The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) in Abuja heard Wednesday that the Kwara State Government continued to pay about N1.2million monthly as salary and pension to its former governor, Bukola Saraki three years after he ceased to occupy the office.
Bukola Saraki
Saraki was Kwara State governor between 2003 and 2011. But a prosecution witness in his false assets declaration trial before the CCT said on Wednesday that, although Saraki has been a Senator since May 2011, after the expiration of his second term as governor, the Kwara State Government only “stopped crediting his account with N1,165,466.12 monthly as salary and or pension on the August 31, 2015.”
The state government however in a statement Wednesday night denied paying Saraki salary after he left office in May 2011.
Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Isiaka Gold explained that Dr Saraki’s last salary was N291,474.00 for the month of May 2011.
The witness, Michael Wetkas, an official of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), who opened his testimony on Tuesday as the first prosecution, continued Wednesday.
Wetkas, led in evidence by lead prosecution witness, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), testified for about five hours, during which he gave details of transactions in Saraki’s three accounts operated in naira, dollar and pound sterling with the Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB).
The witness gave details on how several funds, belonging to Kwara State, were allegedly diverted into Saraki’s private accounts both in Nigeria and abroad, with which he purportedly acquired property and liquidated some personal loans.
Wetkas, who drew the tribunal’s attention to some suspicious transactions in the defendant’s accounts with GTB, noted that during investigation, it was discovered that the identity of those making payments into the accounts were deliberately hidden by the bank.
The witness, who was part of the investigating team, said they discovered, during investigation, that most of the bank tellers for payment, were completed in similar hand writing, but without the address and phone numbers of the depositors.
A detective with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Michael Wetkas, on Tuesday narrated to the Code of Conduct Tribunal how the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, allegedly diverted Kwara State Government’s funds as the governor of the state.
Bukola Saraki
The witness said Saraki, who was the governor of Kwara State between 2003 and 2011, used the proceeds of the loot to repay personal bank loans which the former governor allegedly expended on the acquisition of landed assets in Lagos and Abuja.
Saraki is being prosecuted on 13 counts of false and anticipatory asset declaration which he made at the beginning and at the end of each of his two terms as governor.
Wetkas was the Federal Government’s first prosecution witness in a trial which only commenced on Tuesday after about six months of delay caused by a series of interlocutory applications and appeals deployed by Saraki.
The witness said, “It was discovered that the properties were acquired through the loans.
“The loans were repaid, through cash lodgements collected from the defendant at the Kwara State Government House and made in GTB, GRA, Ilorin branch.”
Wetkas said it was discovered that some of the individuals, who lodged funds into the accounts, were bank officials.
He added that the bank officials and some aides to the former governor collected the funds lodged into the accounts directly from Saraki at the Kwara State Government House.
He explained that Saraki paid back the loans with Kwara State Government’s fund through his aides, one of whom lodged between N600,000 and N900,000 in the former governor’s account 50 times on a particular day.
He said, “Because of the suspicious inflows into the account, the bank (GTB) officials were invited. The reason for the invitation of the officials was that some of the individuals, who were making the cash lodgements into the account, were bank officials.
“One Oluwatujimu reported to the commission.”
From our interactions with him, we discovered that some of the lodgements were made through his superior at the bank, Bayo Daudu, who was the Relationship Manager of the account.
“In our interaction with Daudu, it was discovered that the cash sums were handed over to him by the defendant (Saraki) for lodgement in the account.
“According to Daudu, he goes to Kwara State Government House to collect the money from the defendant for lodgement into the account at the GRA Ilorin branch of GTB.
“We discovered one name, Abdul Adama, who made transaction 50 times into the account in a single day. The sum was broken down to N600, 000 and N900, 000 and was lodged in the same day.
“Subsequently, after that one, Ubi made a lodgement on the same day about 20 times in the same range of N600,000 and N900,000. Adama reported that the cash sums were handed over to him by the defendant and stated further that the cash sums that were lodged in by Ubi into the same account were from the defendant.
“Adama and Ubi were personal assistants to the defendant while he was governor. Further investigations revealed that other individuals, who made lodgements into the account, were fictitious.
“From the lodgements into the accounts, we observed and discovered that one Ubi (we don’t have his surname) made five lodgements of over N37m in cash.”
According to the witness, Saraki failed to declare many of the landed assets as of 2011 when he completed his second term as governor.
The prosecution, led by Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), crossed the last legal hurdle before it could call its first witness on Tuesday after the tribunal dismissed another request for an adjournment by the defence.
The defence team had sought another adjournment on the basis of a fresh application for stay of proceedings and appeals, both of which they only filed on Monday, against a ruling of the tribunal which had been delivered on March 24.
Wetkas, who was led in evidence by Jacobs, said the EFCC received a number of petitions, accusing Saraki of abuse of office, misappropriation of public funds and money laundering shortly after the Senate President completed his second term as governor.
The witness said this prompted the then Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, to set up an investigative team, which he (Wetkas) headed in 2014.
He said his team, which later harmonised its findings with another broad investigative team, comprising operatives of the Department of State Services and the Code of Conduct Bureau, revealed that Saraki operated a number of companies which had accounts with Zenith and Guaranty Trust banks.
He said investigation revealed that between 2005 and 2013, a GTB account of one of the firms had an inflow of about N4bn, with the major source of the fund coming from the N2.5bn loans which he took from the bank within the period.
He said between 2009 and 2013, the dollar account operated by Saraki’s firm, Tiny Tee Properties Ltd, had an inflow of $6m.
The witness said, “The commission received several petitions from various groups. One of the petitioners was Kwara Freedom Network. They brought several petitions all bordering on abuse of office by the defendant, misappropriation of public funds and money laundering.
“Sometime in 2014, the then executive chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde received intelligence reports of suspicious transactions involving the defendant. He set up a team of investigators. Our task was to investigate the intelligence reports.
“The investigation report was reviewed by my team. In the course of our investigation, we discovered that there were several companies which were linked to the defendant. Some of them include Carlisle Properties Investment Ltd, Skyview Properties Ltd, Limkars Ltd, and Tiny-Tee Ltd. Some of the companies maintain accounts with Guaranty Trust Bank, Zenith Bank, Access Bank and other banks.
“From the investigation, it was discovered that the defendant maintained three accounts with the GTB. The first account is a naira currency account, the second is a US dollar account and the third is a pound sterling account.
“The naira account was analysed and it was discovered that between 2005 and 2013, the account had an inflow of about N4bn. The major source of inflow into the account was loans taken from GTB within the period. The loans were about N2.5bn, and the other source of inflow into the account was massive lodgements by individuals. Other inflows into the account were from the companies.
“It was discovered that the money was used for the purchase of property. The dollar account was also analysed. The major source of inflow into the dollar account was Tiny Tee Properties Ltd, which was about $2m. Other source was from bureau de change companies. And the rest was cash lodgements by individuals.
