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Catholic Priest Joins Race To Succeed Ortom

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A priest in the Catholic diocese of Gboko, Very Revd Fr Hyacinth Iormem Alia, has declared his intention to contest the 2023 governorship position in Benue state on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC), so as to restore hope and confidence in the Polity.

Father Alia, who made the disclosure while addressing the State Working Committee (SWC), of the party on Monday in Makurdi, the state capital, noted that his administration when elected into office will anchor on agriculture, commerce and industry, science and technology, education, security of lives and property, youths development, human and social development and political economy.

ALSO READ: Gov Ortom Mourns Scores Killed In Benue By Fulani Herdsmen

He stressed that the seven points objectives would be achieved through a collective effort of the good people of Benue State hence his intention would be about the citizenry; pledging to operate an inclusive government and acknowledged the role of APC as a political party.

According to him, his administration would always hold the leadership of the party in higher esteem and recognize its supremacy at all times; calling on lovers of Benue State, democracy and APC to go out and register for their voter’s cards so as to decide who governs them in 2023.

“Benue is in a state of coma and requires a physician to save lives. I’m joining politics because God is above me and has anointed me to come for a rescue mission.”

“Security of lives and property is not all about shouting that they are killing my people, but to first of all overhaul the internal system. We will get our boys out in the ‘bush’ and refine them for the good of the state.”

He stated that, of 32 years in priesthood, he has served in various parts of Benue communities preaching the gospel and has come in contact with the suffering of the people and will restore hope to the hopeless if elected as governor next year.

Father Alia promised to revamp all that were put in place by past leaders, but abandoned, listing such to include, Benue state Agriculture and Rural Development Authority (BEARDA), Benue State Tractor Hiring Agency (BENTA), so as to raise internal generated revenue for the state rather than depend on the federal allocation to run government affairs.

In a response, the State Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, Comrade Austin Agada, who was represented by his Deputy, Chief Stephen Tsav, described Fr Alia as qualified for the position of governor of Benue state based on his life experience.

He encouraged the aspirant to go out and canvass his votes, saying APC as a party has promised a level field for all contestants and a candidate with the popular votes shall flag the party’s flag next year.

He reiterated that if Fr Alia wins on the field, nobody will tamper with his mandate as the party is bent on doing the wishes of the general public in order to fix the artificial ills created in the state.

Earlier in an address, the State General Secretary of the All Progressive Congress, Mr Paul Biam, thanked Fr Alia and his teaming supporters for interacting with the party executives and urged all the supporters to register with APC to boost its strength and fortune in Benue State.

Insecurity: Zamfara Gov, Matawalle reveals those sponsoring bandits, terrorists

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Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State has linked banditry and terrorism to some respected and powerful people in the State.

Matawalle said those respected and powerful people were sponsoring terrorists in the State.

ALSO READ: Kidnappers invade Zamfara College, abduct four female students

He was reacting to the abduction of five female students of the College of Health Science and Technology, in Tsafe area of the State by bandits.

The Governor disclosed that bandits have recruited some residents of the State as informants.

Matawalle’s remark was contained in a statement signed by his Media Aide, Zailani Bappa.

He said: “Strong facts indicate that the recurrence of banditry in the State is aided and abetted mostly by powerful indigenes. Some of these people are strong personalities who the people respect.

“There are also, among the generality of the citizens, people who receive paltry sums of money to serve as informants to bandits.”

Zamfara has been one of the States affected by the activities of bandits.

26 die as boat capsizes in Sokoto

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Twenty six persons have been confirmed dead while search continues following a boat mishap on Shagari River in Shagari local government area of Sokoto state.

Chairman of Shagari Council Area, Aliyu Dantani, who disclosed the accident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday, in Sokoto, said the incident occurred on Tuesday evening.

Dantani said of the 26 recovered corpses, 21 were women while five were children, adding that a search and rescue mission was ongoing.

The council boss, however, said the actual number of passengers in the boat could not be immediately ascertained.

According to him, local divers were currently in the river to see how to either recover bodies or rescue survivors.

