Stop Going After 'Yahoo Boys' - Police IG Warns SARS

The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has warned the operatives of the Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad (FSARS) to stop arresting internet fraudsters popularly known as 'Yahoo Boys' in Nigeria.

According to the police IG, FSARS had the mandate of curbing armed robbery and kidnapping, warning that any officer caught arresting cybercrime suspects would be sanctioned appropriately.

The Police IG, gave the warning yesterday at the FSARS headquarters at Magbo in Abeokuta, Ogun State. He was represented by the team leader of South West Monitoring Fact Finding Committee on SARS Reform, DCP Adepojulo Ilori.

He said the committee had embarked on the inspection of SARS detention facilities across the southwest states.

Part of the committee's mandate was to decongest the detention facilities and submit a comprehensive report to the IGP.

Imo People Will Miss Me When I Hand Over In 2019 - Okorocha

The Executive Governor of Imo state, Rochas Okorocha has said that the people of Imo State would miss him as governor when he leaves the Governor's Office for his successor in 2019.

Rochas said he has done well in the state, and that he is certain the people of Imo State will look back with admiration at his years in office.

In a statement signed by Rochas chief press secretary, Sam Onwuemedo, the governor said;

"The free education programme in the State which some opponents of the government had tried to discredit when it was introduced has yielded obvious remarkable results.

"And aside the School enrolment in the state snow ballng from 381,000 in 2011 to more than One million in 2017, the State has continued to lead in JAMB applications for the Seventh time now.

"The state has also continued to do very well in WAEC Exams. For instance, in the 2018 Senior School Certificate Exam (SSCE), the state came fifth out of the Thirty six states in the country and the Federal Capital Territory," Okorocha said.

Boko Haram Strikes, Kills At Least 30 Soldiers

At least 30 soldiers were 'Killed' as Boko Haram invades military base.

At least 30 soldiers have been killed, following a deadly attack by Boko Haram terrorists in Nigerian military base.

Boko haram, according to AFP, were said to have invaded the military base, located in the North-East, Nigeria near the border Nigeria shares with Niger.

According to sources, who spoke to AFP, Boko haram fighters attacked the army establishment at Zari village, near the northern axis of Borno State, late on Thursday.

A military source, who preferred to be anonymous was quoted as saying,

"They came in large numbers in trucks, carrying heavy weapons and engaged soldiers in a battle that lasted for an hour.

"We lost at least 30 men.

"They overwhelmed the troops, who were forced to temporarily withdraw before reinforcements arrived.

A military officer, speaking on the incident, said,

"The terrorists also suffered heavy casualty from the bombardment." a military source told AFP.

Reinforcement, however, later arrived before some sense of normalcy was restored.

While the fight lasted, the terrorists raided the army base, carting away weapons and other military equipment, before they were repelled by a fighter jet.

However, a statement credited to the Nigerian Army on the incident, read, "Troops...have successfully routed Boko Haram insurgents in an encounter that ensued yesterday evening at Zari village."

There was no mention of any soldier being killed, but the army noted that several Boko Haram fighters and weapons were destroyed.

Kenyan Accuses Nigerians Of 'Stealing' Their Women, Selling Drugs

Kenyan Accuses Nigerians Of  'Stealing' Their Women, Selling Drugs

Kenyan Accuses Nigerians Of  'Stealing' Their Women, Selling Drugs

A Kenyan Twitter user has called for the deportation of Nigerians in the country, accusing them of conning innocent Kenyans, selling drugs and stealing their women.

The Twitter user, whose handle is @P_Kim_ made this request on the verified Twitter handle of the Kenyan Immigration agency, @ImmigrationDept when the agency asked its followers to report illegal immigrants in the country.

Responding, P_Kim tweeted,

"I would like to report: 

1. Deport all the Chinese doing jobs that can be done by the locals. 

2. Deport all the Nigerians conning innocent Kenyans, selling drugs & stealing our women. 

3. Deport all Somalis of non-Kenyan origin.

Other responses were followed.

Recall that some Nigerians were recently deported from Kenya over fraud case.

Mbaka Accuses FG Of Marginalising Igbo People

Mbaka Accuses FG Of Marginalising Igbo People

The Director of Adoration Ministry, Enugu, Nigeria, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka has alleged high level of marginalisation of Igbo people by the Federal Govt of Nigeria.

