Chidinma Mustn’t Die In Custody – House Of Reps Warns Inspector General Of Police Over Media Interviews

The House of Representatives has said that 21-year-old Chidinma Ojukwu, the suspected killer of Super TV Chief Executive Officer, Usifo Ataga, must not die in the custody of the Nigeria Police Force.

They also urged the police to conduct a proper investigation into the matter and refrain from granting interviews.

The House further called on the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, to ensure that there was no violation of human rights and media access to arrested persons in the future.

In addition, the House said the IG must ensure that “Ms. Ojukwu (the accused) does not die in custody or commit suicide while awaiting trial as in some past cases.”

These were the resolutions passed by the lawmakers at the plenary on Tuesday, following their unanimous adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved by Tolu Akande-Sadipe and titled, ‘Call for the Compliance of the Police Force with the Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Proper Investigation into the Death of Late Mr. Usifo Ataga.’

Moving the motion on Tuesday, Akande-Sadipe, said, “The House notes that Ms Chidinma Ojukwu, a 300-Level Mass Communication student of the University of Lagos was arrested on Wednesday, 23rd June 2021, over the murder of Chief Executive Officer, Super TV, Mr Usifo Ataga, in a service apartment in the Lekki area of Lagos State.

“The House is aware that since the arrest of Ms Chidinma Ojukwu, she has been paraded around, granting interviews to various news platforms, including the Nigerian Television Authority, on the matter, causing the internet and news media to be agog with the discussion and dissecting the matter. This is despite the fact that the police have already launched an investigation into the matter.

“The House is further aware that the law of Nigeria does not allow for social media trials and matters that are sub judice – meaning before the court or not yet judicially decided – are not to be discussed by the media.”

She added, “The House is cognisant that Section 36(5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) provides that every person who is charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed to be innocent until they are proven guilty.

“Thus, so long as Ms. Ojukwu has not been proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction, she is not to be labelled a criminal or paraded about to conduct a series of interviews on a case currently under investigation. Rather, the police are to conduct a proper investigation and allow the court to consider the matter and make an informed judgment.

“The House is concerned that if Ms. Ojukwu continues to be paraded about for a social media trial, it could affect the determination and outcome of the case as well as amount to a breach of her fundamental right to fair hearing, especially where she is labelled or treated as one guilty of a crime.”

Recall that on June 24, the Lagos State Police Command paraded the suspect where she had admitted to stabbing the 50-year-old in the neck with a knife after a disagreement.

However, in an interview that had now gone viral, the undergraduate contradicted her initial confession, denying her involvement in killing the Super TV CEO.

Ojukwu stated that Ataga had marital problems before his death. She described the deceased as a busy man who was quick to anger.

Chidinma said the man had some problems with his wife and told her he was in his marriage to cater for his children.

“He was actually a busy person but at a point, I found out that he lies a lot just to be able to have sex with young girls.

“He wasn’t having a good marriage either because I noticed he had issues with his wife. They had a marital crisis and he was there only for the kids,” she said.

I Didn’t Know Possession Of Human Skull Is An Offence – Herbalist Claims

A 38-year-old man, Semiu Oyewo, who was allegedly arrested along Ile-Ife/Ibadan road with dry human skull claimed he has no knowledge it is an offence.

He said that the skull was meant to treat someone who is suffering chronic daily headaches.

The suspect was paraded by the Osun State Police Command headquarters at ring road, Osogbo on Tuesday.

Parading the suspects at the state police command n Osogbo, the State Commissioner of Police, Olawale Olokode, said the herbalist, Oyewo was apprehended along Ile-Ife/Ibadan road with one human skull, snail and voodoo.

“On July 7, 2021 around 8am, the police patrol team on routine highway patrol along Ile-Ife/Ibadan road, intercepted one Honda Accord vehicle with Reg. No. AGL 412 CD black colour driven by the suspect a 38-year-old man, Semiu Oyewo of Alamole area, Ondo road, Ile-Ife, searched the vehicle and recovered the exhibits.”

