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Seven years after they were abducted, the BringBackOurGirls movement has identified and released the names of 112 Chibok schoolgirls who are still held in the custody of Boko Haram insurgents. The Boko Haram insurgents had invaded the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok area of Borno State on April 14, 2014, and abducted 276 schoolgirls preparing for their final-year examination. Among them, 164 have either escaped, been released or rescued. Ever since the abduction of these girls, the Bring Back Our Girls movement has been at the forefront of the campaign. On Saturday, the Lagos State arm of BBOG held a sit-out in the Ikoyi area of the state to mark the seventh anniversary of the abduction. During the sit-out, the group provided the names of the 112 Chibok girls still in Boko Haram custody. The names are listed below; 1. Aisha Lawan 2. Hauwa Mutah 3. Falta Lawan 4. Hajara Isa 5. Kabu Mala 6. Maryam Abba 7. Hannatu Musa 8. Laraba John 9. Deborah Nuhu 10. Saratu Dauda 11. Aisha Grema 12. Asabe Ali 13. Margret Shettima 14. Yana Yidau 15. Hauwa Kwakwi 16. Hauwa Musa 17. Saraya Musa 18. Hauwa Joseph 19. Yana Pogu 20. Jinkal Yama 21. Eli Ibrahim 22. Rifkatu Yakubu 23. Hannatu Nuhu 24. Maryamu Abubakar 25. Hamsatu Abubakar 26. Deborah Abbas 27. Rhoda Haruna 28. Hauwa Wuleh 29. Hauwa Nkeki 30. Christiana Yusuf 31. Raklya Kwamta 32. Christiana Yusuf 33. Halima Gambo 34. Rhoda John 35. Hassana Adamu 36. Ruth Ngiladar 37. Safiya Abdu 38. Serah Luka 39. Aishatu Musa 40. Hauwa Peter 41. Ruth Bitrus 42. Hanatu Ishaku 43. Mary Amos 44. Victoria Dauda 45. Saratu Thuji 46. Mary Dauda 47. Saratu Iliya 48. Halima Ali 49. Bilkisu Abdullahi 50. Rebecca Ibrahim 51. Zainab Yaga 52. Awa Ali 53. Hanatu Madu 54. Sarah Samuel 55. Mary Nkeki 56. Hauwa Isuwa 57. Godiya Bitrus 58. Awa Sasa 59. Hauwa Balte 60. Glory Yaga 61. Mary Paul 62. Ladi Paul 63. Ruth Lawan 64. Laraba Mallum 65. Ruth Wavi 66. Rahila Yohanna 67. Ihyi Abudu 68. Lydia Simon 69. Zara Ishaku 70. Rejoice Sanki 71. Deborah Abari 72. Sikta Abudu 73. Saraya Ali 74. Maryamu Lawan 75. Esther John 76. Ladi Joel 77. Lydia Emmar 78. Rose Daniel 79. Hauwa Abdu 80. Laraba Paul 81. Esther Ayuba 82. Mary Dauda 83. Margret Watsal 84. Miriam Jafaru 85. Kuma Solomon 86. Agnes Dauda 87. Mary Dama 88. Patience Jacob 89. Tabi Thomas 90. Hauwa Tella 91. Maryamu Yahaya 92. Saraya Stover 93. Jummal Aboku 94. Elizabeth Job 95. Suzana Yakubu 96. Mary Sule 97. Saratu Thauj 98. Ladi Wadal 99. Yayi Abana 100. Kwamta Kabu 101. Grace Amadu 102. Saraya Paul 103. Esther Markus 104. Rifatu Amos 105. Nguba Bura 106. Monica Enoch 107. Sarah Enoch 108. Rifkatu Galang 109. Dorcas Yakubu 110. Deborah Solomon 111. Solomon Pona 112. Saraya Amos By SaharaReporters,New York Source:https://saharareporters.com/2021/04/19/full-list-112-chibok-girls-still-held-boko-haram-after-seven-years

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Nigeria’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN) is unhappy and angry about the recent arrest of some persons allegedly funding Boko Haram terrorists, including operators of some Bureax De Change said to have been facilitating the transfer of money to the terrorists, SaharaReporters has learnt. A top source in government told SaharaReporters how Malami was opposed to the raid and subsequently at loggerheads with the task force for carrying it out. It had earlier been reported how about 400 persons were arrested for allegedly funding Boko Haram terrorists. The series of arrests were made in Kano, Borno, Abuja, Lagos, Sokoto, Adamawa, Kaduna and Zamfara, according to a Daily Trust report. It was also reported that traders at the foreign exchange open market in Wapa, Fagge Local Government, were picked up on March 9, 15th and 16th. Meanwhile, according to the source, apart from Malami opposing the raid, he also opposes having the names of those arrested released to the public. “Malami was opposed to the raid and now he opposes having the names of those arrested revealed. So, he is fighting the task force that carried out the raid. He is saying it was illegal. “You see, some of those arrested were people he had freed through his Special Fiat Court that sat in Niger state and parts of Abuja. Those guys are wealthy and he wants to collect money from them and let them off,” the source told SaharaReporters. It has been reported that 19 Bureax De Change owned by persons with “direct connection with Boko Haram” were uncovered, while