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Tag: kogi

  • 88 doctors quit Kogi civil service under Gov Yahaya Bello – NMA

    88 doctors quit Kogi civil service under Gov Yahaya Bello – NMA

    The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has called on Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi to reverse the ‘current internal drift’ of doctors and other healthcare workers in the state.

    The association made the appeal in a statement issued to newsmen in Lokoja on Monday by the state NMA Chairman, Dr Kabiru Zubair.

    This followed the exit of 88 medical doctors from the state public service.

    The association however felicitated with the governor on the celebration of his third year anniversary in office and for making healthcare one of his five thematic areas.

    According to Zubair, “Under this administration, a total of 88 doctors have left the Kogi Civil Service; previously, 79 doctors left plus another nine who had succeeded in securing new employment recently.

    “Doctors and other healthcare workers remained the drivers of healthcare delivery anywhere in the world.

    “Steps such as the payment of outstanding salary arrears of doctors and other healthcare workers, implementation of the corrected CONMESS, promotion and annual step increment, among others, are needed to reverse this unfortunate trend.

    “As you commence your fourth year in office, the NMA as the custodian of the health of the people is ready and willing to partner with state government to improve the health sector in Kogi.”

    Zubair said that the association equally felicitated with the Deputy Governor, the SSG, the Chief of Staff, Commissioner for Health, Special Adviser on Health Matters and the entire cabinet members for sustaining the progress made thus far.

    Bello was sworn-in as the fourth civilian governor of Kogi by the state Chief Judge, Justice Nasir Ajanah, on Jan. 27, 2016.

    Zubair, however, commended the state government and Bello for some positive steps the government had taken in repositioning the health sector in the state.

     

  • 10 killed in Kogi communal clash

    10 killed in Kogi communal clash

    The hostility between Ebirra and Bassa-Komu ethnic tribes in Bassa Local Government Area of Kogi State came to a head yesterday as 10 people were feared killed in a crisis that erupted between them.

    Many people were also injured in the crisis that followed the return of the Ebirra people who were displaced from their various communities earlier due to the quarrel that started last year April.

    The police command Public Relations Officer, William Aya, who confirmed the incident yesterday in Lokoja, said there was no cause for alarm as the situation had been brought under control.

    He said that two people lost their lives in the renewed crisis between the two ethnic groups who have been at dagger drawn in the eastern part of the state for months.

    Aya said the police command had drafted a team of mobile policemen, conventional policemen and other security agents led by the assistant commissioner of police in charge of operations to the affected areas to restore normalcy as quickly as possible.

    “Two people were killed. One killed yesterday, and the second one today. Calm has returned to the affected areas.
    The CP in charge of operations, mobile police, conventional police, area commanders and soldiers are already there to restore law and order,” he said.

    It was gathered that following the intervention of elders from the area, the Ebirra speaking people, who fled their homes in many communities as a result of the crisis, were asked to go back to their villages by the state government in order to pave way for a lasting peace among the two ethnic groups.

    In the spirit of reconciliation, the displaced Ebirra, who were accompanied by security operatives and political appointees, including the Bassa Local Government administrator, Sam Alumka, returned to Oguma, the headquarters of the local government on Wednesday, from where they were expected to go to their various villages.

    It was alleged that uncomplimentary remarks by the paramount ruler of Bassa-Komu ethnic group, the Aguma of Bassa, William Keke, sparked off the latest crisis. He allegedly said the returning Ebirra people should go back to Lokoja or where they had been staying when they were away.

    A source also alleged that the Ohiogba of Mozum, Alhaji Halidu Bukar Ali and other Ebira leaders who were at Aguma of Bassa’s palace to receive their people back home were nearly ambushed by hoodlums, but for the intervention of the security operatives.

    The Guardian gathered that the escape of the Ohiogba of Mozum and other Ebira leaders from attack and the alleged unguarded statement of Keke led to the crisis in which more than 10 persons were said to have been killed.

  • Alleged homicide: ‘Sick’ Melaye, Police argue over fitness for trial in Kogi [Photos]

    Alleged homicide: ‘Sick’ Melaye, Police argue over fitness for trial in Kogi [Photos]

    The Nigeria Police Force has declared the Senator representing Kogi West senatorial district in the National Assembly, Senator Dino Melaye fit to face trial.

    The Police said it arrived at the conclusion after several test conducted on the Senator came out negative adding that it was an indication that the Senator was not medically challenged as he claimed.

    But Melaye urged the police to relocate him to National hospital after three days of treatment at Police hospital in Garki, Abuja.

    Certifying the Senator medically fit for trial, the Police Authority described the Senator’s request and actions so far as Nigerian Home video part 2.

    The Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Police Medical, AIG Kaomi Amadu also faulted Melaye’s claim based on medical record from expert.

    Senator Melaye, whose Abuja residence was under siege for eight days surrendered to Police operatives at the weekend amidst drama which landed him in the hospital.

