NEWS REEL: FRIDAY MORNING NEWS HEADLINES..
Nigerian military charges another 97 soldiers for mutiny, other offences.
The Nigerian military on Thursday at the Defence Headquarters Garrison inaugurated a nine-man General Court-Martial to try 97 military personnel.
The personnel are being charged for different offences ranging from mutiny, assault and misconduct to tampering with military property.
Of the 97 soldiers, 66 have been accused of committing mutiny, a crime punishable under the military law by death sentence.
Highly placed military sources told PREMIUM TIMES that among the personnel set to face the General Court Martial include some senior officers: two colonels and some lieutenant colonels.
A list obtained by PREMIUM TIMES which contained names of 60 soldiers, said the soldiers conspired to commit mutiny triable by a General Court Martial.
The soldiers attached to the 7 Division, Nigerian Army in Maiduguri include two Corporals, Cpl, nine Lance Corporals, LCpl and 49 Private soldiers, court martialed on a two-count charge of mutiny and conspiracy to commit the offence.
The charge sheet said the soldiers conspired to commit mutiny against the authorities of the 7 Division on August 4, at the Mulai Primary School camp, opposite AIT Maiduguri, Borno State.
It also said the soldiers refused to join 111 Special Forces battalion troops led by E. A. Aladeniyi, a colonel, to the Maimalari Barracks for an operation.
“In that you at the Mulai Primary School Camp opposite AIT Maiduguri on or about 4 August 14, refused to join 111 SF Bn troops led by Col EA Aladeniyi (N/9695) to Maimalari Barracks in connection with an operation,” the charge sheet read.
The charges came two weeks after a military court sentenced 12 soldiers to death for shooting at a vehicle conveying their commander in Maiduguri.
The sentences await the approval of the army chief.
Five other soldiers were discharged and acquitted while one was sentenced to 28 years jail term with hard labour.
The soldiers were also accused of insurrection and firing at the utility vehicle of their general officer commanding, GOC of the same 7 Division, Ahmadu Mohammed.
Many Nigerians have condemned the death sentences and have demanded they be suspended.
A previous statement by the Army spokesperson, Olajide Laleye, said Thursday’s court martial was in line with efforts by the army to clear all cases relating to violation of the Armed Forces Act.
Mr. Laleye, a brigadier general, said the general court martial would try officers over ongoing military operations in the northeast Nigeria.
Below is a list of 60 of the 97 soldiers facing mutiny and other charges.
