Author: Kwara Reporters

No fewer than 97 persons have been declared wanted by the Defence Headquarters following the deteriorating security situation across the nation.The wanted persons include terrorists, bandit leaders and other insurgents causing mayhem in the North and other parts of the country.The factional leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Simon Ekpa, and some of his men including one notorious killer known as Gentle also made the wanted list.The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba on Friday, confirmed the names of the wanted persons.The list contained names of terrorists from the North East and North West as well…

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the recent attack that led to the killing of a village head and other residents of Rafi Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger State.Daily Trust had reported how at least 21 people including the village head lost their lives on Thursday afternoon when bandits in their numbers reportedly invaded a market in Madaka, an agrarian community in Rafi LGA.According to residents, the attackers raided the market around 3pm when the commercial activities were in full swing and started shooting at the crowd.Among those killed was a butcher who recently got married. He had gone…

A leader of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore group, Bello Bodejo, has been arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja for allegedly establishing an unlawful ethnic militia group – Kungiya Zaman Lafiya.Bodejo was arraigned on a three-count charge filed by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation in which he was accused of violating the Terrorism, Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022.He pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him.The prosecuting lawyer, Mohammed Abubakar, sought a day for the commencement of the trial.Abubakar told the court that the prosecution has two witnesses lined up, but could…

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called on state governors that pay pension to former governors to emulate their Abia State counterpart, Alex Otti, and stop paying.He described payment of pension to former state governors and their deputies as outrageous.Obasanjo also described the pension as “a daylight robbery.:The former president stated this on Friday when he paid Otti a visit at his country home in Nvosi, Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area of the state.He said, “I watched the television and I saw the repealing of Abia pensions and I asked you what exactly is this, and you said to me…

A file photo of Boko Haram terroristsThe Federal Government has listed some individuals and Bureau de Change (BDCs) designated as terrorism financiers.A document obtained from the Nigeria Sanctions Committee (NSC) website showed that 21 individuals and six entities were tagged as financiers of terrorism.Leading the list is a Kaduna-based publisher Tukur Mamu who is being tried by the Federal Government for allegedly aiding terrorists who attacked the Abuja-Kaduna train two years ago.The publication followed years of pressure by security experts, human rights groups, Nigerians, and other stakeholders for the Federal Government to name those financing terrorism in the country.Individuals, BDCs…

The presidency is optimistic about better days for the naira and is asking currency speculators to dump their cache of dollars. Nigeria’s naira currency has recently slid downwards against major currencies like the dollar, going for $1 to N1,500 in the parallel market.But the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recently cleared the country’s FX backlog inherited from the previous administration, a move presidential aide Bayo Onanuga said will lead to the appreciation of the naira.“With backlog FX settled, Naira is set to appreciate further, faster. Currency speculators should quickly dump their stock of dollars to avoid sorrows and tears,” the Special…

Popular Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi says security agencies have no right to declare any Nigerian a terror financier. Gumi, who stated this on X space organised by Daily Trust on Wednesday, was reacting to a recent list by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), declaring his close associate, Kaduna-based publisher, Tukur Mamu, and 14 others as terror sponsors.The NFIU reportedly listed the identity of the 15 entities, including nine individuals and six Bureau De Change (BDC) operators and firms.One of the identified individuals is Mamu, who is currently being tried by the Federal Government for allegedly aiding the terrorists who attacked…

Thousands of intending pilgrims from Nigeria may miss the 2024 Ramadan Umrah pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia over the decision of the authorities to stop issuing Umrah visas, Daily Trust can report. Already, the development is fueling anxiety and agitation from intending pilgrims with the Ramadan fasting crossing 11. Also, hajj and Umrah operators may be exposed to huge financial losses from hotel bookings in Makkah and Madinah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Daily Trust reliably gathered that several flights meant to convey intending pilgrims for the Umrah exercise are already being cancelled or rescheduled.A source told our correspondent that…

A magistrate court in Oshodi, Lagos State, has sentenced the miscreants who imposed a N100 levy on traders and other pedestrians using the Yaba bridge to one month in prison.The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this on his official X handle on Wednesday.A viral video on Wednesday showed how the thugs extorted N100 levy from two women with heavy luggage before giving them access to the bridge.On Thursday, operatives of the State Environmental Sanitation Corps arrested the miscreants, who were immediately charged to court.Giving an update on the matter, the commissioner wrote, “As a follow-up to the arrests made…

Worried by the security challenges facing the country, 16 state governors have endorsed the establishment of state police.The National Economic Council (NEC) disclosed this on Thursday in a report submitted to the Council at its 140th meeting held virtually and chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima.The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning Atiku Bagudu who briefed State House Correspondents virtually after the meeting said out of the 36 states, 20 state governors and the FCT were yet to make their submissions.However, he did not mention the states.The governors who submitted their memos also called for the review of the Nigerian…