The suspect told journalists that, “I am an herbalist, I didn’t know that having possession of dry skull is an offence. I even fought with the mobile police that arrested me. I want to use it to treat someone who is suffering chronic headache,” he said.

“He said during the course of investigation and interrogation, the suspect confessed that, he is an herbalist and bought the suspected human skull from his co-herbalist one Ige aka Igwe of Apomu who had absconded.

While speaking the CP said “The said suspected human skull was bargained for twenty five thousand naira only (N25, 000.00) while he paid twenty thousand naira only (N20, 000.00) to later balance five thousand naira only (N5, 000.00).

“The Police navigated its investigation to the house of the arrested suspected and recovered various ‘Juju’ and fetish items which they hid in the bush.”

The police boss said the gang of bag snatchers who were also robbing POS outlet were arrested on July 5, 2021 after receiving a distress call at Owode Ede area.

Toddler Thrown From Building After Looters Set It On Fire In South Africa Riots

 

Shocking footage shows a woman throwing a toddler from a burning building after looters set fire to the shops below amid a wave of violence sweeping across South Africa.

At least 45 people have been killed in clashes sparked by the jailing of former president Jacob Zuma.

Soldiers have now been deployed onto the streets to try and contain the unrest, which has spread from Mr Zuma’s home in KwaZulu-Natal province to the country’s biggest city Johannesburg and surrounding Gauteng province, and to the Indian Ocean port city of Durban.

President Cyril Ramaphosa said the violence was ‘unprecedented’ in post-apartheid South Africa, with buildings ransacked or set ablaze, roads blocked and businesses looted.

Mr Ramaphosa said: ‘Parts of the country are reeling from several days and nights of public violence, destruction of property and looting of the sort rarely seen before in the history of our democracy.

‘What we are witnessing now are opportunistic acts of violence.

‘There is no grievance, nor any political cause, that can justify the destruction we have seen.’

He warned on Monday that the unrest could harm the country’s vaccine drive, while disruption to supply chains could lead to food and medicine shortages in the coming weeks.

Mr Zuma, 79, was sentenced last month for defying a constitutional court order to give evidence at an inquiry investigating high-level corruption during his nine years in office.

Sunday Igboho, Akintoye, Drag Buhari, Malami To ICC

The International Criminal Court has formally acknowledged receipt of a 27-page petition filed by the Leader of Ilana Omo Oodua, Emeritus Professor Banji Akintoye, Yoruba activist, Sunday Adeyemo, fondly called Sunday Igboho and other 49 Yoruba Self-Determination Groups against President Muhammadu Buhari, the Minister of Justice and Antoney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai and former Inspectors General of Police, Ibrahim Idris and Muhammed Adamu.

In the petition, signed by several leaders of Yoruba self-determination groups and submitted at the ICC on their behalf by their lawyer, Aderemilekun Omojola, the Nigerian leaders were accused of genocide and crimes against humanity against the Yoruba people of Ekiti, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ogun, Okun Land in Kogi, and Kwara states respectively. 

According to a statement made available to SaharaReporters on Wednesday by the Communications Manager to Akintoye, Maxwell Adeleye, others who signed the petition with the Ilana Omo Odua leader and Ighoho are Chief Imam of Yoruba in Ilorin, Kwara state, Shielk Raheem Aduranigba, leader of Obinrin Oodua Agbaye, Chief Simisade Kuku, leader of Yoruba Strategy Alliance, Babatunde Omololu, General Secretary of Ilana Omo Oodua, Arc. George Akinola, and 44 others.

In a letter to the petitioners' lawyer obtained by SaharaReporters, the ICC's Head of Information and Evidence Unit of the Office of the Prosecutor, Mr. Mark P. Dilon, said that "as soon as a decision is reached to formally commence investigation into this petition, we will inform you, in writing, and provide you, with reasons for this decision.

"This communication has been duly entered in the Communications Register of the Office. We will give consideration to this communication, as appropriate, in accordance with the provisions of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.”

