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LG chairman arrested over alleged attempt to assassinate Benue Speaker, Dajoh

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The Police have arrested two suspects, including a local government chairman over an alleged plot to assassinate the Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Aondona Hycenth Dajoh.

This was disclosed in a statement on Monday by Force spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi.

According to the statement, investigations showed that the LG chairman had allegedly reached out to a militia to eliminate Dajoh.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the Local Government Chairman allegedly contracted a militia with the sinister intention of eliminating the Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Hon. Aondona Hycenth Dajoh,” the statement read.

He added that, “The operatives of the Force Intelligence Department – Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT) swiftly swung into action upon receiving credible intelligence regarding the planned assassination.

“Both suspects are currently in police custody and are actively cooperating with investigators in the ongoing inquiry.

“The Nigeria Police Force remains resolute in its commitment to upholding the safety and security of citizens and public officials.”

He assured that both suspects would face the full weight of the law.

Troubles on the Plateau as sacked PDP lawmakers vow resumption today

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As the Plateau State House of Assembly resumes plenary today (Tuesday), the 16 lawmakers elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party said they would resume their legislative duties despite their sacking by the Court of Appeal.

This came as the All Progressives Congress said the lawmakers remained sacked and their plan to resume was an ‘invitation to anarchy and a threat to democracy.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja had in November sacked all the 16 members of the state House of Assembly elected on the platform of the PDP on the grounds that the party had no structure to nominate them as candidates.

Addressing a press conference in Jos, on Monday, the 16 lawmakers, led by a former Majority Leader, Yobo Ishaku, said since the Supreme Court, which upheld the election of Governor Caleb Mutfwang on the same issue had ruled that the PDP had a valid structure to nominate them as candidates, the verdict of the Court of Appeal sacking them as lawmakers had become a nullity.

Ishaku, who represented Bokkos state constituency, said, “Our recess ends today (Monday) and we want to inform the public that we the PDP family are in high spirits and are willing to go back to our legislative duties willingly given to us by our various constituencies. So, we are all ready to resume work tomorrow (Tuesday).”

Explaining the rationale behind their decision to resume plenary, Ishaku said, “While we were on recess, there were two judgments passed regarding the Plateau State House of Assembly. The first one was the one given by the Court of Appeal, of which the Justices said one could not put something on nothing; PDP on the Plateau had no structure and it was on that basis and premise that they sacked all the 16 PDP House of Assembly members.

“And while we were still on recess, the Supreme Court gave its verdict regarding the same issue and in the judgment, the Supreme Court said the case that was brought before the Court of Appeal was fraudulent and that the court even lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the matter in the first place. And by that, it shows that referring to their submission, you cannot build something on nothing. By implication, the verdict of the Court of Appeal is a nullity and we are disregarding that judgment in its entirety.”

Ishaku, who insisted that they were products of democracy who were validly elected by their various constituents also, said, “Our constituents are ready and willing to accompany us to our sitting tomorrow because they voted for us and they are not ready to compromise that.”

The PDP lawmakers called on President Bola Tinubu as well as the heads of the Nigeria judiciary to sanction the President of the Court of Appeal under whose watch they were sacked.

But in a swift reaction, the APC in the state described the planned resumption of the sacked PDP lawmakers as an invitation to anarchy and a threat to democracy.
Gov Muftwang swears in 17 LG transition chairmen
APC lawmakers said the plan and threats by the sacked members to resume was not only an assault on democracy but an insurrection against the state.

In a statement issued on Monday by its Publicity Secretary, Sylvanus Namang, the Plateau APC insisted that the PDP lawmakers remained sacked under the law.

The APC said, “It has come to the notice of the Plateau State chapter of the APC, a plan by the 16 members of the PDP sacked by the Court of Appeal last year to invade the House, which resumes sitting tomorrow (Tuesday) after nearly two months recess as sitting members of the Plateau State House of Assembly.

“According to information reaching us, the members sat at an undisclosed location and addressed the press on their invidious and diabolical plan.

“According to information at our disposal, the sacked members would be accompanied by members of their various constituencies to confuse an unimaginable proportion.

“The press conference, which was laced with threats, warned the APC members of the House not to go near the House of Assembly because the Supreme Court had invalidated the judgment of the Court of Appeal which sacked them.

“What began last week as a veiled threat by a former Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Istifanus Mwansat, during his infamous interview with AIT is fast becoming a reality.

“The APC and all peace-loving citizens of Plateau State had expected that he ought not to be walking the streets as a free citizen following his inflammatory outbursts.

“The APC accepted for the sake of democracy and peaceful coexistence, the judgment of the Supreme Court in good fate and appealed to our members not to embark on anything to the contrary which they obeyed.”

Unknown gunmen destroyed tent to chase returning IDPs in Gov Agbus’s LG

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Kingsley Eze, Jalingo

Unknown gunmen have in the late hours of Saturday, burnt down a hut constructed by Internally Displaced Persons IDPs, who have returned and are picking up their pieces at Tor-Iorshagher, KM 15, Wukari-Rafinkada Road, Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State, the home of the Executive Governor of the State, Dr Agbu Kefas, to drive out the returning IDPs in the area.

