Chibok parents accuse Vice Principal of participating in abduction

Chibok parents accuse Vice Principal of participating in abduction



Parents of some of the abducted Chibok schoolchildren have accused the girls’ Vice Principal of being complicit in their abduction.


The girls were kidnapped from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok on April 14, 2014.


According to Sahara Reporters, the parents claimed that the Vice Principal, Yerima Banjiri had insisted that the girls remain in the school compound the night they were abducted.


Banjiri also allegedly threatened to expel any student who disobeyed the order.


 “A week before their abductions, Malam Yerima threatened the students not to leave for their various homes. He said that whoever went home should forget she was ever a student at the school,” one of the girls’ mothers, Mariam Abubakar told Sahara Reporters.


“He told the girls that none of them should go home, that they must sleep in the school. However, none of the teachers’ daughters or even the daughters of the management staff was among those kidnapped. Only the children of we poor people were asked to sleep in the school. The [teachers and administrators] had kept their children in safer places before Boko Haram arrived,” she added.


“Our concern is that since the day of [the girls’] abduction, we have never set our eyes on Malam Yerima. He is on run,” she said further.


Meanwhile, #BringBackOurGirls campaigner, Oby Ezekwesili has urged US President, Barack Obama to do more to rescue the missing girls.

Constitution Amendment: Jonathan asks lawmakers to await Supreme Court ruling

Constitution Amendment: Jonathan asks lawmakers to await Supreme Court ruling




A day after h asked the Supreme Court to declare unconstitutional the Fourth Alteration to the Constitution, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday reached out to the National Assembly, urging it to await the outcome of his case before the apex court.

Jonathan’s position is contained in a letter, by a former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Bayo Ojo (SAN), through whom the AGF, Mohammed Adoke, (SAN) filed the case for Jonathan.

Ojo, in the April 22 letter, written on behalf of the Federal Government, asked the Senate President to allow the Supreme Court to determine the issues raised in the suit before the Supreme Court.

The letter, a copy of which The Nation obtained yesterday, reads: “In view of this development and the dictates of the principles of the rule of law on which any democratic system thrives, we urge that the Supreme Court be allowed to determine the suit under reference before any further step is taken by the National Assembly on the move to pass the Fourth Alteration Act, alluded to earlier in this correspondence, into law.

“May we add that adopting such attitude will not only commendably be in line with the decisions of the Supreme Court on the need to avoid self-help by all persons and authorities in resolving disputes, but will also yield to the rule of law as espoused in the decisions of the court. One of such decisions is the case of Ojukwu v. Military Governor of Lagos State (1986) 1 NWLR (pt. 18) 621.

“To proceed with the process of passage into law of the Fourth Alteration Act 2015 despite the pendency of this suit under reference will be an affront to the rule of law and democracy. We are convinced, particularly from the commendable record so far of the National Assembly that it will not do that. “

In the suit, the Federal Government is asking the court to nullify the amendments proposed by the National Assembly on the grounds that, among others, the amendments violated the constitution being proposed to be amended.

In the suit, the plaintiff claims for determination of two questions on the constitutionality or otherwise of the procedure adopted by the National Assembly in passing the Constitution (Fourth Alteration) Act 2015, particularly as it relates to sections 3, 4, 12, 14, 21, 23, 36, 39, 40, 43 and 44 purporting to alter sections 8, 9, 34, 35, 39, 40, 42, 45, 58, 84, 150, 174 and 211 of the extant  1999 Constitution  and for an order nullifying and setting aside those sections of the Fourth Alteration Act.

The Federal Government also asked the Senate President to draw the attention of the House of Representatives to the pending suit.

Court Stops Impeachment Attempts Against Fayose

Court Stops Impeachment Attempts Against Fayose


Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose has been granted a clean slate after an Abuja high court ruled the impeachment process against the governor as unconstitutional.

An Abuja Federal High Court today, declared that all the actions taken by the embattled Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Dr Adewale Omirin and the All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers from November 21, 2014 till date, including the purported commencement of impeachment proceeding and notice alleging misconduct against the Stare Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose and his Deputy, Dr Olusola Eleka as illegal.

Justice E. Chukwu gave the ruling on an Exparte Application in Suit Number FHC/ABJ/CS/361/15 filed by the factional Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Dele Olugbemi and six other Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers.

Justice E. Chukwu also gave the plaintiffs leave to serve the originating summons on the defendants through newspaper advertisements.

Rt Hon Dele Olugbemi and six other Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers had gone to the court seeking an order declaring the seats 19 lawmakers vacant having abdicated their functions since November 21, 2014 and also an order restraining the police from aiding, abetting or assisting the lawmakers from carrying out any illegal act.


The defendants in the suit were Omirin and the APC legislators, Inspector General of Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Hearing of the Motion on Notice has been adjourned till May 13, Fayose has been battling to keep his position as governor of the state since Muhammadu Buhari was declared winner of the 2015 presidential election.

