Nollywood actor, Yul Edochie, has reaffirmed his intentions to run for Nigerian Presidency in the forthcoming 2023 general elections.
He made this known in a post via his verified Facebook page on Friday, in response to a statement by fast-rising Nigerian Disk Jockey, DJ Big N.
The DJ had written, “What is going on? 14 months to yet another election and the youths still haven’t come forward with a representative. If the older politicians are proactive and already have candidates, then we need not complain with what we end up with. Wake up Nigeria. Wake up.” (sic)
In response, Edochie said, “My dear brother @djbign I saw your post this morning about the youths not presenting a candidate yet.
“Thank you so much for your concern. My name is Yul Edochie and I’m running for President of Nigeria in 2023. I declared my interest months ago.
“I humbly ask for your support. I believe that by posting me on your page, putting in a few words and supporting us through every other means at your disposal, our movement will gain more momentum, and certainly many others will join.
“Victory awaits us. Thank you brother. God bless you. God bless Nigeria.”
Edochie earlier declared his intention to run for presidency in May 2021, where he vowed to “wipe the tears of the masses and establish real peace, unity, and progress.”
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has concluded plans to start dismantling some telecommunication masts belonging to Globacom Ltd, a Global Sattelite Mobile (GSM) telecommunications provider, in various locations across the country over failure to pay N5.9billion renewal fees for height clearance to the agency.
The development followed a directive from the Nigerian government to some of its agencies and parastatals to go after debtors and defaulters and recover all the outstanding for the government.
It was learnt that the matter came to a head following exchange of correspondence between Globacom and NCAA and scheduled meetings designed to ensure payment of the said accumulated fees by the telecommunication network which failed.
In a letter dated October 4, 2021, titled: “Re: Illegal Erection of High Structures and Refusal to Renew Expired Aviation Height Clearance Certificates by Globacom Limited” and addressed to the Managing Director, Globacom, obtained by SaharaReporters, it was affirmed that following the failure by Globacom to pay the the required fees amounting to N5.9 billion, the regulatory agency had no choice but to commence the dismantling of the its masts across the country.
“In the circumstance, having exhausted all avenues for a resolution of this matter, we are now left without choice but to apply the relevant sanctions, including the dismantling of all your non-compliant masts nationwide. And this shall be without further notice to you”, it said.
The letter signed by Legal Adviser/Head, Compliance and Enforcement, Mr. Emmanuel Chukwuma, recalled that, “The meeting to discuss the above subject-matter, was fixed for September 23, 2021, at your instance.
“You may wish to recall that you had on August, 25, 2021, requested that the meeting, earlier rescheduled, at your instance, from Monday, July 26, 2021 to Thursday, August 26, 2021, be further rescheduled to Thursday, September 23, 2021, to enable your Chief Operating Officer/COO to attend.
“It is unfortunate that despite our concurrence to a further rescheduling of the meeting to the requested date, and so informing you through our letter of 13th September, 2021, you failed to turn up for the meeting”, it said.
The letter noted that the Director-General of the NCAA had to abort an official assignment in Europe and return to Nigeria in order to be able to attend the meeting.
“Globacom only wrote the letter under reference three days after, asking that the meeting be rescheduled, without any explanation for the failure of any management staff to show up.
“I am directed to inform you that the NCAA is not disposed to granting this latest (fourth) request to reschedule the meeting, particularly, as no reason was given for your non-attendance on the last date.
“In the circumstance, having exhausted all avenues for a resolution of this matter, we are now left without choice but to apply the relevant sanctions including the dismantling of all your non-compliant masts nationwide. And this shall be without further notice to you”, it said.
In an earlier communication with Globacom, NCAA listed the indebtedness of globacom to include application fee for 2006 to 2007 at N100,000 per mast, totalling N689,800,000, annual renewal fee for 2007-2022 (15years), N50,000 per mast amounting to N6,898 and inspection fee covering N6,898 masts across the nation all totalling N6,064,230,000.
SaharaReporters learnt that Globacom paid the sum of N100million on July 31, 2019 and had not made any further payment.
An earlier letter from NCCA to Global said total application fee for the period under review stood at N604,800,000 while cost of inspection amounted to N190,930,000.
The letter also stated the position of NCAA in law with regards to regulation of masts.
