The Federal Government has filed terrorism charges against the leader of Aswani International Market in Lagos State, Chief Taoreed Farounbi, alias Baba Alado, and six others.
In the three counts filed before Justice Muslim Hassan of the Federal High Court in Lagos, Farounbi and his co-defendants were accused of conspiring and participating in acts of terrorism, leading to the killing of two men, Debo Olohunyo and Chibuzor Daniel, in the White Sand area of Isheri-Osun, Lagos State on March 19, this year.
The prosecution also alleged that the defendants unleashed mayhem, leading to the destruction of many properties in the area.
The prosecution said the defendants acted contrary to Section 1(2) (a) of the Terrorism Prevention Act 2011 as amended by Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013.
Listed as Farounbi’s co-defendants are Alhaji Olusegun Akinde, alias Echo, Ayokunle Fakiyesi, Idowu Akinde, Musiliu Oladejo, Lekan Matthew, and Adeleke Akindeji.
The scheduled arraignment of the defendants was stalled on Monday as the prosecuting counsel for the state, A. K. Alilu, told the judge that save for the sixth defendant, Lekan Matthew, who was in court, the others had not been seen again after they were granted administrative bail.
The defence counsel, M.B. Jimoh-Akogun, assured the court that his clients had not absconded, saying the impression they had was that the case was fixed for December 16.
Following Jimoh-Akogun’s undertaking to accept service of the charge sheet on his clients, Justice Hassan ordered that the charge sheet be served on him, while he made an order remanding Matthew in correctional custody, pending the defendants’ arraignment on January 28, 2021.
In this file photo taken on November 24, 2020 US President-elect Joe Biden speaks during a cabinet announcement event in Wilmington, Delaware. – President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in Arizona was finalized November 30, 2020, further cementing his win even as Donald Trump continues to make baseless claims of vote fraud. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP)
President-elect Joe Biden’s victories in Arizona and Wisconsin were certified on Monday, further cementing his win even as Donald Trump continues to make baseless claims of vote fraud.
“This election was conducted with transparency, accuracy and fairness in accordance with Arizona’s laws and elections procedures, despite numerous unfounded claims to the contrary,” Arizona secretary of state Katie Hobbs said during the vote’s final, official certification.
The last Democrat to carry the southwestern state in the race for the White House was Bill Clinton in 1996, marking a significant shift of the US electoral map this year.
Biden beat Trump by just over 10,400 ballots in a state where turnout was high, and shifting demographics saw a growing population of young Hispanic voters.
The ex-vice president’s win in the former reliably Republican bastion could also be attributed to suburban women attracted to his centrist approach, experts have said.
Trump has refused to concede to Biden, which delayed the start of the presidential transition by weeks, as he made baseless claims of fraud that have been shot down in state and federal courts.
“WOW, total election corruption in Arizona. Hearing on now!” Trump tweeted as his lawyers and some lawmakers met in Arizona.
Wisconsin, another hotly contested state which Trump narrowly won in 2016, also certified Biden’s win Monday, with Governor Tony Evers tweeting he had “carried out his duty.”
“Please join me in thanking our clerks, election administrators, and poll workers across our state for working tirelessly to ensure we had a safe, fair and efficient election,” he added.
Trump has also targeted legal challenges at the state of Pennsylvania, which the president won in 2016 but was flipped back to the Democrats this year.
Pennsylvania’s supreme court dismissed on Saturday a Republican lawsuit that had sought to invalidate mail-in ballots in the battleground state — or to throw out all votes and allow the state’s legislature to decide the winner.
The court dismissed both claims in a unanimous decision, calling the second one an “extraordinary proposition that the court disenfranchises all 6.9 million Pennsylvanians who voted in the general election.”
Pennsylvania officially certified Biden’s victory there on November 24. The lawsuit had also sought to stop certification.
Biden has proceeded with the transition process, despite efforts by Trump and his campaign to undo the election, and is due to be sworn in on January 20.
Biden won the electoral college vote — the state-by-state competition deciding the winner — by 306 to 232.
In the popular national vote, which does not decide the result but still has political and symbolic heft, Biden won by 51 to 47 percent.
The Electoral College is all but certain to go through the formal motions of confirming Biden when it meets on December 14.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday dispatched an high powered government delegation to Maiduguri to deliver a message of condolence and solidarity with the government and people of the state over the killing of 43 farm workers.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 43 farmers were murdered while unspecified number of others were unaccounted for when Boko Haram insurgents attacks rice fields at Koshere village, near Zabarmari, on Friday.
