Lagos to prosecute man for assaulting LASTMA official
FG inaugurates committee to sell off recovered looted assets
Trump puts personal helicopter up for sale
President Donald Trump has put one of his personal helicopters, said to be worth more than one million dollars up for sale.
Trump has not flown in the Sikorsky S76-B copter since entering the White House in 2017 when he was provided with presidential transportation of Air Force One and the president’s helicopter, Marine One.
The helicopter that is for sale used to bear his last name and was used extensively during Trump’s 2016 election campaign.
It was also featured in many episodes of the hit TV show The Apprentice which ran for 14 years.
Although it no longer has the large TRUMP lettering on the tail, the pictures show it still has its distinctive Trump Organization paint scheme of black and red stripes.
The helicopter which is currently in storage at a hangar in New Jersey is 31 years old.
The listing which has been online since August does not give a price but asks buyers to ‘Call for price. Make an offer,’ should they wish to purchase the aircraft.
Toronto, Canada-based Aero Asset, together with Jet Edge Partners in the United States, are selling the helicopter, which still carries the U.S. civil registration code N76DT – a reference to its owner.
There are also some interesting statistics that accompany pictures of the luxury chopper including the fact the aircraft has had plenty of use having been in the air for more than 6,000 hours covering almost 20,000 flights.
The copter holds six people and is manned by a two-person crew.
Kamala Harris is Jezebel, says Fani-Kayode
A former minister of aviation Femi Fani-Kayode has labelled the United States Vice President-elect Kamala Harris as the Biblical Jezebel famous for her wickedness and worship of foreign gods.
Harris hit the landmark on November 7 after Biden crossed the 270 electoral college votes required to be president.
Tweeting on Monday, Mr Fani-Kayode who has been outspoken about his support for the Trump Presidency claimed the Joe Biden/Harris Presidency was a Satanic one.
“I know Jezebel when I see her. Look into Kamalla’s eyes. Kaballa + Kundalini = Kamalla. Biden is a puppet and a smokescreen.
“A Biden presidency is a Kamalla Presidency. A Kamalla Presidency is Satan’s Presidency. May God deliver,” the ex-minister wrote.
Harris is the first woman, the first black person and the first person of Southeast Asian descent to become US vice president-elect.
#EndSARS: Concerned Citizens back FG’s actions against sponsors, promoters of arson, killings
The Citizens Against Fake Activists (CAFA) has thrown its weight behind the move by the Federal Government to prosecute sponsors and promoters of violence during the EndSARS protests.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Executive Director, Bamidele Johnson urged relevant authorities to resist blackmail and intimidation attempts by fake activists.
The CAFA also said it is appalled by the furore raised by those whose bank accounts were frozen, especially knowing they were used for illicit activities.
According to the group, those “who financed the protests have shared responsibility for the hacking of government cites as part of the protests.”
It added that “the financiers are accessories to the murder of the dozens of policemen who were killed by the incited mobs”.
CAFA, however, urged the law to take its course.
While calling on the Central Bank of Nigeria to continue its investigation, the CAFA also urged the Inspector General of Police to identify those responsible for the violence.
It added that “Once identified, the Inspector General of Police should charge these persons for terrorism financing and any other crime they might have committed”.
Read the full statement below:
Gentlemen of the press, we will like to begin by stating that Citizens Against Fake Activists is appalled by the furore being raised by those whose bank accounts were frozen because they were used for illicit activities, to wit, acts of terrorism against the Nigerian state. We are similarly miffed that persons that instigated violence against. Nigeria is gripping about being barred from flying.
We will equally set out by making a fair disclosure that we support the demand for the reform of the Nigeria Police Force and the dismantling of any of its specialized unit found to have breached the rules of civil policing while offending officers should be tried as common criminals.
What we do not support, however, is the attempt by fake activists and their sponsors to overthrow a legitimate government using mob action as was witnessed in the aftermath of the Lekki Toll Gate incident when cities across Nigeria were gripped by criminals that looted and burnt properties during protests that were at that time no longer connected to the demands for reformed police.
But the lines must be drawn. There is a name for the use of intimidation, violence and threat of violence for coercing the state to agree to a set of demands. Those who made their bank accounts available for laundering the money that financed the violent protests need to be mindful of the implication of their action. For the avoidance of doubts, let us highlight some of the outcomes of those violent or provocative protests:
Those who obstructed the road denied other Nigerians of the right to use an infrastructure build with the commonwealth. Had the other citizens responded in similar measure there would have been widespread violence across the land. Those who instigated these blockades of public roads have cases to answer, especially when there were suggestions of mortality of persons who could not access lifesaving care at hospitals because of the resulting gridlocks.