“Please be reminded that Section 30(3)() of the Civil Aviation Act 2006 empowers the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) by law to prohibit and regulate the installation of any structure (including telecommunication mast), which by virtue of its ‘height or position is considered to endanger the safety of air navigation,” it said.
This is coming two years after the agency asked Globacom and other Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) operators to remove their over 7, 000 masts or risk seeing them demolished.
NCAA had claimed the masts, erected at different locations within the country close to the nation’s airports, are obstructing flight safety and could cause accidents if not removed.
Football great – Pele – said on Thursday he is feeling “better” and joked that he can’t wait to get back to playing the beautiful game, just two weeks after leaving hospital following surgery on a colon tumor.
The 80-year-old spent a month in a Sao Paulo hospital recovering from his operation, while also receiving chemotherapy.
“Thanks to God, I’m better, I’m even ready to play on Sunday,” he joked.
“In all seriousness, thank you for everything, thank you to everyone that has sent me hugs and given me strength,” he added in a video message published on the Instagram accounts of two of his children.
He underwent surgery on September 4 after a routine check-up had detected the suspicious looking tumor.
The results of his biopsy have not been made public and neither the player, his family, nor the medical center where he received treatment have commented on whether the tumor was cancerous, although chemotherapy is typically used to treat cancer.
Pele, who turns 81 in just over a week, is widely considered one of the greatest footballers of all time.
A former striker, he scored more than 1,000 goals during his career, which is officially recognized as a record.
He is the only player in history to have won the World Cup three times and also coined the phrase: “the beautiful game” to describe football.
Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the lead counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has stated that he (Kanu) enjoined IPOB followers to proceed on a fast ahead of his trial on October 21.
Ejiofor in an update obtained by SaharaReporters on Thursday added that Kanu and the legal team were confident of victory and no excuses would be tolerated from the Department of State Services.
The lawyer also debunked different rumour including that Kanu had been flown by the Nigerian government to China and Israel.
Ejiofor noted that Kanu was strong and ready to appear at the Federal High Court in Abuja on October 21.
The IPOB leader’s lawyer said, “As the D-Day approaches, the legal team is not leaving any stone unturned towards ensuring that all the “t’s” are crossed and “i’s” dotted.
“It was indeed an eventful visit as our indefatigable Client found as laughable, the series of false narratives being spread to the public domain, ostensibly sponsored by the agents of darkness who are very deep in their dream to prevent his appearance in court, and to create a state of panic in the minds of his followers.
“Prominent among the falsehood desperately championed by mischief makers is the trending subject that our dear Client, Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has been flown to China, and from China to Israel, and from Israel to Kontokatafi etc. We know the purveyors of these fake news and they are aware that their evil conspiracies are dead on arrival.
“Onyendu was equally amazed by another fake news that was making headline in some social media quarters, that he was asked to sign any document before regaining his freedom. This is total falsehood and he is urging his esteemed followers to please ignore this falsehood.
“Above all, our indefatigable Client is strong and tenaciously holding firm in spirit. He is ready for the 21st October 2021 appearance in court. This date is sacrosanct and shall remain so.
“Thankfully, the Federal Government of Nigeria is fully aware of this date, and more compelling is the fact that the detaining authority has since over a month ago, concluded every purported investigation into the matter. Hence, no plausible excuse will be available to them not to produce Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in court come Thursday, the 21st Day of October 2021. You must all see him live and direct on this date.
“Our Client – Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu urges millions of his followers and supporters to continue to conduct themselves and carry on within the ambit of the laws, as you all have always done. More strikingly and commendable is the fact that your solidarity has remained unshaken against all intimidating circumstance, and for this, he is deeply grateful.
“Onyendu advised his supporters and millions of followers to go into dry fasting as the D-Day approaches, because resounding victory will be ours on this date and the Almighty Chukwuokike Abiama will be given the glory and adoration in the end.”
After rounds of marathon meetings, which began on Monday night, leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the North, yesterday, affirmed that former President of the Senate, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, should be Next Chairman of the party that will lead the opposition party into the 2023 general elections.
It, however, took about three hours of negotiations, horse-trading and wit games at the meeting held at the Bauchi State Governor’s Lodge, Abuja, after previous attempts to reach a consensus on Wednesday night failed. At the end, the PDP leaders announced that their adoption of Ayu was without rancour.
