TheNewsGuru

Tag: Abuja

  • Postponement: Buhari returns to Abuja, expresses disappointment in INEC

    President Muhammadu on Saturday returned to the Presidential Villa in Abuja after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the rescheduling of the Presidential and National Assembly elections initially scheduled to hold on Saturday (today).

    Recall that President Buhari on Thursday rounded up his campaigns with a rally held in his home state, Katsina and stayed back in his hometown (Daura) for his civic responsibility which has now been shifted to next week, February 23.

    According to a statement signed by him (Buhari) on Saturday morning, the electoral had all the time to prepare and even received the best of cooperation from the federal government.

    Read full statement below:

    STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE

    STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT BUHARI ON THE POSTPONEMENT OF GENERAL ELECTIONS BY INEC

    I am deeply disappointed that despite the long notice given and our preparations both locally and internationally, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) postponed the Presidential and National Assembly elections within hours of its commencement.

    Many Nigerians have traveled to various locations to exercise their right to vote, and international observers are gathered.

    INEC themselves have given assurances, day after day and almost hour after hour that they are in complete readiness for the elections. We and all our citizens believed them.

    This administration has ensured that we do not interfere in any way with the work of INEC except to ensure that all funds were released to the commission.

    We now urge INEC to ensure not only that materials already distributed are safe and do not get into wrong hands, but that everything is done to avoid the lapses that resulted in this unfortunate postponement, and ensure a free and fair election on the rescheduled dates.

    While I reaffirm my strong commitment to the independence, neutrality of the electoral umpire and the sanctity of the electoral process and ballot, I urge all political stakeholders and Nigerians to continue to rally round INEC at this trying national moment in our democratic journey.

    I, therefore, appeal to all Nigerians to refrain from all civil disorder and remain peaceful, patriotic and united to ensure that no force or conspiracy derail our democratic development.

    I have decided to move back to Abuja to ensure that the 14.00 hrs meeting called by INEC with all stakeholders is successful.

     

    Muhammadu Buhari

    Daura, February 16, 2019

  • We have checked touting in Abuja airport – FAAN

    The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), in collaboration with security agencies, have intensified effort to clampdown on touting at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja.

    The Managing Director of FAAN, Mr Saleh Dunoma, who stated this in an interview in Abuja, on Friday, warned unauthorised persons to stay away from the airport or risk jail.

    Dunoma said that measures had been put in place to ensure that everyone operating in the airport stayed within his or her designated area.

    He added that adequate signage had been provided at the old and new terminals in addition to the security personnel to guide travellers, adding that no passenger should need assistance from unauthorised persons.

    According to him, some persons have been arrested, investigated and charged to court in recent time, but we now have a situation where some unauthorised persons are now fighting back by planting fake stories about touting.

    “We have cowed touting and there are plans in place, and we are totally in control of touting at the airport because of the grand plan. We have started implementing it.

    “Actually, there is no resurgence of touting rather there is a reduction in their activities but we now have a situation where touts are doing their campaign by planting fake stories.

    “But, certainly we are winning because we have our own campaign and it is bad business for them already.

    “Whatever pictures you are seeing are fake in order to discredit our effort, but we are in control,” he said.

    The FAAN boss also travellers to ensure that they would only transact any form of business inside the terminal and not outside to avoid being extorted.

    He explained that the new terminal was well laid out in such a way that passengers would not have reasons to be confused as to how to move, adding that there were also information desks where inquiries could be made easily.

    “My message to those touts is that the law will catch up with them and they will be punished and I want to appeal to passengers also that they should not encourage anybody to assist them in the airport.

    “The new terminal does not require any assistance; it is well laid out, it is simple and there are signage and there are two information desks in case you need any information.

    “Then, we have FAAN uniform people all over the places that passengers can seek assistance from,” he added.

    Also speaking to NAN, Mr Sani Mahmud, Regional General Manager, North Central, FAAN, said that some persons had been apprehended and prosecuted by the airport security team in recent time.

    Mahmud, who is also Airport Manager, NAIA, said that nine persons had been apprehended since the beginning of the 2019, adding that they included hawkers, illegal cab operators and touts.

    “Three had their cases transferred; six were minors and were detained and later released, but their items were destroyed.

    “We are not taking chances and at the same time, we are aware that some taxi operators whose monopoly had been broken are peddling falsehood to discredit FAAN at all cost.