Those who financed the protests have shared responsibility for the hacking of government cites as part of the protests. It is a cybercrime. It is terrorism.
The financiers are accessories to the murder of the dozens of policemen who were killed by the incited mobs. This is murder and the law forbids that, more so that those killed were policemen.
The torching of government buildings, websites, buses, vehicles and even private homes and businesses is arson. It is against the law. The protest sponsors and financiers have responsibility.
The looting of food banks, storehouses, food reserve and other times is theft accessioned by braking and entry. There are laws against this, and some people coordinated the attacks on these locations.
The looting of food reserves and privately held storages is an attempt at mass murder, the result which is ahead. By destroying the food storage Nigerians are at the risk of starvation in the coming months since there is nothing to bridge any shortfall in food supply having lost what was in reserve to the protesters. It is unlawful to assist someone escaping lawful correctional service’s custody; those who put down the money for staging the protests are responsible for the freeing of prisoners in several prisons in the country.
We appreciate that these people that financed the protests through their various bank accounts are enjoying the support of the public opinion, but things are not as simple as they sound. Public opinion, no matter how strident, cannot overrule the law. Those that are found culpable in the crimes listed earlier on will have to keep a date with the law and only pray that their crimes would be met with leniency that will give shorter sentences.
We are therefore demanding that the law takes it course. The Inspector-General of Police should identify more of those that were responsible for this mess while the Central Bank of Nigeria should continue investigating to unmask the enemies of Nigeria.
Once identified, the Inspector General of Police should charge these persons for terrorism financing and any other crime they might have committed. They must face charges for a treasonable felony which was their real motive. They then have the right to clear themselves in court if they can or they should willingly go in for what they have done.
Meanwhile, we appeal to news organization representatives, bloggers and genuine activists to take time to research the issue at hand to have the right perspective for objective reporting. The state has responsibility to prosecute any crime committed even if it is committed in the pursuit of a good cause.
https://thenigerian.news/world/6-nigerians-convicted-in-uae-for-funding-boko-haram/
El-Rufai installs new emir of Zazzau
Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Monday, presented the staff of office to His Highness Ahmad Bamalli as the 19th Emir of Zazzau.
El-Rufai said in his speech: “I am delighted to join the people of Zazzau Emirate for the presentation of the Staff of Office to His Highness, Ambassador Ahmad Nuhu Bamalli, the 19th Emir of Zazzau, the firstborn after independence. This is a historic moment.”
He added: “As governor of Kaduna State, it is God’s will that I am privileged to be the first elected public servant to appoint an Emir of Zazzau in an independent, democratic setting.”
Chairman of the central working committee for the installation ceremony Ja’afaru Sani had in a statement on Sunday urged residents to turn out en masse and participate in the ceremony.
Sani, who is also the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, said arrangements had been concluded to facilitate smooth conduct of the ceremony.
He said the new emir would host a special durbar as part of activities lined up to celebrate the installation.
The commissioner enjoined the people of the state to pray for peace, unity and prosperity of Zazzau Emirate and the state at large.
Airstrikes crush scores of ISWAP fighters, destroy fuel facilities in Northeast
The Air Task Force of Operation LAFIYA DOLE has crushed scores of Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters and destroyed some of their structures, including a suspected fuel storage facility, at Tumbun Allura, a terrorists’ logistics hub on the fringes of Lake Chad in the Northern part of Borno State.
In a statement by the Coordinator, Defence Media Operations Major General John Enenche, the air raid was executed yesterday, 8 November 2020, on the heels of credible Human Intelligence reports as well as aerial surveillance missions which led to the identification of a command post as well as a suspected fuel dump, with large number of jerry cans and barrels concealed in make shift structures within the settlement.
”The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) attack aircraft, dispatched by the Air Task Force to engage the location, scored accurate hits in the target area resulting in the destruction of the terrorists’ fuel dump, which was seen engulfed in flames.
”Several ISWAP elements were also neutralized as a result of the air strike.” He said.
#EndSARS protesters gathering hoodlums to unleash mayhem on citizens in Abuja, Lagos – Group alleges
Some well-meaning Nigerians, under the aegis of March4Nigeria, say some purported EndSARS protesters are mobilising hoodlums to wreak havoc in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and Lagos.
