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Borno Emir Says Tax Reform Bill Worst Than Boko Haram, Backs Ndume ,Zulum On Rejection

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Borno Emir Says Tax Reform Bill Worst Than Boko Haram, Backs Ndume ,Zulum On Rejection

By Melvin Uche

The Emir of Askira, Alhaji Mohammed Mustapha Askirama has said that the proposed tax reform bill by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would be worst than Boko Haram insurgency which has impoverished the people of Northeast if passed by the National Assembly and assented by the President.

The Emir who stated this while hosting the Senator representing southern Borno senatorial district at the senate , Sen. Ali Ndume at his palace at the weekend during the Senator’s constituency tour of the senatorial district ,commended the lawmaker, and Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum for rejecting the bill, and defending the course of the poor masses.

He noted that the State Governor and lawmaker stance on the tax reform bill depicts their love for the cause of the common man.

The monarch also lamented the serial attacks carried out by Boko Haram terrorists in the recent time in his dormain, and called on President Tinubu and the Nigerian military to expedite action and end the Killings of innocent residents of Askira and surrounding communities.

Alhaji Askirama equally lamented the backwardness of the youths in Askira- Uba local government on education and called on the federal government to establish a higher institution such as a polytechnic in Askira to bridge the education gap in the council, and nearby local government areas, and further appealed to the federal government to deploy more troops in the area to halt the persistent attacks in the areas by the terrorists.

He appreciated the Senator’s gesture of touring the senatorial district and commended his quality representation to the people ,and assured him of support of his people in his activities.

Responding , Senator Ndume told the monarch, Alhaji Mohammed Askirama, that he was in his domain to keep the people and the youths abreast of the present economic hardship bedevilling the country, reiterating that the only way out of it is for the people to return to agriculture.

He urged youths and people of the senatorial district to embrace agricultural and business activities to beat looming food crisis and rising cost of living bedeveiling the people of the country.

Ndume said amid the global economic crunch, the only escape from hunger is for the people to engage in massive farming than relying on government and salaries, noting that the present minimum wage of N70,000 can’t afford a bag of rice sold for over N100,000, as well as a bag of beans that goes for N200,000.

He reminded the people that prior to the coming of the present administration, a litre of fuel was sold for N200, but has risen to N1200, while US dollars exchange rate to Naira, which stood at N600 then is now exchanged for N1600, hence he called on the people to switch to agriculture and trading to defeat the raging economic hardship.

Ndume, who began his constituency visit with Gwoza, charged the youths who were assembled at the Emir of Gwoza’s palace to take responsibility for security in the area and expose Boko Haram collaborators in their midst.

He noted that the terrorists could not have found their way to carry out attacks in some of the communities in Gwoza and other areas of southern Borno without informants, who are giving information to the terrorists, and urged the youths to deal with such collaborators before handing them over to the security agencies.

The senator commended the youths and residents of Gwoza for their resilience despite the activities of the terrorists in some areas of the local government area, and assured them that government is doing everything possible to ensure absolute return of peace in the areas for effective development.

He commended the state governor, Babagana Zulum, for resettling eleven communities previously displaced by Boko Haram terrorists in the Gwoza local government. He added that the governor is working hard to resettle the Ashigarsya, Hambagda, Wala, and Yamtake communities of the council.

At the emir of Uba palace, Senator Ndume urged youths in southern Borno to as well embrace education, saying that the certificate obtained could be useful, even while the youths engage in other activities, such as agriculture or vocational skills to augment their livelihoods.

Responding, the emir of Uba, Alhaji Ismaila Manza, thanked God for bringing Senator Ndume safely to his domain and commended him for all the good work he has been doing for the people.

He appealed to the people of his domain to embrace agriculture and business as advised by the senator for prosperity and self sustainability, and appealed to government to train youths in the area on vocational skills and business.

Senator Ndume who also visited Damboa and Chibok local government areas as part of tour of his district also warned the youths against collaboration with Boko Haram terrorists and noted that the terrorists are succeeding in their atrocities because some of the residents of the areas are providing information to the terrorists.

He noted that some female residents of the Gwoza local government area are even taking food condiments to the terrorists under the guise of going to farm ,hence he called for change of attitude from such character.

He said the collaboration with the terrorists is the reason some pockets of attacks are still being carried out in four local government areas of southern Borno such as Gwoza, Damboa, Askira-Uba and some part of Biu.

Borno Emir Says Tax Reform Bill Worst Than Boko Haram, Backs Ndume ,Zulum On Rejection

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Tipper truck kills several traders in Jalingo market crash

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Tipper truck kills several traders in Jalingo market crash

By: Zagazola Makama

A tragic road accident occurred on Saturday at the popular Mile 6 Market in Jalingo, Taraba State, when a tipper truck loaded with shaft sand lost control and rammed into a crowd of traders and shoppers.

Zagazola learnt the incident, which happened around midday, resulted in multiple fatalities and left several others injured. The exact number of casualties is yet to be confirmed as emergency responders continue rescue operations and assessment of the scene.

Sourcessaid the truck was speeding when one of its front tyres suddenly burst, causing the driver to lose control. The vehicle veered into the busy market area, knocking down people and structures along its path.

“It happened so fast,” said Musa Ibrahim, a local vendor. “The truck was on speed and after the tyre burst, the driver couldn’t control it. It just rammed into the crowd.”

Security operatives and medical personnel arrived swiftly at the scene to evacuate the injured to nearby hospitals. The body of the deceased has also been recovered, while efforts are ongoing to identify victims and notify their families.

