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I will never return as APC chairman – Oshiomhole

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Former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress Adams Oshiomhole has vowed not to return to the position.

Oshiomhole stated this in a release on Monday dissociating himself from a fresh suit instituted by the party’s former national vice-chairman (south-south), Hilliard Eta, challenging the dissolution of the National Working Committee which Oshiomhole chaired.

Oshiomhole further explained that he personally announced his decision not to contest his removal from office for personal reasons, noting that some of his colleagues in the dissolved NWC did not agree with his move.

“I can only accept responsibility for my own decision. Subsequently, I instructed my lawyers to withdraw the suits challenging my purported suspension from office by the proxies of those bent on removing me as chairman,” he said.

The former Edo governor also stated, “That chapter of my political life is closed. Even if another NEC decision or a court order reverses the dissolution, with utmost humility I will decline to return as APC chairman. I am proud of the accomplishments of the NWC under my leadership and I am grateful to the principled 18 members who worked as a team committed to the cause of the party.”

Scores of Bandits Killed, Camps Destroyed in Air Raids at Kusasu in Kaduna

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The Air Component of Operation THUNDER STRIKE has obliterated another camp and neutralized several armed bandits at the Kusasu Area of Kaduna State.

This according to the Coordinator Defence Media Operations Major General John Enenche was achieved through air strikes executed on Sunday after Human Intelligence reports, including series of aerial surveillance missions which led to the identification of the camp of a bandits’ leader known as Alhaji Labi, an associate of Dogon Gede, a notorious bandits’ leader in Katsina State.

”Accordingly, the Air Component dispatched an appropriate force package of Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets and helicopter gunships to attack the location.

”Overhead the target area, significant presence of the bandits, along with a large number of rustled cattle, was observed.

”The attack aircraft took turns in engaging the location, delivering devastating hits which destroyed the bandits’ structures, including their logistics storage facilities, which were seen engulfed in flames. Several armed bandits were also killed in the attack.” He said.

Insecurity: Buhari to address National Assembly Thursday

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President Muhammadu Buhari will address a joint session of the National Assembly on his government’s efforts at addressing the country’s security challenges on Thursday.

The president’s Personal Assistant on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie, disclosed this via Twitter on Monday.

“President @MBuhari will address a joint session of the National Assembly (@nassnigeria) on Thursday, December 10, 2020,” she wrote.

Recall that President Buhari had last week met with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila and other principal officers of the House and agreed to address the lawmakers on the country’s security challenges.

On Sunday, a member of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, asked members of the lower legislative chamber to commence impeachment proceeding against the president for failing to tackle the country’s security challenges.

He also urged Nigerians to direct their representatives in the green chamber to commence impeachment process against Buhari.

However, the House leadership has distanced itself from the lawmaker’s call for the president’s impeachment.

In a statement issued by its spokesman, Benjamin Kalu, the House described Chinda’s call for Buhari’s impeachment as a “mere opinion of a single member of the green chamber.”

Buhari re-appoints Kuru as AMCON MD, picks Hassan for NDIC

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President Muhammadu Buhari has renominated Mr Ahmed Kuru as Managing Director (MD) and Mr Eberechukwu Uneze and Mr Aminu Ismail as Executive Directors of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) for the final term of five years.

According to a statement issued in Abuja on Monday by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President, this was contained in a letter to the President of the Senate seeking confirmation of the nominees by the Upper Chamber in accordance with Section 10(1) of the AMCON Act, 2010.

Similarly, in another letter to the President of the Senate in compliance with Sections 5(4) and 8(3) of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) Act, 2010, President Buhari has asked the Senate to confirm the nominations of Mr Bello Hassan as the Managing Director, and Mr Mustapha Muhammad Ibrahim as Executive Director of the corporation.

The statement informed that two nominees are to succeed Mr Umaru Ibrahim and Prince Aghatise Erediuwa whose second terms end on December 8, 2020, as Managing Director and Executive Director (Operations) respectively.

It added that, Hon. Omolola Abiola Edewor is to continue as Executive Director (Corporate Services) in the NDIC until her second and final term ends on January 24, 2022.

Most ‘Almajiri’ not Nigerians, Ganduje says

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Most Quranic education school pupils, popularly referred to as “Almajiri”, who roam the streets in the northern part of the country, are not Nigerians, Kano State Governor, Umar Ganduje, said on Monday.

“A lot of them are foreigners from Niger Republic, Chad and Cameroon,” Mr Ganduje said while declaring open, a 3-day retreat organised by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) in Kano.

The theme of the retreat is, ”Enhancing Basic Education in Nigeria towards a Robust Institutional Strengthening and Effective Stakeholder Engagement”.

“From the survey we have conducted, most of the “Almajiri” roaming our streets are from Niger, Chad and the northern part of Cameroon.

“Once you improve the quality of ‘Almajiri’ education system, you are inviting other ‘Almajiri’ from other places to come to your state. That is another problem.