“The cash in the dollar account between 2009 and 2013 was $6m. We discovered that up to $3.4m was wired to American Express Services Europe Limited, which was used to fund the defendant’s American Express Service New York card account number 374588216836009.
“The defendant wired over 1.5m pound sterling to Fortis Bank for the purchase of a property in the UK.”
He said Saraki failed to list the assets in his asset declaration form.
Wetkas added, “My team searched the office of Carslie Properties and Investment Limited in Lagos at 30 Saka Tinubu, Victoria Island, Lagos, where the team discovered documents containing the list of documents of properties linked to the first defendant.
“Some of them were purchased from Presidential Implementation Committee on Government Properties.
“Some were bought from the Central Bank of Nigeria. We had to write a number of land registries in Abuja, Lagos Land Registry and we also wrote the CBN.
“These properties were not in the asset declaration forms.
“In analysing the forms, some infractions were observed on some of the forms.
“We discovered that property, known as 15 Mcdonald, Ikoyi, Lagos, which was purchased through a company, Hitel Limited, was not declared in the forms. We also discovered that 17A and 17B of Mcdonald, Ikoyi, Lagos, were bought for aggregate sum of N497.2m in 2006.”
He said the Senate President failed to declare his property at Plot 2A Glover Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, which he bought for N325,000,000 between 2007 and 2008, through his company called Carlisle Properties.
He said the accused also failed to declare the property at 37A Glover Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, which he allegedly bought through Carlisle Properties.
He stated that the defendant failed to declare the property at No. 1 Targus Street, Maitama, Abuja, otherwise known as 2482, Cadastral Zone A06, Abuja, on September 16, 2003.
The accused allegedly failed to declare the property at No. 3 Targus Street, Maitama, Abuja, otherwise known as 2482, Cadastral Zone A06, Abuja, which he acquired from one Alhaji Attahiru Adamu.
He was said to have failed to declare his leasehold interest in No. 42 Remi Fani-Kayode Street, Ikeja, Lagos, which he acquired through his company, Skyview Properties Limited, from First Finance Trust Limited.
His asset declaration forms, which he submitted to the CCB at the beginning and at the end of each of his tenure as governor in 2003 and 2011, were admitted as exhibits.
Also admitted was the asset declaration forms he has submitted to the CCB as a senator since 2011.
The defence, led by Mr. Paul Usoro (SAN), said he would defer his objection to the admissibility of the documents in his final written address.
Saraki was accompanied to the Tuesday’s proceedings by some senators.
The-yet-to-abate fuel scarcity in the country assumed a dangerous dimension yesterday in Ilorin, capital of Kwara State as three gunmen opened fire on motorists queuing for petrol.
The incident happened at one of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Filling Stations in the metropolis.
In the ensuing melee, it was gathered that the gunmen left two young men and a lady with serious injuries.
Some others on the queue as well as officials of the station were said to have scampered for safety.
The incident, according to eyewitnesses, occurred in the early hours.
It was gathered the gunmen were part of some youths who forced themselves on the station, located along Offa Garage road to manage the gates.
They were there to reduce the practice by many motorists to jump the queue in their desperate bid to get fuel.
An eyewitness said: “It was due to an argument among the boys; you know they are thugs and they have been at the gate but we don’t really know what led to the argument but we just suddenly heard the gunshots and it was later discovered that some people were seriously injured.”
The three victims, it was gathered, were rushed to a private hospital, Yusjib Industrial Medicare along the same axis.
The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the facility Dr Yusuf Abdulraheem told newsmen the three victims were in stable conditions.
He said one of them had been taken to a laboratory where the bullets in him would be extracted.
Kwara police command’s spokesperson Ajayi Okasanmi confirmed the development.
He said one of the gunmen has been arrested, adding that a locally made pistol and some live cartridges were recovered from the suspect.
The manager of the station promised to call back.
He however did not respond to text messages from reporters.
The Code of Conduct Bureau has said there is evidence that the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, while governor of Kwara State between 1999 and 2007, obtained huge bank loans and paid back the loans with funds belonging to the state.
Bukola Saraki
The bureau alleged that Saraki used the bank loans running into billions of naira to acquire landed assets in Lagos, Abuja and London.
The Bureau said it gathered the information from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission which conducted investigations into various petitions written against the Senate President between 2010 and 2012.
The CCB’s position is contained in a counter-affidavit deposed to by one of its operatives, Peter Danladi, in opposition to a fresh motion filed by Saraki to challenge the validity of the 13 counts of false assets declaration instituted against him before the tribunal.
Danladi stated, “That I was informed by Mr. Yahaya Bello, an operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in our office on March 14, 2016 at about 11am and I verily believe him that:
“The EFCC received various petitions against the defendant/applicant between 2010 and 2012 alleging acts of corruption, theft, money laundering etc.
“The EFCC conducted its investigation of the various petitions and made findings which showed that the defendant/applicant abused his office while he was Governor of Kwara State and was involved in various acts of corruption as the governor of the state.
“The defendant/applicant borrowed huge sums of money running into billions from commercial banks, particularly Guarantee Trust Bank and used the proceeds of the loan to acquire several landed properties in Lagos, Abuja and London while he was Governor of Kwara State.
“As against the defendant using his own legitimate income to defray the loan, he took public funds running into billions from Kwara State Government and lodged same in several tranches and in cash into his GTB account in GRA, Ilorin, Kwara State.
“The defendant/applicant’s account officer in GTB confirmed that the defendant/applicant gave him several cash in government house to lodge into the account and in some occasions, the defendant sent his aides from government house to give him the cash for lodgment into his account.
“When EFCC submitted its report to its legal department and the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Federal Ministry of Justice formed the opinion that the offences revealed from the investigation, particularly as they relate to the properties acquired by the defendant/applicant while he was Governor of Kwara State and various monies sent into his various accounts outside Nigeria can be better investigated and prosecuted through the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal.
“The Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation then sent the findings and the evidence gathered during investigation by the EFCC as a complaint to the Code of Conduct Bureau for investigation and that the operative of EFCC would collaborate with the officers of the bureau for effective investigations.”
Success Nwogu reveals some abandoned health projects of the Federal Government that have been taken over by weeds and rodents
Look around your community. There should be at least one abandoned government project or the other. They are a common place in Nigeria. If it is not a broken-down water project, it is likely to be an uncompleted road or rail transportation project.
The health centre in Owan East Local Government Area, Edo State. Photo: Tana Aiyejina
While nothing catastrophic may happen if a contractor delays a housing project for years, and people may live with the discomfort of a neglected road repair that drags for years, this is not the case with a public hospital, the sole purpose of which is to save lives.
For every second that a health facility is neglected, lives of hundreds of patients, including accident victims, are endangered or outright wasted.
