atrocities in Ebonyi communities by Fulani herdsmen and terrorists than they are willing to admit.
“It is the height of foolery that Governor Dave Umahi will support foreign Fulani terrorist herdsmen against his own people that voted for him. Does Dave Umahi not know that our mothers for years now have been afraid of going to their farms for fear of being raped by Fulani terrorists and other evil activities of Miyetti Allah?
“Governor Umahi is only courting the wrath of the people by choosing to swim against the tide. For deciding to sabotage the efforts of the Eastern Security Network personnel who are working tirelessly to rid Ebonyi State of killer herdsmen and terrorists, Umahi has declared himself an enemy of the people. And he should be ready to face the consequences of his treachery.
“Governor Umahi is fully aware that the same Fulani killer herdsmen he is protecting have recently renamed Agbabor community close to Uburu town in Onicha local government area to Aruu. What has he done to reverse this affront?
The 2021 Grammy Awards ceremony has been postponed, due to concerns about the spread of the coronavirus.
The Recording Academy announced on Tuesday that the ceremony will not take place on Jan. 31, as previously scheduled, but is instead being pushed off until March 14.
In most years, the awards ceremony takes place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, which is also where the 2021 ceremony was scheduled to take place.
The Los Angeles area, however, is experiencing a significant increase of COVID-19 infections that is expected to worsen, as NPR reported earlier Tuesday.
The LA County director of health services, Dr. Christina Ghaly, said at a briefing Monday that many regional hospitals “have reached a point of crisis” and are being forced to make “very tough decisions about patient care.”
The Recording Academy, its broadcast partner CBS, and the event’s executive producer, Ben Winston (who is in his first year in that role), issued a joint statement Tuesday which read: “After thoughtful conversations with health experts, our host and artists scheduled to appear, we are rescheduling the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards to be broadcast Sunday, March 14, 2021.
“The deteriorating COVID situation in Los Angeles, with hospital services being overwhelmed, ICUs having reached capacity, and new guidance from state and local governments have all led us to conclude that postponing our show was the right thing to do. Nothing is more important than the health and safety of those in our music community and the hundreds of people who work tirelessly on producing the show.”
The First City Monument Bank Limited (FCMB) has sent its managing director Adam Nuru on leave to enable it investigate the paternity allegations against him.
Nearly 2,000 persons had signed a petition calling on the Central Bank of Nigeria and FCMB to sack Nuru over alleged infidelity with a former employee of the bank Moyo Thomas.
According to them, Nuru should be held responsible for the death of Moyo’s late husband, Tunde, who reportedly died of depression recently after Moyo allegedly told him some months ago that her two kids were fathered by Nuru.
Moyo had allegedly left Tunde and travelled to the United States with the kids, allegedly informing him that the children were not his when she got to the US.
Tunde reportedly suffered a stroke on receiving the news but later recovered.
It was gathered that Tunde tried to put the matter behind him and decided to remarry.
He reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest and died two days to the introduction ceremony of his new girlfriend.
However, in a statement on Tuesday, the bank said, “We are aware of several stories circulating across several media platforms about our bank’s Managing Director, Adam Nuru; a former employee, Mrs Moyo Thomas, and her deceased husband, Mr Tunde Thomas.
“While this is a personal matter, the tragedy of the death of Mr Tunde Thomas and the allegations of unethical conduct require the bank’s board to conduct a review of what transpired, any violations of our code of ethics and the adequacy of this code of ethics.
“This is already under way. During the period of the review, the managing director has volunteered to proceed on leave. This will guarantee the sanctity of the review process.
“We enjoin all our stakeholders to bear with us as we conduct this review and to please respect the various families involved.”
Residents lament cultists’ clashes, killings in Lagos
A man, Monsuru Aderoju, has been kidnapped in Igangan area of Ibarapa a day after Mrs Sherifat Adisa, owner of Subawah Petroleum in the area, was gruesomely murdered after she was abducted by yet-to-be-identified gunmen.
Oladokun Oladiran, the convener of an advocacy group named Igangan Development Advocates, confirmed the latest incident to journalists yesterday.
Aderoju, a cassava dealer popularly known as Alhaji Monsuru, was trailed to his home at Oke-Agbède, Igangan, where he was kidnapped on Monday evening.
