The Lagos state government says it will implement the ban on okada and tricycle in 15 local councils from February 1.
Gbenga Omotoso, commissioner for information and strategy, announced this at a press conference in Lagos on Monday.
He said the decision was made after a review of casualties.
“After a robust assessment of the debate on what has been widely referred to as the motorcycle (okada) and tricycle (Keke Marwa) Menace, the Lagos State Government and the State Security Council have decided that the security and safety of lives of Lagosians are paramount,” he said.
“The figures are scary. From 2016 to 2019, there were over 10,000 accidents recorded at the General Hospitals alone. This number excludes unreported cases and those recorded by other hospitals. The total number of deaths from reported cases is over 600 as at date.”
Asked if ORide and Gokada, motorbike hailing services, would be affected by the ban, Omotosho said all forms of commercial motorcyles.
Here’s a list of the places that commercial motorcyles and tricycles have been banned from:
LCDAs/ LGAs
Apapa LGA
Apapa Iganmu LCDA
Lagos Mainland LG
Yaba LCDA
Surulere LG
Itire-Ikate and Coker-Aguda LCDAs
Ikeja LGA
Onigbongbo and Ojodu LCDAs
Eti-Osa LGA
Ikoyi-Obalende
Iru/Victoria Island LCDAs
Lagos Island LGA
Lagos Island East LCDA
EXPRESSWAY
Lagos-Ibadan Expressway
Apapa-Oshodi Expressway
Oworonshoki-Oshodi Expressway
Lagos-Ikorodu Expressway
Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway
Third Mainland Bridge
Eti-Osa/Lekki-Epe Expressway
Lagos-Badagry Expressway
Funsho Williams Avenue
Agege Motor Road
Eti-Osa Lekki Coastal Road
BRIDGES
Government Begins Preliminary Work To Effect Increase In Salary Of Politicians
The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission says it has started preliminary work on the review of the remuneration of political office holders.
This, however, generated criticisms from the organised private sector, human right groups, among others.
Reiterating that the review would be achieved this year, the Chairman of RMAFC, Mr Elias Mbam, said the pay package of political office holders could go up or down after the process.
Mbam said the review would align the remuneration of the political office holders with “current realities” in the country.
Nigerian political office holders are reputed to be among the highest paid in the world despite the country’s revenue challenges.
Nigeria is rated as a ‘lower middle-income country’ by the World Bank.
The Federal Government had said that the country was not generating enough revenue, and, despite misgivings over the rising debt stock, planned to take more loans to fund part of the 2020 budget.
Also, the Debt Management Office had explained that the government embarked on borrowings to bridge revenue gap.
The Federal Government just hiked the Value Added Tax to 7.5 per cent, and also introduced other measures in the recently passed Finance Act, in a bid to generate more revenue.
Addressing some journalists during an interactive session in Abuja, Mbam said, “It is the intention of the commission to review remuneration of public office holders this year and the process will determine whether it will be a reduction or an increase.
“That is part of our primary responsibilities.
“It is one of the areas we intend to address this year so that the remunerations will reflect current realities.”
Asked whether a downward review was not the more obvious reflection of current realities in the country, considering the revenue challenges facing the government, Mbam said the review process would determine the outcome.
He said, “I don’t want to pre-empt what will be the result.
“It is a process and the process, if followed appropriately, will arrive at the appropriate answer. The preliminaries have commenced.”
Currently, the country’s President and Vice President earn N3.5m and N3.03m as basic salary, per annum, respectively, according to the breakdown made available by the RMAFC.
The commission is empowered by section 32(d) of Part 1 of the Third Schedule of the Constitution to determine the emoluments of political office holders.
In the same vein, the annual basic salary of political office holders are – minister, N2.02m; minister of state, N1.95m; Special Adviser, N1.94m; governor, N2.22m, deputy governor, N2.11m, and commissioner, N1.33m.
Apart from the basic salary, the President is entitled to allowances such as hardship allowance, which is 50 per cent of his salary, about N1.757m, and consistency allowance – 250 per cent of his salary, which amounts to about N8.79m.
The President’s gratuity is 300 per cent of his salary, amounting to N10, 544,115, and he is also entitled to a leave allowance of 10 per cent of his salary, as well as a vehicle loan which amounts to 400 per cent of the salary.