Woman kidnapped in Delta found dead

Woman kidnapped in Delta found dead




Amitaye, mother-of-three, was worked in the Commercial Department of the Warri Bureau of The Pointer newspapers. According to a family member, Amitaye was kidnapped on her way to Warri, along Eku road in Ethiope East Local Government Area in a Hilux van.

Five gunmen were reported to have attacked them, demanding for money on the spot. Unable to meet their request, Amitaye was allegedly dragged out of the Hilux van into the bush, leaving her driver behind, Nigerian Tribune reports.

After the kidnappers left, the driver raised an alarm and made contacts with the woman’s husband and other family members.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that her corpse was found in the bush. A spokesperson for the family said:

“Patricia has been sick, but she was getting better before this unfortunate incident. I am sure that her blood pressure rose from the shock and the manner in which she was dragged into the bush by the kidnappers. Her lifeless body was recovered after being abandoned by the kidnappers in the bush. She died in pains."


When Nigerian Tribune visited the home of the deceased on Friday, sympathizers were seen discussing in hush tones, while the deceased’s husband could hardly mutter a word as he was still in shock over the tragedy.

INEC Deploys 6 Additional Commissioners For Imo Rerun

INEC Deploys 6 Additional Commissioners For Imo Rerun


The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in a bid to conduct a free and fair election in Imo State this weekend, has deployed six additional staff of the commission for the re-run election in the state.

This was disclosed by the state resident electoral commissioner, Dr Gabriel Ada, to newsmen in Owerri yesterday.

According to the REC, six additional commissioners of INEC would complement his effort in the conduct of the election.

Ada revealed that three RECs and three national electoral commissioners have been drafted to conduct the scheduled election, adding that the number of electorate put at 118,803 on Wednesday has been reduced to 113,803.

Meanwhile, the national leadership of the APC has urged INEC to declare its candidate, Governor Rochas Okorocha the winner of the April 11 election in the state, following his overwhelming win in 20 local government areas out of the 27 in the state.

South East zonal chairman of the party, Emma Onyeukwu, made the call during a press conference in Owerri, in reaction to the call by the PDP to outrightly cancel the April 11 governorship election.

PDP: We’re regrouping to takeover power in 2019

PDP: We’re regrouping to takeover power in 2019


The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has vowed to bounce back to power in 2019.

National Chairman Adamu Mu’azu, who yesterday spoke to reporters in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, he was in Taraba  to thank Governor Danbaba Suntai and his deputy Abubakar Sani Danladi for their efforts in the 2015 general elections.

He said the party, like President Goodluck Jonathan, has accepted defeat in good faith, “but we shall work very hard, remain resolute, restructure and reposition the PDP and regroup members to regain our position of the ruling party in the next general election”.

Mu’azu described PDP members defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC) after the party’s loss as “untrue democrats and insincere politicians”.

He said APC was “dragging” with PDP to take everything and make Nigeria a one-party nation. He advised the APC to give room for credible opposition, without suppressing the will of the people in its bid to be in control everywhere because that, according to Muazu, would not augur well for the nation’s democratic experience.

He said: “APC is propagating negatively; they want to take everything, but we have resolved, as a party, to restructure and take over power in the next general elections.

“Whatever it takes, we have resolved to ensure that we forgive one another, resolve our differences and forge ahead, with efforts to winning elections come 2019.

“It is, however, very unfortunate that our supporters who are desperate to defect to APC have become confused because they have been rejected by the APC. I don’t know what would become of their faith, because they now have no roof; they are neither in PDP nor in APC.”

The PDP boss said its candidate in Taraba, Darius Dickson Ishaku, is too credibly qualified to lose the election.

“We are here to encourage our supporters to continue their loyalty and good work for our great party. Everybody knows that Taraba is for PDP and PDP is for Taraba. We have been in charge in Taraba for the past 16 years.”

Mu’azu accused the APC in the state of “negative media propaganda” against the PDP.

He praised the “courage and magnanimity” of President Goodluck Jonathan for conceding defeat to General Muhammadu Buhari, as he urged APC supporters to also learn how to concede defeat when they lose

Nigeria to Drag Zulu King, Alleged Instigator of SA's Xenophobic Attacks to Face ICC

Nigeria to Drag Zulu King, Alleged Instigator of SA's Xenophobic Attacks to Face ICC


The Nigerian Senate yesterday hinted on formally filing a criminal case at the International Criminal Court, ICC, Hague, against the Zulu King, Goodwin Zwelithini, who was believed to have instigated the recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa through inciting comments, Vanguard reports.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Musiliu Obanikoro, summoned South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Lulu Mnguni “to register Nigeria’s protest over the ongoing xenophobic attacks against fellow Africans in South Africa.”

“South Africa needed to take concrete steps to quell the unrest and bring the culprits involved to book to act as a deterrent and prevent further violence," he said.

The senate also urged President Goodluck Jonathan to recall Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa for further consultations.

A formal protest to the South African government, demanding compensation for victims of the attacks, was also lodged.
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