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BREAKING – Court discharges, acquits Senator Jang of all 17 count charges

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BREAKING - Court discharges, acquits Senator Jang of all 17 count charges

BREAKING – Court discharges, acquits Senator Jang of all 17 count charges

By Bodunrin Kayode

Former Governor of Plateau state senator Jonah jang who has been undergoing a long court battle for freedom has been discharged and acquitted by a Plateau State high court.

The court Presided by Justice Christy Dabup discharged Senator Jang today of all the 17 count charges leveled against him by the economic and Finance crimes commission (EFCC).

Reacting to the judgement, Jang in a signed statement said that truth always finds its way out, even years after because truth always prevails.

“I must confess that I had known from the onset that leadership was not an easy task but I stepped out to make a difference, having been a Military Administrator in two states.

“The benevolence of the Plateau people and the grace of God made me the Governor of Plateau State from 2007-2015. My previous experience as a Military Administrator and the driving force which was to leave a mark on the plateau as I did in my previous assignments never changed.

” It was with this zeal and drive that we implemented the 10-point Agenda anchored on a 3-Pillar policy to deliver the dividends of democracy for our dear state. Our desire to open up the state through infrastructural development was audible to the deaf and visible to the blind.

“This we were able to achieve with the meagre resources that accrued to the State at the time, in addition to the IGR raised in the state.

“Our Administration’s record speaks for itself as the state is dotted with developmental strides that affect the economy and the daily livelihoods of the people. Our primary role as a government was to provide security of lives, property and welfare through the provision of services for our people.

“We had done that to the best of our abilities via prudent management of the resources available to us, such that the average Plateau citizen could eke a living for himself.

“It is, however unfortunate that people whom I will best describe, for now, as the champions of retrogression and enablers of hardship for our people, came after us with bogus and fictitious claims of mismanagement. Thereby necessitating a protracted judicial journey of over 4 years, trying to prove our innocence in the courts.

“Because I knew that I was not guilty of the charges preferred against me, I saw the process as mere persecution and not a prosecution.

“Nigerians are witnesses to the fact that the current administration at all levels has spent more time passing the buck of their failure to the previous administration than they have given attention to governance.

“Little wonder, almost eight years after, it will seem that our achievements stand tall while the present Government has little or nothing to show for the goodwill that it enjoyed.

“In the course of this travail, I spent over a week in EFCC detention and another 10 days in the Jos Custodial Centre (prison). Those times we spent there, gave us another perspective on life and I count it a blessing because it has all ended today with this loud and clear vindication by the courts.

“The tortuous journey leading to my vindication today has only strengthened me to stand more on the path of truth and continue to work assiduously with well-meaning Plateau people and Nigerians for the good of our dear state, Plateau and the nation at large.”

The statement went further to state that ” I hold no grudge against anyone as I consider whatever I have gone through as the price I had to pay for choosing the path of leadership. I give God the glory for bringing me through and I call on all Plateau sons and daughters, including people of goodwill on the Plateau not to wish our leaders bad.

“Let us close ranks and speak with one voice so that Plateau will emerge out of its current state to take its rightful place of pride as the envy of other states. The Plateau we have always known and been proud of has taken backstage but the onus is on us to reclaim our state and build it to the land of our dreams as was planned by our founding fathers and the generation of past leaderships.

“I dedicate my victory in the court to God and the people of Plateau State with whom we worked to build a prosperous land. I thank the entire legal team led by Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN and Barrister Edward Pwajok SAN, my family who suffered all kinds of harassment and denigration through this period for standing firm and believing with me that it was only a phase that would pass.

“I am deeply grateful to my friends and associates for upholding me and all those who were persecuted alongside me in prayers and for their commitment to true friendship and camaraderie. I must thank the Judiciary for standing firm on the side of truth and justice not forgetting the Press on the Plateau for their unbiased coverage.