over N300 billion was found to have been pumped into the funding of terrorism in the country. So, there is a huge amount of money involved, transferred through illicit means. Those arrested are reportedly being kept in military and Department of State Services facilities in Abuja and other places. But despite Malami’s resistance to having their names revealed to the public, the identities of some Bureau De Change operators arrested for facilitating the transfer of money to the terrorists have been revealed. Some of them were traders at the foreign exchange open market in Wapa, Fagge Local Government of Kano state and identified as Baba Usaini, Abubakar Yellow (Amfani), Yusuf Ali Yusuf (Babangida), Ibrahim Shani, Auwal Fagge and Muhammad Lawan Sani (a gold dealer), according to a Daily Trust report. Despite being the nation that has suffered the heaviest casualties through Boko Haram atrocities for many years, with over 30,000 thousand people killed and millions of others displaced, Nigeria has shown weakness in dealing decisively with the terrorists and blocking their source of funding. It took a court in the United Arab Emirates in 2020 to jail six Nigerians for funding the terror group. In November 2020, there were reports of how six Nigerians were facing prison terms of 10 years to life after a federal appeals court in the United Arab Emirates upheld their convictions for funding the terrorist group Boko Haram. The accused were initially tried and convicted in 2019 following their arrest in 2017. The court in Abu Dhabi therefore sentenced Surajo Abubakar Muhammad and Saleh Yusuf Adamu to life in prison. Ibrahim Ali Alhassan, AbdurRahman Ado Musa, Bashir Ali Yusuf and Muhammad Ibrahim Isa were each given a ten-year sentence. The court judgement said between 2015 and 2016, the accused transferred $782,000 from Dubai to Nigeria to benefit Boko Haram. Following the successful trial of the six persons in the UAE, which was a smack in the face for the Nigerian government, an embarrassed presidency felt it had to do something to save its face, with the international community already doubting its commitment to the fight against terrorism and insurgency in the country. In March 2021, Senior Special Assistant to The President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said the Nigerian Government had arrested some Bureau De Change operators who were facilitating the transfer of money to Boko Haram terrorists. He had said some Nigerians transferring money to the sect from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were working with the BDC operators. “Bureax de change are facilitating money to terrorists. We have already worked with the UAE. Convictions have been achieved of Nigerians who are transferring money to Boko Haram terrorists and this also happens domestically. And I tell you that by the time we finish this investigation, the shocking details will surprise many Nigerians,” Shehu had said. In February 2018, a Nigerian court in Kainji, Niger State freed 475 Boko Haram suspects, with those released for lack of evidence far outweighing those convicted of being members of the Islamist militant group. According to the Justice Ministry, some were suffering from mental illnesses but it was not clear whether the conditions existed before their arrests. Also, at a mass trial, held in October 2017, more than 400 suspects were released, with just 45 jailed for their roles in the Boko Haram insurgency The AGF and Justice Minister, Malami had told the BBC that the released suspects would be rehabilitated before being allowed to return to their families. Just last weekend, governors of the states battling with Boko Haram terrorism in the North-East asked the Nigerian Government to issue a special fiat, different from the general one issued earlier, to enable them to speedily prosecute suspects arrested for terrorism. In separate interviews with Sunday PUNCH, the governors of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states who spoke through their Commissioners of Justice and Attorneys General, noted that the fiat issued by Malami, which allowed states to prosecute federal offences, was not enough to prosecute suspected terrorists. For instance, Commissioner for Justice in Borno State, Mr Kaka Shehu Lawan, confirmed receiving from the AGF the “general fiat” to prosecute federal offenders but noted that they needed “specific” fiat for cases related to Boko Haram. Shehu, who spoke on behalf of Governor Babagana