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Senate Investigates Killing of NYSC Member Allegedly by Abuja Police Officers

Published

8 years ago

July 5, 2018

Eric

The Nigerian Senate has given three of its committees two weeks to investigate the circumstances that led to the death of a female corps member, Nkechi Igwetu.

Ms Igwetu was allegedly shot by police officers in Abuja Wednesday morning.

Though the police said they are investigating the matter, the Senate has launched its probe to determine the circumstances that led to the shooting and lackadaisical attitude of the hospital that was supposed to treat the corps member.

Coming under order 42 and 52, embattled senator, Atai Aidoko, presented the case to his colleagues.

Mr Aidoko was particularly vexed on the attitude of medical personnel at the Garki General Hospital who he said refused to treat the deceased without police report.

“With the assent to the compulsory treatment and care for victims of gunshot bill 2017 on December 30, victims of gunshot can now receive treatment in the hospital without police report. This is a bill that has been passed and assented. Despite this, two nights Miss Linda Angela, a corps member serving in Abuja was allegedly shot by police officers. The deceased was meant to pass out of the NYSC program today.

“She finished work late 11p.m. Tuesday and joined a few friends for a hang out before their passing out parade scheduled for today. She left for home around 3a.m. Wednesday and was shot shortly after the check point near Ceddi Plaza by a police officer who is well identified.

“Bullet hit her by the midrib and she began losing blood in the open roof of the vehicle. She was rushed to the hospital but they would not treat her until they see a police report despite the fact that police officers were present. While the deliberation was going on, Angela bled and died.”

Contributing, Mao Ohabunwa (Abia-PDP), blamed the incident on the police.

He said, “It is important we call police to order because we are having too many trigger-happy policemen and they use this purely on innocent citizens instead of using it on criminals. I would have been happy that those criminals who killed the seven policemen, maybe others would have gunned them down. I wonder and imagine the kind of trauma her family will be going through now, preparing to receive their daughter only to receive her corpse.”

Senate President Bukola Saraki said the death could have been avoided if the content of the compulsory treatment and care for victims of gunshot bill was adhered to.

“If they treated her, she might not have bled to death. These are deaths that easily could have been avoided and I think until we start holding people accountable to this kind of incidents, they will not stop. Because what is the purpose of we passing the bill, the president assented to it and still hospitals will decide that. Is it that they are not well informed that such law exists.

“It’s important for us in the Senate to show that every Nigerian’s life is important, especially young ones that are just about to start their lives. It’s a loss that could have easily been avoided. We must continue to do our best to see how we can defend our people and let them know that their lives does matter,” he said.

The lawmakers resolved to mandate the Senate committees on Youth and Sports, Health and Police Affairs to investigate the cause of the incident and report back in two weeks.

The lawmakers also held a one-minute silence in honour of the deceased.

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Tinubu Nominates Oyedele As Minister of State for Finance, Moves Anite-Uzoka to Budget Ministry

Published

2 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Eric

A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga, has announced that “President Bola Tinubu has nominated Taiwo Oyedele as the minister of state for finance, replacing Doris Anite-Uzoka.

“Mrs Anite-Uzoka will now move to the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, as the Minister of State, her third portfolio in the administration.

“President Tinubu has today conveyed the nomination of Mr Oyedele to the Senate for confirmation in a letter to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

“Until President Tinubu nominated him as a minister, Mr Oyedele from Ikaram, Akoko, Ondo State, was the chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, which overhauled Nigeria’s tax system.

“Mr Oyedele, 50, is an economist, accountant and public policy expert.

“He attended Yaba College of Technology, where he obtained a Higher National Diploma (HND) in accountancy and finance. He attended Oxford Brookes University and earned a BSc in applied accounting.

“He also completed executive education programmes at the London School of Economics, Yale University, the Gordon Institute of Business Science, and the Harvard Kennedy School.

“Mr Oyedele spent 22 years of his working career at PwC, joining in 2001 and rising to become the Fiscal Policy Partner and Africa Tax Leader.

“Mr Oyedele is also a professor at Babcock University in Ogun State and a visiting scholar at the Lagos Business School.”

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Defection: Atiku’s Son, Adamu, Resigns As Adamawa Commissioner

Published

7 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Eric

Adamu Abubakar, the first son of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, has resigned as Adamawa State’s commissioner for works and energy development, days after Governor Ahmadu Fintiri defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.

Abubakar’s resignation letter, dated 2 March 2026, was addressed to the governor through the Secretary to the State Government. He gave no reason for his departure.

The timing is pointed. Fintiri announced his defection to the APC in a statewide broadcast last Friday, saying his cabinet and the PDP’s state structure had moved with him. Within 24 hours, 22 commissioners and special advisers publicly announced they were following suit. Abubakar, whose father remains one of the PDP’s most prominent national figures, was not among them.

In a statement issued Monday night, Abubakar’s media aide Abdulaziz Jauro said the former commissioner thanked the governor for the opportunity to serve and pledged continued loyalty to the administration’s developmental agenda. He also expressed gratitude to his father “for granting him the moral support and blessing to serve the people of Adamawa State” — a line that, read in context, suggests Atiku was consulted on the decision.

Abubakar said his resignation was not a withdrawal from public life. “This does not mark the end of his commitment to public service,” the statement read, “but rather the beginning of new avenues for developmental collaboration.”

The resignation leaves unresolved the question of whether it reflects a political break with the governor over his defection or a personal decision unconnected to the broader party realignment now reshaping Adamawa’s political landscape.

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DSS Nabs Man over Assassination Attempt on Peter Obi

Published

9 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Eric

Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) has detained a man in connection with the recent attack and alleged assassination threats targeting Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

According to AIT, the shooting incident took place on February 24, 2026, in Benin City, Edo State, during a political gathering attended by Obi and several figures from the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The meeting was hosted by former APC National Chairman, John Oyegun. Gunmen reportedly opened fire at the venue, causing panic and forcing attendees to disperse for safety.

According to security sources, shortly after the attack, an individual identified as Udeme Monday Stephen allegedly took to social media claiming responsibility and issuing additional threats against Obi, warning of further violence.

Intelligence officials reportedly initiated swift investigations, employing digital tracing and forensic tools that led to the arrest of the 26-year-old suspect in Rivers State. He is said to be a teacher at a private secondary school in the Eliozu area of Obio-Akpor Local Government Area.

The suspect remains in DSS custody and is expected to face prosecution. The agency reiterated its commitment to responding to credible threats and safeguarding lives and national interests without bias.