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We Paid Ransom To Free Deaconess Omolewa – Kaduna CAN
Kaduna State Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has confirmed the release of Oluwakemi Omolewa, widow of slain resident pastor of Living Faith Church, Kaduna. But this was not done without a payment of ransom which necessitated her release Thursday night.
Last Sunday, suspected bandits attacked Omolewa and her family along Kaduna-Abuja road, killing Jeremiah, the husband of the abducted woman.
According to Joseph Hayab, Kaduna state chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), deaconess Omolewa’s case is the latest of ransom paid by the association
“Sadly, when we raised alarmed that our people are being kidnapped, someone, instead of apologising to us and tell us that they have not done well, let’s work together to do well, they will go and sponsor some faceless young boys who are jobless and give them money to insult us,” he said.
“The recent alarm I raised about the killing of the late Omolewa and the abduction of his wife last Sunday, the next thing I saw (on Facebook), was a write up and a caricature of myself that I was speaking for PDP. And I asked this question; are those Christians kidnapped, PDP members?
“Let’s not politicise issues that affect people’s lives. I don’t have PDP card, but even if I have, is that a crime in Nigeria?
‘’Even the APC in Kaduna state, when they wanted to be governor, they wrote me a letter seeking for my blessing and they know that we supported the governor to be elected during his first term. Should I be accused of being PDP member, just because I told them that something is wrong?
“That will not deter the church from speaking out the truth. If this money we have been paying to kidnappers were to be channelled, we would have helped government in solving some of the problems in the educational and health sectors by investing in those sectors.
“Sadly, today they are allowing evil people to impoverish us. What is politics in me telling you that my people are suffering and dying? What is politics in telling you that these kidnappers should be arrested?
“They are spending our money on our security but we are still suffering…They are now talking about blackmailing us, we will call the church to take action to stop this evil. We will not continue to have our people being abducted and killed. Our people cannot continue to live in fear, even in their homes.
“Even the United Nations that talks about peace will not allow evil to go around the world. So blackmailing us will not stop us from crying that our people are being kidnapped and they are suffering and nothing is being done.
“Blackmail and character assassination, just to cover up for your inability to secure us, will not address the problem.”
The Nigerian Senate has approved the termination of three Resident Electoral Commissioners who have been suspended since 2023 for flouting the provisions of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Act
The approval followed the request from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging the Senate to terminate the appointments of the embattled State Resident Electoral Commissioner for Adamawa, Sokoto and Abia.
Sponsor of the motion and Leader of the Senate, Michael Bamidele Opeyemi sought the invocation of Section 157 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, saying that the law empowers the Chamber to approve the request.
Those whose appointments will be terminated include, Dr Nura Ali, Sokoto State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Barr. Hudu Yunusa Ari, Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner and Professor Ikemefuna Chijioke Uzochukwu, Abia State Resident Electoral Commissioner respectively.
He said, “Aware that the aforementioned Resident Commissioners were earlier suspended in 2023, bordering on allegations of infractions of the Electoral Act; compromise of elections and abandonment of duty without cogent reasons.”
A copy of the motion sighted by Newsmen on Wednesday revealed that the Office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, and the Department of State Services, DSS, indicted Dr. Nura Ali in their reports, having confessed to corruption, incompetence and receiving bribe to the tune of $150,000 from politicians.
According, the plenary which was presided by the Senate President, Godswill Obot Akpabio activated the relevant provisions of the Constitution and approve the termination of appointment of the affected Commissioners.
President Bola Tinubu will depart Abuja on Wednesday for a private visit to Paris, France, before proceeding to Addis Ababa for the 46th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council and the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the AU Heads of State.
“The president will arrive in Addis Ababa early next week for the AU summit,” Mr Bayo Onanuga, presidential spokesman, said in a statement.
The AU Summit is scheduled to hold from Feb. 12th to 16th.
“In Addis Ababa, President Tinubu will join African leaders at the 46th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council and the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the AU Heads of State, scheduled for Feb. 12th to 16th.
Hea said while in France, President Tinubu would meet with his French counterpart, President Emmanuel Macron.
Justices Aisha Kumaliya and Amina Ibrahim of the Borno State High Court, sitting in Maiduguri on Tuesday, convicted and sentenced two persons to three years imprisonment each for fraud.
The convicts are; Anaryu Akindaraju and Umar Alhaji Bukar who were prosecuted by the Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on one-count separate charges bordering on criminal misappropriation and cheating.
According to the Head of Media and Publicity, EFCC, Dele Oyewale, Akindaraju was convicted by Justice Kumaliya while Bukar was jailed by Justice Ibrahim.
The charge against Akindaraju reads: “That you, Anaryu Akindaraju, sometime in March, 2022 in Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly induced Alhaji Tijjani Muhammad to deliver to you the sum of N15,000,000.00 (Fifteen Million Naira) via your account number 0241908016 domiciled with FCMB, and vide your account number 0060784408 domiciled with Access Bank respectively, while some of the monies were transferred to you vide the account number 1010381257 bearing Abubakar Musa domiciled with UBA under the guise that the said amount represents payment for a purchase of three bed room flat situated at House of Assembly Quarters Maiduguri, Borno State, which you are yet to deliver and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 320 (a) and punishable under Section 322 of the Penal Code Cap. 102 Laws of Borno State”
That of Bukar reads: “That you, Umar Alhaji Bukar with National Identification Number 86732517860, sometimes in 2013 at Maiduguri Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly misappropriated the aggregate sum of N6,736,000.00 and a house estimated at N450,000.00 belonging to late Alhaji Bukar Fannami for the benefit of Aisha Bukar Fannami and Hauwa Buakr Fannami and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 308 and 309 of the Penal Code Law of Borno State Cap. 102 Vol. 3 of 1994 respectively.”
Oyewale said they all pleaded guilty to the charges when read to them and counsel for the prosecution Mukhtar Ali Ahmed, Faruk Muhammad and Abdulmalik D. Aliyu went ahead and prayed the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
“Justice Kumaliya convicted and sentenced Akindaraju to two years imprisonment or a fine of N200,000.00 while Justice Ibrahim convicted and sentenced Bukar to one year imprisonment or an option of fine of N100,000.00.
“The convicts’ road to the Correctional Centre began when Akindaraju received payment for a purchase of a three bed room flat without delivering the property to the victim or returning the money to him.
“Bukar, on his own, dishonestly misappropriated an inheritance property and converted it to his use”.
BREAKING: Senate approves termination of appointment of 3 Resident Electoral Commissioners
Tinubu Departs for France Ahead of AU Summit
Court jails two for N22.1m fraud in Maiduguri
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