Briefing journalists, governor of Adamawa State and chairman of the PDP convention planning committee, Ahmadu Fintiri, declared that the decision was in the best interest of the North.
Ayu’s emergence as the choice of the North was, however, not without hitches. On Wednesday, a meeting convened for his adoption failed because some political calculations could not sail through.
The meeting was postponed to allow the five governors from the North reach out to more people that had not been fully convinced.
Shortly after that meeting was postponed, the five governors met again to re-strategise and get grey areas sorted. The meeting facilitated a more serious engagement with some Northern PDP leaders perceived to be nursing misgivings about the Ayu chairmanship.
In some quarters in the North, particularly the North Central, Ayu’s chairmanship was believed to be a plot to prevent the zone from producing the President in 2023. But the governors had a tough time persuading other stakeholders, especially those in the camp of former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, to accept Ayu’s candidacy.
It emerged yesterday that Ayu’s consensus pick for the position of PDP national chairman was based on certain conditions. Sources close to the meeting disclosed that Ayu emerged based on the agreement and undertaking that his emergence will not preclude anybody from any zone from contesting the presidency.
The source further hinted that it was agreed that if the emergence of a presidential candidate tilts the scale in favour of any zone, the chairman will resign and work for the Presidential candidate.
It was further learnt that other Northern candidates like Abdul Ningi, Ibrahim Shema and Suleiman Nazif agreed to withdraw from the race based on the conditions.
Against reports that the selection of Ayu was arranged and perfected by PDP governors to destroy the presidential ambition of any zone or persons in the North, Fintiri, who is also the chairman of the 20-man committee appointed by Northern PDP leaders to screen all aspirants for the chairmanship position from the North, explained that nobody lost out in the power play.
According to him, “there is no victor, no vanquished. We all came out united. The three Northern candidates that all the three zones produced were, in the spirit of unity and togetherness, ready to accept the outcome of the consensus so that we can win together for Nigerians the 2023 general elections.
“With this, we are fully prepared, we are ready. We will be talking with our colleagues from other parts of the country, especially the South, that they see reasons for this consensus candidate and give us support during the October 30 and 31 national convention,” he said.
Shortly after he was announced as candidate of the North, Ayu declared his readiness to engage stakeholders in an all-inclusive administration of the PDP for purposes of winning the 2023 elections.
“It is my singular honour to accept the responsibilities, which has been put on my shoulders from the North. I believe that at the end of the day, it will not only be the North, but it will be for all Nigerians. The PDP will be back to its winning ways. And we will work tirelessly after the convention to rebuild the party to take over power and rebuild the country and reposition it for the next generation of Nigerians. It will be an all-inclusive administration of the party. We will work collectively to produce policies that will be acceptable to all Nigerians,” he pledged.
On his commitment to the party, the former Minister of Industry during Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, said: “I am a foundation member of this party. I worked in the party before, but I know that you cannot do it alone. We shall work as a team. And I believe with the support of Nigerians, who have suffered in the hands of a party that does not care for the youths of Nigeria, or for anybody but themselves, we will rescue this country.”
Ayu, a former sociology lecturer, who will be 69 in November, hails from Benue State. He was Senate President during the botched Third Republic (1992-1993). He later served as Minister of Education in the administration of late Sani Abacha and as minister in three ministries – industry, internal affairs and environment – in the civilian administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
If he eventually emerges national chairman of PDP, Ayu will be the third person from Benue to hold the position. Barnabas Gemade, a former Minister and Senator, and Audu Ogbeh, a former Minister, at different times, held that position but were removed in controversial circumstances.
Due to the long-drawn negotiations that ensued before the consensus arrangement was finalised, the party yesterday said it has approved the extension of sale of nomination forms for national officers for the National Convention from the earlier announced date of Friday, October 15, to Sunday, October 17, 2021. This was contained in a statement by Kola Ologbondiyan, National Publicity Secretary of the party.
Ologbondiyan, who is also the Secretary, National Convention Publicity Sub-Committee, said the last date for the submission of duly completed forms had also been extended from Saturday, October 16 to Tuesday, October 19, 2021.
Accordingly, the date for the screening of aspirants for various national offices has been adjusted to Wednesday, October 20, while hearing of appeals arising from the screening is now scheduled for Saturday, October 23, 2021. The statement noted that the date for the National Convention still remains Saturday October 30 – Sunday 31, 2021.
