INSTANT NEWS

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Monday arraigned a 35-year-old man, Azeez Moshood, before a Federal High Court in Lagos, for trafficking Cannabis.

The prosecutor, Mr Jeremiah Aernan, told the court that the defendant committed the offences on Sept. 20.

He said that the defendant was arrested on a tip-off on the Lekki-Ajah highway in Lagos while transporting the Cannabis Sativa, weighing 546.4 kg.

The prosecutor said that hemp is a restricted drug similar to Cocaine and Heroine LSD, and listed in the NDLEA schedule as a banned substance.

The offence contravenes the provisions of Section 11(c) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation, 2004.

Delivering Judgement, Justice Maureen Onyetenu granted the defendant bail in the sum of N10 million, with two sureties in like sum.

She said the sureties must be civil servants of grade-level 16, and adjourned the case until Feb. 17 and Feb. 18, 2021, for trial, NAN reports.

Popular Nigerian actress, Mercy Aigbe, has turned heads on social media after sharing a photo of her with a bald head and tribal marks all over her face.

The 42-year-old single mother of two said on her Instagram page as she shared the photos that the her new look was for a movie she starred and urged her fans to be on the look out for the movie because of the investment she made into the project.

Captioning the picture, Mercy wrote;

“Happy New Week! I can’t wait for y’all to see my new movie J.B.O ( Jaguda.Baba.Ole ) ….. A @magdiva_films fully powered by @adekazproductions ….. this one is madht and you will over love it”

See Photo Below:

Founder of the Citadel Global Church, Tunde Bakare, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari may end up not leaving any legacy behind after ruling Nigeria as a military and democratically elected President.

Bakare, Buhari’s running mate for the 2011 presidential election, charged the President to work hard on the legacy that would outlive him.

The cleric said though Buhari still has enough time to rewrite his name on the sands of time, he is surrounded by a group of bad councillors.

Pastor Bakare, however, noted that said Buhari can make a difference only if God delivers him from the “bad counsels” and “bad counsellors” around him.

He alleged that bad advisers have prevented the President from seeing and acting on the realities in Nigerian streets.

Bakare said this while featuring as a guest on the Arise Television morning show.

“One of the things I pray for President Buhari is that God should deliver him from wicked counsels and counsellors who tell him life is sweet and that everything is going fine but without giving him the reports from the streets,”

He said.

“In 2015, it seemed as if we had a long time. But, four years had gone and we are into the second year of second term administration which is going to end soon. Time is going and anyone who is thinking of legacy is the best time to go into action – maybe two, or three things which people may see and say in the days of President Buhari, Nigeria took a giant trip in these three areas.

Without that, it will just be like he came twice – first as military head of state and second as democratically elected president without much being ascribed to him as the achievement of his administration.

President Buhari still has enough time to leave behind an enduring legacy. He can still do a lot between 2021 and 2022 because 2020 is already running out.”

The new police unit called Special Weapons and Tactics Unit (SWAT) on Monday began its training with over 400 personnel at the Police Mobile College in Eggon, Nasarawa State.

Present at the training ground was the Minister of Police Affairs, Muhammad Dingyadi, and other officials who came to inspect the training exercise.

In his opening remark, the Minister said he was happy with the progress the personnel was making and charged them to be good role models of the society.

Petr Cech has said he is “100 per cent ready” to help Chelsea if he is called up, after he was included in their Premier League squad.

Cech, who won four Premier League titles and the Champions League at Stamford Bridge, was a shock inclusion in Frank Lampard’s 25-man squad for the 2020/2021 season.

The 38-year-old announced his retirement at the end of the 2018/2019 season and returned to Chelsea as a technical and performance advisor.

However, Cech has been training with first-team goalkeepers Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga and says he is ready to step in if called upon this season.

He told Telefoot:

“It’s true that it would have been a professional error to do this if I wasn’t at Premier League level, but that’s not the way we work here. I know I’m 100 per cent ready to help if needs be. I’m fit, and with the two months of training, I’ve seen I have the same quality. Furthermore, I rested for a year without playing football. It really gave me energy, my body recovered after playing 20 years as a professional. If the circumstances put me on the pitch, I’m ready.”

Ordinarily, most Nigerian music doesn’t trend more than a month. Maximum, two months.