Though the presence of functional health facilities have been established, investigations by our correspondent revealed that many federal, state and local government-commissioned health projects in Kwara, Edo and some other states are lying wretched in uncompleted conditions.
Investigations carried out by our correspondent who paid several visits to these abandoned health centres and spoke with residents in these communities revealed that some uncompleted health centres have become ‘guest rooms’ for destitute persons, rodents and reptiles.
Goats and other livestock are regular visitors and are also the co-inhabitants in some of these centres that are, ironically, at an advanced stage before they were abandoned.
For instance, it was observed that some of the abandoned facilities in Kwara State have wards, theatre rooms and pharmacists’ sections before they were neglected.
Consequently, some roofing sheets, ceiling fans, and other fittings have fallen off while weeds have overgrown other sections.
Security men guarding these structures complained that they were being owed many months’ salaries and that those in charge had not shown up.
Investigations by our correspondent also revealed that the neglected comprehensive health centre projects were commissioned by the Federal Government during the late former President Umaru’ Yar’Adua administration in conjunction with local government councils in the state.
A resident at Akerebiata community, Ilorin East Local Government Area, where one of the centres is sited, Alhaja Ramatu Balogun, said she nearly lost her three-year-old daughter when she had a convulsion in January. According to her, the little girl’s condition degenerated from mild fever to convulsion about 11pm and there was no functional health facility to seek treatment in the community at that time of the night.
The woman said she trekked with the sick baby for two hours before she could get a vehicle that conveyed them to the Federal Government Health Centre in Sobi Specialist Hospital, which she said was many kilometres away from her residence.
According to her, by the time she reached the hospital, her daughter’s condition had deteriorated, so much that she was admitted into the Intensive Care Unit for days.
Balogun said,“ What if I didn’t get a car that night to take me to Sobi hospital? What if the girl died before I got there at 1am? Yet I have a public hospital beside my house that has been abandoned for three years now. The government must do something.
“Doctors said that it was because of the fever that she began to convulse and if she had been treated earlier, she would not have collapsed.”
Another resident, Alhaja Jumoke Sulaiman said she nearly died the day she sustained an injury and there were no health centre to visit.
Suleiman said she bled for hours before her husband rushed home and took her to Sobi Hospital where they treated the cut.
According to her, she was admitted for six weeks at the hospital because of complications arising from loss of blood.
She noted that she would not have suffered such predicament if the FG’s community hospital in the area had been completed and was functional.
Also, a resident of Oloje, Mr. Rufus Abdullahi, said he missed death by the whiskers when he had a motor accident near the Oloje Garaje.
Abdullahi said he was walking along the road when a vehicle lost its brakes and rammed into him. He said he fainted as blood gushed out of his mouth and other affected parts of his body.
He stated that while he was taken to a faraway hospital in Ilorin, he had lost much blood and nearly died. He survived after many months in the hospital and had since been having serious pain as a result of complications arising from the accident.
Abdullahi also believes that he would not have suffered so much if the Federal Government-owned health centre in Oloje Garaje had been functioning.
He pleaded with the authorities to complete the project so that community members would start to access health services.
Also, the Vice-Chairman, Mustapha Akanbi Community in Akerebiata, Ilorin East LGA, Mr. Adelodun Yusuf, said one of the projects sited in the community had long been abandoned.
He said the community members, especially pregnant women and children, had been affected as emergencies had to be taken to hospitals in faraway areas.
Yusuf said it was surprising that such laudable projects, which could improve community health, could be abandoned after huge investments had been ploughed into them.
He stated that the situation was more worrisome given government’s outcry of dwindling revenue while successive governments had not deemed it fit to complete the health projects.
Also, people at the Mechanic Village, Oloje Garage, where one of the proposed hospitals is, decried the abandonment of the facility.
They said they were elated when the project was initially inaugurated and construction work commenced.
However, it is disheartening that after seven years, the project has not been completed while it has even degenerated and become dilapidated.
FG, contractors owe us
A sub-contractor to some of the projects handled by Havilla Construction Company Nigeria Ltd, Mr. Oladele Bamgbola, said the Yar’Adua administration awarded the contract to Nichim Group of Companies.
According to him, he supervised some of those in Kwara State.
He claimed that the Yar’Adua’s administration commenced the project in many states in conjunction with LG councils to provide quality health care access to the grassroots. He added that it was lack of fund that compromised the good intention.
He stated that no fewer than 10 LGAs in the state benefitted from the contracts. He identified them as Offa, Oyun, Irepodun, Ilorin East, Ilorin West, Ilorin South, Asa, Barateen, Kaiama-Baruteen and Edu.
He alleged that many of the sub-contractors nationwide were heavily owed by the main contractor, adding that efforts to get his payment for completion of the projects had been futile.
Bamgbola said, “When I tried to liaise with the Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja, they promised that they were going to send a team to see the situation on ground. Unfortunately, nobody has come for the inspection since two years ago.
“Most of the facilities have almost been completed. When you see the project you will shed tears. These are laudable Federal Government’s projects. Why do they have to abandon them as they are for the masses?
“Yar’Adua planned for the enhancement of the health and welfare of the masses. He wanted the hospital to be close to the poor people. That was the intention then. But unfortunately I do not know what happened between the contractors and the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.”
He added, “I am pleading with President Muhammadu Buhari to complete the facilities so that people can enjoy the investments. Look at how much the FG has spent on the projects.
“If they turn the facilities to hotels today, the government will be making a lot of money from them. They were not even planned for hotels but as health institutions that will provide quality, accessible and affordable healthcare to the people.
“The Government should investigate what happened between the contractors and the past government. Some of the almost completed projects are being blown off by the wind.”
The State Chairman, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Mr. Amodu Okandeji, described the neglected facilities as “an economic waste’ and a disservice to the people.
Okandeji residents are worried that that the health facilities have become hideouts for thieves and hoodlums.
‘Each centre costs N55m and above’
The Founder of Kwara Arise Network, a non-governmental organisation, Mr. Musa Aliyu, described the current state of the facilities as shameful, noting that they were meant to ameliorate the pains of the masses.
He said, “From reports available to us, each of the facilities cost nothing less than N55m as of the time they were constructed.
The unpleasant state of some health institutions also extends to some state government projects as some of the health facilities are begging for upgrade.
The Civil Service Clinic at Ilofa, GRA, Ilorin which is less than a kilometre to the Kwara State Government House and Lodge; as well as the residence of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki at Ilofa, GRA, Ilorin, is one of them.
A resident of Ilorin, Alhaji Bolaji Olanrewaju, lamented that the clinic did not receive the deserved upgrading during the Bukola Saraki’s eight-year administration and still suffers the same fate under the present government.