Other Nigerian government officials petitioned are Comptroller General of Customs, Hammid Alli, Inspector General of Police, Alkali Baba, Chief of Army Staff, Farouk Yahaya, former Chief of Airforce, Sadiq Abubakar, former Commandant-General of NSCDC, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Immigration Services, Mohammed Babandede and the Current Commandant-General of NSCDC, Abdulahi Gana Muhammadu.

RULAAC Condemns Killing Of Traders In Lagos Market By Nigerian Soldiers, Demands Investigation

The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), has condemned the alleged killing of four traders at the popular Ladipo Spare Parts Market in Lagos state by trigger-happy military personnel.

RULAAC in a statement by its Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma, urged the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to order an investigation with a view to unravelling the circumstances, identifying the perpetrators of the latest act of abuse of power and misuse of firearms. 

File Photo

The statement reads, “Rule of Law And Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) is shocked at the disturbing news of the attack and use of lethal weapons on traders at Ladipo Auto Spare Parts international Market, in Mushin Local Government Area of Lagos State by military personnel on Tuesday, July 13, 2021 which resulted to the death of at least four persons and injuries on many others.

“There are conflicting accounts of what actually led to the invasion of the crowded market by military personnel who came in OP MESSA Hilux vans and started shooting live bullets directly at traders resulting to fatalities and injuries. But all accounts point to the fact that there was a dispute between a customer who purchased an auto spare part at the market and returned with the part demanding a replacement after the expiration of the warranty.

“This resulted to arguments and altercations and then a fight between the customer (who was said to either be a soldier or was accompanied by his soldier-friend) and some executive members of the traders union. The man was said to have run out and invited a military patrol team which arrived and started shooting directly at traders. Vehicles within the market were riddled with bullets as could be seen in one of the videos recorded at the scene.

“The exact details of what actually led to the shooting need to be investigated. But we are concerned about the involvement of military personnel in what appears to be a civil dispute and the use of lethal weapons on unarmed civilians.

“The role of the military in a civilised democracy is clearly spelt out and does not include meddling in civil matters. The arms given to the military and purchased with tax payers’ money are given to them to protect the territorial integrity of Nigeria and not to use them to kill their fellow citizens whom they are employed and paid to protect.

“This latest action underscores the impunity that continues to fuel wilful, unjustifiable, illegal and excessive use of force by security forces against civilians. Otherwise, why would the military, so soon again, be involved in yet another incident of the use of live bullets on unarmed civilians while investigations are yet to be concluded into the similar use of deadly force against protesters at Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos in October 2020?

“RULAAC calls on the Lagos State Governor, to order an investigation with a view to unravelling the circumstances, identifying the perpetrators of this latest act of abuse of power and misuse of firearms. All the military personnel responsible should be brought to account. The victims should also be accorded adequate remedies while steps should be taken to avoid a repeat of such reckless and shameful episodes.”

Suspension Letter Of Ex-Governor Okorocha Is Fake – APC Recants

The All Progressives Congress has disowned a letter dated July 12, suspending the former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, as internal crisis continues to rock the party in the South-East state.

The APC said on Tuesday that the suspension letter signed by Mai Mala Buni and John Akpanudoedehe, the National Chairman and Secretary of the APC caretaker committee, was fake.

“This is to communicate to you, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Party ratification of your suspension by the Imo State Chapter of our great party for anti-party activities,” the letter addressed to Okorocha had read.

“The suspension follows after the recommendation by the Imo State Disciplinary Committee set up to investigate allegations of gross anti-party activities against you which is in line with Article 21 (B) I-VI of our party’s constitution.”

However, according to Akpanudoedehe, the letter did not come from the ruling party.

“It has come to the attention of the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that a fake letter of a purported suspension of Senator Rochas Okorocha from the party is circulating in the public space,” he said.

“Fifth columnists and forgers have obviously taken advantage of the unfortunate and recent leaks of our official correspondences with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to copy and paste forged signatures of the CECPC Chairman and Secretary on equally fake letters.

“The APC does not currently have a “National Working Committee” as stated in the fake letter, but a Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) which has been saddled with the mandate to reposition, unite and strengthen our great party.”