NSCDC beefs up security, deploys 1, 200 personnel for easter celebration

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The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Osun State Command has deployed 1,200 personnel to provide security across the state during and after the Easter celebrations.

The state Commandant, Emmanuel Ocheja who spoke through the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Corps II, Olabisi Atanda said the Command has put in place robust security arrangements and crime prevention strategies to ensure crime-free Easter festivities in the state.

While assuring adequate security of lives and property throughout the celebration, the NSCDC boss said his operatives are already emplaced on the major roads across the state, stressing that patrol teams and surveillance squads will provide security in public places and recreation.

The personnel, according to the command, will display a high level of professionalism while discharging their duties while appealing to members of the public to be moderate in their celebration.

Ocheja then called on members of the public to be security-conscious and provide useful information to the NSCDC about unusual activities noticed in their area.

He further called on unscrupulous elements in the state to have a change of mind as the command will arrest and prosecute whoever is bent on frustrating the peace of the state.

Ocheja felicitated with Christians and, however, charged them to imbibe the ”lessons of the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, pray for the nation”, Osun State.

2023: I won’t be regional President, APC has killed Nigeria – Bala Mohammed

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Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has stated that, if elected, he would run an all-inclusive government and not a regional one, unlike the Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressive Congress-led presidency.

Mohammed, a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is a top contender for President of Nigeria, under the major opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

ALSO READ: Bala emerges 2020 highest Christian pilgrimage sponsor

Addressing his former colleagues, the PDP Ministers in Abuja, Tuesday night, Gov. Mohammed accused the APC government of polarizing the country along regional and tribal lines, describing the Buhari-led presidency as a “regional” and nepotistic government.

He said, “the nation is in pieces. Nigeria is no longer there under APC. The country is too divided. Why is the country so divided? We must reduce the acrimony. APC has destroyed everything. It is all nepotism”.

The former lawmaker stressed further: “We are detribalized as democrats. We cannot be a regionalized government”, while urging his former colleagues to assist him form a government that would work for all Nigerians, regardless of their region, religion and status.

He vowed to checkmate the current borrowing profile of the APC administration, adding that the Buhari’s government was afraid of accountability, and was “promoting name-calling in the name of investigation that is selfish and unproductive”.

“You will help make Nigeria great again by collaborating together in this effort. We shall not take APC for granted. They are planning all sorts of intimidations but we are steadfast”, Mohammed told the PDP Ministers’ Forum, while pledging his loyalty to the party, saying he would not abandon it.

On building the nation through human capital development, Mohammed said, “there are people with good ideas to help administer and govern this nation. We no longer rely on our human capital. In my administration as the President of Nigeria, we will run a knowledge-driven administration”.

Chairman of the Forum, Hon. Tanimu Turaki (SAN) in his reaction, described Mohammed as “one of the forces to lead the restoration of PDP and a pace setter”.

He referred to Gov. Mohammed as a successful politician, whose history of performance had been outstanding.

On her part, former Minister of State for FCT, Mrs. Olajumoke Akinjide, echoed the same sentiment on the need to run an all-inclusive government in Nigeria, describing Mohammed as a “loyal friend and good human being”.

Kidnappers invade Zamfara College, abduct four female students

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No fewer than four students of the College of Science and Health Technology in Tsafe, Zamfara State have been kidnapped by suspected terrorists.

The bandits invaded the college and abducted the female students.

It was gathered that the kidnappers have already made contacts with the families of their victims, demanding undisclosed amount as ransom.

It was learnt that the incident occurred Tuesday night when they stormed the college with sophisticated weapons.

Efforts to confirm the development from the State Police spokesman, SP Mohammed Shehu proved abortive as his mobile line could not be reached.

Zulum Urges Boko Haram/ISWAP Members to surrender

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Babagana Umara Zulum, Borno State Governor has warned Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists to lay down their arms and surrender to the military so that they might be reintegrated into society.

Zulum speaks in Warabe, where he was resettling 680 IDP returnees’ houses in the Cameroonian border village.

“The terrorists’ laying down of arms and eventual surrendering to the Nigerian Army, could facilitate their comprehensive reintegration into communities,” he said.

