News
N1.9 billion Fraud Rocks Amnesty Office

N1.9 billion Fraud Rocks Amnesty Office
By: Michael Mike
The Presidential Amnesty Office is being rocked by a raging controversy over N1.9 billion deducted from trainees and beneficiaries of the programme.
Investigations revealed that the alleged fraud involves the office of the Head of Reintegration of the office.
The N1.9 billion were alleged to have been deducted from contracts that were executed under the Train, Employ and Mentor Programme initiated by a former Interim Administrator, Col Dikio.
Under the TIEM, the beneficiaries of the programme were to be trained, employed and mentored to prevent them from straying after the programme.
Investigations revealed that when General Ndiomu (Retd.) took over, there were 1,200 delegates in training which he stopped. He was said to have conducted graduation for all of them as he was under instruction to bring the programme to an end.
It was gathered that the contracts were renegotiated and the Reintegration Department removed the ‘Employ and Mentor’ component with the promise that the beneficiaries would be outrightly empowered.
It was gathered that the Integration Office deducted funds from the contracts and kept N1.9 billion meant to empower the delegates.
After waiting endlessly for the outright empowerment, the beneficiaries and office staff are complaining that the N1.9 billion component deducted from the contracts have been diverted by the office.
Investigations revealed that the contractors include Bradama International Skill Works Limited (400 delegates), Sunup Logistics Limited (200) delegates, Krisdera Agro Allied FArms, (200 delegates), Teecentenel Nigeria Limited (110), Betrieb Limited (50,) and Vika Farms Limited.
Some delegates under Krisdera Agro Allied Farms and Teecentennel Nigeria Limited that were interviewed are pointing accusing finger in the direction of the Head of Reintegration.
After renegotiating with the contractors, deducted a substantial amount from the contract sum, they went to the various training Centres to offer each delegate 750k to completely delist them from the Amnesty Programme.
The delegates collectively rejected the said amount. The office promised to get back to them but all to no avail. The amount deducted from the negotiations with the contractors is N1.9 billion.
They claim he was responsible for the mastery around delay or disappearance of their Two Months In-Training Allowance which had earlier been paid by the Office to the contractor for onward disbursement to the delegates.
Our investigation revealed that instruction was given to the contractors to withhold the money since the delegates did not complete the eight months they were initially required to spend.
That money has not be returned to the government coffers.
It was further gathered that the Head of the Amnesty Office has directed the security unit to seize the phones of Amnesty staff for investigation because of the purported “leakage of information” and his clash with Chief Timipre Sylva. The investigation commenced today two weeks ago
Penultimate week, all the staff of the office were made to tender their phone for scrutiny by the Head of the office.
Some of the delegates who resisted it move and threatened to file a case against the office were redeployed.
The meeting held in December 2022 and since then the delegates have been kept waiting.
There are fears that the money may have been diverted.
Some of the delegates who came to protest in Abuja were molested with military personnel with military tanks temporarily hired by Indiomu to stop the delegates at all cost.
The concerned delegates who fear they might not receive the money are calling on the office of the NSA which supervises the PAP to look into the books of the agencies.
When contacted on the phone of the allegations, the spokesman of the Office, Freston Akpo said: “The allegation is frivolous and unfounded. It is part of ongoing smear campaign in the media to discredit the interim administrator and his team.”
N1.9 billion Fraud Rocks Amnesty Office
News
China Says Taiwan Independence is a Threat to It’s Sovereignty, Territorial Integrity
China Says Taiwan Independence is a Threat to It’s Sovereignty, Territorial Integrity
… Asks Journalists Against Report Suggesting Independence of Taiwan
By: Michael Mike
The People’s Republic of China on Thursday said Taiwan independence is a serious threat to its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
It said the Taiwan question concerns China’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and China’s national sentiment without any ambiguity and cannot be argued or challenged.
The Chief, Political Section of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, Zhu Songbo, in his remarks at the Media Salon on the One-China Principle as the Bedrock of China- Nigeria Relations in Abuja, explained that the one-China principle, which asserts that there is only one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory, and the government of the People’s Republic of China is the only legitimate government representing all of China.

Songbo added that the application of the one-China principle is universal, unconditional, and unquestionable stressing that all countries that have diplomatic relations with China and all member states of the United Nations must unconditionally adhere to the one-China principle.
Zhu on how Nigeria is handling the Taiwan, said China appreciates the country’s commitment to the one-China principle, citing Nigeria’s actions, including the relocation of the Taiwan Trade Office out of Abuja.

He said: “Nigeria has been adhering to the one-China principle, which has been appreciated by China.
“We hope that Nigeria will continue to uphold this principle and support China’s efforts to achieve national reunification.”
Zhu however cautioned media practitioners against using language that implies Taiwan’s independence or sovereignty, urging them to adhere to the principles of objectivity, fairness, and truthfulness when reporting on China and the Taiwan question.
He said: “We hope that all of you will have a better understanding of China’s position on the Taiwan question and will continue adhering to the principles of objectivity, fairness, and truthfulness when writing reports about China,” Songbo added.
Songbo further expressed concern over attempts by some forces to promote Taiwan independence, describing such efforts as a serious threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
“The Taiwan independence separatist activities and external forces are a threat to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. We firmly oppose any attempts to create a ‘two Chinas’ or ‘one China, one Taiwan’ scenario.”
Songbo reaffirmed China’s commitment to peaceful reunification, while also emphasizing the importance of maintaining stability and security in the region.
“We are committed to peaceful reunification, but we will not tolerate any attempts to undermine China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We hope that all parties will work together to promote peace and stability in the region.”

