Police Helicopter Crashes In Bauchi

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January 27, 2022

A helicopter belonging to the Nigeria police has crashed at Bauchi airport.

The helicopter had on Wednesday evening took off in Abuja.

Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) disclosed this on Thursday in a statement in Abuja.

The statement partly read, “the accident occurred on 26th January 2022 around 7:30pm (Local Time) at Bauchi Airport.

“The NPF helicopter had departed Abuja at 16:54 UTC for Bauchi with Six persons onboard maintaining 5,500ft

“There were some injuries but no fatality.”

AIB said it is soliciting public support “to know that we would be amenable to receiving any video clips, evidences, or information any member of the public may have of the accident that can assist us with this investigation.”

AIB said the cause of the accident should not be assumed “until a formal report is released.”

After Court Stopped Hon. Ichita From Publishing Falsehood Against Abia Govt, Udensi Urges Public Office Holders To Allow Scrutiny

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January 27, 2022

Following an order by an Abia State High Court barring a member of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Obinna Ichita from publishing falsehood against the state government, a governorship aspirant, Sir Chikwe Udensi has urged the government and its functionaries to allow for public scrutiny of their activities.

Recall that the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Prof. ACB Agbazuere had recently warned that those who publish false information against the state will be made to face the full wrath of the law.

Speaking on a radio programme Open Parliament on Family Love FM Umuahia streamed by ABN TV and Radio on Wednesday, Sir Udensi said government activities ought to be in public glare are not shrouded in secrecy.

The Interpol Systems Consultant however noted with regret that some unpatriotic individuals leverage on their freedom of speech to peddle falsehood to malign others.

He stressed that the quest for information on the activities of government should not be with the intention to defame, calling on Abia State government to create room for its actions to be understood by the citizens.

He said if elected as governor of the state in 2023, he would ensure that those who spread false rumours against others are punished for their actions.

Udensi who said he was a victim of fake news when he was accused of romancing with PDP as a member of APGA.

He insisted that citizens’ freedom of speech much be exercised with a reasonable level of responsibility by giving out information that are verifiable.

PDP Stakeholders Visit Lucky Igbokwe (Don Lulu), Urge Him To Join Abia Governorship Race (Photos, Video)

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January 27, 2022

Stakeholders of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in Ugwunagbo local government area of Abia State on Wednesday paid a solidarity visit to the United Nations Mayor of Peace and Entertainment Icon Mayor Lucky Igbokwe, better known as Don Lulu, urging him to join in the race to succeed Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu.

Speaking during the solidarity visit, tthe leader of the group Deacon Onyekachi Alozie, said Don Lulu has demonstrated love to the people of the state at various occasions, saying he all the prerequisite qualifications to lead the state in 2023.

He said, “We have watched you rise to the occasion on several cases for Abians. You have extended your goodwill across the length and breath of Abia, you have shown an uncommon passion for the welfare of Ndi Abia and that is why we are here today to ask to tell you that we are with you on whatever political ambitions you have.

“We also want to go further to tell you that you have all the qualities we expect to see in the next Governor of Abia state and we urge you to declare, we will work with you.”

Responding, Mayor Lucky Igbokwe thanked them and reiterated his resolve to continue on the path of love and passion for the development of Abia, a path he has walked for decades.

He told them that “you know power belongs to God, no matter how men try to take it, unless the hand of God is on it, you cannot succeed”.

“I appreciate you all and I will continue to consult and seek the face of God, in due time his will be done. Be sure that I will inform you all on the way forward,” he concluded.

Group Urges PDP To Zone Presidential Ticket To North, Says South East Enjoyed Presidency For 14 Years Under Obasanjo, Jonathan

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January 27, 2022

The Justice and Equity Group, JEG, has urged the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to zone its 2023 Presidential ticket to the North in the spirit of fairness and justice.

The JEG, a group within the main opposition party, maintained that the Presidency of the nation, under the administration of the party, had remained in the South for a total of 14 years, when former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan held sway were in the saddle, while the North, under late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua spent only two years.

In a statement signed by its chairman and former Deputy Majority Whip of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ahmed Muktar in Abuja, the group argued that it will be in the party’s greater interest to go with the earlier stand of its National Executive Committee, NEC, to make the Presidential race open to all zones.

According to the group, “the best candidate, who can win the Presidential election for the PDP and change the terrible mess which the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has turned Nigeria into, should be allowed to emerge from any zone in the country.”

The group’s statement was in response to a recent press release by Prince Kassim Afegbua, a former Commissioner in Edo State and one of the former spokespersons of Atiku Abubakar presidential campaign during the 2019 presidential election.