It will be recalled that Igangan Development Advocates, late last year, protested against what it described as wanton killings and destruction of properties in Ibarapaland by suspected Fulani bandits, calling on the governor, Seyi Makinde, to act fast before the situation degenerates.
Convener of the group, Oladiran, said: “After Alhaji Monsuru finished his 8p.m. prayer, he decided to go home. According to what we gathered, two of the kidnappers attended the same prayer session with the victim. Though their strange faces generated some suspicion, they were not seen as a threat until they trailed the victim home and carried out their evil act.”
Oladiran further lamented that after the protest by his group, more farms in Igangan had been plundered, including his personal leased farm by suspected Fulani bandits.
The Oyo State Police Command, through its Public Relations Officer, Mr Olugbenga Fadeyi, confirmed the incident, saying the police were intensifying efforts to rescue the victim.
MEANWHILE, at least two persons were feared killed on Sunday night in a clash between two rival cults, Aiye and Eiye confraternities, in the Igbogbo-Bayeku area of Ikorodu, Lagos State.
It was gathered that the fight broke out around 7:00p.m. after one of the rival groups stormed the community bus stop, where members of the other group were having a party. The fight led to the shooting of a member of one of the groups, which led to a reprisal.
According to eyewitnesses, one of the groups went away with the body of their member, while the other body was lying in front of the Community Secondary School.
A source said residents had fled the area as a result of the clash. “There is apprehension at Macaulay and Community down to Ilado. We call on the police to come to our rescue because residents are living in fear.”
This is just as residents of Mile 12 have also lamented that their lives are being threatened due to the activities of cult members in the area.
According to one Mrs Toyyibat, residents spent the yuletide period in fear at Mile12 due to killings and reprisals going on unchallenged in the area by rival cult groups.
She said the killings escalated recently because a cult leader was murdered by a rival gang. “Since the Aiye group killed the head of the Alora Boys, the gang members have gone on the rampage to avenge their leader’s death. We can’t even sleep peacefully in Mile 12 because they are still ‘counting scores.’ Even children can’t play around the neighbourhood, as everyone is scared of what is happening in the environment.”
The residents said the police were incapacitated to arrest the situation since some of the stations around the area were burnt during the #EndSARS violence, and are yet to be refurbished and police are not responding to distress calls.
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said he would get back to our correspondent, but he did not as of the time of filing this report. “We have asked the DPO to go and find out what is happening there and get back to us. I am waiting for the DPO’s response. When he gets back to us, I will make a statement on it.”
An apprentice with a fashion designer’s shop in Ondo town, Ondo state, Temitọpẹ Adeniyi, has allegedly kidnapped a three-month-old baby girl belonging to her boss.
It is reported that the suspect was dating the father of the kidnapped baby, Wasiu Mamukuyomi. The mother of the missing baby, Mrs Stella Babatunde, while narrating her ordeal to newsmen in Ondo town said her husband brought the Temitope to her as an apprentice.
Stella pointed out that her husband lied to her that the lady was his friend’s wife but she later found out that they were having illicit affairs “On Saturday, 2nd of January, 2021, the lady came to the shop as usual. After bathing the baby girl that afternoon, she took permission from me to put the baby on her back.
I later gave her my ATM card to help me withdraw N3,000 that was transferred to my account by a customer at a nearby POS stand. But she never returned, as she escaped with the new born baby and my ATM card,” she said.
Stella added that her husband was almost lynched by an irate mob for not showing concern over the missing baby. He was later arrested where he confessed that the suspect was his girlfriend and denied knowing anything about his child’s disappearance.
According to the state police command spokesperson, Tee Leo Ikoro , while confirming the incident, said that the father of the missing baby has been arrested following suspicion by the baby’s mother that he connived with the apprentice who’s now at large to kidnap their baby.
Nigeria’s former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu on Sunday was hurriedly whisked away from a football pitch at Ulunya, Ovoko, Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Some thugs suspected to be loyal to Hon. Pat Asadu representing Nsukka Igbo-Eze South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives invaded the football pitch where Ekweremadu kicked-off the match.
The football tournament was sponsored by Ike Oha Foundation, owned by Ekweremadu after the youths approached the House member representing them and he declined, according to sources.
Out of anger, thugs pulled down the goal posts and threaten to lynch the lawmaker and his entourage before they were moved out of the match venue.
