Northern Coalition Sues National Assembly Over Constitutional Review, Demands Support For Biafra

The suit was filed by the leadership of the group, Nastura Ashir Shariff, Balarabe Rufa’i l, Abdul-Aziz Sulaiman and Aminu Adam joined against the defendants: Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami; Senate President, Ahmad Lawan; Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; and the National Assembly.

The Coalition of Northern Group (CNG) has dragged the National Assembly to court, asking that the ongoing constitutional review across the country be stopped with immediate effect.

The suit was filed by the leadership of the group, Nastura Ashir Shariff, Balarabe Rufa’i l, Abdul-Aziz Sulaiman and Aminu Adam joined against the defendants: Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami; Senate President, Ahmad Lawan; Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; and the National Assembly, Daily Trust reports.

File Photo: National Assembly

Addressing newsmen in Abuja, the coalition's spokesman, Abdul-Aziz Sulaiman, argued that instead of the ongoing constitutional review, the defendants should immediately provide a framework for the actualisation of agitators’ demand on self-determination.

The Coalition on June 11, had urged the National Assembly to suspend the constitution review to enable the Government to organise a referendum on the actualisation of a Biafra Republic.

It also urged the National Assembly to invoke the doctrine of necessity to organise a Biafra referendum as the final step towards the separation of the Igbo from the rest of Nigeria.

The group argued that the unrelenting disturbances created by certain interest groups in the South-East, in the form of the agitation for a separate State of Biafra, had turned violent.

It appealed to the government to invite the United Nations (UN), African Union (AU) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to initiate the process of self-determination that will mandate the Biafrans out of the Nigerian union by leveraging the several relevant international treaties and conventions to which Nigeria is a signatory.

ECOWAS Court Rules Against Government Prosecution, Arrest Of Anyone Using Twitter In Nigeria — SERAP

ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, in its ruling on Tuesday, stopped the Nigerian government from intimidating or arresting anyone for using the microblogging platform, Twitter in Nigeria.

This was disclosed in a tweet by Socio-Economic Rights And Accountability Project (SERAP) on its verified Twitter handle.

 

The tweet read, “Victory: The ECOWAS Court of Justice, Abuja in a landmark ruling today has stopped the Buhari administration and its agents from intimidating, sanctioning, arresting or prosecuting anyone for using Twitter in Nigeria, pending the final determination of the suit. Details shortly.”

VICTORY: The ECOWAS Court of Justice, Abuja in a landmark ruling today has stopped the Buhari administration and its agents from intimidating, sanctioning, arresting or prosecuting anyone for using Twitter in Nigeria, pending the final determination of the suit.

Details shortly.

— SERAP (@SERAPNigeria) June 22, 2021

SERAP had earlier said it would sue the Nigerian government over its suspension of Twitter indefinitely. 

The Nigerian Government on June 4 suspended, indefinitely, the operations of the microblogging and social networking service in Nigeria.

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, announced the suspension in a statement signed by his Special Assistant Segun Adeyemi citing the “persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence”.

The Minister said the Federal Government had also directed the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to immediately commence the process of licensing all OTT and social media operations in Nigeria.

The development comes after Twitter deleted President Muhammadu Buhari’s tweet where he threatened to treat Nigerians “misbehaving” in “the language they understand”.

Buhari had in one of his tweets stated that his government would get “harder” on those hell-bent on destroying the country.

Following widespread condemnation of the tweet, Twitter deleted the message.

The platform said the message by the Nigerian President violated its rules.

SERAP, shortly after the government's suspension, tweeted, "We're suing Nigerian authorities over their ILLEGAL indefinite suspension of Twitter in Nigeria.

"Nigerians have a right to freedom of expression and access to information including online, and we plan to fight to keep it that way.

"@NigeriaGov, we'll see you in court."

Culled from Sahara Reporters.com

BREAKING: NLC threatens El-Rufai, warns of resuming Kaduna strike

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, on Tuesday threatened to resume its suspended strike in Kaduna State.

NLC President, Ayuba Wabba disclosed this during a press conference after an emergency National Executive Council meeting of the congress in Abuja.

Wabba said state councils and affiliate unions have been directed to mobilise for the latest action.

Wabba accused the State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai of failing to respect the Memorandum of Understanding brokered between the NLC and the state government by the Federal Government.

He said the congress “after exhausting all avenues, including writing letters to President Muhammadu Buhari and Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, the Union has decided to resume the strike.”

People mistake me for Davido – Nollywood filmaker, Chima Okoroji

Nollywood film maker, Chima Okoroji has said people take him to be Davido especially kids. The filmmaker recounted times he had to run in other not to get mobbed when people think he is the music star. He made the revelation in an interview, saying;

“My brother, I don’t know whether it is this beard or something else. I am fair complexioned and I look older, I don’t know why people especially kids think I am Davido.

*The other day at the fuel station watching the metre, some kids inside their parent’s car, I guess, pointed at me calling me Davido and people started looking in my direction.

“My saving grace was that my tank got filled on time and I zoomed off. At the supermarket, the same thing happened. I was crossing the road some time ago, the same thing happened. I wish I am as rich as Davido, and then I can really enjoy the fame. Na wah o.”.

Breaking: A tanker explodes on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, causing several vehicles to catch fire.

A tanker exploded on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Tuesday morning, engulfing several vehicles and causing extensive damage.

On the basis of information available, the fire incident occurred at 6:20 a.m. in the Romona trailer park in the Ogere area of Ogun State.