IMMEDIATE past National Vice Chairman Southwest zone of PDP, Dr Eddy Olafeso and a former member of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Ebenezer Babatope, in a telephone chat said it was too early to start reacting on the issue since the party is yet to make Ayu’s consensus appointment official.
According to Olafeso, “the presidential ticket remains an open contest as far as the party is concerned but I can tell you specifically that I do not have the details that there is a consensus in the north. So we need to be careful. I cannot speculate on something I am yet to be officially notified by the party. Remember that nobody has signified intention yet to contest for the national chairmanship. I am not from the North, they may have their caucus but I am not aware of it.”
In a similar vein, Babatope said: “I don’t want to comment on it for now because in the Southwest we need to meet first. So, I believe other zones in the region will meet. But the party has taken a decision and as far as we are concerned, the party’s decision is supreme. Ayu is a personal friend, he is a fellow I personally respect and I wish him the best of luck if he emerges as the national chairman.
“Recall that the Southwest wanted it before and you know that the opposition we had came from the same region. They ganged up against Bode George who could have done very well for the party, but again I don’t want to beat the drum now. We believe the party would be able to address the whole matter and ensure that we have a correct primary. What is important now is to ensure that the party gets power by the grace of God in 2023.”
But expressing his displeasure over the zoning arrangement, a former Deputy National Chairman of PDP, Chief Olabode George, said the development is capable of leading the party to doom and may as well cost it the 2023 presidential election. He said the development was completely opposite to the principle of equity, fairness and justice upon which PDP was founded by its founding fathers.
According to him, “there is an old, enlightening principle laid down by the founding fathers of PDP since 1999 that six key positions must always be zoned to the six geo-political constituents to ensure equity and orderly balance of power.
“The six key positions are the President, Vice President, National Chairman, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
“Naturally, this means that if the presidency goes to the North, the chairman goes to the South and vice versa. All these positions are zoned because of the necessity of national belonging and accommodation. Every section of this nation must have a sense of equitable participation in our national life. This has been the enduring pivot of our democratic experience since 1999.
“There is now a threat to this unwritten doctrine. The zoning arrangement, which gave the North the chairmanship of our party and leaves the presidency open is incongruous, unwholesome and a recipe for disaster.
Arewa groups have commended the decision of PDP stakeholders to choose Ayu as National Chairman of the party. Though members of the Arewa Consulative Forum (ACF) declared that they would not dabble into the affairs of political parties, ACF spokesman, Emmanuel Yawe, said: “We believe that constitutionally, the PDP has the right to pick Ayu as consensus candidate and if they feel that he can organise the members for the success of the party in 2023, so be it.
“You know that ACF cannot come out to support whoever becomes the party chairman of either APC or PDP. We are neutral, but when it comes to the choice of presidential candidates, we can scrutinise credentials of party candidates and advise Nigerians on the choice of credible candidates.”
National President of Arewa Youths for Development and Progress (AYDP), Danjuma Sarki, said the choice of Ayu was the best thing to have happened to the PDP, pointing out that his credibility will go a long way to ensure the stability and success of the party in 2023.
But the North Central PDP Rebirth Forum (NCPDPRF) has rejected the candidature of Ayu as the national chairman. Convener of the group, Mohammed Idah, in a statement claimed that the choice of Ayu was in tandem with a clandestine plan by some politicians in the PDP to deny the North Central the presidency in 2023.
The group called on stakeholders of the party to lobby other zones to support the North Central to produce the next president since the PDP has decided to leave the presidential ticket open for all zones to compete for the exalted seat.
Speaking in similar vein, the North Central Renaissance Movement (NCRM) has made a call to North Central political leaders and stakeholders, particularly Senators Tanko Almakura and George Akume, to aspire to the presidency rather than political party chairman.
The convener and chairperson of the group, Dr Nghargbu K’tso, made the call at a town hall meeting yesterday, stating the region’s position on the 2023 presidential election.
However, the Pan Niger Delta Forum, (PANDEF) has advised politicians from the North seeking to run for the presidency, to wait till 2031 for the sake of national harmony and peace. National Publicity Secretary of PANDEF, Ken Robinson, in a statement yesterday in Port Harcourt, said everyone has the right to take part in the governance of the country, to vote and be voted but stressed that it was equally necessary to uphold the indispensable principles of fairness, equity and justice.