The Vice President, governors, members of the National Assembly and some other categories of political office holders also receive similar allowances in different amounts.
Other regular allowances enjoyed by the President, Vice President, the governors and members of the National Assembly include personal assistant, constituency, vehicle fuelling/maintenance, domestic staff, entertainment, recess, newspaper/periodicals and utilities.
Also included are house maintenance, security, special assistant, furniture, wardrobe, duty tour, accommodation, estacode and medical allowances.
In an interview with one of our correspondents, the Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy and Constitution described any upward review in the salaries and allowances of politicians as wicked and unacceptable, noting that Nigerians would not accept it.
The CDNDC Convener, Ariyo Dare-Atoye, said it would be a disservice to ordinary Nigerians coming at a time the state governments were finding it difficult to pay the minimum wage.
He said, “Any upward review of salaries and allowances of politicians is a disservice to the common man. It is wicked, unacceptable and Nigerians will resist it.
“How can the commission think of increasing their allowances when our political leaders are the highest paid in the world despite being the highest under-performers across the globe?”
The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, on the other hand, recommended salaries and downaward adjustment in the allowances of all political office holders to make the offices unattractive.
Expressing this view to one of our correspondents on Monday, the Director-General, NECA, Dr Timothy Olawale, welcomed the review as ‘long overdue’.
He said, “The critical question however is whether the laws allow the revenue commission to review or tinker with the allowances of legislators as they had claimed to be independent and were empowered to determine their own allowances.
“Otherwise, we advise the revenue mobilisation commission to muster the courage to decisively adjust salaries and allowances of all political office holders to the extent that such offices are not made too attractive to the effect that getting there becomes a do or die affair.”
Executive Director of YIAGA Africa, Samson Itodo, said any move that would increase the emoluments of politicians’ was a mockery of the avowed plan to cut down the cost of governance.
He said, “At a time legislators in some countries are seeking pay cut due to recession, poor economic growth, high cost of governance and poverty, we are considering pay rise.
“It’s quite unfortunate and disappointing. Increasing their pay at this time makes a mockery of the discourse on cutting down the cost of governance.
“It’s inexplicable that in a country regarded as the poverty capital of the world, a country ravaged by insecurity and humongous economic challenges, our priority is to increase the pay of politicians. The more we increase their pay, the more desperation to seek public office.”
Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Auwal Rafsanjani, said pay rise for politicians could lead to political violence.
He said, “As a matter of fact, this proposal of pay rise for politicians is capable of increasing political violence and institutionalisation of corruption in electoral politics by making it as a do or die.
He noted that the proposal was coming when the government was finding it difficult to pay workers reasonable wages and advised RMAFC not to add more burden to the economy.
According to the current revenue sharing formula, the Federal Government takes 52.68 per cent from the Federation Account, the 36 states collect 26.72 per cent, while the 774 local government areas receive 20.60 per cent.
The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on Monday, convicted and sentenced Maryam Sanda to death by hanging for the murder of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Yusuf Halilu, held that there was circumstantial evidence coupled with her testimony and statement to the police that she “fatally” stabbed her husband to death in Abuja on November 19, 2017.
The judge ordered that she should be remanded in Suleja prison till she exhausts her right of appeal.
Her deceased husband has been variously reported as a son or nephew of a former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Haliru Bello.
Sanda, the mother of two, her mother and other relatives broke down in tears immediately the judge pronounced her guilt.
Her mother, who was occupying a back seat, sped out of the court as she wept.
Sanda while crying rushed out of the courtroom which was next to the dock but the judge ordered that she should be brought back to the courtroom.
In the middle of the confusion, the defence lawyer attempted to make a plea for allocutus (plea for mercy) but the judge said he needed to rise for the courtroom to be restored to normalcy.
The judge said he would return to deliver the sentence after some minutes.
When the judge returned from the break, he said there would be no room for allocutus.
He said the offence for which the convict was convicted was based on Section 221 of the Penal Code.
“It has been said that thou shall not kill. Whoever kills in cold blood shall die in cold blood,” the judge said.
“Maryam Sanda should reap what she has sown,” he said, adding, “it is blood for blood”.
Kobe Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on Sunday morning.
The 41-year-old former Los Angeles Lakers basketball star’s death was confirmed by TMZ.
