Metro Files

Nigeria’s Intervention Team comprising prominent Islamic scholars in the country, approved by President Bola Tinubu a few days ago met with the coup leaders in Niger where both parties agreed to intensify the option of dialogue in resolving the political crisis in that country. The Islamic Ulammas led by Sheik Abdullahi Bala Lau met with General Abdourahmane Tchiani for several hours in Niger’s capital Niamey during which they deliberated on all the issues including the demand by ECOWAS leaders that former President Bazoum be reinstated. In a statement, sheikh Bala Lau said the team had earlier told President Tinubu who is also the Chairman of the authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government that their position is that the political impasse in Niger be resolved through dialogue. He, therefore told General Tchiani that the visit to Niger was to engage in constructive dialogue to encourage him and other military leaders behind the coup to toe the path of peace instead of war to resolve the crisis. Responding, General Tchiani who accorded the team warm reception welcomed their intervention. He said their doors were open to explore diplomacy and peace in resolving the matter. General Tchiani, however, said it was painful to the coup leaders that the ECOWAS leaders did not hear their side of the matter before issuing an ultimatum to them to quit office. He claimed the coup was well intended, stating that they struck to starve off an imminent threat that would have affected not only the Niger Republic but also Nigeria. He also apologised for not according to the team sent by President Tinubu led by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd) the required attention because they were angry about the ECOWAS ultimatum. While tracing the historical ties between the two nations, he said the Niger Republic and Nigeria were not only neighbours but brothers and sisters who should resolve issues amicably. 332 Views

President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of Infrastructure Support Fund (ISF) for the 36 States of the Federation as part of measures to cushion the effects of the petrol subsidy removal on the people. The approval was disclosed at the monthly meeting of the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), on Thursday July 20, 2023, in Abuja. The new Infrastructure Fund will enable the States to intervene and invest in the critical areas of Transportation, including farm to market road improvements; Agriculture, encompassing livestock and ranching solutions; Health, with a focus on basic healthcare; Education, especially basic education; Power and Water Resources, that will improve economic competitiveness, create jobs and deliver economic prosperity for Nigerians. The Committee also resolved to save a portion of the monthly distributable proceeds to minimize the impact of the increased revenues-occasioned by the subsidy removal and exchange rate unification-on money supply, as well as inflation and the exchange rate. Out of the June 2023 distributable revenue of 1.9 trillion Naira, only N907 billion will be distributed among the three tiers of government, while N790 billion will be saved, and the rest will be used for statutory deductions. These savings will complement the efforts of the Infrastructure Support Fund (ISF) and other existing and planned fiscal measures, all aimed at ensuring that the subsidy removal translates into tangible improvements in the lives and living standards of Nigerians. The Committee commends President Tinubu for the bold decision to remove the petrol subsidy, and even more importantly, for providing necessary support to the States to cushion the effects of the subsidy removal on Nigerians. 276 Views

Troops of 192 Battalion Nigerian Army (NA) operating in 81 Division Area of Responsibility have busted an international ammunition smuggling syndicate, while transporting a truck load of smuggled ammunition to Anambra State on Saturday 15 July 2023. The troops, who acted on actionable Intelligence conducted a meticulous and rigorous Stop and Search operation along Ajilete-Owode Road in Yewa North LGA of Ogun State and uncovered the illegal ammunition in a truck with Registration number ENU 697 XY, loaded with 720 packets of Red Star Cartridges of 12 Calibre, containing 25 cartridges per packet, totalling 18, 000 cartridges and an additional 250 packets of live (black) cartridges containing 10 packets each, totalling 2500 cartridges of same calibre. The suspects, identified as Mr. Eric Seworvor, a Ghanaian national, and the driver, Mr Lukman Sani, have been taken into custody and are helping with ongoing investigations. Information gathered during preliminary investigation revealed that the ammunition, which were surreptitiously concealed in a supposed empty truck were imported from Mali, via Idiroko International Border, where the criminals had successfully beaten several other checkpoints en-route their final destination in Onitsha, Anambra State, where they intended to deliver the illegal ammunition. Timely intervention by the vigilant troops however thwarted the chaos that such volume of ammunition would have unleashed on innocent members of the public, if the criminals had succeeded.  The Nigerian Army therefore appeals to all law abiding citizens to continue to support the troops and other security agencies with credible and actionable information, as they combat security challenges across the country. 237 Views

A Magistrate’s Court in Ibadan, which is hearing the allegations made by the police against Prankster, Abdullahi Adisa popularly known as Trinity Guy, has ordered that the suspect be kept in Agodi correctional facility until next month. Similarly, the court also ordered that the mother and father of the ten-year-old child that appears in a viral video, be detained in prison. Trinity Guy was charged to court by the police for allegedly sexualising a minor in a viral 38-second video where he asked a female minor to describe his genitals. Earlier, the suspect’s lawyer, Oludare Adebayo, had pleaded with the court to release his client. However, the magistrate judge, P.O Adetuyibi, rejected his plea on the grounds that a case has been opened in the government office which is looking at the justice system based in Oyo state regarding the suspect. The Prankster earlier said that he had an agreement with the minor’s parent before shooting the skit. 312 Views

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has approved the indefinite suspension from office of Mr. AbdulRasheed Bawa, CON, as the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to allow for proper investigation into his conduct while in office. 2. This follows weighty allegations of abuse of office levelled against him. 3. Mr Bawa has been directed to immediately handover the affairs of his office to the Director, Operations in the Commission, who will oversee the affairs of the Office of the Chairman of the Commission pending the conclusion of the investigation. 305 Views