Zulum, said, “Yes I am in receipt of the general fiat by the Attorney General of the Federation to prosecute all offenders who commit federal offences in any of the 36 states of the federation but he (Malami) didn’t give us a specific fiat to prosecute Boko Haram insurgents. “What we want from the Attorney General of the Federation is for him to give us a specific fiat and collaboration to prosecute Boko Haram insurgents in the three states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states where the Boko Haram insurgents commit crime against the Nigerian federation.” By SaharaReporters,New York Source:https://saharareporters.com/2021/04/19/justice-minister-malami-angry-opposed-recent-raid-arrest-exposing-rich-suspects-allegedly

President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Monday Ubani, has said he prayed to God, asking Him to disgrace Ibrahim Magu out of office for keeping him in detention for 23 days against a court order. Magu, a former acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, was suspended by President Muhammadu Buhari in July 2020. It was alleged that he mishandled recovered loot and sold seized assets to his associates. Ubani said Magu flouted court orders and embarked on a media trial of suspects. The former NBA vice-president, who was also counsel to Ngozi Olejeme, had stood as surety for her after the EFCC declared her wanted in September 2017 over allegations of “criminal conspiracy, abuse of office, diversion of public funds and money laundering” to the tune of N69 billion. But Olejeme jumped bail and travelled abroad, and the former EFCC chairman allegedly ordered her lawyer's detention, Ubani said. Ubani said, “About four years ago or thereabout, a woman by name Dr Mrs Ngozi Olejeme sought my legal representation over an allegation that she converted about N69 billion of Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) to herself while she held sway as the chairman during the tenure of former President Goodluck Jonathan. “She opined that her medical condition made it impossible for her to honour their previous invitations, however she was prepared to honour them if she can be guaranteed fair trial without illegal detention. My client naturally was afraid, having been abreast of the antecedent of EFCC under Magu but I assured her that she will get a fair trial as we were not under a Banana Republic. “On the date we agreed, she returned from abroad and on the following Monday morning, I took her to the office of EFCC in Abuja. Her interrogation on the first day lasted about eight hours after which they told me politely that they will not allow her to go home that day. Her detention that we all thought will be short later entered the ninth day. “On the date slated for the hearing of the application, the court did not sit but the EFCC prosecuting counsel wrote and convinced the then Acting Chairman to release the woman on administrative bail. We provided two senior civil servants of grade level 14 and 15 as sureties as required by their condition of bail and presented to them. When the application was presented before Magu, he blatantly refused to approve, insisting that the sureties must be ‘elder statesmen’, contrary to the bail condition. We were wondering who these elder statesmen should be. “The Unit head then quipped that the chairman will not mind if I will stand surety for her since I was the one that convinced her to come down for her case. My client heard him clearly that my suretyship will grant her freedom to go home. At that point, I had a moral burden to get her out of detention having been denied that opportunity after returning from abroad for 14 days.” Ubani further noted that the EFCC under Magu “played God”. He alleged the commission was more interested in Olejeme forfeiting her properties while she had not been convicted of the allegations brought against her. “In course of the investigation, two things happened that startled me. One was that EFCC’s investigation was anchored only on one witness whose evidence was mere hearsay and uncorroborated. It was the witness’s words against the accused and secondly, EFCC was more interested in the properties of the woman more than the facts of the case that will secure her conviction,” the lawyer said. “Ibrahim Magu disobeyed the court order and kept me in detention for 23 days contrary to the order of the court. “I prayed two 'dangerous' prayers while in and out of detention. Yes, you heard me right. One is that as long as Ibrahim Magu has refused to see the wrong he has committed against me and several others and has not apologised including making peace, that God should disgrace him out of office.” Ubani further said he withdrew his suretyship of the former NSITF chairman on April 16. By SaharaReporters,New York Source;https://saharareporters.com/2021/04/19/why-i-asked-god-disgrace-ex-efcc-acting-chairman-magu-out-office-%E2%80%94-ubani