PANDEF said: “It should be unthinkable that the North should contemplate clutching onto the Presidential seat in 2023 at the end of President Muhammadu Buhari’s two tenures of eight years. Nature abhors injustice; the sun does not rise in the east and set in the east.”
Besides, PANDEF firmly affirms that no zone of the country is in want of men and women of noble character, acumen, competence, and integrity, to lead Nigeria at this crucial time. “To say, suddenly, only in 2021, that the Presidency should be open to all zones in 2023, amounts to moving the goalpost, in the 87th of a 90-minute game, implying that somebody from Daura, Katsina State, can, again, become President of Nigeria in 2023, with the present mood of the country.”
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency has predicted sunshine and thunderstorms from Friday to Sunday.
NiMet’s weather outlook released on Thursday in Abuja predicted sunny skies to prevail over the northern region on Friday with chances of isolated thunderstorms over parts of Taraba during the morning hours.
According to the weather agency, isolated thunderstorms are anticipated in Adamawa, Taraba and southern Borno later in the day.
“Cloudy skies with intervals of sunshine are anticipated over the North-Central region with prospects of isolated thunderstorms over parts of Plateau, Niger, Nasarawa, Benue and the Federal Capital Territory during the afternoon and evening hours,” it predicted. “Cloudy skies should prevail over the inland and coastal cities of the South with prospects of isolated thunderstorms over the coastal parts of Ogun and Akwa Ibom states during the morning hours.”
Later in the day, isolated thunderstorms should be expected in parts of Imo, Abia, Ebonyi, Osun, Ondo, Ogun, Edo, Lagos, Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Cross River and Akwa Ibom, it added.
The agency forecasted sunny skies over the Northern region with prospects of morning thunderstorms over parts of Adamawa, Taraba, Borno, Yobe and Jigawa states on Saturday.
It, however, anticipated isolated thunderstorms over parts of the northern cities of Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi and Bauchi during the afternoon and evening hours.
According to NiMet, cloudy skies with intervals of sunshine are anticipated over the North-Central region, with prospects of isolated thunderstorms over parts of Nasarawa, Benue and the Federal Capital Territory during the morning hours.
“As the day progresses, we have good prospects of thunderstorms over parts of Plateau, Nasarawa, Kogi, Benue, Kwara, Niger and the Federal Capital Territory. The inland and the coastal cities of the South should be predominantly cloudy with prospects of isolated thunderstorms over parts of Lagos, Akwa Ibom and Cross River during the morning hours,” said NiMet.
It also forecasted isolated thunderstorms in Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Edo, Abia, Imo, Ebonyi, Anambra, Lagos, Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Cross River and Akwa Ibom during the afternoon and evening hours.
According to NiMet, cloudy skies with spells of sunshine should prevail over the Northern region on Sunday with prospects of isolated thunderstorms over parts of Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi, Borno, Yobe, Jigawa, Kaduna and Zamfara later in the day.
Cloudy skies with intervals of sunshine over the North-Central region with prospects of morning thunderstorms over parts of Kogi, Nasarawa, Benue and the Federal Capital Territory are also expected.
The agency anticipated isolated thunderstorms in Plateau, Niger, Kwara and the FCT later in the day.
“The inland and the coastal cities of the South should be predominantly cloudy with prospects of isolated thunderstorms over parts of Ebonyi, Ondo, Osun, Imo, Ekiti, Ogun, Anambra, Oyo, Abia, Enugu, Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa, Lagos, Cross River and Akwa Ibom later in the day,“ it said.
The Police in Adamawa State have arrested four bandits in connection with an attack on a police station and kidnapping of a mother with her daughter in the state.
It had been reported on October 10 that some bandits attacked a police station in in Ngurore and subsequently kidnapped a woman with her daughter in a nearby house.
The incident happened in Ngurore, a satellite town, along Yola-Gombe road.
Four members of the notorious kidnap gang were reportedly arrested on Wednesday, following credible intelligence.
The spokesperson for the Adamawa State Police Command, DSP Suleiman Nguroje, confirmed the arrest in Yola, the state capital, on Thursday.
