TheNewsGuru

Tag: Treason

  • #RevolutionNow protest: FG charges Sowore with money laundering, treasonable felony

    The Federal Government on Friday charged the convener of #RevolutionNow protest, Omoyele Sowore, with treasonable felony and money laundering.

    Sowore, promoter of an online media platform – Sahara Reporters, who was also presidential candidate of African Action Congress (AAC) in the last presidential election, is charged along with Olawale Bakare, also known as Mandate, in a seven-count charge filed by the office of the Attornery General of the Federation.

    Sowore is currently being detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) upon an order of the Federal High Court, Abuja given on August 8, 2019, permitting the DSS to detain him for 45 days in the first instance, following the security agency’s claim that he was involved in acts of terrorism and plotted to topple the government; allegations he has since denied.

    The charge filed yesterday was signed on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), by Aminu Alilu, a Chief State Counsel in the Department of Public Prosecutions of the Federal Ministry of Justice.

    The two defendants are, in the charge, accused of committing conspiracy to commit treasonable felony in breach of section 516 of the Criminal Code Act by allegedly staging “a revolution campaign on September 5, 2019 aimed at removing the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

    They are also alleged to have actually committed the offence of reasonable felony in breach of Section, 4(1)(c) of the Criminal Code Act, by using the platform of Coalition for Revolution, in August 2019 in Abuja, Lagos and other parts of Nigeria, to stagedthe #RevolutionNow protest allegedly aimed at removing the President.

    Sowore was, in the charge, accused of involvement in cybercrime offences in violation of section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention) Act, by “knowingly” sending “messages by means of press interview granted on Arise Television network, “which you knew to be false, for the purpose of causing insult, enmity, hatred and ill-will on the person of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

    The state aso accused Sowore of money laundering offences in breach of section 15(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 by allegedly transferring by means of swift wire various sums of money from his United Bank of Africa Plc account with number 3002246104 into Sahara Reporters Media Foundation’s account with Guaranty Trust Bank in order to conceal the origin of the funds.

    He was alleged to have allegedly transfered $19,975 on April 2, 2019; $20,475 on May 21, 2019, $16,975 on June 27, 2019, and another $16,975 on July 16, 2019.

    Listed as exhibits to be relied upon by the prosection are Sowore’s written statement, transcripts of his statement, video recordings, audio recordings, statements of bank accounts, media publication and “any other exhibits the prosecution may later supply in its additional proof of evidence.”

    The prosecution also listed six specific witnesses to be called.

    They are Paul Clement, Moses Amadi, Cyril Odawn, Paul Okafor, UBA employee, GTB employee and “any other witness or witnesses to be supplied later in the additional proof of evidence.”

    The DSS arrested Sowore in Lagos on August 2, 2019, following his call for revolution in a protest he organised to take place in some major cities on August 5, 2019.

  • BREAKING: Invasion, hijack of mace by Omo-Agege’s thugs an act of treason – Senate

    The leadership of the Nigerian Senate has said the invasion of the hallowed chamber by suspected thugs on Wednesday during plenary is an act of treason and will be treated as such.

    The Senate leadership also accused a suspended member, Sen. Omo-Agege as the mastermind of the invasion.

    This was revealed on Wednesday in a statement by Senate spokesperson, Sabi Abdullahi after the incident.

    Read the full statement below:

    *RESPONSE TO TODAY’S INCIDENT IN THE SENATE CHAMBER*

    Today, some armed hoodlums led by suspended Senator, Ovie Omo-Agege, walked into the Senate plenary and seized the symbol of authority of the Upper Legislative Chamber, the mace.

    This action is an act of treason, as it is an attempt to overthrow a branch of the Federal Government of Nigeria by force, and it must be treated as such. All security agencies must stand on the side of due process and immediately mobilise their personnel to retrieve the mace and apprehend the mastermind and the perpetrators of this act.

    This action is also an affront on the legislature, and the leadership of the House has come to express their support against this action.

    The Senate is now in an Executive session.

    An updated statement will be released immediately after the closed door session.

    *Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi*

    *Senate Spokesperson*

  • Northern quit notice to Igbos, an act of treason — Uranta

    Northern quit notice to Igbos, an act of treason — Uranta

    The Executive Secretary, Nigerian National Summit Group, NNSG, Mr. Tony Uranta has said the recent threat from the coalition of Northern groups ordering Igbos out of the region is an act of treason and should not be handled flimsily by the Federal Government and relevant security agencies.

    Uranta argued that since Nnamdi Kanu was also treated and charged with treasonable offence by the federal government during his agitation for Biafra Republic, the people behind the threats to the Igbos should also be arrested and made to face same persecution as Nnamdi Kanu. He noted that doing anything shorter than this will amount to taking sides by the federal government.

    Uranta revealed this in a statement he signed and released on Friday.

    The statement reads:

    “Although some of the signatories have been comrades seeking Justice in a Restructured Nigeria, I am shocked by, and outraged at, this brazen and public act of treason, that could, at the very least, trigger a pogrom against all non-Northern Nigerian; and, at worst, throw Nigeria into a Civil War! We must never forget how the 1966 pogrom in the North eventually threw Nigeria into the costly Civil War that lasted for 30months. Nor, can we deny the avoidable calamities it has wrought on our Country since the war ended.

    Nnamdi Kanu’s IPOB never created terror on this level, yet he spent so long in detention charged with treason against the nation. These youths and elders who are definitely trying to whip up hate and violence in millions of otherwise peaceful Northerners must be seen in the same light that Kanu was by the Federal Government. This is NOT a case of treason against Kaduna State; it is a case of terrorism expressly promised…a threat to the very survival of Nigeria.

    All leaders that publicly support the “Igbos-must-leave” stand, be they young or old, must be quickly arrested, fully investigated and lawfully prosecuted! Anything less than that will be seen as nepotistic favouritism premised on base ethnic sentiments. Let the courts determine who is culpable of what…but, let Nigerians not have the perception that there are limits to their rights as citizens.

    Remember that not even foreign Fulani Herdsmen terrorists have been denied entry, to date, even into areas where they have butchered and raped thousands of law-abiding innocent Nigerians nationwide,” Uranta said.