NAN gathered that nine of the victims were believed to be settlers in search of greener pasture from Zamfara, seven from Kebbi and eight from Sokoto state while the remaining were indigenes of Zabarmari town.
NAN also reports that the victims were buried on Nov. 29.
A statement by Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, said members of the high level officials were drawn from the Executive and Legislative arms of government.
He stated that the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan spoke for the team and the Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari representing Buhari presented a joint message, on behalf of the President, the government and people of Nigeria.
Shehu said the president’s message was delivered to the state governor, the Shehu of Borno, and the bereaved Zabarmari community, describing the massacre of the farm workers as the worst form of “senseless, barbaric and gruesome murder.”
In the message, Buhari gave strong assurances of his continuous commitment to fighting insurgency and all forms of insecurity in Borno and across the country.
The president committed himself to making more resources available to the military to prosecute the war.
According to him, he will work closely with neighbouring countries on bilateral and multilateral levels to ensure that there is no hiding place for the terrorists.
“Nothing is more important than ensuring the security of lives and property of the people. Everything is secondary when security is at stake.
“As we mourn the loss of our sons in Zabarmari, the Armed Forces have been given the marching order to take the fight to the insurgents, not on a one-off, but on a continuous basis until we root out the terrorists,” he said.
Buhari commended Gov. Babagana Zulum for his leadership in running the affairs of the state.
In his response, Zulum thanked the president for “ensuring relative peace since his assumption of office”; saying that the ”situation is much better” than he met it.
The governor presented a number of requests on behalf of his people, including that the youths of the state should be enlisted in military and paramilitary organisations to play their roles in the defence of the nation.
He called on the federal government to assist in the repatriation of Borno indigenes in camps in neighbouring countries and requested the National Assembly to hasten the draft budget now before them to allow better allocation of resources for the Northeast sub-region.
At the palace of the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Umar Ibn Garbai, the traditional ruler described as “madness,” the gruesome killings and urged his subjects to pray and offer useful information to the security agencies.
He thanked Buhari for his efforts in returning normalcy to the state.
“Before this administration came, all 27 local councils and the Emirs had migrated to Maiduguri.
”We had no power from the National Grid, Telephone services were discontinued and the airport was closed,” he said.
He commended the president for changing all that for the better.
The presidential aide further disclosed that the delegation was also in Zabarmari, Jere Local Government where the incident took place.
The local Imam, Alhaji Idris who responded on behalf of the community, said they were touched by the president’s gesture, saying, “we are happy that the President is with us in our moment of grief.
Other members of the delegation included the House Majority Whip, Tahir Monguno, the Ministers of the Federal Capital Territory, Muhammed Bello, Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, Agriculture (State), Mustapha Shehuri and Works and Housing (State), Abubakar Aliyu.
Others are National Security Adviser, retired Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.
Innoson, an indigenous auto company owned by Innocent Chukwuma, has approached the Federal High Court in Enugu to stop what it claims to be deregistration and re-registration of Guaranty Trust Bank until the bank pays the company a N32 billion judgement debt.
Joined in the suit is the Central Bank of Nigeria as the second defendant, Securities and Exchange Commission as the third defendant, and Corporate Affairs Commission as the fourth defendant.
Innoson claimed that the bank is trying to deregister as a public limited liability company to avoid paying the judgment debt awarded against it.
Innoson is therefore praying the court for an order of perpetual injunctions restraining the CAC from allowing GTB to go private until the bank pays the outstanding judgment debt arising from disagreement on loans and importation of auto spare parts.
The auto company is also asking the court to set aside SEC’s no-objection to GTB’s proposal to re-register as a private limited liability company or a holding financial company, as well as set aside CBN’s earlier approval of GTB’s request to go private.
“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the 2nd Defendant (Central Bank of Nigeria) from granting the 1st Defendant (GTB) a financial holding company license and or final approval to operate or carry on business as a financial holding company whether in its present name or as a private limited liability company until it, the 1st Defendant(GTB ) pays the Plaintiff (Innoson Nig Ltd) the total outstanding judgement debt of N32, 875, 204, 984. 38k (Thirty Two Billion, Eight Hundred and Seventy-Five Million, Two Hundred and Four Thousand, Nine Hundred and Eighty-Four Naira, Thirty-Eight Kobo) arising from suit Nos. FHC/L/CS/603/2006 and FHC/AWK/CS/139/2012 respectively affirmed by the appellate courts in Appeal Nos. CA/1/258/2011, SC.694/2014, and CA/E/288/2013,” the statement read.