1. Cpl Andrew Ogolekwu
2. Cpl Saturday Efa
3. LCpl Henry Shuaibu
4. LCpl James Maifada
5. LCpl Ndubuisi Sabestine
6. LCpl Dauda Dalhatu
7. LCpl Kasega Aoso
8. LCpl Mallam Jacob
9. LCpl Nwonu Friday
10. LCpl Joshua Friday
11. LCpl Anthony Simeon
12. Pte Olayode Oluwasegun
13. Pte Tijjani Jimoh
14. Pte Kabiru Abubakar
15. Pte Mamuda Sywasan
16. Pte James Emmanuel
17. Pte Mukaila Musa
18. Pte Magaji Ahmadu
19. Pte Amao Bukola
20. Pte Wuyep John
21. Pte Oti Kelvin
22. Pte Ameh Mathew
23. Pte Olaitan Joseph
24. Pte Kulukulu Endurance
25. Pte Usman Isaac
26. Pte Ocheje Williams
27. Pte Adila Dangana
28. Pte Sudan Hannania
29. Pte Sunday Godwin
30. Pte Datti Hassan
31. Pte Abubakar Garba
32. Pte Joseph Dauda
33. Pte Chiemela Azubuike
34. Pte Abubakar Mohammed
35. Pte Anagu Mark
36. Pte Danbaba Francis
37. Pte Oton Asuabiat
38. Pte Nwachukwu Udo
39. Pte Ibrahim Saliu
40. Pte Abafe Sylvester
41. Pte Eze Isaac
42. Pte Abubakar Mohammed
43. Pte Samuel Michael
44. Pte Ishaya Musa
45. Pte Ogai Douglas
46. Pte Atim Peter
47. Pte Hemas Okpe
48. Pte Ahunaya Temple
49. Pte Eyaknse Uwah
50. Pte Ilesanmi S.
51. Pte Solomon Ishaku
52. Pte Nasiru Zubairu
53. Pte Audu Daniel
54. Pte Buaz Lucky
55. Pte Muhammed Abubakar
56. Pte Anas Awalu
57. Pte Babangida Jamilu
58. Pte Hashimu Ibrahim
59. Pte Mohammed Suleiman
60. Pte Shehu Sa’adu..
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ONDO GOV.MIMIKO REJOINS PDP;SAYS ITS IN THE NATIONAL INTEREST.
He made the formal declaration at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, at an event presided over by Vice President Namadi Sambo and witnessed by the President of the Senate, David Mark, as well as the PDP leaders from the South West.
“I, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, following extensive consultations across the land, today finally announce the decision of members of the National Assembly from the LP in Ondo State, members of the LP in Ondo State, members of the LP in the Ondo State House of Assembly, members of the State Executive Council, and indeed, all those who share our aspirations to join the PDP,” Mimiko told the gathering that included Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State and former Governor Gbenga Daniel of Ogun State.
He said he took the decision to return to the PDP in the overall interest of his people and the nation, as well as its democracy which is now mortally endangered by a constellation of forces, which must be confronted.
Mimiko, in his declaration speech tagged, “The Imperative of a New, Broader Platforms,” said his immediate target was to help the process of getting President Goodluck Jonathan re-elected in 2015.
He said, “I must confess that it surely was tempting and perhaps more fulfilling to continue as a national leader in our smaller, calmer and quite promising ocean represented by the Labour Party.
“But this decision to return to the PDP we have taken in the overall interest of our people and our nation, and its democracy which for those who are perceptive enough to notice, is now mortally endangered by a constellation of forces which must be confronted.
“May I then add that we take this epochal decision conscious of the fact that no political party in Nigeria today is anywhere near the point of perfection. But we are persuaded that joining hands with other Nigerians, committed as they are at repositioning the PDP on a continual basis, is the appropriate thing to do today.
“And considering that it was under this same PDP that I was privileged to serve, first as Secretary to the Government of Ondo State and later as Minister of Housing and Urban Development from July 2005 – December 2006, this is for us a homecoming of sort.”
Mimiko said he would remain committed to Jonathan’s re-election because the President had been faithful to his promise to ensure free and fair electoral process.
He said the current administration’s successes in the areas of agriculture, power, health, education, housing and economy, among others, had further endeared the President to him.
Mimiko said he had always supported the Jonathan Presidency, adding that even from the LP platform, he and his loyalists endorsed, worked for the and voted massively for the President in 2011.
This, he said, did not prevent them from working for the LP candidates where it fielded candidates and in subsequent polls.
“With the 2015 INEC time-table which put Presidential and National Assembly elections on the same day, it has become obvious that the type of support we need to give President Jonathan without creating conflict of interest is better canalised through the President’s political party, the PDP.
“Our support for the President will, in the light of the above, not jeopardise the legitimate electoral aspirations of our teeming supporters and associates,” he declared.
Mimiko observed that Nigeria’s political history had demonstrated beyond any reasonable doubt that the nation had always moved in the direction of a two-party system.
While saying that the current dispensation had thrown up the PDP and what he called “the fledgling APC,” the governor added that smaller parties were thus constrained at operating only at the fringe of the political process with all the restrictions thereto for greater political involvement and action.
Historically, Mimiko said every attempt to build a third force in the bipolar environment had not only been quite expensive but had met with muted success.
He said the tendency at democratic governance was one reason that made the PDP attractive and accounted for his reason to take its membership in 2003.
Sambo, who represented the President, said Mimiko had returned to the PDP to raise the party to higher level in the state and South-West.
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STEPHEN KESHI IS KILLING SUPER EAGLES-IKPEBA
Ex-international, Victor Ikpeba was among the galaxy of stars who witnessed Delta FA Chairman Melvin Amaju Pinnick enthroned as the President of the Nigeria Football Federation.
