Headline

Aisha Bichi Threatened To Prevent Me From Becoming Kano Governor – Yusuf

Published

10 months ago

June 22, 2023

The new governor of Kano State, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf, alias ‘Abba Gida-Gida’, has opened up on what transpired between him and the wife of the Director General (DG) of the Department of State Services (DSS), Yusuf Magaji Bichi, shortly before 2023 general election.

Governor Yusuf said Bichi’s wife threatened to prevent him from becoming Kano State governor in the 2023 elections.

The governor made revelation on Tuesday while interacting with Islamic clerics at the Government House in Kano, to solicit their support for his administration.

Recall that sometime before the elections, there was uproar on the social media on the reported clash between Yusuf’s supporters, then as the governorship candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and the wife of the DSS DG at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano.

The governor, in a viral video clip, posted by Rahma TV online and monitored by our correspondent on Wednesday, also lamented that some Islamic clerics went to radio stations to blame him for the incident without knowing what exactly transpired between him and Mrs Bichi.

“After DSS personnel molested our people, I met her to complain that they were beating us. She went berserk and started insulting me and my father. She said ‘I swear, we will never allow you to become governor of Kano State’,” the Governor told the gathering of clerics.

The governor also alleged that the DSS DG’s wife, thereafter, prevented him from boarding a commercial plane after duly paying for his ticket, adding that some Kano clerics also criticised him despite being the victim and without hearing his own side of the story.

Engr. Yusuf, therefore, told the clerics at the gathering that he would respect all religious leaders in the State, but warned that he would not tolerate those who opt for unscrupulous criticisms of his government among them.

Headline

Fagbemi warns against obstructing EFCC from performing its lawful duty

Published

6 hours ago

April 18, 2024

Fellow Press

The Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN has warned against obstructing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from carrying out its lawful duty .

Fagbemi’s warning is contained in a statement in Abuja.

“This is a matter of very grave concern, it is now beyond doubt that the EFCC is given power by the law to invite any person of interest to interact with them in the course of their investigations into any matter, regardless of status.

“Therefore, the least that we can all do when invited, is not to put any obstruction in the way of EFCC, but to honourably answer their invitation.

“A situation where public officials who are themselves subject of protection by law enforcement agents will set up a stratagem of obstruction to the civil and commendable efforts of the EFCC to perform its duty is to say the least, insufferably disquieting’’.

He added that running away from the law will not resolve issues at stake but only exacerbate them.

“Nigeria has a vibrant judicial system that is capable of protecting everyone who follows the rule of law in seeking protection.

“I therefore encourage anyone who has been invited by the EFCC or any other agency to immediately toe the path of decency and civility by honouring such invitation instead of embarking on a temporising self-help and escapism.

“This can only put our country in bad light before the rest of the world’’.

He said institutions of state should be allowed to function effectively and efficiently.

“I stand for the rule of law and will promptly call EFCC, and indeed any other agency to order when there is an indication of any transgressions of the fundamental rights of any Nigerian by any of the agencies’’.

NAN reports that the EFCC had on Wednesday warned members of the public that it was a criminal offence to obstruct officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties.

Section 38(2)(a(b) of the EFCC Establishment Act makes it an offence to prevent officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties. Culprits risk a jail term of not less than five years.

The warning , the EFCC said, became necessary against the background of the increasing tendency by persons and groups under investigation by the Commission to take the laws into their hands by recruiting thugs to obstruct lawful operations of the EFCC.

On several occasions, the anti graft agency said, operatives of the Commission have had to exercise utmost restraint in the face of such provocation to avoid a breakdown of law and order.

Headline

Unknown Gunmen Abduct Channelstv Reporter In Port-harcourt

Published

6 days ago

April 12, 2024

Ifunaya Emeka

Some unknown gunmen have kidnapped Joshua Rogers, the ChannelsTV reporter in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

Politics Nigeria learnt that Rogers was picked up close to his residence at Rumuosi in Port Harcourt and to an unknown destination by the gunmen around 9pm on Thursday, April 11.

The reporter was driving his official ChannelsTV branded car when the hoodlums accosted, pointed a gun at him and took him away in the same vehicle.

Rogers was said to be returning from his official assignment in Government House after a trip to Andoni for a government event when the incident happened.

Already, the gunmen were said to have contacted his wife and demanded a N30million ransom for bis release.

His cameraman confirmed the incident and appealed to his abductors to set him free unconditionally.