    The senator is wanted by the Police for a case of Criminal Conspiracy and attempted culpable homicide, committed on 19th July, 2018, when him and his armed thugs allegedly attacked Police personnel; shot and wounded Sgt. Danjuma Saliu, attached to 37 Police Mobile Force (PMF) on stop and search duty along Aiyetoro Gbede, Mopa Road in Kogi State.

  • 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.”

  • Senate bows to Melaye, Aidoko’s request, probes Kogi govt’s $500m foreign loan

    The Senate on Wednesday asked its Committee on Local and Foreign Loans to investigate alleged plan by the Kogi State government to take a $500 million foreign loan.

    The loan plan, it was learnt, is without recourse to the National Assembly, which is empowered by law to approve such loan.

    Two Kogi State senators – Atai Aidoko (Kogi East) and Dino Melaye (Kogi West) – who drew the attention of their colleagues to the loan plan, urged them to stop the state from taking the loan in the interest of the residents.

    Melaye, in a motion, raised the alarm that the approval for the $500 million had been given by the Ministry of Finance in contravention of the law.

    He prayed the Senate not to allow the alleged approval to stand.

    The senator alleged that most Kogi residents were convinced that the state government would spend the loan to prosecute next year’s general elections.

    Melaye also claimed that the state government did not involve the House of Assembly in the plan to obtain the loan.

    He said: “The Kogi State government has approached East West Capital Corporation, based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to get a loan of $500 million. That is about N186 billion. Already, the state government has borrowed about N40 billion since it came on board in 2016.

    “The law clearly states that any foreign loan must be approved by the National Assembly. That was not done. But I am aware that the Minister of Finance has already given the approval. The Senate cannot sit back and allow this illegality to stand. The Senate needs to stop this.”

    Aidoko seconded the motion.

    The Kogi East senator regretted that due to alleged mismanagement of resources in the state, Deputy Governor Simon Achuba had not been collecting salary for months.

    He added that the government had not paid any allowance to the deputy governor in the last one year.

    According to him, electricity supply to the official residence of the deputy governor has been disconnected by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) due to unpaid charges.

    Aidoko who represents the deputy governor in the Senate also told his colleagues that the House of Assembly had adjourned sine die following the failure of the state government to pay the salaries and allowances of the lawmakers.

    The senator said Kogi civil servants had not been paid in the last one year, same with judicial officers.

    To worsen the situation, Aidoko said judicial officers were planning to go on strike due to the failure of the state government to pay their salaries and allowances.

    He noted that despite huge funds received by the state government, it had borrowed over N40 billion since the Yahaya Bello administration came on board in January, 2016.

    Aidoko said approving such a loan would create more problems for the state and its people.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki ruled that a standing committee on Local and Foreign Loans was in a better position to handle the matter.

    He referred the matter to the Committee on Local and Foreign Debts to, among others, ascertain the veracity of the claims by Melaye and Aidoko.

    The Senate President mandated the Shehu Sani-led committee to turn in its report within 48 hours to enable the Senate take a position on the matter.

     

  • Gunmen kill Kogi gov’s aide, two others

    Unidentified gunmen have assassinated the custodian of Aneku Okuku masquerade, Mr. Yusuf Adabenege, in Okene town, Kogi State.

    Adabenege was reportedly killed alongside two of his aides while driving on Obehira-ege road in Okene. Adabenege was at the forefront of drumming support for the reelection bid of the state Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, and also the custodian of Aneku Okuku Cementi masquerade of Obehira.

    He was also a Personal Assistant to the Governor on Domestic Matters until his death.

    It was learnt that late Adabenege was ambushed at the front of Living Faith Church, Okuha Anatahu Okene Obehira road around 6:40pm on Friday when a hand grenade was thrown at his convoy forcing the vehicle to stop abruptly.

    He was said to have been dragged down from the vehicle and killed using a hand grenade that hit him on the head.

    The gunmen also fired at his vehicle which resulted in the death of his driver identified as Musa immediately.

    Following his death, security operatives were drafted in to man strategic positions around the city.

    The state Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, who addressed the people of Ebiraland on Saturday morning on TAO FM mourned the death of Adabenege.

    He condoled with the people of Ebira, vowing that he would work with the security agencies to bring the perpetrators to book.

  • Three burnt to death, five severely injured in Kogi accident

    Three people were burnt to death and five others injured in an accident on the Zariagi-Lokoja highway in Kogi State.

    The Public Education Officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr Bisi Kazeem, who confirmed the development, said the incident occurred early on Thursday.

    He explained that nine people and three vehicles–Toyota Carina, Scania Truck and Mack Tanker–were involved in the accident.

    Kazeem said that one person escaped the accident, which he blamed on over-speeding unhurt.

    “The deceased were burnt alongside the vehicles, while the injured were taken to the Federal Medical Centre in Lokoja.”

