$2.1b Arms Probe: EFCC Arrests Top Military Officer

A serving top military officer who was a technical aide to a former National Security Adviser(NSA), the late Gen. Owoye Azazi and his successor, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.), has been detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC in connection with the $2.1billion arms contracts.

THE NATION reports that the arrest of the officer who has been detained since the last two weeks in causing ripples in top military circles where some chiefs were said to have been involved in the arms deals.

The detained officer is said to have been in charge of the weapons procured during the tenures of the two former NSAs.
As a source told THE NATION;
“The military officer was picked up in connection with the purchase of the arms because he was in charge of inventory and how each unit of the Armed Forces got its equipment.

“The EFCC has invited the officer to verify the arms purchase and the delivery status.

“This same officer related with many former and serving chiefs. There is no way he can be questioned without involving some of these officers in the military hierarchy.

“The arms scandal is messy and many ranking officers were involved. This is causing anxiety in the military because if the detained officer opens up, the probe will lead to more revelations.”

THE NATION learnt that some former Service Chiefs and military officers have been making efforts to find out what transpired between their detained colleague and the anti graft agency.

“These anxious military officers and associates have had limited contact with the top chief in detention facility.

“The latest dimension of the investigation shows that heads may roll in the military over these arms deals,” said the source.

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Ex-Minister Calls For Removal Of Immunity Clause

Mr Labaran Maku, a former Minister of Information in the Goodluck Jonathan administration says that the immunity clause for elected executive officers should be expunged from the Nigerian constitution.

Maku who contested the 2015 governorship election on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA made the call on Sunday in Wakama, Akun Development Area of Nasarawa State.

He told newsmen that removing the immunity clause, especially the one protecting the president, governors and local government chairmen would help fight corruption and ensure good governance.

“Let us also pray for the peace of the country and give President Muhammadu Buhari the needed support and cooperation to enable him tackle the challenges facing the country.

“I believe that the immunity of state governors should be removed, no governor needs immunity and if it is removed,this will help to check fraud, corruption and mismanagement,” he said.

NAN

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Lawmaker Donates Building Materials To School

A legislator in the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Alhaji Hashimu Jibrin-Gurku has donated building materials valued at N1.5m for the reconstruction of decrepit structures at Dutsen Gogo Primary School in Karu Local Government Area.

The building materials which included 20 bundles of roofing sheets and 150 bags of cement were presented at the annual new year festival in Dutsen Gogo on Sunday.

“I am your representative and I promise to discharge my duty diligently without discrimination. As such I will do everything humanly possible to renovate dilapidated structures in all the primary schools in our constituency”, said Jibrin-Gurku who represents Karu/Gitata Constituency.

He vowed to rehabilitate the remaining dilapidated public school structures in the state to ensure conducive teaching and learning environments.

“Education is the bedrock of every nation, and as such, I will do my utmost best within available resources to make sure that the quality of education imparted on our children improves greatly,” he said.

Jibrin-Gurku who is also the
Chairman House Committee on Land and Survey, pledged to institute a scholarship scheme for students from the constituency in tertiary institutions to assist indigent parents.

The youth leader of the community, Mr Shagari Dutsen-gogo thanked the lawmaker for his gesture, adding that the people would continue to pray for his success.

NAN 

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Allow us to help soldiers overrun Sambisa - Borno hunters

Hunters in Borno State are itching for action in Sambisa forest; and this is authoritative.

In fact the hunters are on their knees begging the Nigerian Army to allow them join the fight in Sambisa and overrun Boko Haram.

Emir of hunters in the state, Mai-Gana Mai-Durma, while addressing journalists in Maiduguri, said the appeal has become imperative because the hunters are familiar with the Sambisa forest terrain where the insurgents are entrenched.

He also requested that the army should integrate them with the well-known Civilian JTF.

: “We are appealing to themilitary authorities to allow us join the fight against Boko Haram at the Sambisa forest. We are ready to pursue the terrorists because we know the terrain very well.

“We will overrun Sambisa in partnership with members of the civilian JTF if given the opportunity. This will help to complement the effort of military in the anti terrorism operation,” he said.

The Emir lamented that Boko Haram terrorists have made hunters across the state idle.

“Hunters from all the 27 Borno LGAs are all in Maiduguri with our leaders doing nothing at present because of Boko Haram.

“Rather than idling away, we will want to assist the military in crushing Boko Haram terrorists,” he said.

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Islamic Movement Accuses Army of Killing Its Member In Detention

The Islamic Movement of Nigeria on Saturday accused the military of shooting one of its detained members to death.

The Shiite sect alleged that one of its own, Abbas Isiyaku was denied medical attention by his captors after being shot.

Ibrahim Musa, Head of Media Forum of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria said yesterday that 13 critically injured members of the sect were still being held at  Kaduna Prison.

His words:
"Many more others, number unknown, are still being held incommunicado at various military barracks and other detention centres without access to medical care. This is inclusive of our leader Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and his wife.

“Many of those that died much earlier, died in similar circumstances, when being shot and wounded, soldiers prevented access to them for prompt medical care even to the Red Cross officials. It is very unfortunate that in our democratic country, the army still detains civilians without proper recourse to the law of the land. We don’t know if Kaduna has already been declared a state under emergency law. If not, why should people arrested by the army still be in army gulags for almost 3 weeks?”

He appealed to civil society organizations and well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on the government to release the members of the sect still in detention, especially those injured in the army clampdown of December 12, 2015.

“Failure to release them will belie the response of the COAS to members of the committee set up by NSCIA, by appreciating the concern of NSCIA in this avoidable incident,” he said.

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Senator Pays Bills Of 40 Patients In Kaduna Hospital

It was a joyful start to the new year for 40 inpatients of St Gerrard Hospital, Kaduna as they had their medical bills paid off by Senator Shehu Sani who represents Kaduna Central Senatorial Zone in the National Assembly.

The writer and human rights activist made the gesture when he paid a get well visit to patients on admission at the hospital. He also distributed gift items to them. 

“I will use the opportunity of this visit to write off the medical bills of 40 patients in this hospital, and also to write off bills of those that are in the emergency ward now. I will work it out with the management of this hospital to see the bills so as to effect immediate payment,” Sani said as he wished the patients quick recovery.

Senator Shehu Sani who argued that the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS should not be enjoyed by only government employees said that he was working on a bill that would allow the poorest of the poor and the unemployed to also benefit from it.

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Custody Tussle: Davido, baby mama to meet with NAPTIP this week?

There are indications that the Adeleke and Momodu families could be heading to Abuja this week for a meeting with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP over a petition filed by Sophie Momodu's lawyer against the Adelekes.

In the petition dated December 30 , 2015 and addressed to the Abuja office of NAPTIP, Sophie alleged that her baby, Imade Aurora Adeleke whom she had with pop musician David Adeleke, aka Davido in May 2015 was forcefully taken away from her by the Adelekes who are making arrangements to take her out of the country without her consent.

A source confirmed to Abujacitynews that the two families have agreed to a meeting with NAPTIP this week but could not say the particular day.

In the petition to NAPTIP, Sophie's lawyer, Mr.Gbolaga Ajayi had detailed how his client was invited to the home of the Adelekes only to be dispossessed of her suckling baby and pushed away with a stern warning never to return.

Ever since, both families have been locked in a war of wits over the custody of the baby.

One of the highpoints of the war according to the petition was the last minute scuttling of an attempt by the Adelekes to sneak the baby out through the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.

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