TheNewsGuru

Tag: kogi

  • Mikel Obi reveals intentions to work with Yahaya Bello

    Mikel Obi reveals intentions to work with Yahaya Bello

    Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has revealed his desire to work with the governor of Kogi state Yahaya Bello for the betterment of Nigerians.

    Mikel paid a courtesy visit to the governor on Sunday and praised his contribution to the progress of Kogi State.

    The 34-year-old midfielder also promised to support Bello in his future political endeavours and help foster youth development.

    “It is an honour for me to finally meet his Excellency personally after all the good things I have heard and read about him from not just the people of Kogi State but from Nigerians,” Mikel said as per the Guardian.

    “My main aim is to come here to show my appreciation and to thank him for all the things he has been doing for the people and also to support him in whatever future political positions he wants to go into.

    “I will like to be there to support him, to be there by his side through this journey for him to achieve whatever he wants which is for the betterment of Nigeria.

    “What better person to lead the youths than him, because he has been doing all these good works and that is why I am here to see whatever way I can come in.

    “To get the youths together to know and see how we can make things better for our country and how we can align to achieve all that”

  • SERAP drags FG, Kogi Govt to UN over ‘arbitrary detention of activists Larry and Victor’

    SERAP drags FG, Kogi Govt to UN over ‘arbitrary detention of activists Larry and Victor’

    Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent “an urgent complaint to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention over the arbitrary detention and ill-treatment of activists Larry Emmanuel and Victor Anene Udoka simply for peacefully exercising their right to protest in Kogi state.”

    SERAP said: “The arrest and continued detention of Larry Emmanuel and Victor Anene Udoka is an egregious violation of their human rights. The Nigerian and Kogi state authorities have violated the following rights under the Nigerian Constitution, 1999 (as amended) and international law in continuing to detain Larry Emmanuel and Victor Anene Udoka: the right to be free from arbitrary detention; the right freedom from torture and ill-treatment, and the right to due process of law.”

    In the complaint dated 25 May, 2021 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization said: “The detention of Larry Emmanuel and Victor Anene Udoka constitutes an arbitrary deprivation of their liberty because it does not have any legal justification. The detention also does not meet minimum international standards of due process.”

    SERAP is calling on the Working Group to “initiate a procedure involving the investigation of the cases of Larry Emmanuel and Victor Anene Udoka, and urgently send an allegation letter to the Nigerian and Kogi state authorities inquiring about the case generally, and specifically about the legal basis for their arrest, detention, and ill-treatment, each of which is in violation of international law.”

    SERAP is also urging the Working Group to “issue an opinion declaring that Larry Emmanuel and Victor Anene Udoka’s deprivation of liberty and detention is arbitrary and in violation of Nigeria’s Constitution and obligations under international law. We also urge the Working Group to call for the immediate release of Larry Emmanuel and Victor Anene Udoka.”

    According to SERAP, “We urge the Working Group to request the Nigerian and Kogi state authorities to investigate and hold accountable all persons responsible for the unlawful arrest, continued detention, and ill-treatment of Larry Emmanuel and Victor Anene Udoka in Kogi state.”

    SERAP is also calling on the Working Group “to request the Nigerian and Kogi state authorities to award Larry Emmanuel and Victor Anene Udoka adequate compensation for the violations they have endured as a result of their unlawful arrest, arbitrary detention, and ill-treatment.”

    The complaint addressed to Ms. Elina Steinerte Chairman/Rapporteur of the Working Group, read in part: “As set forth in this Individual Complaint, the Nigerian and Kogi State authorities are arbitrarily depriving Larry Emmanuel and Victor Anene Udoka of their liberty and continues to arbitrarily detain them. Larry Emmanuel and Victor Anene Udoka are citizens of Nigeria and have been detained since 5th April, 2021. They continue to be detained without access to the outside world.”

    “Pursuant to the mandate of the Working Group, the “Manual of Operations of the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council” and the publication “Working with the UN Human Rights Programme, a Handbook for Civil Society”, SERAP, a non-governmental human rights organization, can provide information on a specific human rights case or situation in a particular country, or on a country’s laws and practices with human rights implications.”

    “SERAP therefore argues that the case adequately satisfies the requirements by which to submit an individual complaint to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.”