    He said that an FRSC rescue team, which arrived at the scene after the accident had embarked on removing the wreckage from the road.

    The Okene-Lokoja-Abuja highway is classified among the deadliest road corridors in Nigeria.

     

    NAN

  • Violence, vote buying mar election in Kogi

    No fewer than five people were reportedly killed yesterday as violence and vote buying marred the ye-election for the Lokoja/Koto Federal Constituency, Kogi State.

    But, as at the time of filing this report the police confirmed that only two were killed.

    At the NEPA voting centre in Lokoja metropolis, one suspected thug, who was said to have carted away the ballot box and was hotly pursued by some youths, was said to have fallen down. In the process, his pistol that was in firing mode then discharged a bullet, which killed him on the spot.

    Also, a ballot snatcher loyal to the APC was said to have been stoned to death at the Maigari palace voting centre while the three others were killed separately within Lokoja metropolis. In Paparanda and Karaworo polling units in Lokoja metropolis, there were reports of intimidation and harassment of voters by government agents and political appointees. Thugs were said to have beaten a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart, Mohammed Balga.

    In Ward B, some people who dressed in police uniform with red beret were said to have besieged two polling units, shot sporadically and carted away the voting materials.

    At the Osuku Primary School polling unit in Kotokarfi Local Government Area, thugs fired sporadic gunshots to scare away opposition party supporters, preventing them from coming out to vote.

    As at 11.30 a.m. when reporters visited the place, there was no single person allowed to vote as those who came out were only accredited but only APC supporters were allowed to vote. The presiding officer, Joseph Julius, told reporters that they were arm-twisted to follow the bidding of the APC and they had to play along to save their lives. It was learnt that the local government administrator, Mohammed Tanko, is from the ward.

    Meanwhile, a one time Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Musa Ahmadu, decried the involvement of government officials and security agents in carrying and displaying arms in the Lokoja/Koto Federal Constituency bye-election.

    The former scribe while speaking to journalists accused the state governor, his chief of staff and other government functionaries of openly carrying arms against the tenets of the electoral law

    Alhaji Musa called on President Mohammadu Buhari to call the security agencies to order, stressing that their action and conduct of the governor may make the integrity of the Lokoja/Kogi federal constituency poll a nullity.

    At the Lokoja Ward D, where one of the contestants and immediate past Speaker of the State Assembly, Umar Imam voted, he alleged that the government marred the election with the use of thugs and security personnel who and arrested members of the opposition.

    Umar alleged that his younger brother was taken to the Government House with his agents, where they were beaten and tortured.

  • Kogi bye-election records two deaths – Police

    Kogi bye-election records two deaths – Police

    Police in Lokoja have confirmed the death of another person during Saturday’s bye-election to fill the vacant Lokoja /Kogi seat in House of Representatives.

    Spokesman of the command, DSP William Aya, who confirmed this to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lokoja on Saturday, said the incident had brought the number of people killed during the election to two.

    He said that the latest victim, who he identified as Yadau Umoru was killed at Ugwan Pawa polling unit, in front of Maigari palace while attempting to snatch a ballot box.

    According to him, the corpse of the deceased has been deposited in the morgue of the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja.

    An unidentified man had earlier in the day been killed by a mob at the polling unit located by Abuja Electricity Distribution Company’s office in Lokoja, while also attempting to snatch a ballot box.

    Aya had told NAN that the identity of the unfortunate man was unknown.

    The bye-election which started peacefully, with impressive turnout of voters, later became characterized by vote-buying and violence, including ballot box-snatching.

    NAN

  • Kogi bye-election: SDP candidate’s supporter stabs APC supporter to death

    A supporter of the Social Democratic Party in Kogi State (names withheld) has stabbed an APC supporter in Lokoja, Yahaya Umoru to death over resistance to ballot box snatching.

    Pandemonium ensued when some SDP thugs chanting “Imam must win” stormed a polling unit in Lokoja and attempted to snatch the ballot box at the Unit. APC supporters at the polling unit resisted the attempt, leading to the stabbing of Yahaya Umoru. He was confirmed dead at the hospital.

    Yahaya Umoru was the son of an APC House of Assembly aspirant for Lokoja 1 Constituency and was visible throughout the electioneering in the build up to the election.

    Police authorities in the state have vowed to apprehend the perpetrators of the dastardly act, urging the youth of the area to maintain calm as the long hand of the law will soon catch up with the murderer.

    Sources close to the scene of the event told our reporters that the thugs were armed by one of the aspirants in the election.

    “When they came, they said they were ready to kill to ensure the victory of their candidate in the election. It was unfortunate that they were able to carry out their threats.

    “The Police must ensure this case is not swept under the carpet. Our politicians should desist from arming youth when their children are in good schools. I am a member of the PDP and I am not happy that we are losing the election. But I can’t kill because of anyone”.