The driver of the truck has been apprehended and is currently in custody as investigations continue into the cause of the crash.
End

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Former Footballer, 4 Others Arrested, Over 22.6kg Cocaine, Meth Seized at Lagos, Enugu Airports

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Former Footballer, 4 Others Arrested, Over 22.6kg Cocaine, Meth Seized at Lagos, Enugu Airports
…72-year-old Grandma, Beninese, Ithers Nabbed in NDLEA Raids in Delta, Kwara, Lagos

By: Michael Mike

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a former football player Segun George Hunkarin along with his businessman partner Ntoruka Chinedu over attempt to smuggle a consignment of cocaine into Nigeria through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

According to a statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, Chinedu who is a frequent flyer known for conveying clothes from Turkey to Nigeria and foodstuffs from Nigeria to Turkey, was the first to be arrested upon his arrival at the Lagos airport last Tuesday, when his carry-on bag was searched, 37 wraps of cocaine weighing 800 grammes were seen to be concealed therein.

Babafemi said investigation showed that the suspect was coming from Turkey on Ethiopian Airlines flight but transited through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where he collected the luggage from another person before heading to Nigeria.

He said further checks revealed that an accomplice who turned out to be the former professional footballer, Segun Hunkarin, was waiting for Chinedu at the airport carpark to collect the consignment from him. Hunkarin who had stayed years in Brazil playing for football clubs was promptly tracked and arrested at the carpark.

In his statement, Hunkarin was said to have claimed that while playing professional football in the South American country, he had only trafficked drugs twice from Brazil to Ethiopia but has never brought any to Nigeria.

Another Europe based businessman Amen Okoro was last Friday arrested by NDLEA operatives at the Lagos airport while attempting to traffic 5,000 pills of tramadol 225mg packaged as known malaria drugs such as Lonart, Amatem and Aluktem to Spain.

He was intercepted at the departure hall of terminal 2 of the airport during the outward clearance of passengers on Royal Air Maroc flight to Spain through Casablanca.

Babafemi said Okoro, who is into freight and logistics business between Europe and Nigeria, claimed that on his arrival in Spain, he would have taken a train to France where he resides and from there send the tramadol consignment to Italy for retailing.

At the Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA) Enugu, Babafemi said NDLEA operatives last Friday intercepted a Maputo, Mozambique based bar attendant Ezenwaka Chibuzor. A search of his luggage led to the discovery of 17 cardboard size parcels of methamphetamine weighing 17.500 kilogrammes and three parcels of cocaine weighing 3.05 kilogrammes.

He revealed that the 38-year-old suspect was coming from Johannesburg, South Africa via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Ethiopian Airlines flight when he was interdicted and subjected to a search during which the illicit drugs concealed in bedsheets packed in his bags were discovered.

He noted that another passenger on board the same Ethiopian Airlines flight, 54-year-old Azu Kpodar was also intercepted at the Enugu airport by NDLEA operatives. When Azu, who arrived from Sao Paulo, Brazil, was searched, a liquid soap plastic container marked YPE, was discovered in his luggage. The substance was promptly taken for analysis at the NDLEA forensic and chemical laboratory, Enugu where the substance tested positive to cocaine.

The substance which turned out to be liquid cocaine weighed 1.250 kilogrammes, the
suspect who is a toy seller in Brinquedo, Sao Paulo, Brazil, claimed he purchased while shopping for his wedding ceremony in Nigeria.

NDLEA operatives at the Seme border area of Badagry in Lagos last Tuesday intercepted a 26-year-old Beninese Vode Jean-Luck while trying to smuggle 69 balls of skunk, a strain of cannabis with a gross weight of 29.5 kilogrammes from Benin Republic into Nigeria.

In Kwara state, a notorious drug dealer Mary Oladele (a.k.a Iya Nafi) was arrested last Wednesday when NDLEA operatives raided her base in Omu-Aran in Irepodun local government area of the state where various quantities of skunk, tramadol and flunitrazepam were recovered from her.

Babafemi said a 72-year-old grandma Mrs. Christy Ejaro was last Tuesday arrested by NDLEA operatives at Niger CAT area of Warri, Delta state, with several sachets of skunk packaged in retail size recovered from her.

The spokesman said the War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, social advocacy activities by NDLEA commands equally continued across the country in the past week.

Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), while commending the officers and men of MMIA, AIIA, Delta, Kwara, and Seme commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, equally praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for ensuring a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.

Former Footballer, 4 Others Arrested, Over 22.6kg Cocaine, Meth Seized at Lagos, Enugu Airports

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Armed bandits abduct resident in Bature Daji, in Niger narrowly miss vigilante target

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Armed bandits abduct resident in Bature Daji, in Niger narrowly miss vigilante target

By: Zagazola Makama

Armed bandits in large numbers stormed Bature Daji community in Niger in the early hours of Saturday, abducting a resident while narrowly missing their original target, a local vigilante member.

Zagazola Makama gathered that the incident occurred around 5:30 a.m. when the attackers invaded the residence of one Dani, a known vigilante operative in the area. He was reportedly the primary target of the assault but managed to escape.

However, the gunmen kidnapped one Attahiru Ibrahim, popularly known as Sarki Daji, from the same neighborhood and whisked him away to an unknown destination.

Local sources revealed that the assailants later moved toward Gorogawu Village, a border community near the Republic of Benin, raising concerns of cross-border movement and security challenges.

A joint team of security forces, including military and other operatives, has launched a pursuit operation to rescue the victim and apprehend the attackers.

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