The outlet reported that Bryant was traveling with four other people in his private helicopter when it crashed, killing everyone on board.
Officials with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department responded to reports of the crash near Las Virgenes Rd and Willow Glen St in Calabasas at around 10am after a fire broke out.
The cause of the crash is under investigation. Witnesses reported hearing the helicopter’s engine sputtering before it went down.
It is unclear where the chopper departed from or where it was headed.
A serving governor is topping the list of suspects being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for an alleged N6,549,942, 637.14 fraud in an arms deal.
Also under scrutiny are the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Captain Idris Wada, a former Chairman of Skye Bank, Mr. Tunde Ayeni, retired Air Vice Marshal Salihu Atawodi and four others.
The alleged fraud was perpetrated by the defunct Presidential Implementation Committee on Maritime Security (PICOMSS), which was headed by Atawodi. About N4.9billion cash was said to have from PICOMMS accounts without any specific project in mind.
The serving governor was alleged to have received N1, 475, 144,199.15 of the withdrawn cash for the purpose of lobbying members of the House of Representatives to convert PICOMS into an agency. The name proposed was Maritime Security Agency.
The governor was chairman of the House Committee on National Security, Intelligence and Public Safety at the time and he was said to have convinced Atawodi’s PICOMS to part with the cash.
The sum received was such a top secret that a former Speaker was given a “ridiculous N1million” as his share.
Some former members of the House of Representatives who benefited from the bribe-for-bill cash from the governor might be invited for questioning,the Nation gathered last night. Sources said the governor was initially cooperating with the EFCC on the investigation, only to stop honouring the invitation of the anti-graft agency two days before he was declared elected by the Supreme Court.
He currently enjoys immunity from prosecution by virtue of his office, but he may still face trial after his tenure. The remaining seven key suspects are expected to be arraigned in court soon.
They include Mrs. Winifred Atawodi; Aeroconsult Limited, Xanatos Limited and a daughter of the ex-PICOMMS chairman, Eleojo who is under investigation. The EFCC has already blocked the following amounts in Mrs. Winifred Atawodi’s accounts: N141, 611, 736.8 and $228, 428.16.
Another N200million has been placed on Post No Debit (PND) in First Mutual Micro-Finance Bank traced to Purple Pepper Farms Limited allegedly owned by Atawodi’s daughter (Eleojo).
About five hectares of land worth N245million have been seized from the Atawodis. The EFCC has also uncovered how $6.12million was invested by the Atawodis in Midland Corporate Investment Limited account with Sun Trust Savings and Loans Real Estate Limited.
From the cash, AVM Atawodi allegedly transferred $408,000 transferred to an auto firm in the United States called Hennessy Cadillac for exotic vehicles including a Rolls Royce.
About $808, 851 was located in Wells Fargo Bank 2 in the name of United International Enterprises. Detectives have identified a house allegedly owned by Atawodi in Lot of the 17th District of Fulton County in Georgia at 3266 Ferncliff Lane, Atlanta Georgia 30324.
Despite the seizure of the passports of the Atawodis, one of the daughters has applied to travel abroad for medical treatment in order to sell the house in Atlanta.
The EFCC has also been alerted by some foreign collaborating anti-fraud agencies of plot by the daughter to sell the house.
Investigation revealed that PICOMMS was set up between 2008 and 2012. It was disbanded in 2013. The committee was expected to guarantee safety on the sea and waterways.
Findings by detectives revealed that AVM Atawodi, his friends and immediate family feasted on the resources allocated to PICOMMS including donor agencies funds.
Others funding PICOMMS were the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA), NIMASA, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Ministry of Defence (MOD).
A document obtained by The Nation indicated that on 12th November, 2010, AVM Atawodi made PICOMMS to issue out contracts for Maritime Domain Monitoring System for Maritime Surveillance at a cost of $32,337,163.00 to Xanatos Company Limited linked with a former Chairman of Skye Bank, Mr. Tunde Ayeni.
“The fraud was detected in the course of reviewing how funds were disbursed from PICOMS to Xanatos Company Limited and other beneficiary companies. Xanatos Company Limited made a lot of questionable payments obviously from the contract sum.