Sources disclosed that the gunmen invaded the settlement around 11:00PM when the IDPs had worked on the hut and retired to rest in a nearby area with their other relatives close to security Post stationed in the area

They stressed that after shooting sporadically in the air without hearing any response to their heavy gunshots, the gunmen set fire on the hut as smoke rented the air with heavy flames

Our reporter gathered that the displaced Persons visited the scene the following day only to discover that all their items where either destroyed or carted away by the gun men

They identified cooking pots, buckets, clothes, hoes, mats, plates and food items of different kinds as some of the items either destroyed or carted away

The incident came after the chairman of the Local Government Area, Hon Samaila Dauda, had called for Tiv stakeholders’ meeting at the LG Secretariat, after reports alleging that he colluded with security agencies to chase the IDPs rented the air

Represented at the meeting by the Vice chairman, Hon Samaila resolved to reconvened an expanded meeting of elders of both Jukun and Tiv when he comes back from his journey so as to map out concrete ways through which the Displaced Persons could return back to their ancestral homes without molestation

Our reporter gathered that despite the attack after the meeting, the IDPs returnees in the early hours of Sunday, 21st January, 2024 held their first Sunday Service after four years of being away following the crisis between Jukun and Tiv in the Area.

While Interacting with our reporter on telephone, the leader of the community who identified himself as Simon Oryavenga, said the area was relatively calm only for the tension raised by the burnt hut

However, when contacted on telephone, the Security Adviser of the chairman, denied knowledge of the attack. He said he has sent somebody who went there and returned with a message that there was no sign of a burnt hut.

“The person l sent to check the issue you raised said he did not see any sign of burnt hut. I want to assure you that I will take a trip to the place tomorrow unfailingly and I will definitely get back to you. My boss is highly concern about the displaced Persons in the area and he is working round the clock to ensured that the displaced persons return to their various ancestral homes safely”. He stated

The Police Public Relation Officer, SP Usman Abdullahi said the issues surrounding the area are basically between the government and the people of the area as such, it was not withing his jurisdiction to attend to the press over the issue

Meanwhile, the leader of the returning displaced Persons, Mr Simon Oryavenga, has appealed to the Executive Governor of Taraba State, Dr Agbu Kefas, to look into the skimishes resurrecting in the area and provide adequate security for the already traumatised Persons without further delay, to prevent resurgence of innocent killings along the axis

He also appealed to the government and spirited individuals to come to their aid by providing them with relief materials to curshion the effects of the hardship they are passing through in the area

LG boss allegedly colludes with security agencies to chase IDPs in Taraba

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Some IDPs running away from their home after been chased by Security men

Kingsley Eze, Jalingo

The Chairman, Wukari Local Government Area, Hon Samaila Dauda, has allegedly colluded with security agencies to chase the returning Internally Displaced Persons IDPs, who had returned and are picking up their pieces in Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State, the home of the Executive Governor of the State, Dr Agbu Kefas

Some IDPs running away from their home after been chased by Security men

Sources disclosed that the Chairman had on Friday, 19 Januuary, 2024 delegated some persons including his Security adviser and other heavily armed security officers, who visited part of the IDPs that settled at a Village identified as Tor-Iorshagher along Wukari- Rafinkada Road and asked them to returned back to their refugee camps where they came from

A resident of the area, Mr Dooior Chiega, who narrated the development to our reporters said, already military officers stationed in the area had under the directives of the chairman, beaten up the IDPs mercilessly the previous day and vowed to waste their lives should they attempt to come back to resettle in their displaced places.

“We were busy mending our destroyed places all of a sudden, we heard that army were moving up and down chasing IDPs at Tor-Iorshagher, one of our villages located about 500 meters, before Rafinkada market via Wukari – Rafinkada Road.

“Though we first ran for our lives, we just had to returned back to continue mending our houses because we have been in strange lands for good five years now without any attention from any authority. Now we decided that since the crisis between Tiv and Jukun is over, we have to stay in our homes”. Mr Dooiror stated

When contacted on telephone call, the chairman, Tiv Cultural and Social Association, Wukari Local Government Area, Mr Aondoawase Tar said his people actually ran to him complaining that they were chased away by the millitary officers stationed in Tor-Iorshagher

He said he had also received a call from the Chairman, Wukari Local Government Area, Hon Samaila Dauda, who told him to go home and ensure that the people vacate the displaced areas

“I don’t actually know any other thing but what I know is that the Chairman, Wukari Local Government Area, Hon. Samaila Dauda, called me on Friday, 19th January, 2024. He asked me to go and tell my people to go back to where they were comming from untill all issues are resolved, else he will not be responsible for what ever happened to them. So as I am talking to you now, I am on my way to Tor-Iorshagher to go and deliver the message”. He stated

The President General, Tiv Cultural and Social Association Taraba State, Mr Baka James told our reporter that he was making Frantic efforts to see that the issues reported by his people were sorted out to give peace a chance

However, when contacted, the chairman, Hon Samaila Dauda denied all the allegations. Hon Dauda in a phone call with our reporter emphasized that there was no way he could have indulged in such a barbaric act.

