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OPU to FG: Embrace regionalism, initiate roadmap for S/West Integrated Development Plan

Published

4 weeks ago

October 2, 2024

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Foremost Yoruba diaspora socio- cultural organization, the Oodua Progressive Union (OPU), on Tuesday, charged the Federal Government to embrace regionalism as the best approach to achieve the nation’s potentials.

OPU also urged the South West governors on the region’s integrated development plan.

The foremost Yoruba diaspora socio-cultural organisation also urged the six governors of the south west to work out modalities that will help in creating effective security,proper education, electricity as well as effective railway project that could
engender growth and development in the region.

OPU’s position was contained in a communique issued and signed by the Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland, who is also the global convener of the diaspora organization,Iba Gani Adams,the secretary general Prince Olanrewaju Sunmonu and Europe coordinator, Alhaji Gani Wahab, at the end of its European Summit held recently in the United Kingdom

The Yoruba diaspora organization, with branches presently in 101 countries across the six continents, also urged the governors to ensure speedy construction of regional electricity and railway to cushion the effect of the hardship being faced by Nigerians with the PMS price hike and electricity tariffs.

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“The Southwest Governors must be ready to replicate the region’s past success stories by focusing on the region’s integrated development plan.

“We need to revive our educational sector.Security of lives and property should be of utmost priority in the south west.We must make Yoruba language a compulsory subject for students’ admission in all the states university in the Southwest.

“Our members have been urged to intensify efforts in setting up an online Yoruba language school,in order to promote the Yoruba cultural identity and language.

“We also urge the governors to pay more attention to the issue of insecurity ravaging the region.

“And in doing that,the governors must partner with the South West Security Stakeholders Groups (SSSG)a security outfit consisting 15 different security groups under the Aareonakakanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams.

“With the partnership,Yoruba land will be peaceful and the spate of insecurity across the region will reduce drastically.

READ BREAKING: FG proposes N26trn as 2024 budget

“The South West governors must also reinforce the regional security across the region,even as we urge the Lagos State Government to join the other states in the region to inaugurate Amotekun security outfit in order to boost the morale of the other five states in the south west.”

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Police detain VeryDarkMan after honouring invitation

Published

19 mins ago

November 1, 2024

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Deji Adeyanju, the Nigerian lawyer, says the police have detained VeryDarkMan, the social media critic.

In a Twitter post on Thursday evening, the lawyer said the activist, born Martins Otse, was detained after honouring the police invitation.

Adeyanju lamented that his client was taken into custody despite cooperating with the police authorities.

“Our client, VDM has been detained after honouring police invitation just like yesterday. VDM who has been consistent in saying the Nigerian Police are our friends even when we all know they are not,” the tweet reads.

The development comes after VeryDarkMan shared a video of himself in a matching suit. In the footage, he said he was heading to the police station in Abuja to respond to the invitation.

Trouble began when VeryDarkMan wore a police uniform and introduced himself as the “chief superintendent of police (CSP) of the online division”.

The police said it would launch an investigation to determine the source of the police gear used and the authority under which the activist acted.

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VeryDarkMan would later apologise to the police while emphasizing that he didn’t intend to impersonate the law enforcement agency.

The fitness expert had also revealed that he returned from the police station where he was interrogated based on the controversial footage.

The police have yet to confirm VeryDarkMan’s detention or provide further details.

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We secured over 3,000 convictions, recovered N248bn, $105m in one year – EFCC

Published

26 mins ago

November 1, 2024

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it recovered over N248 billion, $105 million, and secured 3455 convictions in one year.

Ola Olukoyede, chairman of EFCC, spoke in Abuja on Thursday during a press conference to mark his one year in office.

Represented by Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC’s director of public affairs, Olukoyede said the achievements were recorded between October 18, 2023, and October 18, 2024, when he assumed office.

“The commission within the year recovered N248, 750,049,365.52; $105,423,190.39; £53,133.64; €172,547.10; T1,300.00 Indian rupees and CAD $3,400.00 Canadian dollars,” he said.

“It also recovered ¥74,859:00 Chinese Yuan; AUS $ 740:00 Australian Dollars; 170:00 UAE Dirham; 73,000:00 Korean Won; CFA 7,821,375:00 and R 50:00 South Africa Rands.

“On asset recovery and return, the EFCC on Sept. 6 handed over to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) the sum of $180,300 and 53 vehicles, being assets recovered for Canadian victims of Nigerian fraudsters.”

READ UPDATED: Act of blackmail — FG says no official demanded $150m bribe from Binance

The EFCC chairman said $164,000 of the recovered cash assets was from one Elena Bogomas, while $16,300 belonged to another victim, known as Sandra Butler.

He added that about 53 vehicles recovered “were stolen over a period of time in Canada, freighted to Nigeria, and distributed to multiple locations in Nigeria by the criminal elements”.

He said the commission charged four former governors to court over corruption allegations in the past year.

The former governors are Yahaya Bello, Abdulfatah Ahmed, Willie Obiano, and Darius Ishaku.

Olukoyede said the commission also arrested two former ministers of power, Saleh Mamman and Olu Agunloye, who are currently facing prosecution.

“Also, a former minister of aviation, Hadi Sirika, is currently standing trial before two different courts: Justice S.B. Belgore of the FCT high court, Garki, and Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the FCT high court, Maitama,” he said.

He said Sirika is being prosecuted alongside his brother, Ahmad Sirika, and two companies, Enginos Nigeria Limited and Samahah Integrated Investment Limited, on 10 counts bordering on alleged N5.8 billion fraud.

READ Breaking: A-Court halts execution of judgement to release Kanu

He added that the former minister is also standing trial for six counts alongside Fatima Sirika, Jalal Hamma, and Al Buraq Global Investment Limited over alleged N2.8 billion fraud.

JUST IN: NSIB locates wreckage of crashed helicopter in Port Harcourt

Published

9 hours ago

October 31, 2024

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The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) says its search and recovery teams have successfully located the wreckage of the ditched Sikorsky SK76 helicopter.

In a statement on Thursday, Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, NSIB’s director of public affairs and family assistance, said the wreckage was identified during recovery dives conducted on Wednesday night.

Details later…