Mbaka said he is pained that in spite of his support for President of Nigeria, Muhammad Buhari, Igbo are so marginalised to the extent that he slept in Abuja for weeks to get a loan from the Bank of Agriculture for his farming vision in order to create more jobs to the teaming unemployed graduates.

Mbaka made the statement yesterday on adoration ground.

Below is his words,

"Whenever I went to obtain loan from the Bank of Agriculture, they would tell me to get a commercial bank that will do this and do that. 

The commercial banks will asked me to bring the feathers of one snake and legs of snake. This went on for many years and we are ready to impact significance into our agriculture; the only barrier is funding and encouragements.

"It's a sad development; if a northern has this kind of vision they would come around him, but here, we are alone. We started it in Adani and there was no help; there was flood and we lost N830Million and I went down to Nkereife. 

We had the largest poultry farm in the east of the Niger. In one day we lost 939,000 births. With the type of courage God gave to me, nobody knew and nobody will know apart from the fact that I'm disclosing it now. No encouragement and they are longing for authentic farmers, and we are farmers.

"So, please, on behalf of the adoration members, we want them to monitor the funding and implementation. We don't kill criminals here, we kill crime. If you go to Aqua Rapha investment Ltd, we have thousands of them working, yet, we don't have government support apart from Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who remembered us and created a road to this place. People thought President Buhari is helping me, but he is not helping us with one kobo. So, those who could have been helping thought he was helping and now he has become a hindrance.

"If you go to the North, you would see how billions are spent there. If you go to my farm, there is a River that separates the land which makes it difficult for me to move equipment, and now, I'm doing the bridge by myself without help from anywhere, yet, I'm a priest.

"So, I'm representing the poor, that is why I'm attacking many governments because when they cannot help the poor who I represent, and when the pressure is too much on me, I attack them.

"Why can't the federal government which claims to support agriculture not help the agriculturist? So, it is a poor and fake claim. Why can’t we have here a pilot farm that would be the eyes of this country? 

"We have in our aquaculture fishes one of the species which contains five billion fishes, but lack of good road to the farm led to the closure of that farm and the federal government is aware of this. So, for me, it is not just negligence, but wickedness and unhealthy marginalisation, because I’m not from the North. If a northerner had this kind of vision, from the Central Bank, order will be given. There are subsidies here and there to be granted, not even loan. 

"They will have to seek grants, give the farm grants for whatever it takes. That is why the Igbo are crying. Some of us have been friends with the president, but when you seat down and think deeper, you see his nepotism," he lamented.

FG To Summon US Ambassador Over Trump's 'Lifeless' Comment

The Federal Government of Nigeria is to summon the United State Ambassador over Trump's 'lifeless' comment against Buhari.

The Federal Government of Nigeria is making plans to summon the Ambassador of United State to Nigeria, Stuart Symington, over the alleged 'lifeless' comment Donald Trump made against the President of Nigeria, Muhammad Buhari.

However, the United States Embassy in Abuja has refused to respond officially to a report in the Financial Times of London, where US President, Donald Trump was alleged to have described Nigeria's President, Muhammadu Buhari as being ailing and lifeless.

Buhari Replies Trump's 'Lifeless' comment; says he is fit, sprightly and not lifeless.

Buhari Replies Trump's 'Lifeless' commen; says he is fit, sprightly and not lifeless.

Donald Trump, the President of United States of America, after meeting with his Nigerian counterpart, Muhammadu Buhari, at the White House in April, described his visitor as lifeless, according to Financial Times, FT.

But Buhari in a swift reaction, yesterday, said he was fit, sprightly and not lifeless.

Recall that Trump had hosted President Buhari on April 30 in Washington as the two leaders discussed issues including 'fighting terrorism' and threats to peace and security.

The revelation by Financial Times came against the backdrop of current visit of Kenya's President, Uhuru Kenyatta, to the White House in Washington.
According to an article, entitled, "Africa looks for something new out of Trump," Financial Times, yesterday, said Trump told his aides he never wanted to meet with someone as lifeless as the Nigerian president again.

Below is what FT reported,

The first meeting, with Nigeria’s ailing 75-year-old Muhammadu Buhari in April, ended with the US president telling aides he never wanted to meet someone so lifeless again, according to three people familiar with the matter.

In reaction to this,
Special adviser to the President Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, could not be reached for comments, but Buhari Media Organisation, BMO, which reacted on behalf of the President, said,
  "President Muhammadu Buhari is fit and capable to run for the 2019 elections and oversee the affairs of the country for four more years, President Donald Trump's hate speech notwithstanding."