    “SERAP respectfully requests the Working Group to initiate the procedure involving the investigation of individual cases toward reaching an opinion declaring Larry Emmanuel and Victor Anene Udoka’s detention to be arbitrary and in violation of international law. To this end, SERAP will pursue the regular communications procedure before the Working Group in order to have the ability to provide comments on any response by the Nigerian and Kogi State authorities.”

    “The government of President Muhammadu Buhari is responsible under the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 (as amended) and international law to protect the safety and rights of protesters and create an environment conducive to a diverse and pluralistic expression of ideas and peaceful dissent from government policy.”

    “The wave of protests against repression by both the Federal and Kogi state authorities illustrate a broken social contract between the authorities and Nigerians. The authorities have been failing to meet the demands of Nigerians to respect human rights, end restrictions on civic space, obey court orders and ensure the rule of law.”

    “The failure to hold to account those responsible has continued to increase the vulnerability of protesters and activists in the country.”

    “SERAP is seriously concerned that the Nigerian and Kogi state authorities have so far failed and/or neglected to address or redress the attacks on the peaceful protesters, despite growing calls on the authorities to investigate the attacks and bring perpetrators to justice.”

    “We urge you to put pressure on the Nigerian authorities to take all feasible measures to protect peaceful protesters demanding the release of all prisoners of conscience, and full respect for the rule of law.”

    “We urge you to put pressure on the Nigerian and Kogi state authorities to make clear that they will not tolerate violent attacks on protesters. The authorities have a responsibility both to respect the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and to protect protesters from violent attack.”

    “Emmanuel Larry and Victor Anen Udoka’s social activism and calls for peaceful protests led to escalating government harassment and their eventual arrest and detention. They are two of several youths who have been protesting against the Federal government.”

    “There was no warrant for Emmanuel Larry and Victor Anen Udoka’s arrest and they have been in detention for over forty days without bail, which has become a recurring pattern of the Nigerian authorities’ disdainful, illegal arrest and detention of protesters, journalists and activists”

    “According to their lawyer, Benjami Omeiza, he has no access to Emmanuel Larry and Victor Anen Udoka and that while he was negotiating for their release, Kogi State quickly arranged for a Magistrate to order their detention in Prison, ex-parte (without notice). They have been in Prison for over forty days afterwards. They have not been formally charged nor arraigned before any competent court of jurisdiction; neither have they been released.”

    “The attacks are coming on the heels of similar violent attacks by the military and the police on the #EndSars protesters demanding proscription of the erstwhile dreaded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and violation of human rights by security agents in October, 2020 and the other protesters in March, 2021.”

  • We are pleased with how you handled Coronavirus pandemic in Kogi, Pastor Adeboye tells Governor Bello

    We are pleased with how you handled Coronavirus pandemic in Kogi, Pastor Adeboye tells Governor Bello

    Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), has lauded the governance and leadership style of Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi, describing him as a man of faith.

    Speaking when he visited Bello on Saturday in Lokoja, Adeboye also commended the governor for his religious tolerance.

    Adeboye said that the show of faith by Bello in handling the Coronavirus pandemic was a rare demonstration from a political leader.

    “We have heard and seen your show of faith in God, particularly in dealing with the Coronavirus. It takes the man of faith to have acted the way you did and we are very, very pleased with you.

    “We have also heard the news of how you have been relating to people of every faith to the extent that you built the first chapel in the Government House, Lokoja, we are delighted, sir.

    “I want to assure you that we will keep on praying for you, we will keep on praying for the people of your state and I believe that the Almighty God will answer our prayers for you,” Adeboye said.

    Adeboye further assured the governor that he would continue to offer prayers for the leadership and people of the state at large.

    In his response, Gov. Bello told Adeboye that the visit of a clergy was a gift and he was delighted to be hosting a father figure who served as a role model to many across the country, himself inclusive.

    Bello asserted that it was evil for any leader to continually do wrong without recourse to natural justice.

    The governor noted that in Kogi State under his leadership and considering the circumstances surrounding his emergence as governor and his election for a second term, his resolve was to do good by providing credible and impacting governance.

    He alluded that his administration’s strive to ensure ethnic, religious balance, fighting criminality and other modest achievements were only natural and mandatory obligations expected of leaders bequeathed with the people’s mandate.

    Bello urged Adeboye to continue to pray for the country, the state, both leadership and followership.