Afegbua, had in his press release, said among other things: “For me, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar should quit his quest for presidency and support a southern Nigerian candidate in the spirit of fairness, equity and justice as that will assuage the feelings of stakeholders from the Southern part of Nigeria”.

He added, “It will be against the run of play and natural justice for any aspirant of Northern extraction to show interest in the 2023 presidential election within the Peoples’ Democratic Party threshold.

“Given PDP’s doctrine of political power balancing and fairness, it will be against its own unwritten rule to cede the ticket to any Northern aspirant, least of all Alhaji Atiku Abubakar”, Afegbua stated.

However, the Justice and Equity Group said it is undemocratic to ask a qualified Nigerian not to contest for Presidency.

“We think that in the greater interest of the PDP, we should abide by the earlier PDP National Executive Committee decision that threw open the presidential ticket of PDP to all zones.

“Let the best candidate that can win the election for the PDP and change the terrible mess APC has turned Nigeria into, to emerge.

“While it is undemocratic to ask a qualified Nigerian not to contest for Presidency, we agree substantially that Atiku Abubakar has had his time and opportunities.

“He (Atiku) was presented in 2018/2019 as the only one with the capacity, the financial muscle , the experience to beat President Buhari. He fluffed the chance given to him by PDP. Age is also not on his side on 2023.

“Nigerians have become weary of his perennial and perpetual candidature. It may be time for him to give a younger person a chance.

“It should be noted that Obasanjo from the South contested against General Buhari from the North. Nobody mentioned that it was the turn of the North or South, because different parties are governed by their own interests.

“The PDP should be governed by permutations that will give it victory.

“A blanket ban on any region from contesting for Presidency under PDP is manifestly and patently unreasonable, unjust, unfair and contrary to natural justice. It is wrong and will not fly in a democracy.

“As a matter of fact, the North has better claims to the PDP ticket than the South in 2023”, the statement read.

The group faulted Afegbua’s position that ‘it will be against the run of play and natural justice for any aspirant of Northern extraction to show interest in the 2023 presidential election within the Peoples’ Democratic Party threshold.”

According to the JEG, “politics in Nigeria, under the 1999 Constitution, is played by political parties, not interest groups, geopolitical groups or even individuals. It is political parties that can field candidates. Nigeria as an entity cannot field a candidate. The North or South cannot field a candidate too.

“It is disingenuous for any one to mix up the fortunes and tactics of the political parties.

In the APC, President Buhari from the North is about to complete 8 years, so it is perfectly normal for APC to look for a candidate from the Southern part of the country to fly its flag in 2023.

“The matter is not the same in PDP , which is a distinct political party, governed by its rules and traditions. In PDP, under its constitution, the principle of zoning and rotation is respected,” it added.

Abia Charity Commission Will Target The Elderly, Motherless Babies, Psychiatric Patients If — Sir Udensi

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January 27, 2022

A governorship aspirant in Abia State, Sir Chikwe Udensi has said he will create a charity commission to cater for the elderly, motherless babies as well as psychiatric patients if elected governor of the state.

According, the commission which will be run by the Church mission has become necessary in order to alleviate the sufferings faced by the groups in the state, particularly retirees who are said to be owed a backlog of pension arrears by the state.

Speaking on Wednesday in Umunneochi Local Government Area during a welfare outreach for the elderly and retirees in the local government, Sir Udensi an Interpol Systems Consultant said the welfare programme was conceived when his attention was drawn to the plight of pensioners whose health are beginning to deteriorate following poor welfare.

ABN TV recalls that the outreach had commenced last year in Aba where beneficiaries were given food palliatives, undisclosed amounts of money and medicare.

Udensi who expressed disappointment with failure of the state government to pay retirees who served the state diligently with their youthful age described it as evil to owe them part of their salaries saved as pension.

He said, “I featured in a radio programme this morning (Wednesday) to tell our leaders that they should do something about the suffering of our people.

“Some people paid by the Government were busy insulting. They said it was politics to be giving palliative to pensioners who are owed by the government.

“But I asked them if it were better to play politics and pay pensioners or be in government and be owing them, which one is better?

“The charity Commission I have proposed will take care of the elderly, motherless babies and psychiatric patients, it would be run by church missions”.

Also speaking Rotarian Mary Ebere Udensi, the President Rotary club of Abuja downtown district 9125, said the club in partnership with Build A New Abia (BANA) have put smiles on the faces of the needy in Abia, adding that with the partnership with Rotary International, huge progress will be made to the glory of God.

She further revealed that cheques worth two million naira was issued for the pensioners in Umunneochi Local Government Area.