He said, “Operatives of the Anti- Kidnapping unit of the Adamawa State Police Command have arrested four notorious and high-profile kidnapping suspects. They confessed during police investigations to have abducted a widow, Hauwa Umaru and her daughter and also attacked the Divisional Police headquarters, Ngurore in the Yola South Local Government Area.
“The arrest of the suspects followed an order of the Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Barde, and the effort by the police towards ensuring perpetrators of the dastardly act are arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law.
“The breakthrough that led to the arrest of the suspects began with the arrest of one Buba Ibrahim a.k.a Babangida ‘m’ 20yrs, native of Wuro Bilal village, Ngurore District ,Yola South LGA.
“The confession of the suspect revealed how they abducted Hauwa Umaru, her daughter, one Alhaji Bahago of Ibbare and their attack on Ngurore Police Station on the 8th and 9th October, 2021. The police were assisted by some professional Hunters who apprehended (3) other members of the gang; Tumba Alhaji Dan Bappa, 25 years and native of Ibbare district,Yola south LGA.
“Buba Alhaji Abdu, a resident of Ibbare, Ngurore District and Abdullahi Lawal, a resident of Lau local government area, Taraba State, out of the seven-man syndicate. All the suspects will be charged to court on completion of investigations.”
The Defence Headquarters has revealed that about 13,243 terrorists and their families have so far surrendered to troops in the North-East.
This was disclosed on Thursday by the Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Brig.-Gen. Bernard Onyeuko, while giving update on military operations across the country in Abuja.
Onyeuko said the surrendered terrorists comprise 3,243 males, 3,868 females and 6,234 children, NAN reports.
According to him, the troops of Operation Hadin Kai have been aggressive in the fight against insurgency in the North-East.
He noted that many land and air operations conducted in different locations across the North-East theatre had reduced the operational capabilities of the insurgents with several of them being neutralised.
Onyeuko said several others were arrested alongside their informants and logistics suppliers, while more terrorists have continued to lay down their arms and surrender to the troops with their families.
“Some of these feats were recorded at Gwoza – Yamtake – Bita road, Gwoza – Farm Centre – Yamtake road, Mandara Mountain area as well as Pulka and Hambagda towns, all in Borno.
“Cumulatively, within the period, a total of 29 terrorists were neutralised and 13 terrorists including their informants/collaborators and logistics suppliers were arrested in the course of the operations.
“Additionally, a total of 38 assorted weapons and 968 rounds of assorted ammunition as well as 48 rustled livestock among several other items were recovered.
“So far, a total of 13,243 terrorists and their families comprising 3,243 males, 3,868 females and 6,234 children, have surrendered to troops at different locations in the North-East,” he said.
Onyeuko disclosed that the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai carried out air interdiction missions to foil Boko Haram Terrorists/ISWAP criminal elements’ attack on ground troops’ location at Aulari village in Bama area of Borno.
He said that the encounter led to the destruction of three gun trucks belonging to the terrorists and neutralised scores of their fighters while several others flee in disarray with varying degrees of injuries.
The leader of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) jihadist group, Abu Musab al-Barnawi, is dead, Nigeria’s top military commander said on Thursday.
ISWAP has not given any confirmation of al-Barnawi’s death and Nigeria’s army has claimed before to have killed jihadist commanders only for them to reappear.
“I can authoritatively confirm to you that al-Barnawi is dead. As simple as that. He is dead and remains dead,” Chief of Defence Staff General Lucky Irabor told reporters.
He did not give details on how or when al-Barnawi had died.
Under al-Barnawi, ISWAP became the dominant jihadist force in Nigeria’s conflict, striking frequently at troops in an insurgency that has killed more than 40,000 since it begun in 2009.
Al-Barnawi’s loss would be blow to ISWAP’s structure just as it was consolidating since the death of rival Boko Haram commander Abubakar Shekau earlier this year during infighting between the factions.
But since splitting with Boko Haram in 2016, the group has shown its resilience and carried out large-scale ambushes on the military just in the last several weeks.
“Should al-Barnawi be dead, his death may not have too much impact on ISWAP because of how structured the group is,” said Malik Samuel, a researcher with the Institute for Security Studies.
“Since the 2016 split, ISWAP has had about five leadership changes but the group has maintained its consistency in launching deadly and successful attacks against security forces.”
Al-Barnawi is the son of the founder of the Boko Haram militant group, Mohammed Yusuf, who was killed in police custody in 2009 in Maiduguri.
