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Offa Robbery: Youths Protest Against Saraki’s Invitation

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Members of the Youth Agitator Nationalist Forum on Monday protested against the invitation of the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, by the police in connection with the Offa robberies.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Moshood Jimoh, had in a statement on Sunday alleged that five principal suspects of the April 5 robberies made some allegations which indicted Saraki.

He was asked to report to the Force Intelligence Response Team office to answer to the allegations levelled against him by the suspects.

But the protesting youths, who marched to the palace of the Olofa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi, in the Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State, asked the police not to politicise their investigation into the robberies.

They sang songs and displayed placards to express their agitation. Some of the writings on the placards read, ‘We can see the truth,’ ‘Saraki is the leader that reigns in Kwara State,’ ‘Offa robbery cannot be used to settle political scores,’ ‘Politics and robbery are not equal,’ ‘Offa people are not fools,’ and ‘There are lies in police action.’

The President of the Youth Agitator Nationalist Forum, Peter Kayode, said the group would mobilse no fewer than 5,000 youths to trek from Kwara State to Abuja to show their solidarity with Saraki.

He said, “We do not want the Nigeria Police Force to use the Offa incident against our leader (Saraki). We are using this protest to sound a note of warning that the police should correct their action. They must make sure that this issue is not politicised. They should leave our leader alone.

“We are youths and we have the capacity to trek to Abuja; it is not just a verbal utterance. If this issue is not addressed, the youths of Kwara State will walk from Kwara to Abuja.

“We don’t want any revolution, but when we start our movement, there will be no going back.

“We are more than 5,000; we have as members secondary school pupils and students in tertiary institutions that are Kwara State indigenes. We will walk to Abuja.”

A woman leader in Offa, Chief Atinuke Mycarthy, urged the police to do a thorough investigation into the robberies.

“They should be thorough in their investigation. We are not here to disturb or distract the work of the police. We are imploring them to be fair and ensure justice so that the truth will be revealed,” she said.

The Ojomu of Offa, High Chief Joseph Akinnola, said the palace was surprised to learn that Saraki was being linked to the suspects, adding that the community was taken aback by the allegation against him.

“He, however, said the police should do their work thoroughly, adding that those culpable should be dealt with.

He said, “The Senate President was one of the early callers to commiserate with us.

“He promised to help us to  get more armoured personnel carriers and policemen. The state government promised a new police station.

“We want to implore the police to be God fearing and ensure that the innocent will not be punished.”

The Punch

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Army Buries 17 Personnel Killed in Okuama Community

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The 17 military personnel killed in Okuama community in Delta on March 14 have been laid to rest.

The corpses of the soldiers, which arrived at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja at about 2:26 pm on Wednesday, were committed to mother death after burial rites were observed.

President Bola Tinubu, Service Chiefs and other dignitaries were in attendance at the burial ceremony.

DAILY POST recalls that the troops of 181 Amphibious Batallion, Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State, while on a peace mission to Okuoma Community were ambushed and killed by some irate youths.

The incident occurred when the troops responded to a distress call following a communal crisis between Okuoma and Okoloba communities in Delta State.

The personnel comprised one Lieutenant Colonel, two Majors, one Captain and 13 soldiers.

The officers are Commanding Officer 181 Amphibious Battalion, Lt. Col. A.H Ali; Maj S.D Shafa (N/13976); Maj D.E Obi (N/14395) and Capt U Zakari (N/16348).

The soldiers are SSgt Yahaya Saidu (#3NA/36/2974); Cpl Yahaya Danbaba (1ONA/65/7274); Cpl Kabiru Bashir (11NA/66/9853); LCpl Bulus Haruna (16NA/TS/5844); LCpl Sola Opeyemi (17NA/760719); and LCpl Bello Anas (17NA/76/290).

They also include LCpl Hamman Peter (NA/T82653); LCpl Ibrahim Abdullahi (18NA/77/1191); Pte Alhaji Isah (17NA/76/6079); Pte Clement Francis (19NA/78/0911); Pte Abubakar Ali (19NA/78/2162); Pte Ibrahim Adamu (19NA/78/6079) and Pte Adamu Ibrahim (21NA/80/4795).

DailyPost

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Thomas Yormah Emerges As New WAEC Chairman

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By Eric Elezuo

The West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC) has a new Chairman, he is Prof. Thomas Brima Rick Yormah, a former Deputy Vice Chancellor of the Fourah Bay College and former Pro ViceChancellor, University of Sierra Leone as the 21st Chairman of Council.

According to a statement signed by Demianus G. Ojijeogu, the Head, Public Affairs, WAEC Headquarters, Accra, Ghana, Yormah was elected during the just concluded 72nd Annual Council Meeting of the body, held in Freetown, Sierra Leone. He succeeds Prof. Ato Essuman from the Republic of Ghana.

The highpoint of the week-long Council meeting was the recognition and honoring of three Ghanaian candidates with the WAEC International Excellence Award for their outstanding performance in the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2023. They were Master Amo-Kodieh Leonard Kofi, (1st Prize), Master Dzandu Selorm, (2nd Prize), and Master Asenso-Gyambibi Daniel (3rd Prize). The three candidates were selected from 2,327,342 who sat the examination in The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.

In the same vein, the Augustus Bandele Oyediran Award for the Best Candidate in West Africa, 2023 also went to Master Amo-Kodieh Leonard Kofi. In addition, two candidates from the Republic of Sierra Leone were honoured with the National Distinction, while one candidate received the National Merit Award. They were Miss. Mammah E. A. Raymonda, (1st Prize), Master Bangura Joshua, (2nd Prize), and Master Fillie Sahr Edward (Merit Award).

While the 71st edition of the Council meeting was hosted by Gambia, the next edition, which will be the 73rd in the series, will be hosted by Liberia.

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Kidnapped Edo PDP Chairman Regains Freedom

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The kidnapped chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, has been released.

Dr. Aziegbemi, who was set free by his abductors in the early hours of Tuesday, March 26, 2024. Report has it that he got to his Benin City residence at about 3am to the waiting arms of family and close friends.

“I am back home with my family. I am fine. I am just trying to rest and will talk to you later,” he was quoted as saying.

Dr. Aziegbemi, a former member of the House of Representatives, who represented Esan North-East/Esan South-East federal constituency of Edo State, was kidnapped on Friday, March 15, 2024 when his abductors who rode in two Toyota Corolla cars, trailed him after he left a meeting.

The gunmen overtook Aziegbemi’s sports utility vehicle (SUV) at a speed break as it slowed down along Osaro Street, off Country Home Road, close to his house at about 11pm on Friday night before seizing him.

It is not clear yet if a ransom was paid for his release as the abductors had reportedly demanded a sum of N50 million before setting him free.

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