Television Nigerian

By Toby Prince

The Federal Government has re-arraigned the convener of #RevolutionNow Movement, Omoyele Sowore, on two counts charge of treasonable felony.

Prosecutor Aminu Alilu told the court on Thursday that the previous seven-count charge, which was filed in September 2019, should be substituted with the amended charge.

Mr Alilu also said the office of the Attorney General had paid the N200,000 fine which was the cost for delayed service of new charges.

Defence counsel, Abdul Mahmud, confirmed that the sum was paid into the account of the senior defence counsel, Olumide Fusika.

Sowore and his co-defendant, Olawale Bakare, pleaded not guilty upon re-arraignment.

Offences related to fraud, cyber-stalking and of insulting the president have been removed in the new charge.

Sowore and Bakare were arrested on August 3, 2019, in Lagos by the Department of State Services (DSS) over their calls for nationwide protests against alleged bad governance.

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By Toby Prince

The Federal High Court in Calabar has granted N10 million bail to journalist, Agba Jalingo, who is facing trial for alleged treason.

Justice Sule Shuaibu admitted Mr Jalingo to bail on Thursday, adding that his surety must make a refundable deposit of N700,000 to court registry to perfect the bail.

The Cross River State Government recently took over the case from the police.

Jalingo, publisher of CrossRiverWatch, was denied bail twice. He published a report alleging that Cross River State, Ben Ayade, diverted N500 million from the state’s treasury.

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By Sylvanus Okpe

The Buhari Campaign Organisation (BCO) has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of masterminding the reported “booing” of President Muhammadu Buhari by Maiduguri youth during his Wednesday’s sympathy visit, following Auno attack that killed about 30 people in the state.

The National Coordinator of the group, Danladi Pasali, who made the allegation in a statement on Wednesday in Jos, Plateau State, also warned the PDP, of politicisation of the country’s security challenges.

Mr Pasali however, admitted that the spate of the killing of innocent persons and destruction of properties by Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State is not only condemnable but an act of inhumanity to mankind.

“However, in as much as we condemn the act, we must also strike the balance by urging desperate politicians to halt their politicisation of security issues to the detriment of the citizens,” he said.

Mr Pasali said: “Just to remind the PDP and its few sponsored youths stationed along Ramat Polytechnic that what is happening now is their inability to judiciously utilise the commonwealth of Nigerians in fighting the insurgency.”

“To us patriotic Nigerians, we will not drive any pleasure that their President or his convey is booed, rather, the bad ones that do not have the country and the innocent people at the heart would do,” Mr Pasali said.

The BCO national coordinator also reminded the opposition party that President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling APC still commands the support of the overwhelming majority, stressing that politicising security situation is a great dishonour that can happen to Nigerians, “more less than such sponsoring of the unpatriotic act on the seating president”.

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TheNigerian News
PDP flag removed from Bayelsa Government house

By Bukola Olasanmi Flags of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been removed from a roundabout leading to the main gate of the Bayelsa State Government House at Onopa, Yenagoa. The roundabout was, however, decorated with the flags of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of formal takeover of the state’s governance by the APC. […]

PDP flag removed from Bayelsa Government house
TheNigerian News

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By Bukola Olasanmi

Borno Governor Professor Babagana Umara Zulum has said there was need for change of strategies in the ogoing fight against boko haram.

The Governor who however acknowledged successes recorded by the same military in the state, spoke in presence of President Muhammadu Buhari at the Shehu of Borno’s palace in Maiduguri. Buhari was in the state on sympathy visit following boko haram attacks in Auno which left 30 persons killed with 18 vehicles and houses burnt.

“Your Excellency sir, between the period of March 2019 to date we have started witnessing horrific and spontaneous attacks by the insurgents which has resulted into the lost of lives and properties of our people. We are calling upon the Nigerian military to change strategies and we can borrow a leaf from the success our military was able to hugely record in the years 2016 and 2017 with a view to ending the insurgency. We need to keep taking the war to enclaves of the insurgents in the fringes of the Lake Chad, in Sambisa forest and some notable areas” Zulum said.

Governor Zulum however commended the President for his commitment to ending the insurgency. He recalled the gains recorded in the years 2016 and 2017 and also thanked him for being consistent in showing empathy to the people of Borno.

“Let me appreciate Mr President for associating with us at this our very trying moment. I am so surprised that we have forgotten the past” Zulum said.

The Governor although he could not ignore the current unfortunate situation, the people of Borno state still remember the days before Buhari’s emergence, when 20 out of the 27 local government areas in the state were in the hands of boko haram while all the five routes into Borno state were largely inaccessible with exception of Maiduguri-Kano road. In addition, he cited, sporadic bombings and killings even within the capital, Maiduguri.

“Close to about 20 Local Government areas were resettled under Buhari. In fact, in the year 2016/2017 we celebrated the demise of the Boko Haram insurgency that has unfortunately returned” Zulum said.

President Buhari reiterated his commitment to ending the insurgency, fighting corruption and leading the country to economic recovery.

The President called on the people of Borno to continue cooperation with the military.

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By Bukola Olasanmi

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the appointment of a lead consultant for the forensic audit of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Sen. Godswill Akpabio, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, made the disclosure while briefing State House correspondents after FEC meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Akpabio said that the lead consultant would coordinate the appointment of other forensic auditors that would take part in the exercise.

“The amount is about N318 million and Messrs Olumuyiwa Bashiru and co were appointed the lead consultant that will handle forensic audit of NDDC as ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari after a request by the nine governors of the Niger Delta region.

“The nine governors  met with the President in Oct., 2019 and requested a forensic audit of the NDDC; of course, as a result of the fact that we have not had value for the money expended in that commission since inception.

“And so, the forensic audit will cover from 2001 all the way down to 2019 and we are going to have other forensic auditors joining the lead; we are treating each of the states as a lot.

“So, likely we are going to have a consortier of about nine other forensic auditors; one of which will be in the head office to handle programmes and financial audit, personnel and all others.

“And that must have an international flavour in case there are monies that may be denominated in dollar to be recovered after a forensic exercise,’’ he said.

The minister said that the estimated period given by the Bureau of Public Procurement to conclude the exercise was nine months.

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