BREAKING!!! Fulani Herdsmen Set Multi Million Naira Rice Farm Ablaze in Anambra

Three Fulani herdsmen in the early hours of yesterday set commercial rice farms worth about N20 million ablaze in Ugbene community, Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The rice fields belonging to farmers in Umualor and Umuagunwoke villages occupy about 75 hectares of land.The residents decried that the dastardly act was as a result of their lingering feud which started last year when the herdsmen allegedly trespassed into their farms; an incidence, they disclosed resulted into open confrontation of each other with firearms.




Conducting newsmen around the smouldering scene, the farmers, some of who had tears cascading down their cheeks lamented that they took loans to embark on the agribusiness with the hope of paying back after sales.

A community leader, Mr Emmanuel Ifesinachi Okoye, lamented that “a message came to us this morning that our farm known as Area 1 was set ablaze by the Fulani herdsmen. We rushed to the scene and beheld our massive rice farm on fire. Most of us took loans to embark on the farming and that’s why there is sadness and wailing all over the community. We saw them running into the distance with their cows, and as such, we couldn’t chase after them.”

Contacted, the zonal Chairman (South East), Miyetti-Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Gidado Siddiki said “it is not true. Fulani herdsmen cannot do something like that. It’s those people that burnt their rice farm. We have a committee that looks into such matter in Anambra. They should go and report the matter there.”
Also, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ali Alphonsus Okechukwu, DSP, said the matter has not been tabled to him but said he’ll contact Achalla Police Division for details and necessarily actions.
The rice farm allegedly burnt by Fulani herdsmen in Ugbene community, Awka North

PDP Raises Alarm Over Plans To Poison Metuh In Detention

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised an alarm over alleged plans by the Economic Crimes and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to poison its national publicity, Chief Olisa Metuh, who was arrested earlier today.

According to a press statement obtained by Naij.com the opposition party believes that the anti-graft agency may be planning to break Metuh and possibly posion him.

Chief Olisa Metuh, the national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is presently in EFCC custody.

Read the statement below:
“The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) demands animmediate release of the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, who was Tuesday morning invited and detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“This development, which did not come to us as a surprise given series of threats to our party’s spokesman by the APC and the Federal Government, who are obviously not comfortable with our stance on the confused state of the nation under their watch, is a continuation of APC’s grand design to silence and decimate the PDP.

“The arrest of Chief Metuh today underscores the growing political intolerance in our country and the foisting of a police state which was last Wednesday underscored by the President and Commander-in-Chief himself, who defended why a government in a democracy should flout constitutional provision and brazenly disobey court orders.

“This onslaught against our spokesman, according to intelligence available to us is part of a larger script by the government to ensure that PDP wings are finally clipped in their mission to install a dictatorial one-party state in the country.

“The excesses of security agencies under this government, especially the Directorate of Security Services (DSS) and the EFCC, in abridging the human rights of PDP members have become worrisome and a threat to our democratic evolution.

“Nigerians and the international community will recall that on a number of occasions, the PDP, through its spokesman has been outspoken on some undemocratic proclivities being exhibited by the APC-led Federal Government in the last seven months.

“The PDP insists that for whatever reason Chief Metuh was arrested, his rights as a citizen under the law must not be trampled upon. We therefore demand for his immediate release and that due process of investigation and prosecution concerning him should be strictly adhered to.

“We state this because we have been made aware of top directives to break Chief Metuh and if possible poison him during his detention by the EFCC.

“Chief Metuh, has since his arrest at about 10 am, has been kept incommunicado, with his lawyers denied access to him.

“The PDP declares the arrest of our spokesman as the last straw that may break our democracy. We therefore forewarn the Federal Government and its agencies to save our democracy and forthwith release our National Publicity Secretary.

“We are also calling on the international community and well-meaning Nigerians to stand up for this democracy, which our party nurtured for 16 years and deepened to a level where the opposition, for the first time in our political history, had the opportunity to win in a general election.”

As at the time of filing this report, it was not clear what the situation was with the PDP publicity secretary as no one had been able to hear from him.