“The judicial journey of the past 4 years is not something to wish even the greatest of your enemies. It was not only distracting but robbed me of the time and attention to pursue personal goals. I had planned on retiring to my home place in Du but I, unfortunately, had to go out of my way to keep sourcing funds to pay my lawyers to secure representation in court. As genuine as those efforts are, freedom is better.
BREAKING – Court discharges, acquits Senator Jang of all 17 count charges

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Crime

75-year-old Grandpa Arrested as NDLEA Destroys 178,000kg skunk in Taraba Forest

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75-year-old Grandpa Arrested as NDLEA Destroys 178,000kg skunk in Taraba Forest

By: Michael Mike

A 75-year-old grandpa Uchelue Ikechukwu was among six suspects arrested with illicit substances in raids by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in parts of Anambra state just as 30-year-old Alfa Andrew was taken into custody following the destruction of 178,750 kilogrammes of skunk on his 71.5 hectares of cannabis farm in Mayodoga forest, Sardauna local council area of Taraba state.

The spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, said while Uchelue was nabbed at Umudioka, Dunukofia local government area of Anambra with 26.7 kilogrammes skunk last Thursday, Eneh Makuo; Emmanuel Chiemeli; Uwakwe Matthew; Chukwujekwu Ehirim; Ifeanyichukwu Olisa and Odoh Chukwuma, were arrested with various quantities of opioids and skunk at Nkwelle and Amichi areas of the state.

Babafemi said in his case, Andrew was arrested with a Dane gun last Tuesday when NDLEA operatives supported by personnel of the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Forest Security Service, Mambila Youth Vanguard and Vigilante, stormed his 71.5 hectares of cannabis farm located at Mayodoga forest, Mayosabere ward in Sardauna local government area, Taraba State, where they destroyed 178,750 kilogrammes of skunk, a strain of cannabis.

He said no fewer than 104,900 capsules of tramadol concealed in the driver compartment of a fuel tanker, suspected to be an illicit consignment going to insurgents in parts of Borno state, were intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the Abuja/Kaduna tollgate in Kaduna last Friday while a suspect Hassan Buba was immediately taken into custody.

He added that another suspect Kabir Sulaiman, 45, was nabbed with 34.150 kilogrammes skunk by NDLEA officers at Gwargwaje – Zaria check point on Saturday.

Babafemi said following intelligence and surveillance, NDLEA operatives in an interdiction operation on Saturday arrested a major supplier of illicit opioids in Borno state, 33-year-old Uchenna Umeh shortly after he received his supplies from Onitsha, Anambra state and recovered from his apartment at Chescon, Pompomari area of Maiduguri include 30,640 pills of tramadol 225mg; 7,940 tablets of rohypnol and a cash of N7,999,200.00 only in N200 new notes.

In Nasarawa state, NDLEA operatives last Thursday arrested a suspect Abubakar Dauda, 36, with 79,040 pills of tramadol and diazepam at Abacha park, Mararaba Karu. This followed the arrest of Babangida Tungura, 47, in Lafia, with 30,410 pills of tramadol and Rohypnol as well as 38 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup concealed in a deep freezer from Asaba, Delta state last Tuesday.

A 23-year-old suspect Mohammed Ali was last Wednesday arrested in a follow up operation at Ngorore, Adamawa State following the interception of his way billed consignment of 15,000 capsules of tramadol concealed in sacks of animal feed at the Gombe mega park.

In Kano, the duo of Ashiru Garba, 20, and Aminu Abdu, 22, were arrested last Tuesday along Kano-Hadeja road, with 1.5 kilogrammes skunk and 25,000 pills of exol-5 while two other suspects: Ali Muhammad, 37, and Muhammad Maishanu, 42, were nabbed by NDLEA officers last Thursday along Zaria-Kano road, Gadan Tamburawa, with 8,080 bottles of a New Psychoactive Substance and 25.7 kilogrammes skunk in their possession.