    He stressed that all faiths at this very period should harmonise the nation, and called for divine intervention for the nation instead of beating the drums of division and war.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the Kogi Governor was one of those who downplayed the seriousness and existence of the deadly virus in the country. He also refused taking the vaccine as his colleague governors did labeling it killer vaccine.

  • After shooting commissioner dead, abductors of Kogi LG chairman demand ₦100m

    After shooting commissioner dead, abductors of Kogi LG chairman demand ₦100m

    The abductors of the Chairman of Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State, Pius Kolawole, have demanded a ransom of one hundred million Naira.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that Kolawole and some others were kidnapped on Saturday on his way from Ilorin to his hometown of Egbe, the border town between Kogi and Kwara State.

    He was said to be in the company of the state Commissioner for Pension Board Honourable Adebayo Solomon, who was shot dead by the gunmen.

    According to reports, the abductors contacted one of the family members of the chairman on Sunday night to demand the ransom.

    A family source on Monday said the abductors promised to call back by this morning to continue with the negotiation.

    The source further said the kidnappers had also contacted the Kogi State Chairman, Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) Mr. Taofik Isah who doubled as the Chairman of Ijumu Local Government Area.

    It was gathered that the family, council area and ALGON had now agreed that only the ALGON Chairman should continue with the negotiation with the kidnappers.

    Two days ago, the kidnappers did not touch the four-year-old son of late Solomon who was in the vehicle at the time of the attack.

    While the police orderly to the chairman took to his heels, the driver of the vehicle was badly wounded and shot at by the abductors and only regained consciousness the second day at the Egbe Hospital.

  • Two notorious kidnappers gunned down in Kogi shooting

    Two notorious kidnappers gunned down in Kogi shooting

    Two notorious kidnappers Monday Mimiko and Abu Billi have been gunned down in Kogi State during intensive gun-battle with security forces and vigilantes.

    Mimiko alias Aneni the law and Billi alias Don German died during crossfire with security personnel while two others escaped with gunshot wounds.

    The kidnappers were said to have been operating and terrorising communities in Dekina Local Government Area of the State for long.

    In the process, three kidnapped victims were rescued.

    Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello commended the exploit of the security forces and the vigilantes for arresting some of the notorious kidnappers.

    Bello, in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Onogwu Mohammed, on Sunday, said the successful fight against criminals in the state is also coming at a time when insecurity is heightened in some parts of the country.

    The governor said the gang of notorious kidnappers operating in Dekina Area Council met their waterloo on Saturday on Idah Road.

    He added that the repel by the Joint Taskforce of Neighborhood watch, vigilantes, hunters and other security agents led to the death of the gang members as three captives were release.

    “The kidnappers, whose names were Monday Mimiko alias Aneni the law and Abu Billi alias Don German died during crossfire with security personnel while two others escaped with gunshot wounds.

    “The security team also freed three persons kidnapped by the gang during operation around Egume.

    “The criminals had been terrorising the Okura axis of Dekina LGA for years engaging in kidnapping and armed robbery,” he said.

    Confirming the report, Dekina LGA Chairman, Mr Ishaq Okolo, said that he was aware of the operation, noting that the security operatives were acting on the instruction of the governor.

    The governor had directed security agents to fish out criminal elements wherever they are in the society.

    Okolo urged members of the public to give useful information about criminals to the security agencies, noting that all hands must be on deck to ensure a crime-free society.

  • How Kogi handles security challenges – Yahaya Bello

    How Kogi handles security challenges – Yahaya Bello

    Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi says his administration has succeeded in providing adequate security in the state by enhancing citizens’ involvement in the fight against insecurity.

    Represented by the state Deputy Governor Edward Onoja, Bello made this observation at the Annual Lecture/Fellow’s Night 2021 of the Institute of Security and Strategic Studies on Saturday in Abuja.

    He said that his government, being youth-oriented, had been able to involve young minds in decision making on security issues.

    He observed that the state was confronted with several security challenges prior to his assumption of office as governor in 2015.

    He said that he assigned security roles to more than 5,000 young men and women in local governments to collaborate with security agencies and ensure adequate security in their communities.

    “Some of the measures taken by the government to tackle insecurity include clearing of highway bushes, equipping security agencies, engagement of youths in vigilance groups and incorporation of hunters into anti-kidnapping squad,” he said.