The Supreme Court of Nigeria had struck out GTB’s motion to set aside its earlier decision in February 2019 dismissing GTB’s appeal against the Court of Appeal judgement in 2014 which was in favour of Innoson.
Following the Supreme Court ruling, the Federal High Court in Awka granted leave to Innoson to enforce and execute the judgment.
As Innoson commenced the process of executing the judgement, GTB filed a motion on notice seeking an order for staying or suspending the execution embarked upon by Innoson and sought an order to set aside the exparte order by the lower court granting Innoson leave to enforce the judgment.
Whilst refusing GTB’s application and staying further proceedings, the Supreme Court further held that the order it made on March 27, 2019, in favour of Innoson was still valid, adding that all the steps taken for executions in pursuance of that order were valid.
It was reported that while Innoson was still waiting for GTB to come up with a payment plan for the Judgement debt, the bank decided to go private.
Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on Monday, in Asaba, assented to the state’s 2021 Appropriation Bill of N383 billon.
The bill tagged “Budget of Economic Recovery” is made up of N210 billion capital expenditure and N173 billion recurrent expenditure
The Delta House of Assembly increased the budget figure of N378.48 proposed by the governor to N383 billion.
Signing the budget, Okowa assured the people that the state would strive to recover from the economic challenges engendered by Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The governor commended the state house of assembly for the speedy passage of the bill.
He said that signing the budget before December would avail the state government the opportunity to further plan towards its implementation from January, 2021.
He said that the state government would remain focused in the implemention of the budget as passed, for the benefit of the people.
The governor noted that there was warm working relationship between the executive and the legislature in the state.
“You have just witnessed my signing into law, the 2021 Appropriation Bill, and as I said on Oct. 27, during the presentation of the bill, we are in very difficult times this year.
“The second wave of the pandemic will create further challenge for the recovery of the economy of our nation.
“However, we are optimistic that in the 2021 fiscal year, things will gradually improve and we will be able to get back to the desired levels of infrastructural and human capital development for our people.
“There is a lot of unemployment and our people are generally getting restive nationally.
“I pray that God will help us and this nation to rediscover ourselves and to commit every work of our people and our state and nation for the common good of all our citizens.
The budget is termed ‘budget of economic recovery’ because we are very much aware of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on both our health systems and the economy of the country.
“The pandemic obviously impacted negatively on our budget in 2020 that we had to reduce it twice in the year.
“I want to appreciate our contractors who have continued to stay in their various sites to work even when it is becoming increasingly difficult to make payments on contractual agreements already made.
“We will continue to be very responsible as a state and we will continue to work with them to deliver on our projects,” he said.
The governor expressed delight that some of the key projects in the state, including the new state secretariat building and the Ughelli-Asaba dual carriageway were still on course.
“I want to reassure you, Mr Speaker and Delta people that the executive will keep focus on the development of projects that we are involved in,” he added.
He disclosed that work had commenced at the Ogwashi-Uku Agro-Industrial Park, and reaffirmed that the state government was committed to delivering the project on time.
Okowa said that the state would continue to focus on entrepreneurship programmes, and take them to higher levels in the 2021 fiscal year by engaging more youths.
He said that the state government was also be paying attention to the girl-child development and the empowerment of women.
Presenting the appropriation bill, the Speaker of the state assembly, Sherrif Oborevwori, said that the bill went through all legislative process before being passed.
He said that the bill was presented to the house on Oct. 27 and was passed on Nov. 17, after it was considered sector by sector.
“The quick passage of the bill was necessitated by Your Excellency’s vision to bring the state out of the economic challenges posed by the pandemic,” he said.
According to him, the increase in the budget size was to provide for some Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that were not captured in the proposal.
Darrel Walls, a popular Gospel singer has deactivated his Instagram page following a leaked video of him kissing a man.
According to Lovebscott.com, Walls initially shared the video to his close friends list on Instagram. But his lover apparently shared the video on his public Instagram feed, sparking an uproar among Darrel’s gospel fans.
Darrel’s female fans were particularly distraught over the news. But others were supportive.
“I love you Darrel Walls PERIIIOOOODDD!!! And you KNOW that ain’t NEVER gonna change!!!” one person wrote on Darrel’s Facebook page.
