HelenIdo

The death of one Ayo Adekunle Ajala, a PhD student at the Department of Crop Science, Kebbi State University of Science and Technology (KSUSTA), Aliero, has been surrounded by controversy. Ajala allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself with a rope but this has led to a disagreement between the school management and the family of the deceased. The remains of the victim were found in a wardrobe after he had allegedly hanged himself with a rope at the KSUSTA PG hostel, the Punch reports. A sum of N291,000 was found in the deceased’s room, while his two phones and a laptop were taken away by the police. Two days after his demise, a post reportedly appeared on social media saying, “This young boy (sic), Ayo Ajala, a PhD student, hanged himself to death at KSUSTA PG hostel. The cause of his suicide is yet to be uncovered." A photograph also emerged showing the deceased’s lifeless body in a squatting position. There also emerged another picture of bloodstains covered with sand on the floor of the room. But the family of the victim said their son, Ajala, was murdered as against the claim by the school management that he committed suicide. The family described the suicide theory as baseless and outright falsehood. According to the brother-in-law of the deceased, Pastor Ola Mustapha, who went to see the scene of the incident, the rope which the school authority claimed was used by Ajala was not strong and long enough to support suicide. He added that the wardrobe in which they claimed Ajala hanged himself, is not tall enough for someone of his height to have hanged himself in. “On getting to the campus, I requested to see his corpse, but I was told that it had been evacuated to the hospital and I headed straight for the hospital, where I demanded to see the body, and they obliged. On my request, they took me to his room, where he was the sole occupant, but the room was under lock and key. “When I peeped into the room through the window, I noticed plenty of sand and upon enquiry, I was told that the sand was poured on bloodstains on the floor. “Evidence at our disposal showed that the rope they claimed to have found on his neck was not strong or long enough to hold someone who wished to commit suicide. The wardrobe they claimed to have found his corpse in is not tall enough for someone of Ayo’s height to have hanged himself in. “This sudden twist has added more grieve to the family. We are bombarded with numerous calls from those trying to find out the true position. However, we are holding our peace in honour of the departed, but anxiously waiting for the outcome of the investigation,” he explained. His distraught father, Mr Ayodeji Ajala, told journalists that “Ayo left home in Sokoto last Tuesday for school at Aliero, Kebbi State, and the elder sister told us that he communicated with her in the evening that he got to school safely. “The following day, we made repeated calls to him; I decided to travel to Aliero on Thursday to check on him as it was very unusual for him not to take his calls or call back. “On getting to the school in company with his younger brother, we noticed that people were gathered in front of the hostel. When I got there, I was given a chair to sit on and some lecturers were already seated. They broke the sad news to me and their narration was that when they opened Ayo’s room that Thursday, they saw his lifeless body. “I was then asked if I would like to see his corpse, but I politely declined. His younger brother was inconsolable. I was then taken to an office, from where I contacted my son-in-law, who later joined us from Sokoto. “The school never mentioned anything about suicide when they broke the news of his death to me. The officials only said his body was found in his room and the police were already investigating his death. They also asked if I wanted his remains to be buried in Aliero and I insisted that he should be taken to Sokoto. “My son had no reason to and could not have contemplated such a cruel and ungodly act as suicide. He was a well brought up, God-fearing, obedient and well-behaved child. As I am talking to you, the police have yet to contact us. So, how did the theory of suicide come in?” Ajala had his first degree at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, and had his master’s degree at the Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, where he returned to for his PhD. The cause of death is still not known but an investigation is ongoing. As of the time of filing this story, no official statement had come from the university management over Ajala’s death. By SaharaReporters, New York Source:https://saharareporters.com/2021/06/24/phd-student-allegedly-commits-suicide-kebbi-varsity-family-insists-he-was-killed