Disobedience to court orders: See What Judges Are Planning To do to Buhari

Angered by President Muhammadu Buhari’s disdain for court orders, some concerned judges have vowed to defend the independence of the judiciary by always looking at the letters of the law, ahead of the president’s famous body language and emotions in discharging their duties.

During last Wednesday’s President Buhari’s maiden media chat, he dismissed concerns of the penchant of security agencies under him to flagrantly violate valid court orders, especially as it relates to the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki and the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu.

The president’s aloofness as it concerns the growing disobedience to court orders has ruffled some feathers especially senior lawyers who have raised the alarm that it is a sure way to anarchy.

A very close source in the judiciary confided in Teamreporters that the judges across the three echelons of the judiciary; high court, appeal court and Supreme Court are feeling ill at ease with the president and therefore have vowed to give their all to maintain the sanctity of the judiciary.

The source said, the vociferous opposition from the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA and other senior lawyers against President Buhari was just the vent through which the bench is ventilating its frustrations with the president.

“I can tell you that the famed body language of the president won’t sway these judges. They have vowed to continue to follow the letters of the law, grant bail where the law says so, without let or hindrance, without even considering the sentiments and effusive emotions of the president on any matter.

“The judges are really seething with anger and you can see how easy it was for a federal high court judge in Abuja to do the Pontius Pilate in the case of Nnamdi Kanu; wash off his hands. That is just the sign of how frustrated these judges are. The other time, Justice Kolawole berated the security agencies and gave them strict orders never to re-arrest the AIT man on any frivolous charges.

“I can tell you that it may get to a point where judges will one after the other excuse themselves from corruption cases, because their thinking is that the president is inciting Nigerians against them. And they are no longer comfortable with it,” the source disclosed.

The president has faced growing discontentment and has come under vitriolic attacks owing to his justification for disobedience to rule of law. A US based lawyer has even petitioned the UN and the US president over the issue and has even gathered up to 1000 online signatures to force the president to resign if he continues to flout court orders.

Fresh Plot To Arrest Shia Muslim Leaders Around The Country

Information reaching 247ureports.com indicates that there is a new Plots to arrest leaders of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria Leaders. The plot, according to the available information involves the collaborative efforts of the Zazzau Emirate council, the Department of Security Services [DSS], the Nigerian Police, and Nigerian Army.

 

According to a competent source within the Zazzau Emirate Council, a behind the doors meeting involving – the district heads of the Council, the DSS, Local Government security Chiefs, the Nigerian Army, and the Police – were held in Salanken Zazzau, inside Alhaji Bello Abdulkadir’s  office.

 

According to the source, the meeting was held in order to devise ways of arresting and detaining members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria under the stewardship of  and their leaders in Zaria.

 

The secret meeting was held between 1 to 2 o’clock pm. At the close of the meeting, a list of Shia leaders were compiled. The names on the list were slated for arrests and detention.

 

A prison in Zaria has already relocated more than one hundred arrested Shias so that the enlisted Shias will fill the void once they are arrested.

Ikpeazu Tops List of 5 Governors Who May Lose Their Seat

As Nigerians enter another year, there are great expectations from the citizens in terms of what will be provided for them in terms of infrastructural development and economic empowerment at all tiers of government.

 

It should be noted that the curtain will be raised on some governors who may lose their seat as a result of the pendulum of election victory not swinging in their favour after they might have undergone judicial processes.

Last year witnessed a lot of political drama. The political drama is still going to continue in 2016. Although, some governors were supposedly duly elected while few have their election carried over from the previous year to the present year.

The irony of all the states in which their incumbent governors are in a state of dilemma is that they are states which have always been core Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s states since the return of democracy in 1999.

One of the possible reasons why these states may slip from the hands of the PDP may be anchored on the wind of change of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) or the poor performance of the PDP when it was at the saddle of political leadership of the country for 16 years.