The youths who spoke separately to newsmen said, Hon. Asadu refused to sponsor them after he was approached before seeking Ekweremadu’s financial assistance.
He said: ” At my level, there is hardly anything that would happen in Ovoko and the people won’t call my name.I didn’t know that Ekweremadu was coming to my country home. I only read that on social media. How he came and where he went are his personal businesses which he has a right to embark on.
Hon. Asadu while reacting to the claim that he sponsored thugs to derail the football tournament challenge anyone to produce evidence that he was behind the incident.
Asadu explained that the vigilante in the community who said they noticed politics behind the tournament when it was being planned and insisted that it should not take place.
“For the 24 years that the tournament held, this is the first time that the football association is inviting someone from Aninri or Orba or any community outside Ovoko to sponsor it.
“Therefore, some people were not comfortable with the arrangement and they went to court to obtain an order to stop it.”
When contacted, Ekweremadu thanked the youths for not giving in to violence. He said he would not be distracted in his mission of bringing good governance to the people of the state.
The National Interfaith and Religious Organizations for Peace, NIFROP has commenced a 21 days prayer and fasting session against agents of destabilization and improved security in Nigeria.
The session which is also aimed at ensuring the success of the Muhammadu Buhari led administration kicked off at the Unity Fountain,Abuja with over 500 clerics in attendance.
The Grand Patron of NIFRPP, Archbishop Dr Julius Idiwe in his message at the prayer session said there is urgent need to pray and fast so that Nigeria can overcome the demonic spirits fighting against the peace and progress of the country.
He said, “I am glad to stand before you wonderful people under the Unity Church, and Unity Masjid committed to intercede for Nigeria through our numerous programmes over the years.
“The year 2020 indeed came with its attendant challenges. We are glad that God indeed proved Himself faithful to us through our numerous interventions, and today Nigeria remains a strong and indivisible entity.
“We are also grateful to God that God saw us through despite the challenges the country faced in 2020. It is indeed the mercy of God and the pure heart that the President is using to pilot the nation’s affairs that saw us through the turbulence in the year 2020.
“My brothers and sisters, the bible in the book of 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells us to Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for us.
“This 21- Days Inter-Faith Intercessory Prayers for the Nation and President Muhammadu Buhari in overcoming the demonic spirits fighting against the country and her people is a fulfilment of a divine mandate given by God almighty to us members of the Unity Church and Unity Masjid to continue to intercede for the country and President Muhammadu Buhari.
“For we are all aware that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but principalities and powers in high places. We are aware of this much and why we have convoked this unique programme to usher Nigeria into a new phase of greater glory in the year 2021.
“My brothers and sisters, this programme is indeed necessary for the battle for our dear country’s soul, for we know that the gang up against our country and the President is fierce. But if God is for us, who can be against us? No one.
In the course of the 21 days programme, we shall commit President Muhammadu Buhari to God in prayers for he is indeed a good man whose heart is filled with compassion for the ordinary Nigerians on the street across the country”he said
Archbishop Ediwe said God indeed knows the heart and intents of President Muhammadu Buhari towards the socio-economic upliftment of Nigeria and as such God shall continue to protect and preserve him from the plans of all those that have conspired to discredit his lofty ideals for Nigeria.
“My brothers and sisters, as we commence this special session for Nigeria, we shall begin to see the manifestation of the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living as all those in high and mighty places that have vowed to disrupt the peace and tranquillity in Nigeria shall be exposed and disgraced in Jesus Name.
“We must not relent in this task before us in the New Year, for we know that the evil forces against President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigeria would be ferocious in their attacks in 2021. But I tell you all under the sound of my voice that the wrath of God shall visit them in truckloads in ways too numerous to mention.
“This is indeed the day that Lord has made and we must rejoice and be glad in it. This is also the year of redemption for Nigeria and Nigerians. The year 2021 shall be to Nigeria the year of abundance, peace and sustainable development.
“My brothers and sisters, I want to inform you all that what God has in stock for Nigeria in the year 2021 shall leave the world stunned. Nigeria shall be a force to reckon with in all aspects of life.
“The world shall indeed be baffled on how Nigeria can overcome the activities of bandits and their sponsors. Like a pack of cards, they shall crumble in shame and into the bottomless pit of eternal disgrace.