In an interview with our correspondent, Ahmed Umar, Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps in Ogun State, verified the occurrence and stated that the state Fire Service was now on the scene putting out the flames...

“The command received a report of a burning tanker in the vicinity of the Romona trailer park in Ogere,” he explained. As a result of the severity of the blaze, it is not yet possible to determine the exact number of vehicles involved.

In response, the Ogun State Fire Service was alerted, and FRSC operatives are on the scene attempting to manage the traffic situation. It has been reported that firefighters have arrived on the scene.”

Your boxers aren’t part of your body, wear it once and wash it – BBN Star tells men

Former Big Brother Naija housemate, Alex Asogwa- Alex Unusual has urged men to wash their boxer shorts frequently especially after wearing them once.

She pointed out that some men have the habit of not washing their underwear.

She also claimed that some men only bath when they are attending a social event or a girl is paying them a visit.

Her words;

“Random thought. Guys, please, your underwear (what you call boxers and pants) isn’t a part of the body. Wear it once and wash it. Don’t think it only applies to ladies. Also, some guys feel it’s not a problem when they wake up in the morning and not have their bath or brush all day but they’ll wear designers and gold chain , make videos living the life , work and go about their activities. You are a pig, you just haven’t been told.

It’s not about having a bath when you need to go out for parties or when a girl is coming over. It’s also not about wearing perfume and not having a bath. Your whole house can be clean but you are still dirty. You can have all the money in this life and still have odor. (An excuse is accepted if it’s a health condition).
Take a lot of water too.

Neatness is key. Dear dirty people, you are allowed to have a problem with this post. If you don’t have a health condition and feel attacked thereby attacking me, your brain should be exchanged for soap.
Enjoy your week good people.”

BREAKING: Court Sentences Ex-Federal Lawmaker, Farouk Lawan To 7 Years in Prison Over $3million Bribe

A High Court sitting in Abuja has sentenced Farouk Lawan, former chairman of the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy, to seven years imprisonment over the $3 million bribery charges preferred against him by the Nigerian government.

Lawan, as the Chairman of the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee, was involved in the probing of the multi-billion naira fuel subsidy fraud in 2012.

Farouk Lawan in courtthecable

There were allegations and video evidence that he took $500,000 bribe from Femi Otedola to remove Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited (Otedola’s company) from the list of oil companies allegedly involved in the fuel subsidy fraud in 2012.

Lawan, who was arraigned on seven counts of bribery by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), was alleged to have collected $500,000 bribe from Otedola.

The charge was later amended to three counts.

Otedola, while giving evidence as the fifth prosecution witness, said the defendant had demanded $3 million and threatened to indict his oil company.

According to the businessman, he reported the matter to the Department of State Services (DSS) and was given $500,000 in marked notes. 

He also said the DSS planted a camera in his house to catch Lawan red-handed. 

TB Joshua’s spirit visited me after he died – Kuti

Nigerian actress, Jaiye Kuti has claimed that the late founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Temitope Balogun Joshua appeared to her in spirit shortly after he passed away.

Kuti, who narrated her encounter on her Instagram page, claimed she had never seen the Nigerian televangelist.

According to her, the cleric’s spirit visited her at home in Offa, Kwara State, the same night he died.

She claimed that her head was swollen and she saw a gentle pass of him, praying that God rests his soul in peace.

Alongside a picture of TB Joshua, she wrote, “I have never met you one on one but your spirit visited me when you died. I was in Offa alone in my room. My head was swollen and I saw a gentle pass of Him. There was something good about that soul.

”Christ was poor but feeding the people and taking care of everyone. You did the same to many. I know 2 people who truly gave their lives to Christ through Him. May the Good Lord rest your soul in peace. Pastor T.B. Joshua.” She added.

Meanwhile, late Temitope Joshua’s family on Monday said the deceased will be buried on July 9, 2021, at his church in Lagos.

Army arrests bandits travelling to Ibadan with military kits, charms

The Nigerian Army on Tuesday disclosed that some bandits heading to Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, were intercepted along Mokwa-Jebba road. on their way from Zuru in Kebbi.

It disclosed that the bandits were intercepted during a stop-and-search operation.

Spokesman of the Army, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, stated this in a statement in Abuja, NAN reports.

Nwachukwu said the bandits were intercepted with a pair of military camouflage, military boots, a knife and substance suspected to be charms.

He said on further interrogation, the suspect disclosed that he was travelling to Ogbomosho and further claimed that the uniform and boots belonged to his brother, who was a soldier.

According to the army, the suspect was fleeing from the ongoing military operations in Niger to a safe haven.

“The heat on bandits and other criminal elements in Niger has caused them to start fleeing to supposed safe havens. Members of the public, particularly around Niger and contiguous states are, therefore, enjoined to be vigilant and report any suspected movement of fleeing bandits to security agencies.

“He further enjoined them to be wary of such sinister movements by fleeing bandits and continue to support the security agencies with useful information to enable them to maintain peace and security of the country,” the statement said.

Lai Mohammed leads Nigerian team to discuss with Twitter over suspension

 

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the composition of the Nigerian Government’s team to engage with Twitter over the recent suspension of the operations of the social media platform in the country.

The team which would be chaired by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed also comprises the Attorney General of the Federation and Honourable Minister of Justice, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Works and Housing, Minister of State for Labour and Employment as well as other relevant government agencies.

Mohammed noted that following the indefinite suspension of its operations in Nigeria allegedly for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence, Twitter wrote to Buhari seeking to engage with the Federal Government over the suspension, with a view to charting a path forward.