In the case of Wizkid’s “Made In Lagos” Album, it won’t exceed a week due to the current happenings in the country. Nigerians attention has been diverted, as everyone is busy fighting for the betterment of  the country. For this reason, MIL is gonna die a natural death within a week.

DO YOU AGREE? Wizkid’s Made In Lagos Album, Won’t Trend More Than A Week

Drop your comment below

Group of elderly pensioners were seen sitting on plastic chairs on major road in Calabar, Cross River State and singing “all we are saying, give us pension” as they demand payment of their pension.

Pensioners in Cross River State have taken to the streets to protest the non-payment of their benefits to them by the state government since 2014.

The pensioners, who were local government workers, blocked the Murtala Mohammed Highway in Calabar metropolis as they arranged chairs and sat on the two lanes of the road.

They also chanted songs and carried placards as they asked Governor Ben Ayade to pay them their pensions.

It was gathered that the pensioners were among those the state government announced to have been dead.

It was gathered that some retirees, who have not been paid since 2014, have concluded plans to drag Ayade to the National Industrial Court in Calabar.

The decision was reached after a series of protests to Ayade’s office yielded no positive result.

The pension being owed by the state government was put at over N35bn.

On the 2nd of November 2020, 72 new confirmed cases and 1 death was recorded in Nigeria.

Till date, 62964 cases have been confirmed, 58790 cases have been discharged and 1146 deaths have been recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The 111 new cases are reported from 8 states- Lagos (49), FCT (30), Rivers (11), Plateau (10), Ogun (4), Kaduna (3), Oyo (3), Osun (1).

A multi-sectoral national emergency operations centre (EOC), activated at Level 3, continues to coordinate the national response activities.

8 Nigerians were arrested in Egypt in early October for protesting without a permit. They were carrying out the Egyptian leg of the #EndSARS protest.

The Nigerian Embassy in Cairo intervened in order to secure their release, but the Egyptian authorities have since discovered that 7 of them do not have residency permit and therefore they are going to deport them.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa @abikedabiri said:

Update on the 8 Nigerians detained in Cairo for protesting without a permit 7 of them are to be deported to Nigeria for for lack of resident permits.The only one that has Residency will get final clearance from the Minister of Interior

After signing an undertaking not go against laws of Egypt. The Nigerian mission in Egypt is still appealing for leniency on behalf of the seven slated for deportation

See the post below:

The Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry, Enugu, Nigeria, (AMEN), Rev Fr Ejike Mbaka, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari government to apologise to Nigerians.

The outspoken Catholic priest is angry at Buhari for failing to address the numerous challenges facing the country which resulted in the End SARS protests across the country.

Mbaka, who had always thrown his weight behind President Buhari, expressed his anger when he addressed congregants at this year’s All Saint’s Mass in Enugu on Sunday.

The cleric also alleged that security agents killed several End SARS protesters in Enugu State and their bodies thrown into the Onyeama Valley.

Mbaka called on the President to apologise to Nigerians for leadership errors of his administration and that of past governments.

“The present government needs to apologise, and they should also apologise for the errors of past governments. It is not a case of #EndSARS or Biafra,” he said.

“God is telling these leaders today, that they are wicked maggots, wicked hooligans and that they should know that this world is not our home. They should understand this fact.”

Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State has given 12 hours to looters to return their loot or houses containing such goods will be demolished.

The governor, who made a broadcast Tuesday evening amid a 24-hour curfew he imposed earlier on Sunday following looting of government and private warehouses by thugs who went wild in the guise of End SARS protests, said the havoc done by the thugs especially mass looting around the state capital, Yola, was horrendous.

He said, “I am giving a 12 hour ultimatum (6:00 pm – 6:00 am) to the hoodlums to return whatever they looted from public and private warehouses and homes to the nearest Police Station and traditional rulers’ houses (from the ward to the district level), whichever is nearest to them.

“This ultimatum will expire at 6:00 am on Wednesday, 28th – October, 2020, after which I will sign an Executive Order for a house-to-house search to commence by 7:00 am of the same day.

“Part of the provision of the order is a sanction that will attract withdrawal of C of O and if necessary, demolition of every house that habours any of the stolen properties. Law abiding citizens should cooperate with the security agencies to ensure this is enforced to the letter.”

He said he had received briefings of what had happened since Sunday morning, and listed places that were affected.