B. Scott said Darrel deactivated his IG page then reactivated it. Dallas-based journalist Shakari S. Briggs called Darrel’s involuntary outing “sad” and “tragic.”
“The sad part about the Darrel Walls situation is the other man making the decision to post the video of them in such an intimate setting. Darrel clearly hasn’t let the world know his stance on his sexuality, so why did the guy feel compelled to do it for him? Tragic.”
Darrel is the eldest member of the Walls family gospel group.
The Naira exchanged N500/$1 at the parallel market on Friday, November 27, 2020, to see it crash to an all time low, according to Nairametrics.
This comes as Forex turnover dropped by 52.2%.
However, the Naira’s exchange rate at the NAFEX window appreciated against the dollar to close at N390.25/$1 during intra-day trading on Friday, November 27.
The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, has said the 43 farmers killed by Boko Haram on Saturday, did not have military clearance to be on the rice farms when the attack happened.
Shehu stated this during an interview with BBC on Monday.
He said although he was not blaming the victims for the incident, the truth must be said.
“The government is sad that this tragic incident has happened. 43 or thereabout of innocent farm workers, most of them had their throats slit by a heartless band of terrorists. People need to know what it is like in the Lake Chad Basin area.
“Much of those areas have been liberated from Boko Haram terrorists but there are a number of spaces that have not been cleared for the return of villagers who have been displaced. So, ideally, all of these places ought to pass the test of military clearances before farmers or settlers resume activities on those fields,” Shehu said.
When asked if he was blaming the farmers for going to the area, Shehu responded, “Not exactly but the truth has to be said. Was there any clearance by the military which is in total control of those areas? Did anybody ask to resume activity? I have been told by the military leaders that they had not been so advised and certainly, therefore, it was a window that the terrorists exploited.”
A man named Mayegun Olaoye has claimed he is the biological father of Tope Alabi’s daughter, Ayomikun.
Mr Mayegun Olaoye said he is Ayomikun’s real father, adding that Tope Alabi had blocked every avenue for him to know his biological daughter in the past 22 years.
Reacting to Olaoye’s claims, Ayomikun Alabi, the young lady whose paternity is being disputed, said the only father she knows is Mr Soji Alabi, her mother’s husband.
Soji Alabi has been married to popular Nigerian gospel singer, Tope Alabi for over two decades. Ayomikun said he is the man that helped raise her.
In a recent interview with the Punch Newspaper, Ayomikun Alabi said she was not surprised about the development as her mother had since informed her about Olaoye.
Ayomikun said: “I know and will always know that my father is Soji Alabi. I do not know any other person and I have never met any other man. I cannot blatantly deny him because I have heard about him, but I have never had anything to do with this man before.”
She also denied that her mother tried to hide her from Mr Olaoye, adding that Mayegun Olaoye was the one who never tried to reach out since all these years.
“My mother never blocked any avenue for us to see. My mother even tried for me to have a relationship with him. I remember when I was about 15 years old, she used to tell me to try and talk about him. Even when we discuss marriage, they tell me that they would want to inform him.”
She added:
“They always tell me all these things about him but he is the one that never tried to reach out to me. I mean that he has never ever tried to. We have never had absolutely any conversation with this man. I mean I have had absolutely no contact with this man; none whatsoever. I am very grateful to God for the kind of mother and father that I have. They have been the best people and after God, my parents are next in my life.”
Military spokesman John Enenche on Monday said only 43 persons have been confirmed killed during the onslaught on farmers in Zabarmari, Borno on Saturday by suspected Boko Haram terrorists.
On Sunday, the United Nations had reported that 110 civilians had been killed.
“We have also received reports that several women may have been kidnapped. I call for their immediate release and return to safety,” the UN Resident Coordinator, Edward Kallon said, in a statement.
“The incident is the most violent direct attack against innocent civilians this year. I call for the perpetrators of this heinous and senseless act to be brought to justice.”
Responding to the UN report during his appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Enenche said the military’s casualty count still stood at 43.
“I have to respond, it is coming from the United Nations,” he said. “This is a source that identified itself that 110 persons specifically were killed.”
According to him, military officials accompanied Governor Babagana Zulum to the site of the killings where the 43 bodies were counted.
But some persons had fled the scene, as they tried to escape the onslaught.
The spokesman added that the military is still searching for casualties.
“Probably we may count up to the figure he gave in the future,” Enenche said. “But as it is, up till the time I came here, what we have counted with the locals is still 43. And we are hoping that we don’t get beyond that. So that’s the real situation.”