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has said it has secured legal authority to sue Senate President Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila. According to the group in a tweet on Wednesday, the suit is to compel Nigeria's numbers three and four citizens to investigate alleged missing N4. 4 billion budgeted for the National Assembly. The motion on notice is to be served on the respondents within seven days, the group added. Hon. Justice Ekwo of Court 5 also ordered that the Motion on Notice be served on the Respondents within seven days of the order, together with hearing notices. The suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/366/2021 is adjourned to 13th July, 2021 for the hearing of the substantive application. — SERAP (@SERAPNigeria) June 23, 2021 "The Federal High Court in Abuja today granted SERAP the permission to pursue our case seeking to compel Senate President Dr. Lawan and Speaker Mr Gbajabiamila to investigate or refer to anti-corruption agencies alleged missing N4.4bn budgeted for the National Assembly. "Hon. Justice Ekwo of Court 5 also ordered that the Motion on Notice be served on the Respondents within seven days of the order, together with hearing notices. "The suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/366/2021 is adjourned to 13th July, 2021 for the hearing of the substantive application," it said. SERAP had in March filed a lawsuit against Lawan and Gbajabiamila over “their failure to probe, and to refer to appropriate anti-corruption agencies allegations that N4.4bn of public money budgeted for the National Assembly is missing, misappropriated, diverted or stolen, as documented in three annual audited reports by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.” The suit followed the publication of annual audited reports for 2015, 2017 and 2018 in which the Auditor-General of the Federation raised “concerns about alleged diversion and misappropriation of public funds, sought the recovery of any missing funds, and asked that the evidence of recovery should be forwarded to his office.” By SaharaReporters, New York Source:http://saharareporters.com/2021/06/23/breaking-serap-gets-courts-permission-sue-senate-president-lawan-gbajabiamila-over

Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has said there is a tribal war going on in Nigeria and the Muhammadu Buhari-led government has taken sides. Speaking on Arise News ‘Morning Show on Wednesday, Gumi said the Nigerian government is not neutral in the "tribal war" going on, adding that it spells danger for the country. He said, “This is a tribal war going on and the government taking one side. What I see now is a tribal war. Fulani fighting Yoruba in the South West, Fulani fighting Igbo in the South East, and Fulani fighting in other areas in the North. “What you are calling banditry when you cross to the other side, you discover Nigeria is fighting a tribal war and government is supposed to be the mediator. Government is supposed to be neutral; it’s not supposed to take sides. “But the moment government takes side it becomes part of the conflict. And this is what I saw in Zamfara state, in Niger state, and other states. “When you say these bandits are committing atrocities, yes, agreed, they are committing crimes – they are killing people, they are kidnapping, they are raping, they are doing all sorts of atrocities. But, have you for once gone to their sides and seen all sorts of atrocities that are also committed against them? “So that rather than wielding the big stick and relying on military action, the Federal Government will do well in restoring normalcy by engaging the bandits in negotiation and using willing volunteers among them to win the battle." He urged the government to appeal to moderate bandits and use them against the deadlier ones. “Boko Haram leader, Shekau had been causing havoc in the country for more than 10 years and the military could not kill him but ISWAP, a splinter group from Boko Haram was able to eliminate him. So is the case with the herdsmen. We can use them to suppress the criminals among them. “As we all know, at a point, the Boko Haram were ready for dialogue and at a point, they even recommended the current president (Buhari) to negotiate for them. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo even tried to broker peace with Boko Haram," he said. The cleric also urged the President to discuss with bandits and agitators for secession in the country like the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), saying, “Government doesn’t want to recognise that there are agitations. Even with the IPOB. If I were the government, I will go and sit down with them and ask what the problem is. “Why are you carrying weapons against your own country? So is the case with the herdsmen. They are ready to negotiate." He said some Fulani herdsmen were being radicalised to become terrorists and therefore called on the government to act fast. He said, “Now, the herdsmen are slowly becoming radicalized in a terrorist form/fashion. I mean religiously, and this is a bad omen for us. “Because when they begin to come out reading religious texts to justify what they are doing, then, it becomes difficult to convince them to come out and negotiate. And I am saying this now, let’s go and get them before the evil forces capture them.” By SaharaReporters, New York Source:http://saharareporters.com/2021/06/23/tribal-war-ongoing-nigeria-and-buhari-government-has-already-taken-sides%E2%80%94sheikh-gumi