“With shock, we received the report of attacks on the Customs Office, Road Safety, Primary Healthcare Development Agency, NEMA office, COVID-19 Isolation Centre at Kofare, North East Commodity Association (NECAS) Kofare, public and private warehouses in Demsawo, Nyako Quarters, opposite airport, behind Zenith Bank, Bakin Kogi, Mayanka, Upper Benue, AADP, LEA, Yola South, Red Cross opposite FMC, Aliyu Mustafa College; Dr. Belel’s workshop, private farms, etc,” Fintiri said.

He reiterated that although his government was still taking stock, to the best of his knowledge so far, the extent of loot and damages to properties of government and private entities is immense.

“The loss is materially colossal but more enormous is the loss of moral values driven by greedy criminal urge to steal. We condemn in strong terms the outright demonstration of brigandage as barbaric, criminal and a recipe for anarchy,” the governor said.

He apologized to all Adamawa people for the acts of the hoodlums, saying, “As a Government, we take full responsibility for all the hardship attendant upon by the curfew era on decent and hardworking citizens.

“The other two categories of people I greatly owe apologies to are the vulnerable especially at the 21 LGAs who would have been the beneficiaries of the looted goods but were denied because of the activities of the hoodlums; and the owners of the private warehouses, shops and properties looted. I truly feel your pain.”

He assured that the reprieve which the state had had from the hoodlums since Monday afternoon would be sustained.

He said, “As a responsible government, we cannot fold our hands while criminals are trying to take over our society. We are working round the clock to ensure that peace is returned to our society. Working with the security agencies, we have activated the necessary instrument for a return to normalcy and arrest of the looters.”

He disclosed that so far 155 suspects are in police custody while nine Vehicles and 12 tricycles loaded with loot have also been impounded.

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has called on Muslims in the State to use the celebration of Eid-el-Maulud to promote religious tolerance and peaceful co-existence.

The governor made this known on Wednesday in Port Harcourt in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Kelvin Ebiri.

The celebration of Eid-el- Maulud marks the birth of Prophet Mohammed.

According to Wike, his administration will continue to promote religious tolerance among residents of the state.

He advised Muslim faithful to imbibe the virtues of love, peace, communal living and honesty, which were qualities of Prophet Mohammed, NAN reports.

The governor, while wishing Muslim faithful a wonderful Eid-el-Maulud, urged them to always pray for the government and people of Rivers State.

The Nigeria minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed again, calls for regulation of social media. That includes Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

In his word, Lai Mohammed said,

“Social media will destroy us if we don’t regulate it. The recent #ENDSARS war was fought on social media. They mobilised using social media. The war today revolves around two things. Smartphones and data and these young men don’t even watch television or listen to the radio or read newspapers”

Now this is funny, same time, annoying. The Nigerian government has seen the power of social media. They have seen how the Truth spread freely without restrictions and they are pained because they can’t control social media like the TV stations and newspaper we have in this country

The government are calling for social media to be regulated because they’re scared of how fast their bad deeds can be exposed via social media.

According to “Lie” Mohammed,

“China reached her apex when she regulated her Social media, so Nigeria should follow same steps”.

This Lie Mohammed talks trash always.

Copy and paste government. Clowns!

They only pick the part that benefit them. Why didn’t they pick the part where China beheaded corrupt leaders. Yeye people.

By the way, how are they going to regulate social media in the first place? How possible is that?

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says engagement with the Nigerian youths has to be transparent and honest in order to build a progressive society and nation.

Osinbajo’s Spokesman, Laolu Akande, In A Statement In Abuja, Said The Vice President Received At The Presidential Villa, The Executive Committee Of The Young Parliamentarians Forum, Led By Its Chairman, Simon Elisha, On Tuesday.

The Vice President said that the Social Investment Programmes (SIPs) were not done on the basis of sharing slots between public officials or political chieftains, but in a manner whereby Nigerians who knew no one could benefit and did benefit.

“The first problem was everybody wanted a slot. I resisted it. Why? If I do that, we will destroy the programmes because majority of Nigerians don’t know people who will take the slots.

“It was not that one was being purist, but if young people can’t get the benefit except they know someone then we have failed the young people.