“One of the companies was AUSWEE Investment Limited where Atawodi, his wife and children are directors. Checks on AUSWEE acronym revealed as follows A(Amana); U(Uneku-the daughter); S(Salihu); W(Winifred Abiodun Atawodi-wife); E(Eleojo-another daughter); E(Ebi-another daughter).
But one Roland Uhuago, who is an associate of AVM Atawodi, was used as a front for AUSWEE. From the statements of accounts of PICOMS in Polaris Bank, Union Bank and ECOBANK, there were many cash withdrawals and cash movement lodged in Sun Trust Savings and Loans through a former director of the finance firm, Mr. Mohammed Jibril. About $5million was invested on behalf of the Atawodis by Jibril.
“During that period, about N4.9billion was withdrawn in cash in 2011 which they claimed they used for an unclear purpose. We have seized the passports of AVM Atawodi and some members of his family to restrict their movement to the country pending the commencement of their trial.
Based on the depth of investigation, EFCC has blocked the accounts of Mrs. Winifred Atawodi’s with N141, 611, 736.8 and $228, 428.16. Another N200million has been placed on Post No Debit (PND) in First Mutual Micro-Finance Bank traced to Purple Pepper Farms Limited allegedly owned by Atawodi’s daughter (Eleojo).
About five hectares of land worth N245million have been seized from the Atawodis. The land was bought from Hilton Hotel and the relevant agency in the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) has confirmed it.”
On the involvement of ex-Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State, the brief on the case indicated that his company Aeroconsult Limited was awarded a contract for the construction of a hanger in Benin Airport for the sum of N2, 780, 649, 450.00 described as an inflated rate.
“Aeroconsult also sublet their contract to Olutoyi Estate Development and Services Limited in which N700million was given to the company. From the inflated total cost of the hangar, about N550million was given to AUSWEE.
And from the N500million, about N484, 000,000 was transferred to Vector Integrated Services Limited owned by Atawodi. This company has an account with Union Bank where Mrs. Winifred Atawodi was a manager before she retired.
The withdrawal from AUSWEE to Vector Integrated Services was from Atawodi. And from Union Bank, some of the cash were moved into the account of Vector Integrated Services Limited in Fidelity Bank.”
A top source in EFCC said: “When we invited the former Governor of Kogi State, Capt. Idris Wada for interrogation, he insisted that the contract was well-executed.
But we detected evidence of transfers to AUSWEE which suggested that the hangar contract was inflated. The ex-governor and Aeroconsult have more questions to answer, especially when fresh transfers were made in 2018 and 2019 to AVM Atawodi.”
Regarding the serving governor, the source added: “The N1, 475, 144,199.15 was converted to dollars and handed over to the governor when he was a member of the House of Representatives.
The owner of the Bureau De Change used by PICOMMs, Sharif Shanono has been quizzed and he has provided evidence of transactions. We also observed that on 21/12/2011, about N250million was transferred from PICOMMS account to Saab Global Links Limited account 1012330930 belonging to Shanono.
“We were on the case before the governor’s election was validated by the Supreme Court. In fact, he was to appear before our detectives two days to the Supreme Court judgment but he stayed away to await the verdict and avoid being detained.
“While going through records, detectives were able to confirm how a paltry N1million was given to a former Speaker of the House of Representatives. Now that the governor has immunity, we have to wait till 2023 when he completes his tenure before resuming his investigation and trial.
We are likely to invite some former members of the house who benefitted from the bribe-for-bill cash. The bill was titled, “Maritime Security Agency Establishment Bill (MASECA) 2010 to change PICOMMS into an agency. So far, seven out of the eight suspects implicated in this fraud may face trial.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cancelled rerun elections in eight polling units in Cross River state.
The commission attributed the action to seizure of election materials for the units by unknown gunmen.
TheCable had reported that the materials were seized when the supervisory presiding officer (SPO) for the rerun in Afafanyi/Igonigoni ward, Abi LGA, was abducted.
The gunmen had also abducted other electoral officials who were in company of the SPO, but held him and the materials.
In a statement seen by TheCable, INEC said though the official has now been released, elections did not hold in the eight polling units.
It listed items seized by the gunmen as nine smart card readers, 5,616 ballot papers, result sheets, mobile phones and cash.
“Apart from the policeman that sustained injury, no life was lost,” the statement said.