He said that the Government had received over 50,000 repentant Boko Haram terrorists who surrendered to the Army for DDR (disarmament, deradicalization, and reintegration), he also said displaced residents from five communities will go back to their homes in two months when terrorists and their families surrender.

Bitta, Maddube, Kirawa, Yamtake, and Ngoshe in Gwoza council are among the communities to be resettled, according to the Borno governor.

Zulum charged the IDP returnees to be cautious and vigilant, as well as to report questionable individuals or groups to security services.

Two Major Lies in Osinbajo’s Declaration Speech By Farooq A. Kperogi

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Yemi Osinbajo’s underwhelming, grammatically error-ridden, self-sabotaging presidential declaration speech contains two barefaced lies.

The first major lie is his claim that he has “been to practically all local governments in Nigeria.” The lie is too self-evident to need further elucidation from me.

ALSO READ: Osinbajo finally declares to run for President, makes promises

But the second major lie, which concerns me more than the first, is his claim that he wants a Nigeria “where the man from Nnewi sees the man in Gusau as his brother, where the woman in Warri sees the woman in Jalingo as her sister, where the love of our nation burns alike in the hearts of boys and girls from Gboko to Yenogoa. Where everywhere in this land is home for everyone, where our diversities, tribes [sic] and faiths unite, rather than divide us.”

Let us examine his own record as Vice President. As I have repeatedly pointed out in the past few weeks, Osinbajo is a compulsively narrowminded, intolerant, Christian fanatic who nurses a noxious, deep-rooted loathing for Muslims (and, frankly, other Christian sects] and who sees his being in government as an opportunity to promote the supremacy of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), which I have characterized as his RCCGification project

So, let’s start. Although every political position he has ever occupied in life has been facilitated by Yoruba Muslims (i.e., Prince Bola Ajibola and Bola Tinubu), every consequential position he has had an opportunity to facilitate was given to an RCCG member.

In 2015, when he was given an opportunity to nominate a minister, he presented Okechukwu Enelamah, an RCCG pastor, who became Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment until 2019.

His spokesperson, Laolu Akande, was an RCCG pastor in New York. Like many RCCG pastors in the U.S., he relocated to Nigeria to feed fat on the Pentecostal paradise that Osinbajo has created for his kind. I’ve learned that Akande’s parish in New York has now closed.

As Vice President, Osinbajo is in charge of the economy, and all the major appointments he has influenced in government agencies under the economy have been given to RCCG pastors.

For example, when he was asked to nominate a chairman for the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), he nominated Babatunde Fowler, an RCCG pastor.

How about the Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE)? You guessed right: another RCCG pastor by the name of Alex Ayoola Okoh.

When it came time to appoint someone to be MD and CEO of Nigeria’s Bank of Industry (BOI), guess again who Osinbajo nominated. Yep, another RCCG pastor by the name of Olukayode Pitan who has turned the BOI into an RCCG church. I’ve been given a dossier of the happenings there and will share them at the appropriate time.

His RCCGification isn’t limited to government appointments. He also parlays his symbolic currency as VP into an opportunity to put RCCG members as university vice chancellors and traditional rulers in Yorubaland.

There’s currently tension in Ogbomoso because Osinbajo influenced the imposition of an RCCG pastor by the name of Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye as the new Soun of Ogbomoso. Olaoye is an RCCG pastor in Maryland, USA.

And Osinbajo has been accused of hatching another plot to impose an RCCG pastor as the Akinrun of Ikirun, a historic Muslim town in Osun State. Although I don’t think there’s any credibility to this accusation, it nonetheless resonates in Muslim Yorubaland because it fits the pattern of Osinbajo’s RCCGification efforts in the region.

The list of RCCG pastors Osinbajo has caused to be appointed into government is deep, long, and wide. Almost without exception, every opportunity Osinbajo has had to appoint someone to a consequential position, he has unfailingly given it to an RCCG pastor.

That was precisely what he meant when, according to the Vanguard, he told Apostolic Christian leaders in Lagos on Nov. 4, 2016, that his vice presidency “is our [i.e., Christian leaders’] first opportunity. This is our first shot at it. We need to maximize it and do the best we can. I think what my nomination and appointment have done is that it has open [sic] the door for us. We can do it and we can be influential in doing it.”