Gunmen in the early hours of Monday attacked Zone 13 Nigeria Police Headquarters at Ukpo, near Awka in Anambra. Ukpo is in the Dunukofia Local Government Area of the state. Zone 13 covers three South-East states of Ebonyi, Enugu and Anambra. SaharaReporters gathered that the gunmen struck around 4 am and killed two policemen. The deceased were identified as Inspector Ishaku Aura and Uzoma Uwaebuka. Their bodies have been deposited at the hospital’s mortuary. The incident is the latest in what appears to be a growing trend of attacks against security personnel in the South-East region of the country. On April 5, gunmen attacked the police headquarters and the correctional centre in Owerri, Imo State, burning 38 vehicles and freeing 1,844 inmates. Police stations have also come under attack in the region, with many officers killed. South-East governors recently announced the set-up of a joint security outfit, codenamed ‘Ebube Agu’ to battle rising insecurity. By SaharaReporters,New York Source:https://saharareporters.com/2021/04/19/breaking-tension-gunmen-attack-police-zonal-headquarters-anambra-kill-two-officers

The Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (rtd), on Sunday, arrived in Maiduguri on an assessment visit, accompanied by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor and the other service chiefs. The minister and his team were at the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri, where the Theatre Commander, Maj. Gen. Farouq Yahaya, lauded the sustained commitment shown to the operations of the theatre by the minister, chief of defence staff and service chiefs. He said the troops were grateful for the minister’s visit to interact with them, noting that immediately after their appointments, the service chiefs, led by the chief of defence staff, visited the theatre and had been doing so regularly. Yahaya explained that apart from collective visits by the service chiefs, led by chief of defence staff, the service chiefs also visited individually to ensure smooth operations. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the minister and his team had a closed-door meeting with component commanders at the theatre headquarters during the visit. By SaharaReporters,New York Source:https://saharareporters.com/2021/04/18/defence-minister-chief-defence-staff-other-service-chiefs-storm-maiduguri-over-terrorist

A cleric, Apostle Paul Okikijesu of the Christ Apostolic Miracle Ministry, has said God wants religious leaders in the country to pray fervently against the deaths of Nigerian and Ivorian Presidents. In a statement he forwarded to Daily Post on Saturday containing some prophecies, he declared that a “brave person will pass away this month in Nigeria,” adding that the individual’s “death will make people to tremble,” and will have “a widespread effect on the nation.” Speaking further, the cleric said, “Pray against the death of Presidents of Nigeria and Ivory Coast.” He said, “Thus says the Lord: The religious leaders should pray quickly against the death of these Presidents, else it will happen. “They should pray to I, the Lord to bring down the hand of judgment, because one of these presidents is presently sick. Though I, the Lord am not happy but I want the repentance of the hearts of these presidents. “Thus says the Lord: If people pray, I the Lord will postpone their death. “The President of Nigeria will lose power due to disobedience: “Thus says the Lord: I have warned him several times, but the hour has come when the judgment hand of I the Lord will come upon him because of his disobedience. “He refused to obey My instructions because he feared humans. The president and those pushing him will be judged together; because I have given him ample time to change, but he did not change. “The time given to him to change is about to elapse; once the time expires, his government will be rejected and the government will be given to his neighbour who is better than him.” President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria returned to the country on Thursday very strong and “re-energised” after spending two weeks in the United Kingdom for medical checkup. By SaharaReporters,New York Source:https://saharareporters.com/2021/04/18/i-foresee-deaths-nigerian-ivory-coast-presidents-pray-them-%E2%80%94cleric