According to the group, these extremist elements will relaunch violent uprisings under the guise that their members are being hounded.
The group said they will also blame the routine law enforcement process, freezing of accounts and the placement of some persons of interest on a no-fly-list.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday in Lagos, National Secretary, Comrade Onimisi Bello said funds for the exercise has already been laundered online using cryptocurrencies.
The March4Nigeria, however, condemned the move to incite Nigerians back to the streets, as it could jeopardize the Federal Government’s proposed police reform.
While calling on parents to guide their children against being used as agents of destruction, the group urged security agencies to use all necessary force to protect the law-abiding citizens.
Read the full speech below:
Gentlemen of the press, you will recall that Nigerians took to the streets to protest against police brutality as typified by the activities of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). The protests were peaceful, and Nigerians tabled five-point demands that the Federal Government promptly accepted, which gave rise to the concept of 5for5. Part of the government’s response was the termination of the infamous SARS.
These protests were christened “#EndSARS” consistent with the demand for an end to SARS. When the protests continued even after the government has liquidated SARS and accepted the demands, some of us became worried as we had expected, logically, that there would be a retreat from the picket lines to allow the government to implement the agreed changes.
We soon found out that the protests have been hijacked by selfish and dangerous interests. It became obvious that these elements were paying celebrities, commercial activists and clout chasers to incite Nigerians on social media. The same elements hired thugs and hoodlums to disrupt the same protests they were mobilising people to be part of.
The intentions of these elements for the protests soon became obvious as they proceeded to shut down major roads and public infrastructure. They reportedly precipitated the Lekki Toll Gate incident to justify the industrial scale arson and looting that they unleashed on the country. Several major businesses will take years to recover from this attack many smaller businesses will never recover.
Upon the discovery of the insidious plan of the element, the patriots among us called a halt on protests and began the March4Nigeria movement. We shifted focus to holding the government accountable for implementing the 5for5 demands. We believe that more can be achieved through dialogue and continuous engagement as opposed to destructive confrontation.
The dangerous elements that attacked Nigeria have retained the #EndSARS label even when SARS has been terminated. This is why #March4Nigeria distanced itself from what is now #EndSARS movement. It has no relationship or connection whatsoever with the original protest against police brutality, high handedness, abuse of human rights and extra-judicial execution.
We have now uncovered plans by these extremist elements to relaunch violent protests under the brand #EndSARS to undermine the Nigerian state. The excuse they will use for these fresh rounds of protests is to allege that their members are being hounded. Specifically, they will cite the routine law enforcement process, the freezing of accounts linked to crime and the placement of some persons of interest on a no-fly-list, as the basis to spark off these violent protests.
An early indication of this plot is the withdrawal of their representatives from the Lagos State Panel of Inquiry citing the aforesaid law enforcement processes. This move by the #EndSARS elements is to undermine the panel on one hand while inciting people to rush back to protesting based on sentiments.
There has also been an escalation of inciteful social media posts to draw Nigerians back to the streets while the hoodlums that were used for arson have again been placed on standby. Funding for the payment of the hoodlums has been laundered online using cryptocurrencies that have been converted to foreign currencies, transferred to unanimous accounts and the money is being converted to Naira and held in cash to evade scrutiny of law enforcement agencies.
Furthermore, the #EndSARS protesters have reportedly drawn up a list of government and private assets and businesses to destroy to spark reprisals that will then snowball into a tit-for-tat all-out war along ethnic or sectarian lines.
What we have been made to understand is that these people will prioritize Lagos and Abuja for their provocative protests and attacks. Abuja is being targeted to cause the country the maximum international and diplomatic embarrassment since the international media focus on the city in their coverage. Lagos is being targeted as part of a strategy to crumble Nigeria’s economy on one hand and to cause ethno-sectarian strife there on the other hand because of its cosmopolitan nature. The protests will equally be launched in other states with a plot to commit further arson and looting to intensify the assault on Nigeria’s economy.
#March4Nigeria condemns the plan to incite Nigerians back to the streets under any guise as this will directly interfere with what we are expecting from the Federal Government in terms of reform. The organic timeline of three months during which we want to put the government to the test will be impacted since any distraction caused by having to manage protests will hurt the long-term feasibility of the changes we have demanded from government. The focus should be on pressuring the government to perform and not distracting the entire country.
Given what the country experienced when the #EndSARS protests were hijacked by these same persons, #March4Nigeria calls on all security agencies to use all necessary force to protect the law-abiding citizens of the country, including pre-emptively taking the ringleaders of this destructive clique into custody until they no longer pose any threat to the rest of us. They are not genuine protesters just as their agitation has lost legitimacy with the carnage and murderous campaign they launched against the country.