“However, the commission has cancelled the election in Afafanyi/Igonigoni ward consisting of eight polling units and 5,616 registered voters due to the violence (and) abduction of the SPO, ballot papers, result sheets and smart card readers.
“INEC does not reward impunity and violence.”
The commission appealed to the public to exercise patience, assuring the voters taht “results from the polling units will reflect in the final collation and declaration of results.”
Dr Nnenna Ajayi is a consultant physician and gastroenterologist in Internal Medicine at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. The head of clinical services at the virology centre and Chairman of Lassa fever committee in the hospital talks to ALEXANDER OKERE about the recent cases of Lassa fever in some states in the country
Lassa fever has been a recurring health challenge in Nigeria. What should Nigerians know about it?
It is an infection caused by a virus, the Lassa virus, and it manifests with fever, body pain, a general feeling of being unwell. It is endemic to West Africa. And in West Africa, some countries are affected more than others. Nigeria is one of the major countries affected. Other countries affected include Liberia and Sierra Leone, Guinea. There are other West African countries but the ones mentioned are the main areas affected. In Nigeria, some states are notable for Lassa fever infection. They include Edo, Ondo and Ebonyi states.
Why are these states notable for Lassa fever infection?
It is difficult to say. But we know there are several things that affect the distribution of diseases. The Lassa virus is transmitted from animal to man and the multi-mammate rat is the reservoir of the virus. So, it means that rat has to be in that environment before the virus would be available to be transmitted to people. Apart from the states that are remarkably affected by Lassa fever, the infection has involved almost every state in Nigeria. Cases have been reported in Benue, Kano, Bauchi and Plateau states.
Of course, the virus was named after a village (Lassa, in Borno State) in North-East, Nigeria. That was the first place it came to the limelight. But it occurs everywhere now.
What are the common ways though which infection can occur?
First, the virus has to move from the animal reservoir to man and it can also spread from person to person. From the animal reservoir, it is when man comes in contact with the blood or other body fluid (blood and respiratory secretions) of the multi-mammate rat that infection can occur. This can also occur during the hunting of the rat, while preparing the rat as a meal or when the rat invades human abode and contaminates food. Sometimes, in some houses, doors may not be properly closed; there may be holes on the walls, through which the rat can gain access. If food is not properly covered, the rats can eat the food and, in the process, deposit some of their infected secretion on the food. When people eat such food, which is already contaminated, the virus enters their body. When the virus enters the human population, people who come in contact with the body fluid (blood, fluid from the nose or saliva from the mouth) of an infected person can be infected.
Can Lassa fever be transmitted sexually?
It can also be transmitted sexually because seminal and virginal fluids are also forms of body fluid. Transmission can also occur through a wound on the skin and serum exuding from such wound can carry the virus. It can also be transmitted from mother to child; a pregnant woman who has the virus can transmit it to her child.
What other ways can infection occur?
When we talk about contaminated food, it is something people can innocently eat in a roadside setting. Sometimes, we find the disease common among travellers. Sometimes, people come back from a journey, fall ill and begin to manifest the symptoms. So, the virus can be acquired at home, in a public place or in hospital.
What are the other symptoms?
Lassa fever can cause sore throat and redness of the eyes. It can also cause altered sensorium, bleeding from body orifices and it is actually an illness that can affect every system of the body. It can manifest in a lot of things, including diarrhoea and vomiting.
There have been a recent surge of cases of Lassa fever infection, with deaths recorded in some states. What could be responsible for that?
We have been having yearly epidemics for some time now. Initially, the epidemics were cyclical. In Ebonyi, the epidemic used to occur every three years. But from 2012, it became a yearly event and has progressed to becoming present almost all year round. So, in almost every month of the year, there is a patient with Lassa fever. The only difference is in the degree. It is known that Lassa fever is more common in the dry season and late rainy season. We are in the dry season and that is why we are having more people infected. But for some years, it has been an annual matter with peaks.
Are there certain practices that increase the risk of contracting the Lassa virus in the dry season?
Yes. When there is a seasonal change in the occurrence of a disease, it might be due to the behaviour of human beings or due to the changes in the dynamics of the virus or vector. So we know that during the dry season, there is an increase in farming activities. People are harvesting and planting. These increase the man-rat contact in the farm. It is the same in the rainy season when people go to the farms to weed and harvest some types of crops. It could also have to do with the behaviour of the virus. As people burn bushes, the rat would seek shelter elsewhere and, sometimes, that shelter is in people’s homes where they bring in the virus.