Yet this vile, shameless, emotionally stunted bigot has the gall to barefacedly lie to Nigerians that he wants a Nigeria “where our diversities, tribes [sic] and faiths unite, rather than divide us.”

No, he doesn’t. He wants to establish a Pentecostal RCCG republic. If that’s what Nigerians want, good luck!

Over 90 killed, 70 abducted, scores injured, more than 100 homes burnt in Plateau

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Following the attack on some communities in Kanam, Bassa and Barkin Ladi LGAs of Plateau State, over 90 people are feared to have been killed, over 70 abducted, scores injured and more than 100 homes set ablaze in a week.

It was gathered from locals in the aforementioned council that Kukawa, Gyanbahu, Dungur and Keram villages were the communities attacked, that suspected bandits have killed over 78 people, over 70 abducted and over 100 homes set ablaze, all in Kanam LGA of the state.

According to a resident of one of the affected villages, Bala Adam, the incident occurred around 3pm on Sunday, saying, “Gunmen came around 3pm at started shooting sporadically, it was unbelievable, as if it was a dream.

“We are terrified and traumatized, we don’t know their mission or reason behind such an act, in broad daylight; I have not experience this kind of situation before.

“As we speak, over 78 people were killed, more than 70 others are missing and I can’t really say the number of injured people; however we suspect they may have been abducted.

“Also, over 100 houses were set ablaze, it took the grace of God for some of us be alive, as we took to our heels and took cover in bushes, but i still don’t know their motive, so that’s why we feel they are bandits.

“We are calling on government to come to our aid; and security operatives to provide more security and intensify search for the missing people.”

He said that many were injured while hundreds of people have fled their homes, adding that security personnel are yet to reach the villages.

Musa said the gunmen, in separate attacks, invaded the villages at about 1 am when the residents of the areas were going about their normal activities and started shooting sporadically.

He said there is high presence of security operatives in the affected communities now.

In contacted with the spokesman of the Plateau State Police Command, ASP Ubah Ogaba, he said, “The Command is aware of the incident at kanam and deployment has been drafted to the area.

“Detailed information will be communicated when I return from Kanam.”

it can be recalls that on the 2nd April, 2022, 10 people were killed and 19 others injured during a festival to usher in the farming season (Zereci) in Irigwe chiefdom of Bassa LGA of the State.

Recall also that, gunmen suspected to be Fulani militia on the 7th, April, 2022, attacked Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who were trying to rebuild their homes at Rantis, in Gashish District of Barkin Ladi LGA of the state, killing two and leaving three others with gunshot wounds.

Meantime, major routes in Jos, the state capital, leading to head offices of security agencies were on Sunday blocked by security operatives, on rumours of planned attacks on security formations in the state.

However, while security agencies were on alert in the state capital, mayhem was being unleashed on four villages in Kanam LGA of the state.

Abductors of Abuja-Kaduna passengers not just bandits – Shehu Sani reveal’s those behind attack

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Former lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani has alleged that the bloodthirsty armed men, who abducted passengers of the Abuja-Kaduna train, were ‘jihadist’ terrorists.

Recall that the assailants, who attacked the train on its way to Kaduna State on March 27, killed some passengers, injured scores while over hundred were kidnaped.

ALSO READ: Terrorists Contact Families Of Abducted Victims Of Kaduna Train Attack

The bandits have in a recent video, asked the Federal Government to act fast, else the abductees would be killed, saying they are not after ransom.

However, the Kaduna State governorship aspirant in the forthcoming 2023 general elections said the video shows the criminal elements are not just bandits.

In a tweet on his verified Twitter handle, the former lawmaker, who represented Kaduna Central, at the 8th assembly, called on relevant authorities to ensure that those abducted are freed.

The tweet reads, “The video footage of the Train terrorists & their hostages making demands to the Government confirmed the fact that the cruel abductors were not just bandits but ‘Jihadist’ terrorists.

“Authorities must walk the tight rope of freeing the hostages without bowing to terrorists”.