    “Security has been beefed up around the airport and we are ready for them,” he said.

  • Security operatives arrest PDP campaign spokesperson

    Ben Bako, spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaign in Kaduna State, has been arrested by security operatives.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Bako was arrested on Saturday night for reasons yet to be known.

    He was arrested by men believed to be State Security Service (SSS), who took him to Abuja.

    Deputy director of publicity of the PDP campaign, Yakubu Lere confirmed the arrest of Bako.

    Confirming the arrest, Lere said Bako was taken by the SSS to Abuja.

     

  • 2019 Elections: APC erects ‘world largest broom’ in Abuja [Photo]

    Ahead of the 2019 general elections, some volunteers of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have erected a huge broom said to be the ‘World Largest Broom’ in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

    2019 Election: APC erects 'world largest broom' in Abuja [Photo]

    The broom was erected in front of the city gate on Thursday. Recall that the broom is the major insignia of the ruling party.

    When TNG approached one of the volunteers erecting the broom, he said:

    ‘We are doing this in readiness for our victory next week Saturday. This is a huge sign of support to all our candidates nationwide and President Muhammadu Buhari in particular. We are ready to sweep away the remnants of the tattered umbrella come February 16 and March 2nd”, the enthusiastic party supporter who spoke on condition of anonymity said.

    The erection of the broom has also generated reactions on social media.

    The Presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on Saturday, February 16, 2019, while the governorship and state legislative elections will hold on Saturday, March 2, 2019.

  • Uproar, commotion trail BBNaija 2019 auditions[VIDEO]

    As auditions for the fourth season of the reality TV show, Big Brother Naija kicks off on Friday across different states of the federation, Nigerians have taken to their various social media platforms to react to the uproar and commotion caused by the mammoth crowd at the various audition centres.

    A large number of people had turned out at the different venues for the auditions as early as midnight.
    Fans of the show had also taken to the social media to express amazement at the turnout of people.
    @chi_derah tweeted, “the crowd is so massive. Abuja people are not here to play.”
    @tosinolugbenga tweeted, “no jobs, ASUU is on strike. BBNaija auditions got a high crowd at the venues as early as 4:45a.m. Apparently, some people slept at the venues.”
    @madukaegbuonu tweeted, “Lagos auditions happening now at 12am (midnight). We are happy to sacrifice our night sleep.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BtVO8kPgJ7q/

    In Abuja, where the auditions took place at Wuse, the rowdy crowd was quite disorganized as people struggled to enter the venue.

    Meanwhile, in Lagos State, the audition crowd blocked a large portion of Allen, Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja preventing residents from going about their normal activities.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BtVYzr0HzVY/

    Reacting to the crowd, some Nigerians took to Twitter to express their amazement at the large turnout. They, however, expressed displeasure at the disruption of traffic and their usual activities.
    @Yslaplace said, “Traffic and people are fainting already in Lagos. Abuja looks like a revival service: a whole dual lane road blocked.”
    @obidiananthony tweeted, “The crowd for bbnaija is crazy. Abuja multichoice office audition venue as at 7 am on the first day of audition.”
    @Susan_damsel said, “Abuja is no go area o, kudos to Asuu strike”

    TheNewsGuru reports that there have also been cases of people collapsing and fainting at the audition venues.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BtVp5PbHoLj/

  • Buhari, Atiku, three other candidates for presidential debate in Abuja today

    Buhari, Atiku, three other candidates for presidential debate in Abuja today

    President Muhammadu Buhari and four other presidential candidates are expected to sell themselves to Nigerians during a presidential debate today in Abuja.

    Buhari, who is contesting the February 16 presidential election on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress, is one of the five candidates invited to a debate being put together by the Nigerian Election Debate Group and the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria ahead of the general elections.

    It was however not clear at press time if the President would participate in the debate.

    He and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo had featured in a town hall meeting on Wednesday.

    The Executive Secretary of NEDG, Edidi Emesiri, had in a statement listed candidates shortlisted for the debate alongside Buhari to include those of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, Oby Ezekwesili; Alliance for New Nigeria, Fela Durotoye; Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar; and Young Progressives Party, Kingsley Moghalu.

    The running mates of all the candidates had taken their turn on December 14, 2018.

    The Coalition for United Political Parties had on Thursday claimed that the President was planning to evade the debate.