    He noted that his administration also involved citizens in the fight against insecurity through involvement of local government chairmen and traditional rulers in the security arrangement of the state.

    He said that the kidnapping of his mother provided an opportunity for him to work hard to rid the state of all forms of criminality and make it safe for the citizens.

    “Upon my assumption of office as executive governor of Kogi, I saw it as a divine opportunity among others to rid the state of all crimes and criminality.

    “To achieve this goal, we decided to take a simple steps to frontally tackle crime in our society.

    “Some of which is highway vegetation control by clearing six metres in either side of the highway across the state.

    “This simple initiative improved visibility for travellers and eliminated high impulse of kidnappers that usually pound on unsuspecting travellers around blind spots of the highways to execute their nefarious activities,” he said.

    Bello announced that the state had bought and equipped no fewer than 200 security vehicles for the security agencies.

    He said that the vehicles were strategically deployed across the state to collaborate with citizens to curb crimes.

    He also said that the state invested in the use of technology to gather intelligence across the state as well as collaborate with responsible corporate entities in the state.

    The former Director-General, National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Prof. Ahmed Danfulani, said that no nation could progress where a group of individuals constituted themselves as threats to the national ssecurity.

    Danfulani, who spoke on the theme: “Our National Security Predicaments: Implications for the Current Democratic Order”, said the success of national security was difficult to appreciate in a state of fear and uncertainty.

    According to him, the average Nigerian has no idea of what is national security and people take issues of national with levity.

    He called for collective effort in promoting the Nigeria project and promote its national security.

    The Secretary, Governing Council, Institute of Security and Strategic Studies, Dr Danladi Abdulhameed, said that the global terrorism index for 2021 listed Nigeria as the third most terrorised countries in the world after Afghanistan and Iraq.

    Abdulhameed said the classification was hinged on the fact that Nigeria had been in a state of war against terrorism, farmers/herdsmen clashes, banditry and Kidnapping.

    He said that while terrorist attacks could occur anywhere in the world, insecurity had remained the greatest threat to Nigeria’s budding democracy.

    He said that several challenges have continued to besiege the nation’s democratic system such as insecurity which has claimed the lives and livelihoods of civilians, foreigners, security personnel and threatened our socio-economic and political entity.

    “It is on this note that we at the Institute of Security and Strategic Studies are committed to protecting our nation’s security so that the electorate shall have confidence in nascent democracy,” he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the institute inducted Gov. Yahaya Bello to fellowship and also bestowed on him the Security Personality of the Year 2021 Award.

    Also inducted to the fellowship is the Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (Tetfund), Prof. Suleiman Bogoro among others.

  • Gunmen abduct couple, three children returning from Easter holidays in Kogi

    Gunmen abduct couple, three children returning from Easter holidays in Kogi

    Daredevil gunmen on Sunday kidnapped a family of five (father, mother and three children) returning from the Easter holidays.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG gathered that the family originally from Ajowa Akoko in the Akoko North-West Local Government Area of Ondo State were kidnapped at the Ayere community in Kogi State on Sunday.

    The victims were said to be travelling to Abuja from Ajowa Akoko, where they went for Easter celebration, when the hoodlums intercepted them on the bad portion of the road.

    It was gathered that the head of the family, Mr Ibrahim Olusa, his wife and children were abducted at gunpoint by the kidnappers between Ajowa Akoko and Ayere in Kogi State, and were all taken into the bush.

    According to The Punch reports, the kidnappers have contacted the victims’ family and demanded N10m for their release.

    The incident was said to have brought a lot of apprehension to residents of the town.

    A community leader and the immediate past Chairman of the Ajowa Akoko Community Council, Mr Ajayi Bakare, who confirmed the incident, attributed kidnappings and robberies on that road to the deplorable portions in Kogi State.

    Bakare appealed to government to rehabilitate the road to enable free flow of vehicles on the expressway.

    Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer in Ondo State, Mr Tee-Leo Ikoro, said the incident had not been reported to the command.

  • After rubbishing Covid-19 vaccine, Yahaya Bello finally accepts to administer same in Kogi

    After rubbishing Covid-19 vaccine, Yahaya Bello finally accepts to administer same in Kogi

    Kogi State Government has finally agreed to start administering the COVID-19 vaccine to residents.