However, the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, said his administration’s policy thrusts was to upgrade health institutions across the state as well as provide qualitative, affordable and accessible healthcare to residents.
He claimed that his administration had invested significantly in health facilities in the state.
He noted that during his first term, the state government remolded five general hospitals at Ilorin, Share, Kaiama, Offa and Omu-Aran.
He said his administration was still committed to making health care accessible within 500 meter radius to residents.
He, however, said paucity of fund, occasioned by the sharp reduction in revenue allocation from the federation account, as well as falling crude oil price at the global market, had affected the zeal and capacity of his government to bequeath world class health institutions to the 16 local governments areas in the state.
Ahmed, through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communication, Dr. Muyideen Akorede, said the state government was still unwavering in its desire to deliver an enviable legacy in the sector.
He said, “This started with the remodelling of our general hospitals. This year, the government will remodel the General Hospital at Oro and four health centres. The Civil Service Clinic and other state/LG operated health facilities are scheduled for overhaul as funds become available.
“We are also reaching out to the FG with a view to ensuring completion of the health centres under its purview.”
Ahmed stated that regardless of the dwindling revenue, the state government would continue the rehabilitation of some health centres especially those in rural communities in the state this year.
According to him, the facilities to be considered include those in Oro, Ajasse-Ipo, Iloffa, Aran-Orin and Arandun.
Like Kwara, like Edo
Residents were jubilant when Senator Domingo Obende built a health centre in fulfilment of his campaign promises to his constituency.
But the health centre has not been used and is now overgrown with weeds.
The health centre was recently sighted inside the abandoned Olympic Games Village in Afuze, the headquarters of Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State.
A resident of the Olympic Games Village, Stephen Imoudu, said Obende built it but failed to hand it over to anybody, thus leaving it in an abandoned state.
“The man built the place because it was one of the promises he made while campaigning but when he completed it, he didn’t hand it over to the Local Government Area or any person for usage. So, we have been helplessly watching bush, snakes and rabbits take over the place,” Imoudu said.
Efforts are also being made to contact Obende on the neglected state of the facility in Edo State.
The Court of Appeal has upheld the election of the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki as the lawmaker representing Kwara Central Senatorial District.
Saraki celebrated the victory via his social media platform while pledging that the 8th Senate will be people oriented.
“Delighted to hear Court of Appeal upheld my election as Senator representing Kwara Central Senatorial District.Thank you for all your support & prayers. Rest assured that I’m committed to making sure the 8th Senate is people oriented,” he posted on his Facebook account.
ILORIN-Fully armed soldiers, yesterday afternoon, visited Okuta in Baruten Local Council of Kwara State to confirm alleged annexation of 16 villages in the area by the neighbouring Benin Republic.
Ilorin Eid, Kwara State
This came on a day that the Kwara State government denied that any of the villages was annexed as the Defence Headquarters raised a panel to investigate the matter and said it would explore diplomatic means to resolve the issue.
Saturday Vanguard gathered that the soldiers, who arrived Okuta at about 3pm had a brief meeting with the Emir of Okuta and his traditional chiefs and went to visit the affected areas.
Area remains calm
Residents of Okuta and the villages went about their normal businesses as there was no violence or threat to peace from any quarters.
Efforts to speak with the Emir of Okuta, Alhaji Idris Serio Abubakar, yesterday, were not successful as he was said to have been ordered from the above to keep sealed lips on the matter.
Before the latest development, the monarch was said have written letters to the State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, over the encroachment of their lands by the neighbouring Benin Republic but no action was taken.
According to a recent letter to the governor titled:”Encroachment of Nigerian Territory by Benin Republic at Okuta District of Baruten Local Government area of Kwara state, “the traditional ruler alerted that,”recently some pillars were reconstructed and mounted at the back of the doors of Boriya village (at river Moshi) and Benin Republic.
“The colonial pillars of Imamue to Boriya Moshi rivers is about 25km.The present land in question has the following Nigeria villages Ogamue, Munta, Bwin, Gandogbeba, Saka Yeruman Kparu, Ajuba, Simen. Kparu, Sosi Kparu, Dotin. Nkparu and Tende with not less than 22,.000 people as inhabitants, wishing to be claimed by Benin Republic. It is a terrible trespass and not acceptable to our communities.
“Unless the Beninoise are restricted and made to vacate the area being encroached by them, they will continue with their said encroachment thereby illegally extending their territory beyond what legally belong to them. We are not ready and will never be ready to concede this land to Benin Republic. We don’t have any place where these villages could be resettled, it is the only viable economic and farm land of the whole district.”
No Kwara community was invaded – State govt
However, the Kwara State Government has denied reports that 16 villages in the state have been invaded and occupied by Republic Republic.
The state government, in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Alhaji Mahmud Ajeigbe, yesterday, said the affected villages of Okuta District of Baruten Local Government Area of the state are calm and still under the control of the Federal Government.
The statement further stressed that although no foreign government has erected any structure nor hoisted their national flag in any of the villages as erroneously reported in the media, the state government has alerted the security agencies on the reports.
Alhaji Ajeigbe said the Emir of Okuta, Alhaji Idris Abubakar, Chairman of Baruten Local Government Council and security agencies in the area have all confirmed that residents of the 16 villages are going about their normal activities without fear and that there is no sign of foreign security agencies or their structures in the area.
The government therefore urged everyone to remain calm and go about their normal businesses as the Nigerian security agencies are up to the task of securing Nigeria’s borders and her people.
Lending support to the claim of the state government.
Affected villages belong to Benin Republic – Council boss
Interestingly, the Vice Chairman of Baruten Local Council, Abdulrasheed Lafia, who is also the chairman of the Local Government Boundary Commission also said yesterday that the so called 16 villages actually belonged to Benin Republic based on an earlier agreement.
He said that the issue surrounding the disputed Ogomue land had been resolved since 2005.
Lafia claimed that the National Boundary Commission after it visited the site in 2004 along with officials of the state and local government boundary committees had resolved that the land actually belonged to Benin Republic.
According to him, the news report is a sponsored one as no such invasion or attack exists anywhere in the local council adding that the sponsors of the report are individuals,who are dissatisfied with the position of the commission.
No Nigerian territory will be lost – Defence hdqrs
Commenting on the development, the Defence headquarters,yesterday, said that no single Nigerian territory will be allowed into the hands of intruders or any foreign nation.
Consequently, the Defence headquarters disclosed that a high powered investigative panel has been initiated to probe the Benin Republic the invasion of Nigeria’s territory.
Acting Director of Defence Information, Colonel Rabe Abubakar in a telephone conversation with Saturday Vanguard, noted that “though the military was aware of the allegation, Nigeria being a member of various international organs of the United Nations and African Union as well as ECOWAS, will explore diplomatic means if the investigation into the alleged invasion is completed.