    The debate will hold from 7pm at the Congress Hall of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

    It will be transmitted live on all BON member stations and its affiliates as well as live streaming on all social media platforms.

    The Chairman of the NEDG and BON, Mr. John Momoh, had on November 22 told journalists in Abuja that the debate would focus on the nation’s economy, electricity, job creation, healthcare, education and security among others.

    Momoh said Nigeria would be strong when elected leaders were transparent, adding that such openness must start long before election.

    He said, “Our nation is strongest when our elected leaders are transparent, accessible and accountable to its citizens, explaining their decisions and answering tough questions. That standard of openness must start long before election day.

    “It is for this reason that the Nigerian Election Debate Group and the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria are organising a vice presidential debate on December 14, 2018 and a presidential debate on January 19, 2019.

    In justifying the debates, Momoh said it was a well-known fact that Nigeria, in spite of its numerous potentials, was faced with a social crisis that began way back to the military era; but which has transcended democratic rule since the Army returned to the barracks.

    He said the nation today was experiencing a health care crisis that threatens women and children, an education crisis that threatens children’s future, a power crisis that is crippling every aspect of economic lives, and a more fundamental crisis of corruption, accountability and security.

    The Presidency did not confirm if Buhari will attend the debate. Calls and text massages send to the President Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Shehu Garba, were not responded to.

    However, the other four aspirants have signified their intentions at different instances to attend the debate.

  • Arrested Boko Haram commander narrates deadly activities in Kogi, Abuja, Kano, others

    Arrested Boko Haram commander narrates deadly activities in Kogi, Abuja, Kano, others

    A suspected commander of Boko Haram terrorists, who was recently arrested in Lagos, Umar Abdulmalik, has disclosed his adventures in the crime world including being a terrorist and a bank robber.

    Abdulmalik confessed to have been involved in several bomb explosions in Kaduna and Kano states as well as Nyanya and Kuje bombings in Abuja.

    He said he partook in the 2012 Koton Karfe Prison break in Kogi State, where over 100 inmates were freed and asked to join his group to attack banks in Okene, Kogi State and Owo in Ondo State.

    The native of Okene, in an interview during the week, stated that the proceeds of the robberies were used to procure sophisticated explosives used for terrorism.

    Abdulmalik was tracked down penultimate Thursday in Lagos by operatives of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team. He was later paraded in Abuja along with seven other suspected members of his gang.

    The 39-year-old said an Islamic cleric, who he identified as Mallam Mustapha in Okene, initiated him into Boko Haram through radical teachings that frowned on western education and democratic system of government.

    He said, “I joined one of the Boko Haram cells in Okene headed by one Zeeidi and we carried out several bombings within Kaduna, Kano and Abuja. Zeeidi was the person providing the bombs and my job then was to take them to our target locations. After a while, the Department of State Services infiltrated our cell and started arresting members of our group. Mallam Mustapha was arrested and his mosque was demolished.

    “Zeedi also brought the idea that we should rob banks so that those of us who have not been arrested could have resources to continue with the struggle. He brought some guns and he suggested we should attack the Koton Karfe Prison so we could free our members who were detained there. The attack on the prison was successful and we freed a lot of our members.

    “We then attacked some banks in Okene and Owo and made away with large sums of money. We used some of the money we got from those robberies to buy advanced explosives, including materials we could use in producing non-metallic bombs that could beat metal detectors. A lot of our members were arrested after those bank robberies and the attack on the prison.”

    Abdulmalik said he relocated to Abuja in 2014 and formed a new gang during which they attacked Banex Plaza, Nyanya and Kuje areas.

    He stated that the gang was busted with five members arrested while explosives were recovered from them.

    He said he fled to Kano and returned to Abuja two years after to form a new gang that specialised in armed robbery.

    It was gathered that the IRT operatives, led by DCP Abba Kyari, got intelligence that led to the arrest of Abdulmalik and his gang members during investigations into the gruesome killing of seven policemen and a civilian, who were attacked in July 2018 at a police post at Galadima Roundabout, Abuja.

    In November 2018, the detectives made a breakthrough when they arrested a member of the gang, Abdulmalik Lukman, aka Lampard, in Ondo State.

    He reportedly confessed to taking part in the killing of the policemen and named Abdulmalik as the gang leader.