The programme was for the Elderly and distribution of palliatives to pensioners has gone through Arochukwu, Bende, Ohafia, Umunneochi LGAs and it’s expected to touch all the remaining Local Government Areas of Abia State.

Tinubu Was Our Student, He Graduated — Chicago University

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January 27, 2022

The Chicago State University says All Progressives Congress stalwart and presidential hopeful, Bola Tinubu, indeed attended the university.

Beverly Poindexter, who is in charge of official transcript requests, enrolment and degree verification at the Office of the Registrar, CSU, said this in a terse email response to The PUNCH on Tuesday.

“Mr Tinubu did attend our university, however, if further information is needed, go to studentclearinghouse.org website to make a formal request,” Poindexter wrote.

In an earlier letter dated August 20, 1999 and signed by then Registrar, Lois Davis, the university stated that Tinubu was its student between 1977 and 1979.

He wrote, “Please be advised that Bola A. Tinubu did indeed attend Chicago State University from August 1977 through June 1979. He was awarded a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business and Administration with honours on June 22, 1979. His major was Accounting.”

Also attached to Tinubu’s form CF004 submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission during his re-election bid in 2003 was a commendation letter from CSU recognising his performance and “high scholastic achievement”.

Tinubu’s academic qualification has been a subject of controversy for over a decade.

A recent viral article claimed that all the schools Tinubu claimed to have attended had disowned him.

Human rights lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN), had also questioned Tinubu’s credentials and sued the Nigeria Police Force for failing to investigate him.

The Supreme Court in its judgment on May 10, 2002 ruled that Tinubu could not be prosecuted by the police for alleged certificate forgery.

The apex court also ruled that the Inspector-General of Police could not be compelled by Gani to investigate Tinubu for alleged certificate forgery as he enjoyed immunity at the time

Kaduna Killings We Lost 3 Men, 8 Cows Poisoned, Fulani Herdsmen Weep

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January 27, 2022

The Chairman of MACBAN in Southern Kaduna, Alhaji Abdulhamid Musa Albarka, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, MACBAN, has claimed that three Fulani herders were killed in the renewed Southern Kaduna killings, while 8 cows belonging to the Fulani were poisoned.

Alhaji Albarka alleged that “one herdsman, Yusuf Mamuda, 16, was found dead on Sunday at Zaman Dabo District in Atyap Chiefdom in Zango Kataf, with his head cut off and taken away by the killers.

“Another man in company of his brother was killed in Atyap when he stopped to buy petrol for his motorcycle.”

Another herdsman, Amadu Surubu, was killed when some armed youth attacked Bakin Kogi Market in Kauru Local Government Area on Monday while 8 cows were poisoned in Fadama Area in the Local Government.”

Similarly, the Youth Leader of the Atyap Chiefdom, Gabriel Joseph, said attackers invaded Kurmin Masara in the chiefdom on January 11 and killed three persons, “ they burnt a house and a police vehicle.”

‘Gov el-Rufai sad’
Meanwhile, Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs in Kaduna, Samuel Aruwan, had earlier in a statement, appealed to those who lost their relations and loved ones to allow security forces and government to manage the situation as investigations had commenced.

According to Aruwan, Governor Nasir el-Rufa’i had expressed his sadness at the reports and was not happy over the fresh killings in the area.

“He expressed deep concern that despite the efforts and hard work of the government, security forces and other critical stakeholders to ensure the gradual return of peace, the killings had caused a setback which must not be allowed to gain ground,” he added.

PSC Orders Fresh Probe Into Abba Kyari’s Link To Hushpuppi

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January 27, 2022

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has directed the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, to deepen investigations into the connection between the suspended erstwhile head of the Intelligence Response Team, Abba Kyari, and an internet scammer, Abbas Ramon, commonly known as Hushpuppi.

The commission, it was learnt, gave the IG two weeks to turn in the report which would be reviewed by the PSC Standing Committee on Discipline.

The directive to the IG was sequel to the advice from the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN.

A four-man Special Investigation Panel headed by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department, Joseph Egbunike, had earlier probed Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police.

Kyari had been suspended in July 2021 for alleged involvement in a $1.1 million Internet fraud allegedly perpetrated by Hushpuppi and four others; AbdulRahman Juma (Abdul); Vincent Chibuzo (Kelly); Rukayat Fashola (Morayo); and Bolatito Agbabiaka (Bolamide).

The Federal Bureau of Investigation had alleged that Hushpuppi paid $20,600 to two bank accounts allegedly provided by Kyari on January 20, 2020.

Kyari denied wrongdoing.