    Recall that Governor Yahaya Bello insisted that he won’t allow his people to be used as “guinea pigs by vaccine manufacturers”.

    ALSO READ: Politicians playing games with COVID-19, says Kogi Gov

    The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) gave the hint after meeting with Gov. Bello in Kogi on Monday.

    ED/CEO NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib met with the Executive Governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello to discuss and resolve issues the State is facing around Cold Chain for vaccine storage and provision of security at the Cold Store. Excellent meeting. pic.twitter.com/rXFHiJ0dz8

    In the same vein, the State commissioner for Health, Saka Haruna, told journalists on Monday in a telephone interview that Kogi will receive doses of the vaccine on Tuesday ahead of the rollout.

    He also said the residents will be given “unhindered access to receive the vaccine”.

    Kogi is the only state yet to start administering the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine to residents three weeks after Nigeria began its rollout.

    The National Primary Health Care Development Agency had attributed the delay to two factors – the state’s “concerns around the contradictory information about the vaccines” and the non-repair of its cold-chain store.

    When the vaccine doses arrived in Nigeria, Bello who had repeatedly denied the existence of COVID-19 in Kogi, said the vaccination is among their least concerns.

    “COVID-19 is just a minute aspect of what we’re treating in Kogi state. I’m not going to subject the people of Kogi state to vaccination, or I will not make them guinea pigs.” he had said.

    Speaking with TheCable on Monday, Haruna said “everything” is set for the state to start the vaccination rollout.

    “We have done the microplanning and everything has been completed with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency,” the commissioner said.

    “Anybody that is willing to receive the vaccine (will receive it); nobody is exempted. And nobody will be forced to receive the vaccine.”

    The official also said the state will announce further plans, including the location of the vaccination launch after receiving the supplies.

    He, however, failed to confirm if state government officials particularly the governor will receive the vaccine.

    “The governor does not have to receive the vaccine before others will; I don’t think there is anything special about COVID that we have to bring the governor out to come and receive the vaccine,” he said.

  • Despite blood clot worries, Nigeria vaccinates 8,000 in 35 States except Yahaya Bello’s Kogi

    Despite blood clot worries, Nigeria vaccinates 8,000 in 35 States except Yahaya Bello’s Kogi

    No fewer than 8,000 persons have so far been vaccinated in 35 states and the FCT, the Presidential Task Force (PTF), on COVID-19, said on Monday in Abuja.

    The Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaib, made the disclosure at the PTF briefing, on Monday in Abuja.

    Shuaib however, said Kogi remained the only state yet to receive the vaccines because its cold chains for preservation of the vaccines were under repair.

    He said the vaccines had been tested and verified to be effective and safe for use, dismissing rumours and concerns about the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines as causing blood clot.

    On the price of the vaccines, he said the vaccine was cheaper than other available vaccines in the market as the producers were concerned about human safety over making profit.

    He said Nigerians should concern themselves with the efficacy of the vaccine rather than reject it because of its market price saying countries like the UK and many others were still using it.

    On the experienced bottleneck for registration, the NPHCDA boss said anyone eligible for registration could also be manually registered at the vaccination centre.

  • Kogi Rep urges Wike to join 2023 presidential race

    Kogi Rep urges Wike to join 2023 presidential race

    Rep. Tajudeen Yusuf (PDP-Kogi) has urged Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers to join the 2023 presidential race on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Yusuf, representing Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency, said this in a statement in Abuja on Monday.

    According to the lawmaker, in spite of all the challenges facing the state, Wike has continued to give positive prospect to the economy of Nigeria.
    “Gov. Nyesom Wike’s outstanding achievements have qualified him for higher responsibilities in Nigeria.

    “His effective management of state resources on execution of major projects portrayed him as a leading light in this dark moment of our democracy.
    “The ongoing massive infrastructure development and various project commissioning continues to attract the attention and presence of eminent leaders across the federation.

    “Wike has positively impacted all sectors of the state’s economy; revolutionising the health, agricultural and education sectors,” he said.

    Yusuf added:“The string of flyovers scattered all over strategic points in Port Harcourt to decongest a seemingly insurmountable traffic situation is clear attestation to what visionary and people-oriented leadership can do.”

    “Wike is the man who will return PDP to power at the centre again.”