Emphasizing that the outcome of the investigation into the allegation will be made public when completed, the Acting DDI reiterated that the military’s resolve towards ensuring that ‘no Nigerian territory will be lost to either terrorists or any foreign nation saying it is a cardinal policy of the federal government that will be implemented to the letter.
“But firstly, the government wants to know why, how and what happened, if the allegation is true in the first place,” he said.
ILORIN – The neighbouring Benin Republic has invaded sixteen villages in Okuta, the border town in Baruten local government area of Kwara state, thereby causing serious fear and palpable tension in the affected communities.
In their shrewd determination to annex the Nigerian villages, Vanguard reliably gathered that authorities of Benin Republic have gone ahead to construct Gerdarmes Office(Police station) in the affected Nigerian communities and also hoist the country flag at the affected Nigeria villages.
Vanguard checks revealed that the development negated the boundary delimitation of 1914 between Britain and France which the two countries had respected.
The affected Nigeria villages invaded by the Benin Republic include Ogomne, Bwin, Gandasunon, Kpuru and Woru Wuren Kparu.
Others are Ajuba,1, Ajuba 2, Saka Yeruman Kparu,Monta, Dotin Kparu,Halidun Kparu, Yakubun Kparu, Sonsi,Gunosani, Alhaji Kparu,Yodo Mankparu and Simen Kparu.
Economic and social activities in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, and its environs, have been paralysed, following the scarcity of petrol in many filling stations, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) has reported.
Fuel Scarcity
NAN correspondent, who visited several filling stations yesterday, reports that vehicle owners, especially commercial vehicle drivers, spent several hours at filling stations to buy fuel.
At some filling stations, where the product was available, there were long queues of vehicles and motorcycles; there were fewer vehicles on the roads.
Many commuters, including school children and students in tertiary institutions, were at bus stopsand other locations, waiting for vehicles.
Many commuters resorted to trekking to their destinations as the effects of the fuel scarcity worsened.
An independent petroleum marketer in Ilorin, Alhaji Abdul-Kareem Sanni, described the lingering fuel scarcity as unfortunate.
He attributed the situation to unavailability of the commodity at the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) depot at Oke Oyi in Ilorin.
Sanni called for the deregulation of the sub-sector to make fuel available at all times.
The petroleum dealer described as economic waste the payment of N413 billion petrol subsidy to marketers when fuel was not readily available.
Efforts to speak with the Operations Controller at the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in Kwara, Mr Philips Salvation, were unsuccessful.
NAN reports that the Federal Government approved the immediate payment of N413 billion to oil marketers as outstanding payment for subsidy claims.
This is contained in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday signed by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation’s Group General Manager, Public Affairs Division, Ohi Alegbe.
NNPC said it had stepped up measures to eliminate the noticeable fuel queues in some petrol stations across some major cities in the country
A pan Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has denounced the comments credited to a former governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso, during his recent visit to Ibadan describing it as “uncouth, rude and insensitive.”
National Publicity Secretary of pan-Yoruba sociopolitical group, Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin
The ex-governor, now a senator, had during the inauguration of some facilities in Ibadan reportedly asked some Yoruba elders to “shut up.”
According to Afenifere, Kwankwaso’s grouse with the Yoruba leaders was their call for an end to the criminal activities of Fulani herdsmen in the South West at a recent summit in Ibadan. At the summit, the leaders had said they would reconsider the place of the Yoruba nation in Nigeria if the Federal Government could not protect their people from the incessant attacks of the Fulani herdsmen.
But Afenifere in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Yinka Odunakin, on Monday, said Kwankwaso did not condemn the abduction of a former Minister of Finance, Chief Olu Falae, by the Fulani herdsmen.
He said, “The declaration is not anywhere near the statement of Gen. Yakubu Gowon on August 3, 1966 that “there is no basis for Nigeria unity, which has been so badly rocked, not only once but several times,” or the theme of the North’s revenge coup of July 29,1967 titled, ARABA, an Hausa word meaning “let us divide it.”
“In all his ramblings in Ibadan, Kwankwaso did not condemn the abduction of Chief Olu Falae, the killing of innocent farmers, the raping of women and destruction of crops and farmlands in the course of the grazing activities of Fulani herdsmen. He only tacitly justified their activities by offering excuses for their criminal conducts.”
Afenifere noted that Kwankwaso’s utterance was a replay of the sordid episode of 2,000 when some Arewa leaders stormed the office of the late Oyo State Governor, Alhaji Lam Adesina, on behalf of nomadic cattle rustlers.
“It is another sad day for the clash of civilizations within the Lugard cage when a man who has occupied all the offices Kwankwaso has held, opens his mouth in a people’s domain and all he vomits make listeners to confuse him with a herdsman
“With the uncouth, rude and insensitive remarks of Kwankwaso and his ilk in the North which are like pouring salt on injury, it is coming clear to us that there may be a grand agenda with the activities of the Fulani herdsmen either as an advance party of Boko Haram into our territory or an expansionist project.”
The Peoples Democratic Party candidate in the last Kwara Central senatorial election, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, alleging criminal falsification of the election result by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki.
Bukola Saraki
The petition, dated September 18, 2015 and signed by Azeez Adegoke of Sundry Law Office, on behalf Mr. Abdulrazaq, is asking the Inspector General to investigate the alleged forgery of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC’s Form EC 8D and Form EC 8E signed by an aide of Mr. Saraki, Ladi Hassan, and the collation/returning officer, Mulkah Ahmed, declaring Mr. Saraki winner of the poll while election is yet to be concluded and votes are still being collated.
The forms were signed on March 28, the petitions says.
The petitioner argued that election results were still being collated on 29 March, 2015 and results were formally announced INEC on 30 March, 2015.
It says even Mr. Saraki acknowledged that point when he posted a statement by his media aide, Bamikole Omishore, on his Facebook page on March 30 declaring the result as the final return of the poll and thanking his supporters for his victory.
Describing the result as a “nice little work of amateur fiction”, Mr. Abdulrazaq said the result was apparently prepared prior to the election date for the specific purpose of announcing Mr. Saraki as winner of the poll.
He said Mr. Saraki and the INEC collation officer violated the provision of the Section 69 of the Electoral Act, 2010, by announcing a result that was not a product of counting the total number of votes cast by voters.
“Section 69 of the Electoral Act, 2010, as amended, provides that ‘the result (of an election) shall be ascertained by counting the votes cast for each candidate’ and subject to sections 133, 134 & 179 of the Constitution before any candidate is declared elected by a Returning Officer.
“Where, therefore, a final election return has been made before all votes cast have been counted and their validity determined, as in the instant case, such a declaration must of necessity be taken as incomplete, fraudulent and a nullity. Hence, our client contends that Dr (Mrs) Ahmed, Alhaji Hassan and, by extension, Dr Saraki manifestly violated section 69 of the Act. And knowingly so,” he said.