“One day, the President called me that he was listening to BBC Hausa Service and he heard two young men-beneficiaries of N-Power – saying they didn’t know anybody but were being paid the N30, 000 monthly stipends.

“The President said that is what shows we are making a difference; and everywhere we went during the 2019 campaigns, we had these young people organising themselves coming out supporting us.

“If people know they count, then they can trust us and they won’t destroy because they have a stake.

Otherwise, people will never trust us,” he submitted, insisting that “political leaders must make sacrifices in order to win the trust of the people.”

He acknowledged that there were indeed important issues to be addressed.

Osinbajo said the youths were not just a demography but in the majority.

“What we need to do for that vast majority is what we must do for our country. We must find a way so they are represented as effectively as possible,” he said.

He welcomed the support of the House of Representatives members for the newly formed National Economic Council (NEC) committee set up yesterday to interface with youths, and other stakeholders on issues of employment, social safety-nets and national unity.

Elisha commended the Vice President’s sincere interaction with the youths over the years and especially in the wake of the #EndSARS protests across the country and called for improved interaction between youths and leaders at all levels.

In his contribution, Luke Onofiok, from Akwa Ibom State lauded the courage exhibited by the Vice President in honestly addressing issues in the wake of the nationwide protests.

“We appreciate the messages you sent to the youth during the protests. It doused tensions. You did the job of John the Baptist for the President ahead of his speech to the nation,” he said.

Other members of the forum at the meeting included Hafiz Kawu, Tarauni Federal Constituency, Kano State, Kabiru Tukura, Zuru/Fakai/Sakaba/D/Wasagu Federal Constituency, Kebbi State and Saidu Abdullahi, Bida/Gbako/Katcha Federal Constituency, Niger.

Also in the meeting were Taiwo Oluga, Ayedaade/Irewole/Isokan Federal Constituency, Osun State and Shina Abiola-Peller, Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa Federal Constituency, Oyo State

Elisha represents Kaltungo/Shongom Federal Constituency in Gombe State while Onofiak is from Etinan/Nsit Ibom/Nsit Ubium Federal Constituency in Akwa Ibom.

Former Nigerian international, Taribo West, has announced his preparedness to lead a protest against Nigerian football authorities.

The former Super Eagles player turn pastor said it’s time for persons with integrity to helm the affairs of Nigeria’s football.

His comments is coming on the heels of #EndSARS protests, which calls for end to police brutality and reforms in the police sector.

The former Inter Milan defender believes such reforms should affect the Nigeria Football Federation, and he’s ready to lead a protest to see that happen.

West who believes corrupt officials run Nigeria’s football, said he is going to ensure such people are booted out.

“We are going to protest against those that have hijacked our football system,” Taribo said.

“Everything happening #EndSARS in the Nigerian system must also affect the football house. ‘People with integrity must run the football house because money that has been siphoned, embezzled & mismanaged can’t be quantified.

“Work of God is in my spirit, but football is in my blood. I’ll lead a protest against the mismanagement of funds in Nigerian football,” the Atlanta Olympic gold medalist added.

The Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM), Osun State chapter has criticized the government’s plan of a house-to-house search for looted items.

Security agents will begin the operation across the state on Thursday.

In a statement on Wednesday, DSM Coordinator, Alfred Adegoke and Secretary, Kola Ibrahim, said the raid would be an infringement of citizens’ rights.

Condemning the loot and destruction of public and private properties, they maintained that house search was a repressive measure.

DSM referred to images of soldiers and policemen assaulting citizens while enforcing curfew, especially in Osogbo and Ilesa.

“This again justifies the cries of Nigerians in the #EndSARS struggle for a total reform of security agencies.

If anybody is found to have flouted the law, there are laid down rules for prosecution rather than dehumanizing them. The government imposed a 24-hour curfew without addressing the question of how people will survive.

“This is similar to how the government handled the COVID-19 lockdown. They locked down the state for weeks without any provision for citizens’ survival, even when the government had palliatives.

Even if the government was to impose a curfew, such should have been done without resorting to a sudden 24-hour curfew.

“The attempt to criminalise the people of the state through a house-to-house search for looted goods is misplaced.

We make bold to say that the state government is culpable in the degeneration of the #EndSARS protest and the subsequent mass looting. Those who hijacked and attacked peaceful #EndSARS protesters are political thugs.

“We hold that the planned house-to-house search is unwarranted, and an infringement on the rights of the citizens.