Ikpeba was happy with the decision of the delegates to vote a young man who loves challenges, a young man who could bring corporate organisations to support football, a man whose passion for football knows no bounds. But above everything, Ikpeba looked beyond the elections and raised alarm that coach Stephen Okechukwu Keshi was stifling the Super Eagles.‘’For how long will Keshi build the Eagles?’’, he asked and waited for no answer. ‘’He has been building this team since 2012 and still wants to continue building in 2014. No. What type of builder is he? His success in South Africa where he won the Nations Cup was a collective effort’’.
He has placed us on the hard corner of qualification for the Nations Cup in Morocco. While Nigerians are gritting about their chances, he has invited rookies for the must win matches against Sudan. Keshi needs to ask himself questions. He should be a critic unto himself.
He is either blaming the players or attacking even ex-internationals who criticize him.
He has invited rookies to the national team. He is busy excluding the best players because of his personal interest. My brother, Keshi has lost it’’, Ikpeba said.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com
23YEAR OLD COMMITS SUICIDE IN JOS
A 23-year-old man, identified as Lucky Sunday, has allegedly committed suicide as his lifeless body was, yesterday, found hanging from the ceiling in a room at Bukuru, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Mother of the deceased, Mrs. Cecilia Sunday, confirmed that the deceased’s lifeless body was found dangling from a rope tied to the ceiling of his bedroom.
The state Police Command said it had commenced investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of the young man.
The mother of the deceased disclosed that her son had a history of bad temper but could not say who or what drove him to commit suicide.
She said: “I returned from the market where I went to sell grains. I was drenched by the rain so I went straight to the bathroom to remove my cloth. After that, I tried to enter my room but it was locked from the inside.
“I banged and called out his name but there was no response.”
She added that some of her neighbours said they heard the deceased singing along with a song on the radio earlier in the day and that when he stopped, they assumed he had taken a nap.
When the lifeless body was found dangling in the room after the door was forcefully opened, the matter was reported to the Police.
Lagos Boat mishap: Two bodies recovered, 14 rescued -
The bodies of two passengers of a wooden boat that capsised, Wednesday night, in Igando area of Lagos, were recovered yesterday. They were identified as those of one Fatima, a female and Mr. Idowu Lawal.
Fourteen others were reportedly rescued by local divers with the assistance of policemen attached to Igando Police Division.
Tragedy, as gathered, occurred at 8p.m., Wednesday, shortly after the boat, said to be heading for Imoshe in Ogun State, took off from Akesan.
The exact number of passengers that boarded the boat was not ascertained. But Vanguard gathered that immediately it took off, it tagged along with another wooden boat carrying two passengers, in order to withstand the tide. But it apparently could not.
Some of the panic-stricken passengers were said to have jumped out of the boat before it capsised.
Those that could swim escaped to the shore, while others were said to have been rescued by local fishermen. It was also gathered that none of the passengers was wearing life jacket.
When Vanguard arrived the scene yesterday, policemen from Igando Division were sighted combing the river for any victim. Police sources hinted that the case was never reported by the canoe operators.
Police sources said: “They deliberately refused to report the case to the Police because they wanted to hide the incident from us. As we speak, families of the deceased have not come to the station to report either.”
Vanguard gathered from a relative of one of the deceased, who simply gave her name as Omolara, that she was yet to see her brother’s corpse.
According to her, she got a call from one of the boat operators, informing her about the incident but was sternly warned never to involve the Police.
One of the deceased, Lawal, was said to have been rushing home to his pregnant wife when the tragedy occurred.
According to Omolara, “Lawal was a mechanic. He had three children. His pregnant wife called him on the phone to rush home that she was in labour. I believe he decided to take this route so as to get home early. Ordinarily, he had a phobia for river.
“The challenge we are confronted with is how to get his recovered bodies. I cannot find the person that called me on phone. He has absconded with the body out of fear of being arrested by the Police.”
The second deceased, Fatima, a petty trader, was said to have gone to buy jewelries which she intended to sell before Salah celebration tomorrow.
Another relative was seen wailing as he claimed he was yet to see one Michael.
Police sources hinted that two boat operators have been arrested with a view to helping with information on how to get the recovered bodies and detailed account of what happened.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/
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