The BMO in the statement signed by Niyi Akinsiju and Cassidy Maduekwe, Chairman and Secretary respectively, noted that this was not the first time the US President was heard to have made such derogatory remarks at World leaders, adding that President Buhari would not be distracted by such.

 "We are aware that President Trump's disrespect for World Leaders is not new; his comments on Canada's Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, calling him 'meek and mild'. His reference to Germany's Leader, Angela Merkel's actions as 'insane', or his outlandish tweet at the UK's Theresa May, and more recently, the alleged remarks he made after meeting President Buhari.

"We recall that during President Buhari's visit to Trump in the White House, the US President commended the successes that the Buhari administration had recorded especially in the fight against insurgency and the war on corruption. The US President was full of admiration for Nigeria's President during the visit, thus such outlandish remarks as reported by Financial Times are not just to be taken with a pinch of salt but are untrue in themselves".

Mother Sells 6-week-old Baby To Buy Phone

Mother Sells 6-week-old Baby and Buy Phone with the proceed.

The Edo State Police Command have begun investigation into the alleged sale of a new born baby by her mother, Johnson Miracle

A 23-year-old nursing mother, hails from Agenebode, in the Etsako East Local Government Area of the state, was said to be paid in cash.
Miracle have used part of the proceeds to buy a mobile phone for herself.

Miracle Johnson

However, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Johnson Kokumo, who confirmed the incident, described it as a serious offence.

Miracle, a mother of two, blamed her action on frustration and the inability of her husband to take care of her and her other children.
Miracle said she was persuaded by one woman, Mama (still at large), to sell the baby and give the money to her husband to start a business.

My baby was born on July 2, 2018. I sold her due to frustration. My husband was just struggling ...
My friend, 'Mama Joy' said that since my husband was not taking care of me, if I did it, I could give the money to my husband to start a business or buy a motorcycle.
Two weeks later, she came back. I did not know what happened to me. So, I carried a bag, picked some things and left.
I sold her to an orphanage in Onitsha. The orphanage bought the child for N200,000. I just bought only a phone; I did not want to buy it, but she [Mama Joy] forced me to do so," Miracle said.
"I told my pastor what I did and that it was a mistake for which I would never forgive myself. So, my husband and I went to a police station to report. I know what I did was not good. I pray that my child will forgive me," she added.

Miracle's husband, Johnson Omovuokpor, expressed anger that his wife went ahead with her plan, against his disapproval.

Miracle's husband, Johnson Omovuokpor, expressed anger that his spouse acted otherwise to his disapproval.

He said,

"When she told me about her plan, I told her to forget about it and exercise patience.
"On that day, I took my motorcycle out for repairs. When I went back home to get some money, I saw my first daughter with my neighbour.
"When I asked about my wife's whereabouts, I was told that she went out with a bag, saying that she was going to buy something. So, I remembered what she said she wanted to do with the baby.
"When she called me later in the afternoon to tell me that she had sold the baby, I cursed her and ended the call. I became confused afterwards and could not do anything for the rest of that day."

The Commissioner of Police in the state said the baby would be rescued while the suspect would be charged to court.

The Anambra Commissioner of Police said the child would be rescued and the suspect will be charged to courtroom.

Kokumo said,

"It is an act against laws in Nigeria. Now that we have the woman in our net, we will definitely charge her to court. The baby will be rescued."

Buhari’s inner circle would always try to keep Osinbajo in check - Yinka Odumakin

Nigeria’s Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo seems to have been everywhere while his boss is away. He even conducted a spot check on the public toilets at Lagos international airport. The clear aim, it seems, is to give the impression of business as usual while President Muhammadu Buhari is about 3,000 miles away in UK on medical leave.

Osinbajo: Nigerian Vice President

 Since Buhari who is 74 years left for the British capital on January 19, A 59 year old man, Osinbajo has rarely been out of the newspapers or off the television news. His consensual style  and short stature have stood in marked contrast to the long-legged Buhari, an uncompromising former army general who headed a military government in the 1980s.

The vice-president has toured the oil-rich Niger delta something Buhari has yet to do and held talks to end militant attacks that have wreaked havoc on the oil and gas infrastructure. He has meet with ambassadors and delegations, and chaired cabinet meetings in Abuja with an ease, professionalism.