“I have neither asked any returning IDPs in my Local Government Area to vacate his home nor have any plan to do such. It is a baseless accusation. As I am talking to you now, I am in Abuja and I know nothing about all those things you are saying”. He stated.

BREAKING: Supreme Court affirms Gov Inuwa as winner of Gombe guber, dismisses PDP appeal

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The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed the appeal filed by Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate, Jibrin Barde, against the election of Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State.

Reports say that the apex court is delivering final judgements on gubernatorial election legal battles in 13 states, including Nasarawa, Delta, Ogun, Gombe and Kebbi, among others.

BREAKING: Nasarawa Guber: Abdullahi Sule wins at Supreme Court

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The Supreme Court, on Friday, affirmed the election of Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State.

The apex court dismissed the appeal filed by David Ombugadu, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the March 2023 gubernatorial polls.

The judgment was delivered by a five-member panel led by justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.

How Kidnappers invade Army Estate in Abuja, abduct two

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Kidnappers invaded the Nigeria Post Army estate in Abuja on Thursday night and kidnapped two people.

The incident, which happened at about 10:00 p.m. in the Phase 2 area of the estate, had kidnappers who came into the estates and took away the wife and one of the in-laws of one Barrister Cyril Adikwu.

According to Austine John, who is a neighbour to the victim, the kidnappers came in and started shooting while they invaded the barrister’s house and took away his wife and in-law while the barrister escaped.

“It all started at about 10:00 We suddenly started hearing gunshots, and immediately we knew something was wrong. I quickly went out to make sure my gate was well locked.

“Then we heard the gunshot in the barrister’s house, and then we alerted the estate’s management, who immediately swung into action. In a short time, army people came around and started shooting too, but before they came, the kidnappers had taken the wife and one of the in-laws of the barrister.

“This is really traumatising because we could not sleep throughout the night due to fear of the kidnappers coming back. President Tinubu should please help Nigerians put an end to this barbaric act by the kidnappers.

BREAKING: Supreme Court affirms Dapo Abiodun’s election

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The Supreme Court has affirmed the election of the governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun.

The appellants, Ladi Adebutu and the Peoples Democratic Party prayed the apex court to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct fresh elections in the 99 polling units where elections were allegedly cancelled.

The Appeal Court, Lagos Division, had in a split decision on November 24, 2023, affirmed Abiodun’s re-election.

The majority judgment delivered by Justice Joseph Ikyegh dismissed the appeal filed by the PDP and its governorship candidate.

Reading the lead judgement, Justice Tijani Abubakar dismissed the appeal.

End killings, don’t be like Buhari who only gives marching orders – Afenifere to Tinubu

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A leader of the Yoruba sociocultural group, Afenifere, Ayo Adebanjo, has cautioned President Bola Tinubu against treating insecurity like his predecessor, former President Muhammadu Buhari.

He said Tinubu should take actions against insecurity and not resort to marching orders like Buhari.

He spoke on Wednesday when he paid a condolence visit to the Jos residence of a former Governor of Plateau State and first National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, late Chief Solomon Lar, over the recent attacks in the state.

Reports say that on Christmas Eve, some terrorists attacked some communities in Bokkos, Mangu and Barkin Ladi local government areas of the state.

About 150 people were killed during the incident with several others injured.

However, Adebanjo said Tinubu should arrest and prosecute those behind the killings to resolve insecurity.

“When Buhari was in office, we said he was behind those killing Nigerians. We told him that those killing us are in his government, House Representatives and the Senate.

“When the killings happened, he would say he has given marching orders. We want action and not marching orders. In the end, nothing happens. No arrest even after our complaints.

“Now, we have another President. And we are faced with the same security challenge. We want action from President Tinubu and not marching orders.

“Anybody who wants to impress Nigerians must go after those behind the killings. They must be arrested and prosecuted if he wants the problem to be solved,” he said.

Delta State: Supreme Court dismisses LP, SDP’s petitions, affirms Gov Oborevwori

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Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori has recorded another victory at the Supreme Court with the dismissal of the petition filed by the Social Democratic Party, SDP, and its governorship candidate, Kenneth Gbagi for lacking in merit.

In a unanimous judgment on Friday, the apex court dismissed all grounds and allegations raised against the March 18 last year gubernatorial poll.

Justice Mohammed Garba Lawal, who delivered the lead judgment, said the allegations that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate, Oborevwori was not qualified for the election was laughable as there was no evidence in support of the allegations.

Justice Lawal rejected the claim that the election was invalid and that the governor was not duly elected by majority of the lawful votes cast at the poll.

In another judgment in an appeal by the Labour Party, LP, and its governorship candidate, Ken Pela, the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal for being frivolous and lacking in merit.

Justice Musa Uwani Aba-Aji, who delivered the lead judgment, said that the petition was worthless as the appellants could not establish any of their allegations.

Justice Aba-Aji subsequently dismissed the petition in its entirety.

By the latest development, all the three appeals lodged by the APC, SDP and LP have been thrown away for lack of merit.