The President Muhammadu Buhari-led government has for two years been funding IPI Solutions, a software engineering firm owned by Adamu Garba to produce Crowwe, a platform, that would help the government silence existing social media platforms in the country. According to People's Gazette, more than two years after the Buhari regime invested public funds into Garba’s application, there is little hope, however, that taxpayers would see a bang for the buck. People's Gazette obtained bank documents that carried a transfer of funds from the Central Bank of Nigeria to Garba’s IPI Solutions, a software engineering firm run by Mr Garba. The company developed and deployed the Crowwe social media app. The Central Bank of Nigeria on May 21, 2019, transferred N136.8million to Garba’s IPI Solutions, documents said, marking one of several transfers that sources said the Buhari regime paid to Garba in the course of building the Crowwe app. Although a major beneficiary of the social media storm that weakened the Goodluck Jonathan administration and amplified the opposition’s messages ahead of the 2015 presidential election, Buhari has relentlessly railed against the negative influence of social media since coming to power. After realising the enormous control that social media has in shaping public opinion, even amongst citizens with little education or financial ability to be on the Internet, Buhari started introducing different tactics to regulate online speech. A few months after assuming office in 2015, members of his ruling APC pushed a so-called social media bill that civil liberties campaigners said was too offensive to be accepted in a democratic system. The bill was summarily defeated, but the government pushed at least two other similar bills, including one that proposed death penalty for online speech, that were defeated under the Bukola Saraki-led parliament. But shortly after narrowly securing a second term, Buhari agreed with his aides that it was necessary to control social media, according to sources familiar with the matter. Several ways to ensure that the government’s message dominated the public space with little to no pushback from citizens were suggested. “It was while the government was trying to find ways to control the media space that Adamu Garba’s company was picked as one of the promising businesses that could proffer solutions,” an administration official told People. “The seriousness of controlling social media cannot be overplayed.” Garba earned instant name recognition in 2018 after showing interest in running for president against Buhari. He summarily abandoned his campaign and became a recognisable voice in support of the president. The regime provided hundreds of millions to Garba’s firm in anticipation that its Crowwe platform would make a sufficient dent on the appeal of Facebook and Twitter, officials briefed on the matter said. But two years after funding began and several months after Crowwe was introduced to the public, the app has not appealed to Nigerians on the scale expected by both the regime and its developers. Only a few thousand users have signed up, and even then the app has been riddled with complaints around its functionality. As part of efforts to give life to Crowwe, Garba sought to push Twitter out of Nigeria, filing a lawsuit against the platform in the wake of last October’s historic #EndSARS campaign. More than any other social media rivals, Garba saw Twitter’s presence in Nigeria as an existential threat to his own platform and assumed its exit would push Nigerians to his own platform by default. But his expectation was again dashed this month when his platform failed to pick up despite the government’s ban on Twitter. Instead, Garba found his Crowwe app removed from Google Play Store a week after the Twitter ban following a deluge of complaints from users. He said the app was taken down to upload, but failed to explain why it was only Crowwe that required being taken down before an update could be pushed to enhance user experience. The app was largely unusable that Buhari, his administration officials and supporters had to move to Indian platform Koo following their exit from Twitter earlier this month. In his reaction, Garba said, "We do projects and receive payments from the Central Bank. I think it is a project we did for the EFCC.” He was silent on whether or not the projects were through competitive bidding in line with extant public procurement regulations. Crowwe was “100 per cent developed by us internally," Adamu added. “We are even looking for investors locally and internationally. We are looking for investors to further scale up and improve Crowwe capacity.” By SaharaReporters, New York Source:http://saharareporters.com/2021/06/23/bank-documents-expose-how-buharis-government-funded-adamu-garba%E2%80%99s-crowwe-rival-twitter