He added that the letter “is a figment of the imagination of fifth columnists”, and urged members to ignore it.

The letter had stated that Okorocha was suspended for “flagrant public abuse on the person and office of the President, Republic of Nigeria (An APC-led government).”

God Showed Me 26 Years Ago How Nnamdi Kanu Would Lead Biafra – Nigerian Cleric

A Nigerian cleric and Senior Pastor of the Redemption Life Fellowship, Aba, Abia State, Bishop Jude Chineme, has said that Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra was born to achieve the sovereign state of Biafra.

The cleric said God had shown him about 26 years ago before Ralph Nwazuruike formed the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra that it was an Igbo man from Umuahia, the Abia state capital that would champion the Biafra agitation.

Nnamdi Kanu

He, then, stated that Umuahia-born Kanu “is a moving train that no man can stop unless he gets to his destination.”

He added, “that guy is such a man that anything he wants to do, nobody on earth can discourage him unless God.”

Chineme said this in a video obtained by SaharaReporters on Monday while granting an interview on the arrest and detention of the IPOB leader.

“My name is Bishop Jude N. Chineme. You know people like us don’t talk anyhow. We talk when it’s necessary. The Biafra agitation is something the Lord revealed to me many years ago, 26 if not 27 years ago. That was on 4th September, 1994.

“The day I was in Terryvin hotel by Okigbe Road, Aba. In my wedding ceremony, the chairman of the wedding was Dr Edmund Ezirim, the owner of Blessing Clinic, 97 or 95 Port Harcourt Road, Aba.

“It was there that the Lord revealed to me the crowd heading to Umuahia. When I asked that what kind of crowd is this? Then the Lord told me that was Biafra restoration. I saw the Biafra flag. And God vividly opened and told me that the man that would bring Biafra would come from Umuahia. That was 4th September, 1994.

“I now said it publicly. Dr Ezirim laughed. He said why this Biafra prophecy? That Biafra would not come back again. But, I told him that was what God revealed to me. Biafra restoration.

“By that time, Uwazuruike has not come with something like Biafra agitation. Years later, Nwazuruike now came up with Biafra agitation. The Lord told me Biafra would not come through Nwazuruike.

“So, later Nnamdi Kanu now came up with Biafra agitation and the Lord told me vividly told me that Biafra would come through him. That was why when people criticised him, say something about Biafra agitation and so on, I kept silent because I know that what Nnamdi Kanu is doing was exactly what God revealed to me on 4th September, 1994. That day was on Sunday. And it rained heavily that day,” Chineme said partly in the video.

The Bishop boasted further that Biafra will be achieved whether people pray about it or not, adding that the Lord had already told him.

“So, that’s why people say people should pray about the coming of Biafra. I refused to pray because I know the Lord has revealed to me and it’s something that must surely come to pass whether you pray or you fail to pray because the word of God must surely come to pass.

“And to me, what now spoke to me. This is what Nnamdi Kanu was born for. God sent him into this planet earth for that purpose. So, whether by prayer or not by prayer, it must surely come to pass,” the clergyman added.

On the arrest of Kanu, Chineme also warned the Nigerian government to treat Kanu’s case with caution. He also advised President Muhammadu Buhari to have a dialogue with the pro-Biafra separatist leader, insisting that peace talks were the remedy.

Rival Cults Kill Six Persons In Delta

At least six persons have been killed as hoodlums suspected to be cultist clashes between Monday and Tuesday in different locations of Asaba in Delta State.

The last victims killing believed to have been retaliatory attacks, as they were suspected to be members of Black Axe Confraternity.

File photo used to illustrate story.The Guardian Nigeria

A source said that an Asaba-based Surveyor known as Ifeanyi who was one of the victims was mowed down at about 7pm on Monday, at a street opposite the Stephen Keshi Stadium, along the popular Nnebisi Road.

Another victim, a middle-aged man whose identity could not be ascertained, was reportedly beheaded at the early hours of Tuesday. His severed head was deposited at Otuogwu area in the metropolis, while the body was said to have been recovered where it was staked behind Oshimili South Council Secretariat. The source added. 