With the recent concerns about the disease, what can Nigerians do to prevent the spread of the virus?
It is important for people to realise that Lassa fever is an infectious disease that is transmittable. If they know that, they will realise that there is something they can do to avoid getting infected. Now, we know that the virus is transmitted by the multi-mammate rat. So, people should avoid hunting rats for meat because if they avoid handling the rats, they are not likely to get exposed to the virus. People also need to attend to their homes by making sure that doors are properly locked and there are no holes in the wall through which the rats can come in when people are not suspecting.
Food should be stored in rodent-proof containers so that even if the rats enter the home, they won’t be able to access the food. Sometimes, people dry their food on roads in open places and this gives rats access to food. Such practices should be discouraged. Appropriate disposal of refuse is important because we also know that rats like going around refuse dumps looking for leftovers. When people dump refuse anyhow, especially near their homes, they attract rats to their environment and the tendency of those rats to move from refuse dumps to homes will increase. Personal hygiene is important. People should wash their hands regularly and prepare their own food as much as possible. If they have to eat out, it should be in places where they are sure that the hygiene practices are optimal. When people are sick, they should seek immediate medical attention. Sometimes, when people are involved in self-medication, they may not present (themselves in hospitals) early and this reduces the chance of the person being successfully treated. It also exposes the caregivers to the virus.
Medical personnel are believed to be at risk of getting infected and some deaths have been reported. What precautions can they take?
In hospitals, it is important to make sure that precautions for the prevention of infectious diseases are adhered to. These include regular handwashing, appropriate use of gloves and other things. Continuous education is very important. When we talk about the symptoms of Lassa fever, they present like many common infections in the environment. So, it is just to have a high risk of suspicion and treat every patient as a possible Lassa fever case. This brings me to the point that there is no state that is exempt from the disease. Everybody everywhere should be careful as we may never know what the patient before us has.
How can the government at the state and federal levels assist in the prevention and treatment of Lassa fever?
The authorities have to help the hospital workers by providing all that is necessary to practise appropriate infection prevention and control. When medical workers have patients before them, sometimes, the urge to save lives may override personal safety. So, we still have to keep reminding ourselves and, hopefully, we won’t record death of medical personnel while handling Lassa fever patients again.
The family of Christian teenage schoolgirl abducted by Boko Haram terrorists in 2018, Leah Sharibu, has described reports that she had a baby boy in captivity as a rumour.
A senior lecturer at the Department of Political Science, University of Jos, Dr. Gloria Puldu, who speaks for the family, also told Sunday Punch on Saturday that all they wanted was to have Leah home alive, with or without a baby.
Some media reports had earlier reported that Leah had a baby for a Boko Haram commander in Niger Republic and that she would have been released some months ago but for her pregnancy.
Dismissing the reports, Puldu said, “I have seen reports that Leah had a baby boy. That is just a rumour as far as we are concerned. What we even desire is to see a proof of life so that we see Leah by ourselves. If they are able to have Leah safe, we will understand.
“The most important thing is that we want her to be alive. And if she is alive, we will praise God for that. They should release her, despite whatever condition she is in. That is all; it doesn’t matter whether she is pregnant or with a baby. Is it not better to have your child alive? So, it doesn’t matter, all we are interested in is her life and safety.”
Puldu also noted that they had unconfirmed information that Leah was still alive.
She said, “I spoke with Jennifer, who was in Boko Haram captivity, last Monday or Tuesday. I was able to speak with her one-on-one and she told us that she did not see Leah in captivity, but she was with Alison Gada, who informed her that Leah was alive, healthy and not dead.”
Incidentally, President of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (Church of the Brethren), Rev Joel Billi, told one of our correspondents that a journalist who has access to Boko Haram, Ahmad Salkida, told him Leah had become a mother.
The cleric said he got the call from Salkida on the same day the journalist announced the execution of the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Michika Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Rev Lawan Andimi, by Boko Haram.
He said he had known Salkida as a young boy while he was a pastor in Biu.