The Akwa Ibom state government has inaugurated a five-man committee to investigate the case of a student expelled by the state-owned university in Ikot Akpaden. The student, Iniobong Ekpo, was in his final year at the Department of Agricultural Engineering when he was expelled for publishing a “derogatory and defamatory article” in 2019 on Facebook against the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel. Ekpo with Matriculation Number, AK15/ENG/AEE/013, was expelled on April 9, 2021, in a letter signed by John Udo, the Registrar and the Secretary to the Senate, titled, "Expulsion for Gross Misconduct." “At its 69th meeting held on Wednesday, March 31, the Senate of the university deliberated on the report from the Students Disciplinary Committee. You will recall that you had appeared before the said committee on a case of publication of derogatory and defamatory article on Facebook platform about the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State and Visitor to the university. "This act constitutes a breach of the Matriculation Oath and violation of the university rules and regulations enshrined in the student information handbook. You are hereby expelled from the university for this act of gross misconduct which constitutes a breach of the Matriculation Oath," the Registrar said in the letter. However, in documents seen by SaharaReporters, Ekpo gave the varsity seven days to restore his studentship or face legal actions. In the documents dated June 18, 2021, and issued by Inibehe Effiong, his lawyer, Ekpo also demanded N20 million from the varsity as general damages for “the breach of his fundamental rights.” Reacting in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Ekerete Udoh, Governor Udom said he was not aware of the administrative action undertaken by the university. “We have read various reports mainly on the social media space concerning the administrative sanction said to have been taken by the Management of the Akwa Ibom State University (AKSU) against one of its students, Iniobong Ekpo, leading to his expulsion from the University. “We have equally followed the media feeding frenzy by the usual motely crowd of political jobbers and inveterate rabble rousers who have maliciously tried to link the action taken by the university authority to the Visitor of the University, His Excellency, Governor Udom Emmanuel. “We wish to state here emphatically that Governor Emmanuel, a known apostle of freedom of expression, was and is still not aware of this purely administrative action reportedly undertaken by the university. “He has accordingly, directed the constitution of a Panel comprising five members, to review the case and submit its report immediately. The Panel is to be headed by the Honourable Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Idongesit Etiebet.” By SaharaReporters, New York Source:http://saharareporters.com/2021/06/23/akwa-ibom-sets-committee-investigate-expulsion-student-who-allegedly-insulted-governor

Yoruba freedom fighter Sunday Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has revealed that plans for the Oduduwa Republic rally scheduled to hold in Lagos on July 3 remain on course The spokesman for the activist, Olayomi Koiki, who spoke in a live video, said the rally is scheduled to take off from Ojota Park, Lagos on the said date. But in a report by The Nation, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu said no group had approached the command in respect of a rally. The CP was quoted as saying: “I’m not aware of anybody planning any rally anywhere in Lagos. Nobody has written to the Command to that effect. So, when we get to the bridge, we’ll cross it.” Also, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on June 7, ruled out the breakaway of Nigeria, saying there is strength in diversity Sanwo-Olu called on the over 200 million Nigerians to utilise the numerical strength and the beauty of the diversity of the nation to foster economic prosperity and political stability. His comment had come against the backdrop of secessionist calls in some quarters, especially in the South-East ND South-West with calls for Biafra and Oduduwa Republics. Sanwo-Olu, who is one of the six governors in the South-West geopolitical zone, said he remains committed to one united and prosperous Nigeria where fairness and equal distribution of resources will be the order of the day. But, when SaharaReporters spoke with Koiki on Tuesday, he noted that irrespective of the stance of the Lagos police or government, the rally will hold. According to him, the land belongs to the Lagos people and not to the Commissioner of Police, adding that no one has the right to stop the people from carrying out 'a peaceful rally'. He said, ”This is not #EndSARS neither is it June 12 rally, we are coming for a peaceful rally in Lagos State, no violence