“The northern governors are putting more pressure toward having a universal legislation that will limit the migration from one state to another,” he said.

Mr Ganduje said the retreat was “very vital and important, especially at this moment that the country is gradually coming out from the COVID-19 pandemic which has affected education in the country”.

According to Mr Ganduje, the retreat is also important because it is coming at a time education has become the first victim of uncontrolled population, especially when it is not matched with appropriate economic development.

He disclosed that free and compulsory primary and secondary school education as well as the transformation of the ”Almajiri” education system were some of his major priorities in the education sector.

Earlier, the Executive Secretary, UBEC, Hamid Bobboye, said the retreat was aimed at providing an opportunity for the board and management to brainstorm, exchange ideas and strategies toward moving basic education forward.

He said the board and management would review strategic priorities and propose workable changes in the institution’s structure to drive both medium and long term goals of the commission.

“We will also re-assess the legal framework, service delivery model, share emerging developments and trends, including global best practices, for better performance.

“This retreat could not have come at a better time than now when Nigeria and, indeed, the entire world, is facing a common enemy – COVID-19.

“The pandemic is serving as an eye-opener for all stakeholders in basic education,” he said.

(NAN)

‘It is over for Pogba at Manchester United’, agent says

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The future of Paul Pogba is over at Manchester United, according to his agent, Mino Raiola.

“I can say that It is over for Paul Pogba at Manchester United,” Raiola told Tuttosport on Monday.

Pogba has often cut a divisive figure following a string of poor performances.

His strong showing against West Ham, which culminated in a goal, was expected to reignite his Old Trafford career.

However, it appears that the Frenchman could be heading out of Manchester in January.

 

‘Old video’: No protest at Lekki toll gate, Police say

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The Lagos State Police Command have debunked reports that youths staged a protest at Lekki toll gate on Monday.

Recall that police and military personnel were deployed to the toll gate to forestall the resumption of the #EndSARS protest against police brutality.

However, in reaction, Lagos police spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, tweeted this to counter a video which has been circulated severally on social media with claims that it emanated from the protest ground.

Mr Adejobi said the video was from the #EndSARS protest in October.

“The attention of the Lagos State police command has been drawn to this viral video that some youths staged a protest at Lekki tollgate today 7th Dec 2020. It’s not true. This was a very old video before the tollgate was set ablaze.”

Adejobi added that “Lagos has been calm and it will remain calm. No cause for alarm in Lagos State.”

He, however, urged Lagosians to go about their businesses without fear.

Security in Borno, North-East far better under Buhari – Zulum

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Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, says the security situation in the state as well as the North-East has improved under President Muhammadu Buhari.

Mr Zulum said this while addressing the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) elders in Maiduguri on Monday.

The delegation was led by the head of ACF board of trustees, Shehu Malami and the chairman, Audu Ogbeh.

The visit was to commiserate with the Borno government and people over the massacre of 40 Zabarmari farmers.

Despite the killings, however, the governor said the security situation is much better under the current administration.

“From statewide statistics on affairs in the 27 local government areas since 2011, the fact is that despite the recent happenings, the security situation in Borno and indeed that of the entire North-East sub-region is still far better under Buhari,” he said.

“Unlike the years before Buhari when a number of local government were no-go-areas, we now have citizens led by our traditional rulers, safely back to Bama, Gwoza, Askira-Uba, Dikwa, Ngala, Monguno, Kukawa, Damboa, Konduga, Mafa, all of which no one could visit not talk of living in before.

“Our emirs were all in exile. Today, Bama is coming back to life and so is Askira-Uba, Damboa, Gwoza and others. Life is returning to Baga. This was impossible before Buhari. It was not possible to move a few kilometres out of Maiduguri.

“Insurgents attacked and took over the Army Barracks at Monguno, Bama, Giwa Barracks and Multinational Joint Task Force Headquarters at Baga to mention just a few. There were daily attacks and bomb blasts in many parts of Maiduguri but all of these have stopped under Buhari. No one can dispute these records.”

Zulum added that the people will remain optimistic and keep doing their part in efforts to find sustainable peace in Borno.

Woman arrested for marrying two men

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A 41-year-old woman in Zimbabwe, Moreblesing Maridza, has been arrested and arraigned in court for marrying two men at the same time.

Zimbabwean newspaper, the Sunday News, reported on December 6 that Maridza of Platinum Park in Zvishavane region, got married to David Mhuru while still legally married to James Chivandire, and when asked her reasons for marrying another man, she said Chivandire had refused to sleep with her for 12 years.

Maridza was arraigned on charges of bigamy which she pleaded guilty to, telling the court that her first husband had become mentally challenged and was no longer capable of performing his duties as a husband, which prompted her to marry Mhuru.

The matter only came to light when an officer at the Registrar-General’s office observed that Maridza had two valid marriage certificates and she was promptly arrested and charged to court.

She was sentenced to six months in prison with three months suspended on the condition that she pays a fine of five thousand Zimbabwean dollars.