But the ISWAP commander rose to prominence after breaking away from Boko Haram over differences with its commander Shekau, who according to security sources killed himself in May rather than face capture by his rivals.
Since Shekau’s death, security sources say, al-Barnawi had consolidated ISWAP’s control in Nigeria’s northeast and the Lake Chad region but pockets of Boko Haram loyalists have been fighting back.
Last month, ISWAP fighters killed 18 Nigeria security personal in an ambush in northeast Borno state using roadside bombs and rockets in one of the deadliest assaults this year.
A week later another eight soldiers were killed when ISWAP militants opened fire with rockets on another convoy also in Borno.
But Boko Haram jihadists also launched an attack last month on ISWAP militants on the Nigerian side of Lake Chad, ISWAP’s bastion, seizing a strategic island, according to fishermen and a security source.
Since Shekau’s death in his Sambisa forest enclave, ISWAP has been fighting Boko Haram remnants who have refused to pay allegiance.
Hundreds of Boko Haram members have also since surrendered to the army along with families and children.
More than two million people have been displaced by Nigeria’s conflict since it began 2009, and the violence has spread over the borders to Niger, Chad and Cameroon.
Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to abide by his oath of office by calling on the Police not to disrupt upcoming #EndSARS protests.
Falana, who is the Interim Chairman, Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond, said this in a statement on Thursday titled, ‘Nigeria Police Force Lacks Power to Ban Public Protests in Nigeria’.
The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Hakeem Odumosu, had said the police would not allow anyone to stage another #EndSARS protest ahead of the one-year anniversary of the protests of last year.
However, Falana said Buhari who himself took part in protests while he was running for office, should call on the police to respect the rights of citizens.
He added, “It is public knowledge that General Muhammadu Buhari (as he then was) and other leaders of the ruling All Progressive Congress took part in public rallies against fuel hike in January 2012 and protests against insecurity in November 2014.
“To that extent, the Buhari administration ought to restrain the Police from banning peaceful rallies against police brutality on October 20, 2021 in any manner whatsoever and however.”
Falana noted that the law guarantees Nigerians the right to hold public meetings, rallies and processions in the country.
“The threats against peaceful rallies oozing out of the police headquarters and state commands are illegal as they constitute a gross infringement of the fundamental rights of the Nigerian people to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly guaranteed by Sections 38 and 40 of the Nigerian Constitution as well as Articles 9 and 10 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights Act,” the activist added.
He recalled that in the case of the All Nigeria People’s Party v Inspector-General of Police 2006, Justice Anwuli Chikere declared that police permit as a precondition for holding rallies in Nigeria was illegal and unconstitutional.
The judge consequently granted an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Inspector-General of Police and other police officers from preventing Nigerian citizens from convening and participating in rallies.
“The appeal of the police against the judgment was dismissed by the Court of Appeal in December 2007. In the unanimous decision of the court, their lordships described police permit as ‘a relic of colonialism’ which is anomalous in a democratic society,” Falana said.
He added that based on the landmark judgment of the Court of Appeal, the National Assembly amended the Electoral Act 2010 in March 2015 to impose a duty on the police to provide security for participants in public meetings and rallies.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Section 94 (4) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) provides: Notwithstanding any provision in the Police Act, the Public Order Act and any regulation made thereunder or any other law to the contrary, the role of the Nigeria Police Force in political rallies, processions and meetings shall be limited to the provision of adequate security as provided in subsection (1) of this section,” the senior advocate said.
He added that Section 83 (4) of the Police Establishment Act 2020 provides that where a person or organisation notifies the police of his or its intention to hold a public meeting, rally or procession on a public highway or such meetings in a place where the public has access to, the police officer responsible for the area where the meeting rally or procession will take place shall mobilise personnel to provide security cover for the meeting, rally or the procession.
“In view of the fact that the police authorities have been notified of the public rallies scheduled to hold on October 20, 2020 to mark the first year anniversary of the #EndSARS protests, the Nigeria Police Force is required to make arrangements for the provision of adequate security for the participants at the venues of the rallies,” Falana said.
He called on the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Usman Alkali, to direct the Commissioners of Police in all the states of the Federation to ensure that adequate security is provided for all citizens who may wish to protest against the policies of the government which are considered inimical to their interests.