The petitioner observed that the result sheet signed on March 28 was only signed by Mr. Hassan, who acted as agent for the All Progressives Congress in the election and the collation officer.
“It is instructive that it was only Dr Saraki, among all the candidates, that had the result that forenoon. It’s also curious that the copy of the election result that was signed by the Returning Officer and admitted in evidence by the election Tribunal was signed by only one party agent ¾ that of Dr Saraki and the APC,” the petition read.
According to the petitioner, strangely enough Mr. Saraki relied on the alleged concocted result in his defence at the election tribunal arguing that the election petition against him should be struck out for being status barred.
“It speaks volumes, too, that the two documents were tendered on oath by Alhaji Hassan to the election Tribunal, whom Dr Saraki asked to strike out the Petition against him, claiming that it was statute-barred as the election return was made on 28th March 2015 and the Petition was filed on 19th April — one day more than the 21 days allowed by section 285(5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) which states thus: ‘An election petition shall be filed within 21 days after the date of the declaration of result of the elections’. Unsure of his defence, and having himself refused to appear or call any witness in his cause before the Tribunal, Dr Saraki wants the case decided not on its merit but on technicality — and a contrived one at that.
“It is, then, our client’s belief that the dodgy documents were the culmination of a process that operated in a way as to produce a fixed outcome, which it did; and which Dr Saraki and co perversely tried to ensure the electoral heist they pulled off is allowed to stand at the election Tribunal. Awful as it surely is, what is grotesquely evil and disturbing is not that they rigged the election. Rather, it’s that they sought to cover up their crimes with an even more obscene one; and, then, even have the chutzpah to blame the main victim.
“Under cross-examination on oath by INEC’s Counsel at the election Tribunal, Mr Tunde Salako, the INEC Head of Legal Unit in Kwara State, who was subpoenaed by the Petitioner, claimed that the purported election result was declared on 29th March 2015 ¾ a testimony that at once violently tears into the integrity and legality of [the results].”
Contacted, Mr. Saraki’s spokesperson, Bankole Omishore, said he was not aware of the petition and could not comment on it. He said the senate president will respond once the police sends them the petition.
Unconfirmed report has it that the embattled Senate President, Bukola Saraki was on Thursday pelted with stones and sachet of water during prayer to mark Eid-el-Kabir in Ilorin, Kwara State.
Ilorin Eid, Kwara State
The report also said that Mr. Saraki was in company of the Emir of Ilorin, and was later whisked away by the police haven’t been attacked by his own people.
Meanwhile, few people claimed that the senate President present at the mosque attracted praises not stones.
Many social media users who claimed to have witnessed the incidents alleged that they saw Saraki being whisked away by the police after being attacked at the moque in Kwara.
Saraki stoned at Eid Praying ground. Ilorin. Prayer could not hold.
When one account claimed that Saraki was actually hailed by the people, some others lashed out in response to emphasize that the senate president was pelted with stones and water.
One Mohammed Brimah, whose Twitter information column indicates he is one of the coordinators of the APC Youth Forum, also stated on Twitter that Saraki, who is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was stoned.
Prayers semi-held amidst heavy confusion at Ilorin eid praying ground as stones and pure water were hurled at Sen. Bukola Saraki
It is unclear what led to the action of the people but people have insituated that the action may be connected to the present situation of the senate President.
Saraki is on trial at the Code of Conduct Bureau for allegedly under declaring his asset while he was the governor of Kwara State.
It is shocking as people rumoured that Saraki is the political godfather of the current governor of Kwara State, Abdulfata Ahmed, yet allowed such an ugly incident to one of the most influential and number 3 citizen of the country.
Saraki arriving the prayer groundPeople staring at the ugly scene
Supporters and loyalists of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki have engaged in vigil and fasting.
One of the conveners of the prayers, Mr. Kayode Yusuf, who is popularly called ‘Maja,’ in an interview with our correspondent in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital on Saturday, said prayer sessions were being held all over the state, especially in the Ilorin motropolis.
Bukola Saraki
He said he had mobilised over 500 Muslim clerics while about 1,000, including the Chief Iman of Ilorin, Mohammad Solihu were praying in different areas in the state for Saraki’s victory.
“Yusuf, who is the convener of ‘Maja Elders Forum’, called on President Buhari to intervene and prevent the polity from being over-heated.
He expressed the hope that Saraki’s travail would soon be over.
Yusuf said, “We in Kwara are powerless. The only thing we can do is to support him (Saraki) with prayers. We have no money, soldiers, police or any other security apparatus. We are just ordinary citizens of Kwara and Nigeria. But we in Kwara, especially in Ilorin, believe in the power of prayers.
“All of us in Ilorin, including the Chief Imam of Ilorin, are involved in the prayers. Saraki is our leader. He must not come down. Within the short time that he was elevated as the Senate President, we know what we have benefited from him.
“I have mobilised more than 500 Imans and over 1,000 others are praying in different areas. They have been praying and fasting. Even the women are praying for him. Saraki is our benefactor. Even the uneducated do not want anything to happen to Bukola Saraki. They are not sleeping but are also praying. The prayers will last till Saraki’s ordeal is over.”
In a related development, a coalition of civil society organisations under the aegis of Heritage Centre and the National Association of Nigerian Students have threatened to lead mass protests to foreign embassies in Abuja to protest alleged political vendetta being carried out against the Senate President.
The Code of Conduct Bureau has leveled a 13 count against the Senate President, Bukola Saraki.
The Deputy Director in the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, M.S.Hassan, filed the charges against Saraki on September 11.
Bukola Saraki
The charges include false declaration of assets when he assumed office as the Kwara State Governor in 2003.
Reacting to the charges, Saraki described the charges leveled against him by the CCB as frivolous.
He also said the allegations was a reflection of the saying that each time you fight corruption, the system will fight you.
Saraki said this in a brief encounter with Senate correspondents in Abuja. He was reacting to the 13 count of corrupt practices dating back to his tenure as governor of Kwara State.
Saraki said, “Most of them are frivolous and not true. This sounds like issues of affairs. I have always done my declaration. We will continue to do our Job.
“There is no doubt that it is mischievous. It is not current. The issues are not true. As far as we are concerned, we are not shaking. We will focus on what we have come to do in the interest of the country.”
The Senate President then referred reporters to a statement from his media team signed by his Senior Special Adviser on Media, Yusuf Olaniyonu, saying Saraki was being witch-hunted because of his recent stance on national issues.
The statement partly read, “We also note that anytime you try to fight corruption or insist that the right thing should be done, the system will always come after you. This is another case of desperation to fight Dr. Saraki because of his recent stance on national issues.”