Even the unannounced visit to Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Thursday was a media event. But in it, he stressed an important point, given the parlous state of Nigeria’s economy. There was a “need to ensure that facilities are working and that things are being run properly”, he said in a statement, which noted the need to fix lifts and faulty baggage carousels. First impressions counted if Nigeria was to attract foreign firms, added Osinbajo, a trained lawyer and former university professor, who is also a pentecostal church pastor.

 Buhari and his government have seen Nigeria’s economy nose dive since they came to power in May 2015, on the back of a slump in global oil prices. The country has been in recession since August. But there are indications the weakened naira currency could be showing small signs of recovery after the central bank this week moved to ease some foreign exchange restrictions. In the last few days, the naira has strengthened to about 480 to the US dollar on the black market after being 520 or higher in recent weeks. Fitch’s BMI Research said the policy could be “a precursor to a more meaningful move in the exchange rate” given the yawning gulf between parallel rates and the official inter-bank rate of 305. That could pave the way for a further devaluation which Buhari has likened to murder.

Some analysts have seen it as significant that the measure was introduced while Buhari was away. Osinbajo has also reportedly vetoed four parliamentary bills. Buhari has long been known for deferring economic matters to the London School of Economics graduate. But how far the latter’s powers stretch in taking individual decisions is unclear.

 Political analyst Chris Ngwodo said despite Osinbajo’s high visibility and apparent competence, he was limited as acting president because of Nigerian political realities.

“In Nigeria, powers are vested in persons rather than in the office they occupy. The acting president is in office, not in power,” he told AFP. “He may have been taking some decisions which I see as mere palliatives: for instance, the adjustment in the foreign exchange policy which flows from a broader consensus of the people.” He would not be able to take unilateral decisions and was restricted in his reach as “he is not the executive president Nigerians voted for”, Ngwodo said.

Osinbajo, a former justice commissioner in Lagos state, comes from the southwestern state of Ogun and was appointed to be vice-president as a counter-balance to Buhari, a northern Muslim. Identity politics play an important role in Nigeria, as does the expectation that the presidency alternates between north and south, even if it is not enshrined in the constitution. Spokesman for Afenifere, representing the ethnic Yoruba people of the southwest, Yinka Odumakin, said Buhari’s inner circle would always try to keep him in check. “We are not going to see much from Osinbajo apart from symbolic movements and gestures here and there because his powers are limited,” he added. “He will be acting under the shadow of his principal or a cabal loyal to him.” 

xenophobia: Nigerians resort to self defence against attack in South Africa

 Nigerians residing in South Africa resorted to self defense in the face of xenophobic attacks by South Africans.

Attackers are said to be specifically targeting Nigerians. It was gathered that plans by South Africans to further attack Nigerians especially those resident in Pretoria and Johannesburg last Thursday, was thwarted by Nigerians, who defended themselves having earlier been informed of the scheduled attacks.

Nigerian Embassy in South Africa rose to the occasion as it informed Nigerians of the imminent attacks and consequently advised that they should close their business places. The counsel by the Embassy to stay away from trouble was obeyed by Nigerians, who stayed indoors but many of them armed themselves and were ready to battle the attackers who consequently exercised caution.

The intelligence provided by the Embassy prevented the quantum of loss recorded by Nigerians from being worst in human and material terms. The South African Police, it was gathered had used rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannon to disperse anti-immigrant protesters in Pretoria yesterday. It was further learnt that both the protesting South Africans and foreigners were armed with sticks, bricks and knives. These came as President Jacob Zuma condemned the attacks on Africans residing in the country. “Many citizens of other countries living in South Africa are law abiding and contribute to the economy of the country positively,” he noted. These findings which were gathered from different sources in South Africa were corroborated by a former Nigerian international, Mr. Peterside Idah on his official Twitter handle.

The South African-based former footballer had stated thus, “It is a standoff in Pretoria, Nigerians have refused to hide. South Africans marching are being confronted by Nigerians carrying guns”. The conversation reads, “Nigerians armed themselves and waited for South Africans”.

 The involvement of the Police made the situation to calm down.  Before the xenophobic attacks were against black foreigners. But the recent one was targeted at Nigerians specifically.

Nigerians were being accused of doing drugs and prostitution more than others. So, they targeted Nigerians. “When they planned the attacks again, Nigerians armed themselves and waited.  But our Embassy passed information that Nigerians should close shops and avoid trouble which they heeded. And there has been relative peace. Since Thursday people have remained indoors. South African Police have done a good job.  They are moving around and policing everywhere. Nigerians have had peace. No killing has been reported since yesterday”.