Earlier in his presentation, the Director of Centre for China Studies, Charles Onunaiju, said the Chinese and Taiwanese are, in fact, one people, sharing a common history and cultural heritage.
He noted that Nigeria’s position on the One-China principle is sacrosanct, as evidenced by its commitment to recognizing the People’s Republic of China as the sole legitimate government representing all of China.
According to him, “The Taiwan Trade Office in Lagos operates merely as a trade facilitation entity, and not as an embassy, with its primary purpose being to promote economic and commercial ties between Taiwan and Nigeria.
He, However, said the activities of the Taipei Trade Office have been known to undermine Nigeria’s adherence to the One-China principle, which could potentially strain bilateral relations between Nigeria and China.
“Ultimately, Taiwan’s eventual return to China is an inseparable part of history, as the island has been an integral part of Chinese territory since ancient times, and reunification is seen as a necessary step towards realizing the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Also, the Head of the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Abuja, Professor Sheriff Ghali Ibrahim, in his presentation said no country will allow secessionist groups to undermine its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and China is no exception in its stance against Taiwan independence.
Prof. Ghali Ibrahim who is also the Director of Centre for Contemporary China-Africa Research, said the United Nations Resolution 2758 of 1971 recognizes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the only legal representative of China, with Taiwan considered an integral part of it, a position reinforced by several other laws and frameworks that support the One-China policy, including anti-secession laws.
“The concept of “One Country, Two Systems” was propounded by Deng Xiaoping, aimed at achieving peaceful reunification while allowing for different systems to coexist within a unified China.”
“Nigeria adheres to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, and as such, will not meddle in China’s internal affairs, including the Taiwan question.”
“China and Nigeria share similar ideas and identity, and as a result, efforts by the Taiwan Trade Office to undermine the One-China principle are likely to fail, given the strong bilateral relations between Nigeria and China.”
“The One-China principle has been pivotal to the significant increase in trade volume between Nigeria and China, with trade exceeding over $20 billion, making China Nigeria’s third-largest trade partner.”
“Furthermore, there have been tangible outcomes in terms of infrastructural interventions from the Chinese government, including the construction of rails and roads, which have contributed to Nigeria’s economic development.”
Dr Austin Maho who is a lecturer at the International Institute of Journalism in his presentation on the role of the Nigerian media in Reporting the Taiwan Question, stated that the media plays a critical role in shaping society and public perception, and as such, journalists should exercise caution and responsibility in their reporting, particularly on sensitive issues such as the Taiwan question.
Maho who is also a Daybreak Newspapers’ publisher also said the People’s Republic of China considers Taiwan independence as a red line that should not be crossed, and journalists should be mindful of this in their reportage.
“To provide accurate and balanced coverage, journalists should thoroughly understand the issues between Nigeria and China, avoiding references to Taiwan as a “country” or calling for enhanced collaboration between Nigeria and Taiwan.”
“Media professionals should also be wary of Andy Ping Liu, representative of the Taiwan trade mission in Nigeria, who may attempt to promote Taiwan independence.”
“Vigilance is key among media professionals to ensure that their reporting does not inadvertently undermine the One-China principle or promote secessionist agendas.” He added.
China Says Taiwan Independence is a Threat to It’s Sovereignty, Territorial Integrity
News
Police officer killed, firearm stolen in attack on officers in abia state

Police officer killed, firearm stolen in attack on officers in abia state
By: Zagazola Makama
Tragedy struck in Abia State on May 6, 2025, when gunmen ambushed a team of police officers, resulting in the death of one officer and the theft of a firearm.
Police sources told Zagazola Makama that at around 8:30 p.m., a team of officers, including ASP Victor Eze and Inspector Nwanochi Ndubuisi, were returning from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, when they were intercepted by five armed assailants dressed in combat attire. The attack took place on a narrow road after a filling station along the Port Harcourt–Aba Road, Asa.
During the confrontation, Inspector Christian Gbaratee, was shot dead, while Inspector Ekoro Isong went missing. The gun stolen from Gbaratee during the attack, as well as the suspect who had been in custody, was taken by the assailants.
A prompt response by the police led to the recovery of a Toyota Corolla and other items, including expended ammunition, a laptop, and three traveling bags. Additionally, Inspector Isong later surfaced unharmed. The body of the late Inspector Gbaratee has been deposited at the Euro Allied Medical Center Mortuary for autopsy.
A search operation in collaboration with military personnel, is ongoing to track down the attackers, recover the stolen firearm.
Police officer killed, firearm stolen in attack on officers in abia state
News
Gunmen abduct Professor, driver killed in ambush along owerri-aba highway

Gunmen abduct Professor, driver killed in ambush along owerri-aba highway
By: Zagazola Makama
Gunmen ambushed travelers on the Owerri-Aba Highway in Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State on May 6, 2025, resulting in the abduction of several passengers, including Professor Herbert Batta, the Head of the Department of Media and Information Technology at the University of Uyo.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the criminals also shot and killed the driver of a Toyota Hilux vehicle with registration number BWR 692 GJ, registered in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), during the attack at around 6:25 p.m.
A joint security team comprising the military, police, Department of State Services (DSS), and local vigilantes has been mobilized to the area, conducting intensive search operations to track down the perpetrators and rescue the victims.
The sources said “As of now, the identities of the other abducted passengers remain unknown. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the assailants and secure the release of the victims,”said the sources.
Gunmen abduct Professor, driver killed in ambush along owerri-aba highway
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