1. Dr Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia state governor)

The governor served under his predecessor, Theodore Orji before he was anointed governor by Orji. Ikpeazu was the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Since he was declared winner at the governorship election of Saturday, April 11, 2015, he has been facing the toughest battle of his political career.

 

The reason for this is that his closest opponent at the last year governorship poll, Dr Alex Otti of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has been giving him sleepless night since he was sworn in on Friday, May 29, 2015. Otti alleged that the election that brought in Ikpeazu was completely a fraud.

 

Otti said he should have been declared the actual winner because he won the election alleging that the electoral body colluded with the PDP to rig the election in favour of the present Abia state governor.

The APGA candidate who took his prayers to the Court of Appeal has gotten a favourable judgement. The Appeal Court ruled in favour of Otti. This means that Ikpeazu will need to head to the Supreme Court to challenge the lower court’s ruling.

 

According to Sun newspaper of Saturday, January 2 with the story “Abia Guber: We’ll Win Again At Supreme Court – APGA.”  The story had it that since the news of the judgement broke, Abians and supporters of APGA have been celebrating, drinking and making wild merriment. Many in such abandonment have become Father Christmas, offering total strangers free drinks.

 

As the good people of Abia state patiently await the outcome of the election brouhaha, Ikpeazu should know that he cannot go to bed with both eyes closed as anything could still happen.

2. Nyesom Wike (Rivers state governor)

The lawyer turned politician used to be one of Rotimi Amaechi’s right hand men before party affiliation and loyalty separated them. Wike was the former Minister of State for Education under the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration before he tested the political water of Rivers state under the PDP and clinched the party’s governorship election.

 

Rivers state was one of the most volatile and one of the states with the highest political assassination during the governorship election last year. Apart from political advocates that were assassinated, innocent and unarmed people were also killed in cross fire before, during and after the election which was also marred by kidnapping and abduction.

 

Governor Wike may lose his seat to his major challenger and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dakuku Peterside if the people of Rivers state decide not to vote for him in case another election is conducted.

 

Another twist to Wike’s emergence was that the APC candidate alleged the total number of votes he got to win the election was far more than the total number of duly registered voters.

 

The Supreme Court last year ruled against the emergence of Wike citing various electoral malpractices during the election. Time will tell if Rivers state will continue to be one of the major strongholds of the PDP when the final decision is taken on Wike and Peterside.

3. Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa state governor)

Dickson was a former House of Representatives member before he threw his hat into the ring to contest the governorship election of Bayelsa. He had little or no hitches when he won his first term election. He is however currently facing brick wall in his bid for a second term.

 

The former police officer turned governor is locking horns with his predecessor, Timipre Sylva. Both men contested the governorship election of Saturday, December 5, 2015 which was declared inconclusive due to electoral violence and sporadic shootings.

 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed a date for a supplementary election which will be held in Southern Ijaw local government come Saturday, January 9.

 

From the results declared so far, Dickson polled 81,929 while Sylva got 56,514. Reports had it that Southern Ijaw is dominated by voters who have more sympathy for the APC. Also, the number of votes left to be cast is far more than the current margin between the two heavyweights. As a result of this, the final result of the election may not be in favour of the incumbent governor. Furthermore, information gotten from the state indicates that some youths believe the sitting governor blocked some of their illegal sources of income like oil bunkering. Due to these reasons, Dickson may not get their votes in Southern Ijaw.

4. Darius Ishaku (Taraba state governor)

The recent ruling of the Court of Appeal vindicated the governor of the earlier judgement of the Electoral Petitions Tribunal which stated that Darius was not duly elected during the primary election of his party, the PDP. The Petitions Tribunal had declared the APC candidate and the present Minister of Women’s Affairs, Aisha Jummai Alhassan who is popularly called Mama Taraba as the winner of the last year governorship election.

A good number of political analysts had argued for and against the Tribunal’s ruling. While some said it was in place, others said the Tribunal lacked the locus standi and judicial power to void the candidacy of Darius.

The current governor may briefly heave a sigh of relief for now based on the Appeal Court’s judgement that was in his favour. It is however likely his final battle may be won or lost at the Supreme Court.