Billi said, “Ahmed Salkida, whom I knew as a young boy when I was a pastor in Biu, called me to inform me that Andimi had been gruesomely murdered.
READ ALSO: You’re blind to Christians’ persecution, 25 groups tackle President’s spokesperson
“I was also told by Ahmad Salkida that Leah Sharibu had given birth to a baby. I was devastated. I was staggering and almost fell down because I was shocked to hear that. I couldn’t absorb the shock because Leah Sharibu had become a symbol of the Christian faith. I consider her Christian faith stronger than even that of many church leaders. When I heard that Leah Sharibu was now a mother, I had to ask more than three times just to be sure. Ahmad Salkida said, ‘Leah Sharibu is now a mother.’”
Leah was among 110 schoolgirls abducted on February 19, 2018 by Boko Haram terrorists from Government Girls’ Science and Technical College, Dapchi in Yobe State.
In March 2018, the Federal Government announced the insurgents had returned 106 of the kidnapped schoolchildren but that Leah was not among them.
It was reported that Leah, who was 14 years old at the time she was kidnapped, w as not released because she refused to convert to Islam.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, said the U-turn made by legal icon, Mr Femi Falana, justified Federal Government’s stance that the establishment of the operation of “Amotekun” was illegal.
A statement issued on Thursday by Dr Umar Gwandu, Malami’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Relations, reiterated that Nigeria’s constitution does not accommodate formation of regional security architecture.
Falana, human rights lawyer, who earlier asked the governors to ignore Malami, had asked Southwest governors to enact laws on Amotekun.
The statement read: “By asking state governments of the Southwestern Nigeria to “proceed to enact the necessary laws”, in justifying the legality of the establishment and operation of Amotekun, Falana is reaffirming federal government’s stance that the establishment of the operation currently is illegal.
“No amount of effort to hide the truth will work. People can be carried away by sentimental or emotional inclinations, but truth remains apparently palpable.
“The bottom line is that the current Nigerian constitution do not accommodate formation of regional security architecture. This is a fact which is undisputable and undeniable
“Falana is prevaricating and circumlocuting using evasive techniques when he was asked by the media to justify the presence of lacuna within the law which can establish or protect the concept of regionalism in any operation in the country.
“He was unable to supply answer to the question and failed to cite relevant laws that back the argument.
“It is interesting that no matter the situation, truth prevails. This arrangement called Amotekun is not backed by any law neither at the state nor at the federal government level.
“Amotekun, therefore, remains unconstitutional and illegal as already indicated.
“The federal government appreciates that legally minded Nigerians have started to eschew emotions by offering legal comments on the matter as against being carried away by other inclinations.
“The office of the attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice is committed to the rule of law and a constitutional democratic Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The response came 24 hours after national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, said Amotekun was not a threat to national unity.
Amotekun, a initiative of Southwest Governors, was first declared illegal last Tuesday.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has insisted that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government was highly corrupt.
Obasanjo disclosed that if Buhari administration was probed, most of its officials will not only go to jail but they will go to hell.
The former president made the claims while featuring on BBC Yoruba, where he was comparing his ex-Vice and 2019 Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar with Buhari.
He stated that though Atiku was not a messiah, he would have done far better than President Buhari if given the opportunity.
Speaking in Yoruba, Obasanjo said: The person, Buhari, who signed the Not-too-Young-To-Run bill but ran at the age of 76, is he not too old to be contesting for an elective position?
“What I am saying is that where we are today, our present situation, if you look at those who are there today and our boss, I insist that Atiku will do better than them. Atiku is not an angel, he had offended people including me but he asked for forgiveness and I forgave him due to my religion.
“As a Christian, the God I serve said forgive those who offend you and I did just that. So when he came to me with a Christian and Muslim clergy, begging that i forgive. should I refuse when I’m not God?
“I did not say his past behaviour was not bad but none of us is a complete and whoever feels his complete should come out but what I’m saying is that where we are today Atiku will do better than them if he was given the chance.
“This is not a prophecy. Those in government today, if we expose them, all of them will enter hell; they will not only go to jail. They will go to hell. Whoever that God does not expose his sins to the public is the person whose secret is kept.
“I did not say he will behave like Jesus. I did not say he will behave like Prophet Muhammed, but he will do better, in fact twice better than what we have at present.”