Meanwhile, the Acting Public Relations Officer of the Delta Police Command, Bright Edafe, confirmed three people dead between Monday and Tuesday.

“The information we have here confirmed three killed and it is cult-related matter. The police are on the situation,” he stated.

It was learnt that there is fear and anxiety among residents in the town, while many youths have temporarily relocated because of the cult clash.

Lagos Police Arrest More Suspects Over Murder Of Super TV CEO, Ataga

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested more suspects in connection to the murder of the Super TV CEO, Usifo Ataga.

This was confirmed by the Lagos State Police Commissioner, Hakeem Odumosu during a briefing and parade of suspects at the Command headquarters in Ikeja.

Odumosu, who had yet to give details on the number of suspects arrested and their connection to the murder, said the case was progressing and the police would never compromise on it.

According to him, a 300-level student of Mass Communication, Chidinma Ojukwu, was still a suspect with her rights guaranteed by the constitution. 

He, however, dismissed insinuations that the police were attempting to give her a soft landing.

Odumosu said: “We have established a case of conspiracy in the murder and we have arrested more suspects.”

SaharaReporters recall that Ataga was killed at a short-let apartment where he was spending the weekend with his lover, Ojukwu.

Ojukwu had earlier confessed to having stabbed the deceased to death before stealing his belongings.

In a recent interview with Crime Fighters, she refuted her initial claim saying she returned from an errand to find him lying in a pool of his blood.

How Kenyan Operatives Ransacked Nnamdi Kanu's Apartment To Take His UK Passport

The Kenya government detailed security operatives to ransack the apartment where Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, stayed in the country when news filtered in last Thursday that his United Kingdom passport was left behind in the East African country, competent sources have informed SaharaReporters.

SaharaReporters learned that the Kenya operatives broke into the apartment and searched desperately for the UK passport, but it was eventually not found.

Nnamdi Kanu

The sources noted that the UK passport had been safely kept away from the Kenya apartment before the intelligence was deliberately released to " serve as evidence that the Kenya government was involved in the unconventional abduction of Kanu to Nigeria."

The lawyer to Kanu, Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor, also corroborated this claim, adding that it was too late for Kenya to dismiss the "compelling evidence."

Ejiofor said, "My happiness is that by that development (of the leaving over of Kanu's UK passport in Kenya) the desperate denials of the Kenya government in the abduction of Kanu have been put to rest. Earlier, I had compelling evidence to show the world a conspiracy between Kenya and Nigerian governments to abduct Kanu through an unconventional process.

"Kenya became apprehensive that we had other compelling evidence. As soon as the fact of his passport still in Kenya was made public, they quickly went to the apartment where Kanu stayed in Kenya and ransacked the place. But it was too late for them. These are people who are telling us that they don't know about what happened to Kanu."

SaharaReporters had on July 10 reported that new evidence that Kenyan authorities were guilty in the arrest and extradition of Nnamdi Kanu emerged with his UK passport left behind in the country.

A UK Newspaper, The Guardian, had stated this in a report, adding that Kanu got a Kenya visa which was to expire in June, and he had been around in the country before his sudden arrest and extradition.

"Evidence seen by the Guardian shows Kanu entered Kenya this year on his British passport on a visa expiring in June. His UK passport remains in Kenya. Kanu did not have a Nigerian passport, his family said, and he has verbally renounced his Nigerian citizenship in broadcasts.

"The abduction of a person from a foreign country with the aim of rendition to justice is illegal under international law," the UK newspaper report had said.

SaharaReporters reported that Kanu recounted his experience in Kenya while speaking with his lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, saying he was "mercilessly beaten and tortured" in the East African country before his extradition to Nigeria.

Ejiofor had confirmed the words of Kanu during an interview adding that Kanu told him how he was detained not in the Kenya official detention centers but a private residence for about eight days before his extradition to Nigeria.

This is despite the Kenyan authorities' denial that they had anything to do with the arrest and extradition of Kanu to Nigeria.