ABN TV gathered on Wednesday that the AGF said the facts contained in the police investigation report were not strong enough to convict the DCP.

Malami was said to have informed the commission that the police investigation on Kyari was not water-tight and that more facts were needed to establish the relationship between the ex-IRT commander and Hushpuppi, who is awaiting sentencing after striking a plea bargain deal with the United States authorities.

Based on the AGF’s advice, the commission was said to have asked the IG to carry out a further probe into Kyari’s relationship with Hushpuppi.

A senior official, who confided in our correspondent, stated, “The advice from the AGF is that the case needs further investigation; that the evidence produced on Abba Kyari was not enough to convict him despite the fact that they have established a prima facie case against him. But the facts cannot convict him in the court of law.

“So, the police report was returned and the IG was asked to set up a special panel to look at the case. We have given them just a short period of two weeks to turn in their report.

“The final report is expected to return to the standing committee which will review and send recommendations to the plenary where the final decision on Kyari will be taken.”

Meanwhile, spokesman, US Attorney Office for Central District of California, Thom Mrozek, has said Hushpuppi would be sentenced on February 14.

According to BBC Pidgin, Mrozek, however, did not state the jail terms, which is expected to be between 10 and 18 years.

“He may be subjected to removal from the United States once he completes his prison sentence,” he said.

US Court To Sentence Hushpuppi On Valentine’s Day Over Money Laundering

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January 27, 2022

The United States Attorney’s Office at the Central District of California says that Ramon Abbas, aka, Hushpuppi, will be sentenced on February 14, 2022.

The court’s Director of Media Relations, Thom Mrozek, said Hushpuppi has been scheduled for sentencing on Valentine’s Day, according to BBC Pidgin.

Mrozek was, however, yet to respond to an email inquiry by The PUNCH (not ABN TV) as of the time of filing this report.

In a plea agreement document sighted by ABN TV, Hushpuppi had pleaded guilty to various offences bordering on internet scam and money laundering, among others.

The document was signed by Hushpuppi; his lawyer, Loius Shapiro; Acting United States Attorney, Tracy Wilkison, amongst others.

It stated that Hushpuppi risks “20 years’ imprisonment; a 3-year period of supervised release; a fine of $500,000 or twice the gross gain or gross loss resulting from the offence”.

Also, the court had ordered the Federal Bureau of Investigation to arrest the suspended Head of the Intelligence Response Team, DCP Abba Kyari, for his alleged role in a $1m scam allegedly perpetrated by Hushpuppi and five others.

However, in December 2021, Mrozek declined comments on the warrant of arrest the court issued months earlier that the FBI should apprehend Kyari and other defendants in the case.

Mrozek, in an earlier email interview with our correspondent on December 13, 2021, had said the sentencing of Hushpuppi was still pending.

The Dubai Police in the United Arab Emirates had in June 2020 arrested Hushpuppi and his gang. They were later extradited to the US for prosecution by the FBI.

The FBI Special Agent, Andrew Innocenti, had alleged that Hushpuppi contracted the services of Kyari after a “co-conspirator,” Chibuzo Vincent, allegedly threatened to expose the alleged $1.1m fraud committed against a Qatari businessman.

Innocenti, who said he obtained voice calls and WhatsApp conversations between Kyari and Hushpuppi, had also alleged that the latter paid the police officer N8m or $20,600 for the arrest and detention of Vincent.

Kyari had taken to Facebook on July 29, 2021 to deny the allegations, but he later deleted the post after editing it about 12 times.

The IG had recommended the suspension of Kyari, which the PSC carried out on July 31, 2021.

The police boss had on August 2, 2021, constituted the Special Investigation Panel headed by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department, Joseph Egbunike, to probe the allegations.

Egbunike on August 26, 2021, submitted the panel’s report, which he said: “is an outcome of a painstaking, transparent and exhaustive investigative process.”

He revealed that the report contained the case file of the probe, evidence, and findings as well as testimonies from Kyari and other persons and groups linked to the matter.

The Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi, had on September 14, 2021, during a television interview said the findings and recommendations on Kyari had been submitted to the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), for “legal opinion” and thereafter for presentation to the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), adding that the final decision would be taken by the PSC.

But months later, the PSC spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani, told our correspondent that the commission had not received any disciplinary recommendations from the IG through the Force Disciplinary Committee almost four months after the Egbunike panel submitted its report to the police boss.

The recommendations of the FDC will inform the commission’s decision and also determine Kyari’s future in the force, but the matter is now inconclusive.

Police Trust Fund: Stop Deducting From States, Court Orders FG, Directs Reimbursement To Rivers Govt

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January 26, 2022