will be recorded and that rally will hold. “We have no business with the police and we are not coming to disrupt the peace of Lagos state. Let them pull whatever strings they can, by the time we get there, we will know what to do. We are simply demanding our own nation, so it is different from whatever rally was held on June 12 or during the #EndSARS protest. “Tell them that, I, Olayomi Koiki, media aide to Chief Sunday Adeyemo (Igboho) said we will hold the July 3rd rally in Lagos State. We know what the police do to disperse peaceful protesters but we are not protesting, we are creating awareness. Yoruba Nation now, no retreat, no surrender.” By SaharaReporters, New York Source:http://saharareporters.com/2021/06/22/yoruba-nation-rally-will-hold-planned-lagos-rain-or-shine%E2%80%94-igbohos-aide-dares-police

The leader of the Northern Consensus Movement, Dr Awaal Abdullahi has said proceeds from the early economic boom of Northern Nigeria mainly from groundnut and cotton were used to build refineries that Southern Nigeria boasts about. He also said the early educational achievements of some notable figures from Southern Nigeria were made via the Northern economy, adding that the North is the economic heart of Nigeria. The Northern group leader, however, also called for a northern version of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to be funded by the Nigerian government. Abdullahi said this at a conference held on Saturday in Abuja, the nation’s capital while addressing the debate about whether Nigeria should disintegrate or not. “Today, we are declaring that we the Northerners are the economic heart of Nigeria. And no nobody can address us as parasites. The oil that is so being boasted of today was discovered, harnessed and the refineries were constructed with Northern Nigerian sweat with the Northern Nigerian economy, with the Northern Nigerian money. “The money of groundnut pyramid and cotton were the ones used to research, discover and build refineries that some other parts of Nigeria have claimed to be their own personal property. "If that be the case, we also deserve just like NDDC and Niger Delta Ministry, that there should be Northern Development Ministry that should also be given the same amount of money given to NDDC because our money was used to develop the oil. That’s number one. "Number two, those that got early education in the South-South, South West and South-East got those from our own economy, from the Northern money of our own sweat,” Abdullahi said. He went further to say that the North had also discovered huge deposits of oil along Lake Chad Basin and gold in Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State as well as in Zamfara respectively, claiming the gold deposit is larger than what South Africa and Ghana jointly have. While maintaining that the North still wants a united Nigeria, he added that if there should be disintegration, the North is adequately prepared for it and should not be seen as a parasite. “And by the grace of God today, Northern Nigeria also has discovered oil along Gombe, Bauchi and Taraba, along Lake Chad Basin and that was why those people have been instigating Boko Haram so that there will be no peace in that region for us to harness the oil and other wealth discovered in that area. “We also have a deposit of gold in Birnin Gwari that is more than the deposit of gold in South Africa and Ghana, and that’s why we are having banditry in Birnin Gwari axis so that we will not be able to harness it. The same goes for Zamfara, that’s why we are having banditry within that axis. So we are saying enough is enough. “If we will continue to co-exist in Nigeria, as Nigerians, the Northerners are ready to do that and that’s why we have been accommodating. Today, the number of our people that are being killed and properties destroyed in South-South, South-West and South-East is more than those in Kano and Kaduna. “The number of Yoruba and Igbo residents In Kano and Kaduna alone are far greater than the entire investment of entire Northerners living in South-South, South-West and South-East, if you remove BUA and Dangote; those are international businesses. “So, if you will continue to destroy the lives and investments of our pople resident in your area, what if we decide to retaliate what you are doing? Who is going to be the loser? How much of investment do we have in the east? All our people in the east are either tomato sellers, truck pushers, okada riders (commercial motorcyclists), suya makers, shoe shines (cobblers), fingernail cutters. Those are the Northerners resident in Southern Nigeria. “But if you go to Kaduna, Kano and other parts of Northern Nigeria, an Igbo man owns a personal house with C of O, he owns a skyrocket house that he even rents out to Northerners themselves. You go to a remote village, you find out he is having a farm of his own, his personal farmland. You don’t have a Northerner that owns a house in Southern Nigeria. “We are saying we are ready to co-exist with Nigerians, but if otherwise and things will continue like this, we are going to separate from Nigeria. In fact, we are more than ready,” Abdulahi added. By SaharaReporters, New York Source:http://saharareporters.com/2021/06/22/northern-nigeria-funded-building-refineries-education-notable-people-southerners-boast-%E2%80%94