“My brothers and sisters, we must acknowledge the place of prayers in all our endeavours. We shall pray just like Paul and Silas, and suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed” Ediwe said
He added that at the end of the programme, all the bands that have held Nigeria back shall be loosened, and Nigeria shall enter into a realm of exceeding grace and abundance. The sponsors of acts of violence in the country shall bury their heads in shame. The foreign conspirators plotting to destabilize Nigeria shall lose focus and confusion shall be their lot. They shall see with their eyes the reward for all the evil they have planned against Nigeria.
I beseech us as lovers of God and Nigeria; I prophesy that Nigeria shall overcome its security challenges. I prophesy that the year 2021 shall be the year where the Boko Haram insurgency shall come to an end.
“My brothers and sisters, God works in mysterious ways. And I prophesy that all the commanders of the Boko Haram terrorist group shall be delivered to the Nigerian Military in absolute surrender. I assure you all that God shall send confusion into the midst of the remnants of Boko Haram and their defeat shall be astounding.
“The year 2021 is indeed the year of vengeance for all those against the interest of Nigeria. The book of Ezekiel 25; 17 tells us that “I will execute great vengeance on them with wrathful rebukes. Then they will know that I am the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon them.”
“Through our prayers, we shall be calling on God to defeat all Nigeria’s enemies, including their collaborators within and outside the country and even those pretending to be friends of the President. Anyone who plans evil for Nigeria shall die in 2021.
“My brothers and sisters, we must also use this occasion to appreciate President Muhammadu Buhari, who is indeed a friend of the church. He has displayed this much in his actions and inactions. For President Muhammadu Buhari, he belongs to all Nigerians regardless of religious or ethnic affiliations. President Muhammadu Buhari is a lover of all and a leader that governs with the fear of God.
“It is our firm belief that with President Muhammadu Buhari at the helm of affairs in Nigeria, in the year 2021, we shall have a reason to sing halleluiah to the Most High God. We shall dance and sing for the wondrous things in stock for Nigeria in 2021.
“Therefore, I call on all Christians and Muslims across the country to stand up in unity against the agents and forces against the country and for God to deliver a resounding defeat to them and their sponsors”he said
Sheikh Shafiu Abdulazeez
Sheikh Shafiu Abdulazeez in his own message said the love of Nigerians for President Muhammadu Buhari also knows no bound because he is an upright man filled with the fear of Allah (SWT) in all his doings as President of the country.
“His good deeds shall not go unrewarded by Allah (SWT), “he said “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful, Allah the Generous, in His infinite mercy, will multiply the good deeds of His righteous servants up to seven hundred times as much or even more.
“Verily, Allah has recorded good and bad deeds, and He made them clear. Whoever intends to perform a good deed but does not do it, then Allah will record it as a complete good deed. If he intends to do it and does so, then Allah the Exalted will record it as ten good deeds up to seven hundred times as much or even more. If he intends to do a bad deed and does not do it, then Allah will record for him one complete good deed.
We ought to take advantage of Allah’s mercy in this regard by performing many good deeds. Even good deeds we might see as ordinary, such as sending blessings upon the Prophet or giving the Islamic greeting, praying and interceding for humanity, can be multiplied ten times.
“My beloved, Allah in His infinite mercies shall record our prayers for Nigeria, and President Muhammadu Buhari as complete good deeds and Allah blessings shall abide with us as we embark on 21 days of prayers and fasting for Nigeria and all the evil forces against President Muhammadu Buhari as he pilots the affairs of the country. The forces of darkness against Nigeria in 2020 were disappointed that Allah kept Nigeria united despite their evil plots.
“I commend us all for this tremendous sacrifice over the years that have yielded great results to the chagrin of all of those that wants Nigeria to disintegrate. Indeed the prayers of Muslims and Christians who have refused to sell their souls to the devil have continued to keep the country in unity and prosperity over the years.
“My beloved, we must continue to pray for Nigeria and President Muhammadu Buhari in the year 2021. We must pray against those individuals and groups that have been sponsoring acts of violence in the country. This much they did in 2020 without success, and the year 2021 shall be the year where they will meet their waterloo. May Allah (SWT) bring shame and reproach to those that plan evil against President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Allah, Almighty and Glorious, said: ‘When the one who has known Me disobeys Me, I will set up, as an absolute master over him, the one who has not known Me.