According to the statement, the Senate President’s attention was drawn to a charge sheet being widely circulated on the online media, upon which he is expected to be tried at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
The Senate President’s media team noted that at the time of writing the statement, Saraki had not been served the court papers.
The statement, however, noted that as a public officer, he owes members of the public explanation on the allegations contained in the charge sheet.
No fewer than three persons were feared dead on Sunday at Agbamu in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State following a clash among members of the Oodua Peoples Congress.
An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said no fewer than six other persons sustained varying degrees of injuries during the fracas.
He added that the injured victims were rushed to some undisclosed private hospitals in the area for medical attention.
The source said trouble erupted when some OPC members, who were allegedly expelled recently from the group, stormed St. Paul Anglican Primary School, Agbamu, where the 10th anniversary of the coronation of Arigbamu of Agbamu, Oba Samuel Dare, was holding to protest their expulsion before OPC National Coordinator, Chief Gani Adams.
The protest was said not to have gone down well with some members of the state chapter of OPC, which later snowballed into a violent clash among the OPC members.
A policeman at Agbamu Police Post, who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to journalists on the issue, confirmed to journalists that three people died.
He said, “We never envisaged this kind of security breach; hence, we would have called for reinforcement from other neighbouring police stations. By virtues of their large numbers, they held everybody to ransom.
“I can confirm to you that three people were shot dead, while several others were seriously injured. The injured ones have been taken to nearby private hospitals.”
The Police Public Relations Officer, Kwara State Command, Mr. Ajayi Okasanmi, said he had yet to be briefed on the clash.
For two teenagers, Sani Harry and Muhammed Yahaya, who were nabbed by the Kwara State Command of the Nigerian Police Force for allegedly robbing people with a cutlass, becoming robbers was something they had no power to resist.
Fatai Aderomu Islamic Cleric, Ritualist
The suspects, who claimed to be herdsmen and farmers, however, were remorseful enough to warn other youths like themselves to steer clear of robbery and other crimes.
Seventeen-year-old Harry said he was destined to be a robber as according to him, he could not resist the temptation.
He said, “It is destiny that made me to start robbing people. The temptation just came in a strong way. I just did it without knowing why I did it. I have never killed anybody. We normally rob with cutlasses and sticks. I regret my action now. I will not do it again.”
Yahaya on the other hand, expressed remorse for robbing people. He added that he would never get involved in robbery if he was pardoned and released.
Also paraded by the police was a robbery suspect, simply identified as Ibira, 25. Like Harry and Yahaya, he said he did not know what pushed him into the crime.
“I am a farmer and cattle rearer. I do not know why I decided to pertake in robbery. But believe me, I will never do it again.”
The Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Command, Mr. Salihu Garba, said the arrests of the suspects were in fulfilment of the command’s promise to the people of the state to reduce or possibly eradicate violent crimes in the state.
Garba, who spoke through the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ajayi Okesanmi, said Harry and Yahaya were arrested with a cutlass and face masks.
“One Hadiza Abubakar ‘F’ of Sabo Gada Village via Bode Saaadu reported that on Monday, June 29, 2015 at about noon, she was waylaid and robbed by a gang of armed bandits. Investigation into the case led to the arrest of Harry and Yahaya,” Garba said.
He said the suspects would be arraigned soon since they had confessed to the crime.
Also paraded by the police were some former prison inmates, who were nabbed after carrying out robbery they planned while in incarceration.
The police commissioner said the house of one Rhoda Adekeye ‘F’ at Tanke area of Ilorin, Kwara State was invaded by five armed men.
He said the suspected robbers tied the victims and robbed them at gun point. Valuables including one Toyota Camry saloon car with registration number Lagos FST 828 AW and mobile phones were taken away from the victims.
According to him, investigations later led to the arrest of Blessing Fayemi (19), Stephen Bamidele (32), Samuel John (24), and Juma Olasanmi (27).
Garba said an American Brony Pistol with 11 rounds of live ammunitions was recovered from the suspects, adding that they had confessed to committing the crime.
He stated that investigation revealed that the suspects were at one time inmates of Madala Prisons where they allegedly perfected plans to carry out series of robbery attacks when they regained their freedom. He said the police had intensified efforts to recover the stolen vehicle.
Meanwhile, the police have also arrested four suspected members of the Alora cult group.
The suspects – Oladayo Yusuf (22), Kelvin Orji (24), OgunnikeAdeola, (27), and Oludia Shogo (23) were arrested for armed robbery and unlawful possession of firearm.
He added that the police recovered one Ghana manufactured triple barrel pistol; five live cartridges and one 0.9mm live ammunition from the suspects.
Garba said, “At about 10am on Wednesday, July 1, 2015 the above named suspects were arrested at Sango area of Ilorin, with the above listed exhibits.
“On interrogation, they admitted being members of Alora cult group preparing for an operation when they were arrested. They confessed that they came from Lagos. It is pertinent to note that lately, vehicles have been snatched at gunpoint and were traced to Lagos.
“Investigation is ongoing to recover some of the vehicles they have stolen.”
A group, the Kwara Concerned Citizens, has urged people to stop attacking the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Lai Mohammed, for doing his job.
Lai Mohammed
The group, in a statement yesterday by Dr. Hezekiah Oyedepo, an Igbomina community leader and the Wakilin of Lafiaji, Umoru Sha’aba Lafiaji, said: “Our attention has been drawn to a statement by a group in our dear state, Kwara, condemning and even threatening the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Lai Mohammed, over the statement he issued on behalf of the party in the aftermath of the recent elections into the leadership positions of the National Assembly.
“We are astonished that for carrying out his duties diligently, as he has always done, by articulating the position of his party, Lai Mohammed has become a target of attacks and threats from some perfidious persons in his state.
“In order to put the issue in the proper perspective, we members of the Kwara Concerned Citizens have therefore decided to set the record straight by saying the opinion of that self-serving group does not reflect that of the majority of the good people of Kwara, while also acknowledging the courage, loyalty, decency and professionalism of Lai Mohammed in carrying out his duties as the voice of the APC.
“In the first instance, the opinions expressed by Lai Mohammed in his statements are not his own, but that of his party. Secondly, since he articulates the position of his party at many levels – including intra and inter-party, national as well as international – he is expected, at all times, to put the interest of the party above his personal interest.
“We make bold to say that to our pride as his kinsmen and indeed to wide acclamation across the land, he has performed his duties creditably.
“It is therefore unfair, illogical and downright simplistic to conclude that Lai Mohammed’s statement conveying the immediate reaction of his party to the elections in the National Assembly means he is opposed to the election of his kinsman, Dr. Bukola Saraki, as the President of the Senate.
“What was he expected to do in the circumstances? Refuse to carry out his duty as the APC spokesman just because of the involvement of his kinsman in the Senate leadership election? Infuse his own feelings and opinion into his party’s statement so that he won’t be seen as opposing his kinsman? Or issue his own statement reflecting his personal opinion, as against that of his party?