Military aircraft have returned to Orsu, Ihiteukwa communities in Imo State in a fresh search for members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) members and its militant arm, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), causing fresh tensions in the areas. SaharaReporters learnt that the military aircraft frequented the communities on Sunday with residents and church members returning from services early and scampering to safety as the jets hovered above. SaharaReporters obtained a video showing how one of the military aircraft flew past a village in Orsu believably on a search for suspected IPOB, ESN members. “This is happening for the third time within the past one week. Yesterday, our area was bombarded by military helicopters almost immediately after the people of the community ended their church services. Some could not end theirs because of panic,” a source told SaharaReporters. “Helicopters and armoured tanks threaten communities in Orsu and people cannot go about their livelihood in peace. Due to the panic, some schools send children home, some businesses have shut down abruptly and there is panic everywhere till this very moment,” another resident lamented. In December 2020, the Nigerian military first deployed aircraft and soldiers to communities in the South-East region in search of ESN members. Nnamdi Kanu, leader of IPOB, had on December 12, 2020, launched the ESN, saying the regional security outfit, just like Amotekun in the South-West, would help to tackle crimes and criminalities. SaharaReporters had In May 2021 reported how the Nigerian Army drafted reinforcement troops from some of its formations fighting insurgency in Borno State to join the troops in the South-East region over the military’s clash with IPOB and ESN operatives. Military sources had confirmed to SaharaReporters that the reinforcements were drawn from some battalions including the 231 Tank Battalion in Biu, Borno State, which is under the 3 Armoured Division, Jos, Plateau State. President Muhammadu Buhari had also in May held a meeting with the service chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, telling them to adopt certain security measures in the South-East and the South-South geopolitical zones of the country. SaharaReporters had gathered that the police and the army operatives were still conducting intelligence operations in the South-East and South-South, and will intensify their reach based on the new President’s directive. By SaharaReporters, New York Source:http://saharareporters.com/2021/06/22/military-aircraft-searching-ipob-members-returns-imo-communities-causes-panic

Troops of the Nigerian Army along the Mokwa-Jebba Road have arrested a fleeing bandit during a stop and search operation along the road. He was said to be heading to Ogbomoso in Oyo State. The army said on Tuesday morning that the bandit was arrested on Sunday around 9pm, when the troops intercepted a car travelling from Zuru to Ibadan. The vigilant troops spotted an occupant of the vehicle, who claimed to be a military man, Sergeant Aminu Sule. “Upon a body search, the occupant was found to be in possession of a pair of camouflage uniform, military boots, knife and substance suspected to be charms. “On further interrogation, the suspect confessed to be traveling to Ogbomoso in Oyo State. “He further claimed that the uniform and boots belonged to his brother who is a soldier,” the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig Gen Onyema Nwachukwu, said in a release on Tuesday. Nwachukwu noted that after closely scrutinising the suspect, he was discovered to be fleeing from the ongoing operations in Niger State to a safe haven. He said, “The suspect was immediately apprehended and handed over to the police at Mokwa for further investigation. “The heat on bandits and other criminal elements in Niger State has caused them to start fleeing to supposed safe havens. Members of the public, particularly around Niger and contiguous states are therefore enjoined to be vigilant and report any suspected movement of fleeing bandits to security agencies. “Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Major General Faruk Yahaya, has assured law-abiding citizens of Niger State and indeed Nigeria of the safety of their lives and property. “He further enjoined them to be wary of such sinister movements by fleeing bandits and continue to support the security agencies with useful information to enable them maintain peace and security of the country." By SaharaReporters, New York Source:http://saharareporters.com/2021/06/22/bandit-military-uniform-charms-heading-oyo-state-arrested%E2%80%94nigerian-army