We call on all people of the state, especially the labour movement and communities, to reject this ill-motivated plan.

While not supporting looting and arson, we call on the government to stop its anti-poor policies”, the statement added.

The Nigerian Correctional Service has said it will publish the names and pictures of over 1,500 inmates who escaped after hoodlums broke into custodial facilities in Edo and Ondo States.

Recall that inmates escaped from Benin and Oko prisons, Edo State, and in Okitipupa prison, Ondo State, on Monday and Thursday, respectively.

Speaking on Friday, October 25, the NCoS spokesman, DCC, Austin Njoku, said 1,993 inmates broke out of the two prisons in Edo, while 58 reportedly escaped from the Ondo correctional facility.

He said the service was equally mobilising various security and intelligence resources to recapture the fleeing inmates.

“We are mobilising the people and the press for information because to inject the number of such people into the society is a problem. Imagine over 1,000 criminals injected into society?

We are mobilising the intelligence agencies, the police and the DSS (Department of State Services). We are publishing their names and pictures very soon,” he said.

Sanai (SOB) Agunbiade, Majority leader in the Lagos State House of Assembly has said that he was deciding to share the palliatives stolen from his home in Ikorodu on Friday, October 23.

An unknown group of hoodlums attacked his apartment and carted away food items and other stuff they came across.

According to Agunbiade, he was tipped off about a possible attack but didn’t pay much attention to it.

He added that he had the palliatives together with other items from well-meaning Nigerians and had intended to share them to members of his constituency today October 25.

His statement reads:

Zahra Buhari-Indimi, one of the daughters of President Muhammadu Buhari, has said that the discovery of food items and other COVID-19 palliatives in several warehouses across the country is evidence that her father is not the problem of the country.

The President’s daughter stated this in an Instagram post on Sunday.

She wrote,

“Now that people confirmed that Buhari distributed enough palliatives nationwide, it is clear Buhari is not our problem.”

Youths in the country have been attacking warehouses where COVID-19 COVID-19 palliatives are stored in several states.

Warehouses in Lagos, Plateau, Osun, and Kwara, Ekiti, Cross River, and few other states have been attacked and looted dry in the wake of the End SARS protests.

Cartons of noodles, sacks of garri, and bags of rice, tomato pastes, and many other food items, some of which had gone bad due to poor and prolonged storage were found in the warehouses.

The food items were palliatives donated by the private sector-led Coalition Against COVID-19 to cushion the effects of the pandemic lockdown.

Some were found and looted from private homes of politicians in some instances

Governor Ahmadu Fintiri has imposed a curfew in Adamawa State following the looting of warehouses by hoodlums.

Some hoodlums had earlier on Sunday morning broken into a federal warehouse in Kwarnawaya, a community in Yola South Local Government Area, and then a state central store in Bakin Kogi, a community in the heart of Jimeta, Yola North LGA.

The youths in both instances made away with all the content of the warehouses.

Responding to the incidents, Governor Fintiri commended the people of the state for having restrained from violence since the End SARS violence started across the country, but said the government had now been forced to act to check the new trend.

“Fellow citizens, it has become necessary to address you this afternoon following the activities of some misguided elements who have broken into warehouses owned by the State Government and carted away COVID-19 palliatives,”

The governor said in his statewide broadcast.

He added,

“While this Government respects the rights of the citizens to seek redress, it is not blind to the fact that there is a civilized and responsible way of channelling genuine grievances.”

The governor who mentioned four instances when his government distributed palliative items to the people since the COVID-19 pandemic started, announced that the government was to again start the process of distributing available items on Monday, October 26.

On the decision to impose curfew beginning 3pm on Sunday, the governor said,

“Fellow citizens we cannot allow hoodlums and misguided elements operate unchallenged when we are already battling with the challenges of Insurgency, Kidnapping, Cattle Rustling, Banditry and Farmer/Herder clashes.

“Furthermore, reports of people dying in the stampede have been received and we cannot afford to allow anyone to lose his or her life.

“We must also avoid a scenario where the security agents will be blamed if any person loses his/her life while being prevented from looting and destroying Government property.

“In view of the above, I have declared and imposed an indefinite dawn to dusk curfew throughout the State beginning from 3 o’clock Sunday the 25th of October 2020.”