The counsel to Mama Taraba will definitely take their case to the nation’s Apex Court, where Aisha will stand as the Appellant and Darius as the Respondent.

Time will tell if the days of Darius is numbered or not as governor.

5. Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom state governor)

When Udom Emmanuel won the governorship election last year, it was as if he will not be jumping over any political hurdles in his quest to govern Akwa Ibom. His main rival at the last year governorship poll is Umana Umana of the APC.

 

The governor is at a serious disadvantage position presently because the ruling of the Supreme Court is that the governorship election will be re-contested in all the 31 local government areas of the state. Umana Umana was very ecstatic when the ruling of the cancellation of the governorship election was made.

It is important to mention the Kogi state governorship election quagmire also. The death of Prince Abubakar Audu who was the APC candidate has thrown spanner into the wheels of a smooth transition in the state.

The 3 political actors presently are Yahaya Bello, the substituted candidate to Abubakar Audu and the declared winner after the supplementary election of Saturday, December 5, 2015; Abiodun Faleke, the deputy governorship candidate to the late Abubakar Audu and the outgoing governor, Idris Wada who was Abubakar Audu’s main opponent.

 

The 3 men are all laying claim that they should be sworn in as governor come January 16, 2016 based on various arguments. However, it seems Governor Wada has soft-pedalled because he has set up a transition committee.

 

Time will tell who will have the last laugh in Kogi state among the 3 politicians as the Courts will surely be their final arbiter.

 

Source : http://www.247nigerianewsupdate.co/2016/01/5-governors-who-may-lose-their-seat.html

BREAKING!!! DSS Storm Abia Commissioner’s Home for Allegedly Stock-pilling Arms to Stop Otti’s Inauguration

Information just coming in to our newsroom from John Okiyi Kalu is that Soldiers and men of DSS have stormed the home of Ezeuche Ubani for allegedly stock pilling dangerous weapons to be distributed to thugs who have been paid to stop the rumored swearing-in of Dr. Alex Otti as Abia Governor .

The raid, IGBERE TV learnt is coming barely 24hrs the security agencies in Abia State received two separate security reports over plots to assassinate some Leaders of the All Progressives Grand Alliance in Abia State by the Abia PDP over the outcome of the Appeal Court verdict.

The raid which began by 3:25am Tuesday January 5th 2016 lasted to about few minutes after 7am.
The Department of State Security Services is yet to brief the public on the outcome of its operation.

Recall that on Sunday the State agent of the All Progressives Grand Alliance in Abia State during the governorship election Barrister Ahamdi Emmanuel Nweke had raised the alarm over the plan to assassinate which he accused the Commissioner of Works in Abia State Mr Eziuche Ubani of spearheading the plot.

Yesterday too a man who claimed he was hired by Mr Ubani to eliminate some chieftains of APGA asked the security agencies to search the home of the Abia Commissioner For Works because he alleged that guns were stockpiled in a covered pit near his water system septic tank.

Yet Again! Goodluck Jonathan Named ‘Person Of The Year’

Jonathan, 58, was named the ‘Person of the Year’ by The African Sun Times, Africa’s number one and largest newspaper in the United States of America (USA).
The former president conceded defeat to incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari, via a phone call even before the results of the presidential elections were announced.

That singular seem act seem to have elevated the status of the Otuoke-born  to a global citizen and as a reference for African leaders, who are known for holding on to power for too long.

In October 2015, Jonathan was named the chairman of the Commonwealth Observer Group for the presidential election in Tanzania.

In November 2015, Jonathan rounded off a two-week visit to the USA with a meeting with students of the Howard University School of Political Science where he was the special guest at the university event with the theme: “Elections And Constitutions In Africa: A Timely Issue”.

In December 2015, one of Nigeria’s online newspapers, The Trent named Jonathan the Person of the Year 2015.

Meanwhile, Jonathan has been invited to present the keynote address at the 2016 Hope Global Forums conference, billed to hold this month in Atlanta, USA.