The Federal Government, through the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, has grounded a private chopper belonging to Pastor Enoch Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God at the Lagos Airport. It was learnt that the aircraft, AgustaWestland AW139 chopper, with registration number 5N-EAA, was suspended from flying over two weeks ago, following the expiration of some of its papers and spare parts. The suspension, officials said, would also allow the regulator to conduct vital safety checks on its safety-critical components, especially some spare parts due for replacement. Adeboye had, last Saturday during a special meeting with all ordained ministers of the mission at the RCCG, Region 21, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, called for drastic action against corrupt practices in all facets of Nigeria. The RCCG leader, who flew a chopper to the venue, said he arrived late for the meeting because someone had requested a bribe from him to fly his helicopter. He said he had decided to embark on the trip via his chopper to avoid a possible gridlock on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, SundayPUNCH, reports. The 79-year-old mathematician-turned-preacher said, "I don't give excuses because I have discovered long ago that only failures give excuses. But you must pray for Nigeria. "Something must be done about corruption in this nation. All I can say is that I am this late because somebody wanted a bribe. And you know if you are expecting a bribe from me, you have to wait forever. "But the devil has failed. And the devil will continue to fail. I decided to come by helicopter so that there won't be a traffic jam that would tie me down on the expressway because I know what the devil could do. "Then, I ran into something else. But by the grace of God, we are here." Although Sunday PUNCH could not ascertain who requested the alleged bribe from the revered servant of God, investigations by the paper revealed that the cleric's chopper was suspended from flying by the regulatory authority over safety issues. Multiple aviation sources confirmed that Adeboye could not fly his chopper with registration number 5N-EAA to the Ibadan programme but had to fly another aircraft reportedly belonging to Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith Church (Winners Chapel). A top official of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, who is close to the operations of the two choppers belonging to the servants of God, said, "The team relating directly with Daddy G.O. should have told the man of God on time that the NCAA had not cleared his chopper and, as such, it couldn't go on the Ibadan trip. "They shouldn't have waited till the last minute. The NCAA (aviation regulatory agency) we have now is different from what it used to be. A new man in charge always insists that things must be done properly as far as the safety of lives is concerned. The church's protocol team should have told him that the NCAA has not cleared the aircraft and it may not clear it within a short time because certain procedures must be followed. As such, an alternative arrangement should have been made." The NAMA official, who chose to speak on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to talk about the matter, further said, "On that last Saturday morning, when it later became obvious that the jet was not cleared to fly, they had to make an alternative arrangement with Bishop Oyedepo's chopper. They had to quickly begin that process by filing the flight plan, etc. It was Bishop's aircraft that Pastor Adeboye later flew to the event. He could not use his own." A top official of Omni-Blu Aviation, the airline operating the chopper for Adeboye, confirmed the development. The official, who chose to speak on condition of anonymity, said a letter from Italy-based Leonardo, the manufacturer of Adeboye's AW 139 helicopter, requesting the NCAA to grant a time extension on some spare parts that are due for replacement came late. The spare parts due for replacement have been ordered from the manufacturer but they have yet to be shipped into Nigeria because they are usually produced on demand, according to Omni-Blu Aviation. He said, "The NCAA that we have now is