No fewer than 250,000 tablets of exol-5 were seized from a suspect Alhasaan Musa, 25, in Zango area, Ungogo local government area, Kano state by NDLEA operatives on Saturday.

A suspect Hamisu Abdullahi was last Monday arrested in a follow up operation in Yola, Adamawa state after NDLEA operatives on patrol along Mararraba Lamurde intercepted a golf saloon car marked GME 253 HP driven by Sani Suleiman and coming from Gombe state loaded with sacks of pepper, used to conceal 79 blocks of skunk weighing 58 kilogrammes belonging to Hamisu.

In Edo state, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Ewu-Auchi road, Etsako West local government area intercepted 64,250 pills of opioids mainly tramadol in a commercial bus coming from Onitsha, Anambra state and going to Okene, Kogi state, while a suspect Mohammed Halidu, 36, was arrested in connection with the seizure.

Two suspects: Elves Odogwu, 45, and David Jeremiah, 35, were arrested last Wednesday when NDLEA operatives raided Queen Elizabeth, Aponmun Reserved Camp, Ondo in Ondo state where 117.5 kilogrammes processed cannabis and seeds were recovered from them. A total of 164 kilogrammes of skunk were recovered from the base of a suspect Michael Ayodele in Mushin area of Lagos where he was arrested by NDLEA operatives on Saturday.

‎In what appears to be the single largest seizure of Loud and Colorado, two strong strains of cannabis, in Ekiti State, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence last Friday raided Nova street, behind New Creation School, Ado-Ekiti where 5.3 kilogrammes of Loud and Colorado as well as 2.5 grammes of Methamphetamine were seized from a 42-year-old drug kingpin Ajayi Ayodeji Idowu (a.k.a Atiku).

Across the country, NDLEA commands continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization lectures and advocacy visits to worship centres, schools, workplaces, palaces of traditional rulers and communities all through the past week.

Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), while commending the officers and men of Anambra, Taraba, Kaduna, Kano, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Gombe, Lagos, Ekiti, Ondo, and Edo commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, also applauded their compatriots in all the commands across the country for intensifying the WADA sensitization lectures and advocacy messages to every part of their areas of responsibility.

75-year-old Grandpa Arrested as NDLEA Destroys 178,000kg skunk in Taraba Forest

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Crime

Gunmen kill one, abduct two women in Kano

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Gunmen kill one, abduct two women in Kano

By: Zagazola Makama

Armed men have killed one person and abducted two women in Kwanar Dangora community, Kiru Local Government Area of Kano State.

Zagazola Makama report that the attack occurred at about 12:30 a.m. on Friday when the hoodlums, in large numbers and armed with dangerous weapons, invaded the residence of one Alhaji Ibrahim at Kwanar Dangora.

According to sources, the assailants abducted the two wives of the victim, identified as Safara’u Ibrahim and Attine Ibrahim.

“In the process, one Abdul Usman, 27, of the same address, was shot dead by the attackers.

“Scene of the incident was visited, the corpse was released to his relatives for burial.

“Investigation has commenced and efforts are being intensified to rescue the victims unhurt, trace and arrest the culprits,”said sources.

Gunmen kill one, abduct two women in Kano

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Crime

Police investigate alleged rape of UNILAG student by lecturer

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Police investigate alleged rape of UNILAG student by lecturer

By: Zagazola Makama

The police in Lagos have commenced investigation into the alleged rape of a 20-year-old female student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, by a lecturer in the institution.

Sources said the survivor, identified as Owonifari Fiyinfoluwa, a 300-level student of the university, reported the matter to the police on Aug. 28.

“She alleged that on Aug. 22, at about 12 noon, her lecturer, Dr. Samuel Ojogbo, invited her into his office at the university and forcefully had carnal knowledge of her.

“A team of detectives visited the scene and the survivor was taken to a nearby hospital for medical treatment,” said the sources

The sources added that investigation into the case was ongoing.

Police investigate alleged rape of UNILAG student by lecturer

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