“My beloved this is indeed the time for us to pray fervently for our dear country to usher in the year 2021. I tell you all today that at the end of this programme, Nigeria shall indeed experience the mercies of Allah (SWT) that would bring about an astounding regime of greatness in all spheres of our endeavors.
“I tell you all today that in the year 2021, Nigeria shall defeat terrorism. The terrorist and their sponsors shall be exposed and put to shame. Nigeria shall experience peace and sustainable growth and development” he said
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday asked its members in Anambra State to withdraw their cases against the party leadership in court ahead of the state’s governorship election slated for November.
The PDP National Vice Chairman, South-East, Chief Ali Odefa, made the call during a meeting of the party’s Zonal Working Committee held in Awka.
Odefa said the party cannot afford any court distractions ahead of the Anambra election.
He urged the aggrieved party members to direct their complaints to the zonal leadership for amicable and dispassionate resolution.
Odefa, who expressed satisfaction with the progress recorded by PDP in Anambra, promised that the zonal leadership of the party would ensure that the primary election produced the best candidate for the election.
He advised the “money bag” aspirants to deploy their money in lobbying delegates and not to try to bribe any leader of the party.
Shares belonging to the First City Monument Bank posted losses in the early hours of trading on Monday, the first trading day of 2021.
According to data on the Nigerian Stock Exchange’s website, the bank’s shares lost 0.20k from the N3.33k it closed at on Thursday, December 31.
This represents a loss of 6.01 per cent. The tier-2 bank, which has a market capitalisation of N65.94 billion, has 19.8 billion shares listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
The bank was ranked top loser on the market as of 1pm on Monday.
The last time the bank’s share price suffered a decline of this magnitude was on November 13, 2020, when it suffered a 10 percent decline from N3.80 per share on November 12 to N3.42 per share on November 13.
The FCMB Managing Director, Adam Nuru, had been a subject of controversy since Thursday over a scandal regarding paternity fraud with many Nigerians calling for his sack.
The spotlight had beamed on Nuru after friends of Tunde Thomas, who died on December 16, alleged that his demise was caused by the FCMB’s managing director in a petition.
The petition had claimed that Thomas died of depression after discovering that his two children with Moyo, his ex-wife and former employee of the bank, belong to Nuru.
A cross-section of Nigerians had on Monday also threatened to close their accounts with the FCMB if the bank authorities failed to investigate and sanction its MD over his alleged affair with Moyo, the bank’s former female employee.
Some Nigerians expressed anger and frustration that with the alleged affair between the FCMB MD and Moyo, which allegedly produced two children and led to the death of Tunde Thomas, the MD ought to have been suspended before the commencement of investigation.
Tunde Thomas, the husband of the woman in contention – Moyo – had died on December 16 reportedly from depression and cardiac arrest.
Thomas reportedly died of depression, after he realised that Nuru allegedly fathered the two children he thought he had with Moyo.
Although the FCMB has said it is investigating the scandal against its MD, a petition has already been raised by concerned Nigerians, demanding that Nuru must be sacked and prosecuted.
According to the petition, Moyo allegedly informed her husband that she was leaving Nigeria for the United States with the kids, only to call him upon arrival that the children did not belong to him.
The petition claimed the news initially caused Thomas to have a stroke but later recovered and thereafter met another lady whom he planned to marry.
He was however said to have suffered cardiac arrest after returning from work about two days before an event organised for his relations and the family of his fiancée to get to know each other, was to be held.
His fiancée was said to have been pregnant at the time.
No fewer than 2,400 petitioners had signed a petition calling for the sacking of the FCMB MD over the marriage scandal as of Sunday afternoon.
According to online reports, Chukwuma’s younger sister served him food but didn’t serve the mother of his children.
Porcia then went after the man’s younger sister and took a piece of chicken from her but the younger woman grabbed it back.
It was learnt that this led to a fight between the two women.
Chukwuma allegedly sided with his sister and beat Porcia up.
Not satisfied, Chukwuma reportedly went to his car and brought out a cutlass with which he savagely attacked Porcia with a cutlass, allegedly in the presence of his father.
He was said to have entered his car and driven off after Porcia played dead to put an end to the attack on her.