different from what it used to be. It always insists on a standard. We don't want any disappointing situation for anybody, especially for a globally reputed servant of God like Daddy G.O. "It appears the man of God was not properly briefed. But we thank God an alternative arrangement was made to rescue the situation. Safety is first and paramount. No life is worth toying with, how much more that of a servant of God like Daddy G.O. As an airline, we won't compromise safety no matter the pressure." The Omni-Blu official denied knowledge of any bribe request, either by the airline or aviation officials. He, however, said it was not impossible that some people might have cashed in on the situation to demand a bribe. "You know some people don't fear God no matter what. They can even go to the extent of asking a servant of God for a bribe. So, it is not impossible. But on our part, I am not aware of such." As it stands, it is uncertain when Adeboye's chopper will be allowed to fly. However, findings revealed that the NCAA had directed maintenance and safety checks to be conducted on the aircraft. As such, the operator has secured a date for this at Aero's maintenance hangar. When contacted for comments, the Director-General, NCAA, Captain Musa Nuhu, confirmed that the regulatory agency had suspended flights on the aircraft for safety reasons. According to him, the NCAA does not often deal directly with individuals or owners of aircraft but the operator. In this case, he said the NCAA only had business with the operator of the aircraft, Omni-Blu Aviation. Nuhu said, "There are safety-related issues that must be resolved before the aircraft will be approved for resumption of flights. Safety is the paramount consideration in all approvals given by the NCAA. No matter what, we must not sacrifice safety for flights; that is the whole idea." When contacted, the spokesperson for RCCG, Pastor Olaitan Olubiyi, said the matter was already resolved. He said the church would not want to take issue with the aviation authorities on the bribery allegation. Olubiyi said, "We will not want to take issue with the aviation authorities but I can assure you that an amicable solution is being found to the issue." By SaharaReporters,New York Source;https://saharareporters.com/2021/04/18/buhari-government-suspends-adeboyes-helicopter-flying

The Presiding Bishop of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, aka Winners' Chapel, David Oyedepo, on Saturday said he would not take the COVID-19 vaccine, adding that he was not a guinea pig. Oyedepo, who spoke during the church's Covenant Hour of Prayer programme, described the vaccine as illegal, Punch reports. He said though the world was confused about the situation, the church has the answer. Nigeria began its vaccination against the virus in March, with 3.924 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine doses. The National Primary Health Care Development Agency said over one million doses of the vaccine had so far been administered across the country. Nigeria has recorded over 160,000 COVID-19 infections and more than 2,000 related deaths. But the cleric said, "I have never seen a generation where you force people to take vaccines. It is inhuman; it is immoral, sir. I'm not a lawyer, but I don't think it is legal. You can't come to my house and want to give me an injection. On what? Did I invite you? They are confused. But the church has the answer. "Did you see any outbreak of virus here? How will it enter the gate? Will it come through the air? How? One woman just got down after that injection in Kaduna. What kind of life? Are human beings now turned to guinea pigs? The world is confused, but the church is lighted. So, the triumph of the church will humble the pride of the world. They don't know what to do, sir. In the last days, the church will be reigning in power and glory. That is God's plan." Oyedepo said he owed no one an apology for rejecting the vaccine, adding that he would expose The Devil and his agents. He said, "No apologies. There is a big, big bird in our land, saying 'don't take it, they are deceivers'. Let me see someone who will come and inject me. By who? Are you going to tie my hands? How? Did I invite you? I know you are quiet; you will hear more of it. My job is to expose the devil and tell his agents, 'get off, we are not guinea pigs." By SaharaReporters,New York Source:https://saharareporters.com/2021/04/18/church-has-answer-i-wont-take-covid-vaccine-%E2%80%93oyedepo