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. today announced the designation of a Presidential Delegation to attend the Inauguration of His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu on May 29, 2023, in Abuja, Nigeria. The Honorable Marcia L. Fudge, Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, will lead the delegation. Members of the Presidential Delegation: Mr. David Greene, Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., U.S. Embassy Abuja The Honorable Sydney Kamlager-Dove, United States Representative (D), California The Honorable Marisa Lago, Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, U.S. Department of Commerce General Michael E. Langley, Commander of U.S. Africa Command The Honorable Enoh T. Ebong, Director, U.S. Trade and Development Agency The Honorable Mary Catherine Phee, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of African Affairs, U.S. Department of State The Honorable Judd Devermont, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for African Affairs, National Security Council The Honorable Monde Muyangwa, Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Africa, U.S. Agency for International Developmen 951 Views

Operatives of the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested one Owoseni Gabriel, who posed as a woman to evade arrest, and 32 others for their alleged involvement in computer-related fraud. Gabriel was arrested alongside Salaudeen Hammed, Akinsanya Olamilekan, Olamofe Joshua, Akindele Saheed, Damilare Micheal, Patoki Ayomiku, Olakunle Ismail, Babalola Ayomide, Afolabi Olaibola, Abiodun Olayinka, Samuel Ogunyemi, Adebayo Olarewaju, Abdul-Fatai Olawale and Hassan Ayofe. Others are: Samson Jeremiah, Kolawole Afeez, Owoseni Gabriel, Makinde Oluwasegun, Daniel Seun, Adefolahan Isreal, Olusegun Emmanuel, Olawore Micheal, Hammed Raheem, Micheal Tunde, Francis Chibundu, Jesse Oluwatobiloba, Adenekan Ayotunde, Qudus Adeyi, Sulaimon Oladimeji, Kayode Sunday, Daniel Owosine, and Boluwatife Gbolahan. They were arrested on May 2, 2023, at the Iyana Ipaja axis of Lagos State, following credible intelligence received by the Commission on the activities of some young boys involved in computer-related fraud. During the sting operation, Gabriel, particularly, wore a female dress and a wig to evade arrest. Items recovered from the suspects include a Toyota Camry 2005 model, a Toyota Camry 2009 model, mobile phones and laptop computers. The suspects will be charged to court after investigations have been concluded. 1,266 Views

Contrary to the news being bandied about on social media that the popular Alaba International Market in Ojo area of Lagos State was razed by fire on Friday, destroying properties worth millions, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the Lagos State Police PRO, has refuted the claim on his Twitter handle. The Police PRO wrote, “This is a false narrative! Acting on credible information, police officers from Ojo Division raided shanties around the market, arrested suspected criminals and recovered some weapons. The shanties were thereafter set on fire. Alaba Int’l Market is NOT on fire!” 1,080 Views

While enforcing the existing ban on the use of motorcycles in parts of Lagos State, PRO police command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin revealed that, Police Officers of Isolo Division were under attack by motorcycle riders at Cele bus-stop, resulting in the death of one Police Inspector and serious injury to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO). Two suspects were gathered to have been arrested while forty-one motorcycles were impounded. In a Twitter post, Hundeyin said, “The Lagos State Police Command will not be deterred from carrying out its mandate of enforcing duly established laws. Citizens are urged to remain law-abiding, as riders and passengers alike arrested on prohibited routes will face the law. Above all, any form of attack on Police Officers will no longer be tolerated”. 1,486 Views

The 60-year-old Kano business man, Aminu Danmaliki has refuted the claim that he got married to an underage girl. The wedding video that went viral a couple of days ago, set the tongues wagging that he married an 11-year-old girl. However in a statement posted on his Facebook page, Danmiliki said, ” My recent marriage with Sakina has generated a lot of tension and unfounded allegations that I married an underage girl some suggesting she is 11 years old and that she was forced to marry me. That is untrue. The Wedding Video went viral. We decided to keep mute but was advised to state the true facts, here it is: My beloved wife is 21 years old and she made her own choice of me as her husband and I loved her too. I hope the blackmailers and doubting Thomas will see the reality in this picture and leave us alone to enjoy our honeymoon.” 212 Views

The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested the duo of Sharu Abubakar Tabula and Isma’il Iliyasu Mangu for deliberately inciting violence in parts of Kano State.  It was gathered that the suspects had separately recorded messages, which they shared through various social media channels. In those potentially harmful messages, they specifically championed certain political interests and directly called on their supporters to violently attack those opposed to them, including security personnel during the 18th March, 2023 Governorship and House of Assembly election in the State. As a result of this development, a particular political party in Kano has threatened to organise protest march in the metropolis as well as storm offices of some of the security agencies on 16th March, 2023 in solidarity for the suspects. However, DSS has called on the concerned party to shelve it forthwith or be ready to face the consequences. The DSS assures that it will not idly watch misguided persons or groups undermine the peace and security of the state. Meanwhile, the Service is collaborating with sister security agencies to ensure that adequate security is provided for a successful electoral exercise. Aside Kano, the Service recently arrested similar subversive elements that threatened violence in other States of the Federation 219 Views

Last Saturday, 11th March, two members of the Bureau De Change (BDC) operating at Ikota shopping complex, Ajah, in Lagos State were reportedly murdered by some people suspected to be ritualists. It was reliably gathered that the two BDC members were lured by a customer to one of the houses located inside an Estate opposite the plaza for a business transaction, only for them to be killed and their bodies found decapitated with organs missing. While police are gathered to have made some arrests, the culprits were learnt to be at large. 208 Views