“To the best of our knowledge, Lai Mohammed’s statement conveying his party’s reaction was not restricted to the election of Dr. Saraki alone, but also concerns that of Yakubu Dogara as the Speaker of the House of Representatives. We are not aware that to date, any group in Bauchi State, the home state of Dogara, has attacked or threatened Lai Mohammed for not supporting his emergence as Speaker.
“Lai Mohammed’s antecedents in the performance of his duties as party spokesman speak volumes about his courage, party loyalty and ability to rise beyond situations that will get less-imbued persons bogged down in a quagmire.
“Despite his close relationship with the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, dating back to their days in school, Lai Mohammed never for once shied away from conveying his then opposition Action Congress of Nigeria’s (ACN’s) views on Yar’Adua’s administration. In most cases, such views were scathing. Yet, to his eternal credit, Yar’Adua never for once used that against him.
“We of the Kwara Concerned Citizens are therefore alarmed that any individual or group will seek to extrapolate that because Lai Mohammed issued a statement reflecting his party’s stand on the National Assembly leadership’s elections, he is automatically against the emergence of his kinsman as Senate President and he must be pilloried.”
No fewer than two people reportedly died while property worth millions of naira were destroyed following a clash between Fulani traders and Yoruba natives of Oro-Ago in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.
Our correspondent gathered on Wednesday that some irate youths allegedly razed at least five vehicles and 10 motorcycles said to be owned by some Fulani people in the ensuing pandemonium.
A source, who pleaded anonymity for fear of attack, told journalists in Ilorin that the mayhem was allegedly caused by Fulani-Bororo settlers who, allegedly flouted a rule in the area that the settlers should never bring arms, ammunition and fighting sticks from their settlements to market on Oro Ago market days.
He stated that some armed Fulani traders came to the market on Monday.
He added that the vigilance team and hunters in the area accosted them, seized the weapons from them and later kept them at a place in Oro Ago town.
The source said the leader of the Fulani people in the area, popularly called Serikin Fulani, surprisingly stormed the place where the ammunition were kept with his people, carted away the weapons seized by the vigilance team and handed them back to the Fulani traders.
The source said the hunters and vigilance team attempted to retrieve the re-captured weapons from the Fulani people.
According to him, violent clash erupted between the two camps, leading to a breakdown of laws and order as weapons were allegedly used freely by the warring parties.
Police Public Relations Officer, Kwara State Police Command, Mr. Ajayi Okasanmi, said it was untrue that seven people were killed during the clash.
He claimed that two people were killed.
Okesanmi added that security operatives had restored normalcy to the area as, according to him, people have resumed normal socio-economic life and are going about their normal business unmolested.
A former Governor of Kwara State, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has said the President-elect, Maj Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), and the All Progressives Congress should provide quality governance that will satisfy the yearnings and expectations of the electorate.
He says this is the only way for the party to avoid the defeat or rejection by the electorate in future elections.
Saraki, during a media briefing in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital on Monday, however, assured Nigerians that APC would bring a new chapter in purposeful governance and delivery of dividends of democracy to the people.
Decrying what he described as “PDP misrule” for 16 years, he assured Nigerians that the incoming APC government would not fail them.
He said, “We have the mess to clean up. Expectations are very high. All the people that have gone around shouting ‘Change,’ ‘Sai Buhari,’ ‘Sai APC,’ they are expecting immediate result and we must have the people that will hit the ground and be able to perform.
“The issue is to balance the political expectations of people, who have voted for a political party to win and also for performance. It is clear that with the kind of the mandate that we have been given, we must ensure that we perform and succeed so that we do not reach the problem of PDP, that after a few years, electorate will vote us out.
“The disadvantage that we have is that in the time of PDP, people did not have the voice or the ability to vote, so you could afford with non-performance to stay in office but now it is different. So the pressure on us is even more for us to perform.”
He urged Buhari to focus on his campaign promises of addressing corruption, insecurity, and job provision for the youths.
Saraki added that the incoming government should curtail insurgency in the North-East part of Nigeria and restore credibility and belief in the military.
The Kwara State Police Command has arrested a herbalist, Akeem Adeniyi, for allegedly abducting his girlfriends, identified simply as Bose and Busayo, with a view to using them for money ritual.
It was gathered that Adeniyi connived with two other suspects ─ Biodun Yusuf and one Raphael, who is still on the run ─ to abduct the victims.
PUNCH Metro learnt that two of the suspects were apprehended after the residents of the Alla-Isin area of Kwara State heard somebody screaming for help in Alla Grammar School at about 11pm on March 11 and rushed to the scene.
It was said that the residents could not find the victim on getting to the scene, but saw a Sienna Space Wagon bus believed to be the property of the people that attracted the residents.
Adeniyi reportedly told them that Busayo was her girlfriend and he was only trying to forcefully have sex with her when she screamed. He was said to have initially declined to reveal her whereabouts.
Police said Adeniyi and his friends were also responsible for the abduction of Bose, who was declared missing on March 19 by her father.
The herbalist, who claimed the second victim was also his girlfriend, reportedly led security operatives to their hideout, where Busayo and Bose were rescued alive.
Our correspondent learnt that the suspects were transferred from Oke-Onigbin Police Division to the Criminal Investigation and intelligence Department in Ilorin for proper investigation.
They were on Wednesday, arraigned before Mr. A.I. Babatunde of the Ilorin Magistrate’s Court for criminal conspiracy, kidnapping and homicide.
The offences, according to the prosecutor, Inspector David Wodi, contravene sections 97 and 274 of the Penal Code.
The charges read in part, “That on March 13, 2015, one Samuel Aboyeji of Baale Compound, Alla-Isin, reported at Oke-Onigbin division that on March 11, at about 11pm, they received information that somebody was screaming for help in Alla Grammar School and they mobilised themselves to the scene where they met one Akeem Adeniyi and one Biodun Yusuf with one Sienna Space Wagon bus and when they asked about the victim, Adeniyi stated that she, Busayo, was his girlfriend and she screamed when he attempted to rape her.
“On March 19, one Gabriel Neneher also reported that on March 11, his daughter, Bose, also Adeniyi’s girlfriend, is missing.
“Police investigation revealed that you, Adeniyi, a herbalist, criminally conspired with one Biodun Yusuf and one Raphael, now at large, and kidnapped Busayo and Bose to unknown destination for money ritual.”
Wodi prayed the court to remand the defendants in custody pending the completion of police investigation.
The defence counsel, A.I. Telim, however, urged the court to grant bail to his clients, relying on Section 36 (5) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, which presumed defendants innocent untill proven guilty.
Babatunde, who did not take the plea of the defendants, ordered that they be remanded in prison custody while the investigation continued.
Tobi Abdulgafar