We urge parents to warn their children and wards not to be used by agents of darkness to carry out looting of properties, burning of police stations and killing of innocent Nigerians in the name of #EndSARS. They should impress on the young people that there are laws in Nigeria and the law is either on one’s side or against one, depending on what choices the individual makes.
We equally call on the international community and NGOs to caution those in contact with them to desist from plunging Nigeria into any crisis. Affiliation or interaction with the international community should not be misconstrued as a licence to commit crimes and kill law enforcement agents without consequences.
#March4Nigeria urges state governments to review their crisis response plans in other to be responsive in deploying mitigating measures to counter the national meltdown being planned by these extreme people.
It is our fervent prayer that those who had supported the extremist elements of the #EndSARS protests in error will now retrace their steps and withdraw support from them and also point the way in how to neutralize the threat they pose to other Nigerians. To continue supporting the movement when it has exposed the direction of its long-term plan will be a great disservice to the nation.
#EndSARS: Group urges Muslims not to participate in another protest in Nigeria
The Muslim Rights Concern has called on Muslims to ignore the call to join another protest in Nigeria.
Director of MURIC, Prof Ishaq Akintola, said Muslims should not join a protest under any guise or for whatever purpose.
Prof. Ishaq Akintola, Director of MURIC
He claimed that the aftermath of the #ENDSARS protest was very bitter as it pushed the country to the edge of the precipice, adding that the protest had ethnic and religious colouration.
Akintola said, “The ensuing destruction of properties during the protest was too massive, enough to cause goose pimples in anyone with the milk of homo sapien compos mentis flowing in his or her veins. It is also enough to discourage another protest so soon.
“Nigerian Muslims and, indeed, every right-thinking Nigerian for that matter, should not allow this to happen again. We must not join any fresh protest under whatever guise.
“Leaderless protests lead to chaos. Leaderless protests come with awful intentions. We should not join them.
“The last demonstration has taught us a bitter lesson, namely, that it is difficult to know the true intention of any protest. They may start peacefully but graduate to violent outings.”
Akintola also condemned the vandaliaation of properties by hoodlums especially the setting ablaze of police stations.
He noted that the dereliction of duty by police officers due to fear has led to daylight robbery and traffic gridlock in many parts of Lagos State, the epicenter of the protest.
Putin says he won’t congratulate Biden, vows to stand by Trump
President Vladimir Putin will not recognize Joe Biden as America’s president-elect, the Kremlin said on Monday.
It announced that they would continue to stand with Donald Trump while “there are ongoing legal processes” even though there’s little prospect that any of the incumbent’s complaints will be taken seriously by the U.S. courts.
Putin’s reticence is not surprising: Biden once called Russia “the biggest threat to America” and the Kremlin hangs on to old words and meanings.
Russian state TV made it clear throughout the election that Trump was the Kremlin’s preferred candidate, and in Moscow, politicians told the Daily Beast, “there is nothing good to expect from Biden.”
To the Kremlin there is no mystery about how Biden feels about Putin. Back in 2011, the then-vice president held a meeting with leaders of the Russian opposition at the U.S ambassador’s residence in Moscow, Spaso House. One of the participants, Boris Nemtsov, who was later assassinated in Moscow, wrote in his blog: “Biden said that [if he were] in Putin’s place, he would not stand for president in 2012, because that would be bad for the country and himself.”
Meanwhile, opposition leader Aleksey Navalny, who is recovering in Germany from an assassination attempt, clearly appreciated Biden’s past support, posting a congratulatory tweet: “Congratulations to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on the victory and to the Americans on defining the new leadership in a free and fair election. This is a privilege, which is not available to all countries. Looking forward to the new level of cooperation between Russia and the US.”
Russian police raided Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation office on Thursday, and confiscated all the equipment and even a disco ball from the ceiling, along with some cash from the purses of employees.
“People in epaulettes often tell me that they are soldiers fulfilling commands by evil bosses,” Navalny wrote. “But yesterday’s raids-searchings at our offices demonstrated a complete degradation of the system to its very depths.”
Biden, in contrast to President Trump, has commented on the attack on Navalny—no other signal could be clearer to the Kremlin about the potential for the future relations with a Biden administration.
The Kremlin seems so nervous about Navalny, even while he is in Germany, that Putin refuses to speak his name publicly.