    “Lukman took the IRT operatives to the gang’s hideout in Abuja and four of his gang members: Abubakar Sidi; Yusuf Abdulazeez aka, Fine Boy; Suleman Zakariya; and Haruna Lamid, were arrested. But, Abdulmalik escaped with a bullet wound. Four AK-47 rifles belonging to the deceased policemen, six magazines, 270 rounds of AK-47 ammunition and two police walkie-talkie radios were recovered from the suspects,” a police source said.

    The source added that Abdulmalik fled to Lagos to treat the bullet wound at his younger sister’s home, where he was arrested.

    Speaking further about his robbery exploits, Abdulmalik said, “We robbed a man at a checkpoint in Okene. We pretended to be policemen and collected N1.3m from the man. We then moved to Abuja where we started robbing supermarkets. We also robbed a shop along Second Gate on the Abuja-Kaduna Road. We became friends with a dismissed policeman called Apin Iron. We used to buy drugs from him. In one of our encounters he told us that he knew several rich people we could rob and that he would get his share of the loot.

    “He gave us information about a man, who we robbed of N5m. We gave Apin Iron N2.5m as his share because that was what he demanded. He also gave us several other jobs before I had an accident and lost one of my eyes.”

  • Shagari’s body leaves Abuja for burial in Sokoto

    Shagari’s body leaves Abuja for burial in Sokoto

    The body of late former President, Shehu Shagari, has left the nation’s capital, Abuja, en route Sokoto State, his hometown for burial later on Saturday.

    Recall that the first Executive President of Nigeria died on Friday evening at 93 years.

    His body will be received by the Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal before being transported to his hometown in Shagari Local Government Area of the state, reports Channels Television.

    Encomiums have since been pouring in from eminent personalities all over the country since the demise of the elder statesman on Friday.

     

  • Why we invaded Melaye’s Abuja residence – Police

    Police officers laying siege on the residence of Dino Melaye are on a order to arrest him for his alleged involvement in an attack on their colleague, Nigeria Police has stated.

    In a statement by the force’ Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, on Friday, the police said the senator alongside his ‘armed thugs’ shot one Sergeant Danjuma Saliu in July.

    Recall that the Abuja residence of the lawmaker was occupied by police officers who are resolute in arresting him on sight.

    “The Police operatives currently in the residence of Senator Dino Melaye are to effect his arrest to answer to the case of attempted culpable homicide on the shooting of a Police Officer, Sgt Danjuma Saliu, attached to 37 Police Mobile Force (PMF) while on duty at a stop and search point along Aiyetoro Gbede, Mopa Road in Kogi state.

    “The above offence was committed by Senator Dino Melaye and his armed thugs in Kogi State on the 19th July, 2018 when they shot and wounded a police officer, Sgt Danjuma Saliu, attached to 37 Police Mobile Force (PMF) while on duty at a stop and search point along Aiyetoro Gbede, Mopa Road in Kogi state.

    “The Police Officer is yet to recover from the gunshot injury he sustained during the attack and still under intensive medical care,” the statement reads.

    It further noted that the force had made efforts to effect the arrest through the National Assembly clerk as is usually the custom.

    The police will continue with the siege until the lawmaker is arrested, the statement added.

    “The Police investigators have written the Clerk of the National Assembly for Senator Dino Melaye to report at Kogi State Police Command, CIID, Lokoja for him to answer to these offences against him under investigation in Kogi State Police Command but he has bluntly refused to report himself to the Police.

    “The Police operatives will continue to be in wait at the residence of Senator Dino Melaye until he surrenders himself for arrest. The offence for which Senator Dino Melaye is being investigated is capital in nature and not compoundable.

    “The Force will not tolerate attack on its personnel by any individual no matter how highly placed. The law must take its course.”

  • JUST IN: Police invade Melaye’s residence in Abuja

    JUST IN: Police invade Melaye’s residence in Abuja

    Information reaching TNG now has it that some police operatives in their numbers have invaded the residence of the lawmaker representing Kogi West in the National Assembly, Senator Dino Melaye

    The invasion of the lawmaker’s Abuja residence located at 11 Sangha street, off Mississippi, Maitama, took place some minutes after Midday today.

    Presently, the street where his house is located has been cordoned off by security operatives with Toyota Hilux operational vehicles.

    Recall that Melaye had earlier raised the alarm a few days ago over an attempt by the Federal Government to assassinate him.

    Attempts to reach the embattled senator for comments as at the time of filing this was not successful

    Details later…