Weekly Review: Important stories you might have missed this week

This week heralded the Eid-el-Kabir celebration for Muslim faithfuls across the world and also some other interesting news stories.

It’s possible that you may have missed some of our most interesting stories from this week. To make sure you’re up-to-date, we take a moment every week to bring you important stories.

Buhari’s pledge to the poor, Obaseki and Oshiomhole’s truce, Ganduje battle with Emir Sanusi continues, suspension of SIPRPP chairman, Okoi Obono-Obla and other controversial news dominated the political discourse this week.

The Nation brings you a brief round-up of the major stories this week. Alao Abiodun Reports.

Buhari pledges to fight for poor Nigerians

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Daura, Katsina State, said he will use his second term in office to improve the lives of Nigerians by paying close attention to the poor and those on the lower rungs of society.

Addressing leaders of various communities from five local government areas of Daura Emirate, who paid him a visit as part of Eid El-Kabir celebration, the president said he is convinced that majority of Nigerians understand who he is and his mission, on account of which they returned him for a second term in office with larger margin of votes than 2015.

“You know how much I laboured to get here. I ran three times in the past. The fourth time, God used technology to do it for me. The fifth time I ran (February 23, 2019), I went to all the states of the federation. The turnout of crowds was overwhelming.

“Truly, the people know and understand my mission. This is what the votes showed. The administration will dwell on our campaign issues — security, economy and corruption. We will fight for the poor,” the president said.

He emphasized the important place of agriculture under his administration, promising to appoint a minister who is knowledgeable and will know how to promote interest and investment in the sector.

Boy, 15, stages own kidnap, arrested

A 15-year-old boy allegedly staged his own kidnap. He demanded N500,000 as ransom.

The minor, who was paraded in Jos, the Plateau State capital, on Thursday, told reporters that he initiated the plan with his friends, to enable him buy clothes and celebrate his graduation.

“I was the one who initiated the plan and not my friends. I wanted my father to give me money for clothes and to also celebrate my graduation,” he said.

Briefing reporters on the arrest of the minor, Police Commissioner Isaac Akinmoyede said five persons were arrested in a case of criminal conspiracy and kidnapping, including the victim, who stage-managed his own kidnap.

He said the father of the victim, Mr. Jerry Vichi, on July 19 reported at ‘A’ Division, Jos that his son, working as an apprentice at a motor vehicle electrical wiring shop, did not return after the day’s job.

The police commissioner said the suspect’s father reported that he received a phone call from a hidden number informing him that his son had been kidnapped and taken away from Jos.

Edo crisis: Obaseki, Oshiomhole meet

Governor of Edo State, Governor Godwin Obaseki, and his predecessor, Adams Oshiomhole appears to have set aside the alleged rift between them as both men met on Monday in the latter’s village, Iyanmoh near Auchi area of the state.

Recall that Obaseki had in a Catholic mass to mark the 80th birthday of former APC national chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, said things will soon return to normalcy in the state as he and his predecessor do not have any fundamental issues.

Speaking to journalists after the closed-door meeting, which lasted for about an hour, Oshiomhole said the meeting was not unusual as he was in constant touch with Obaseki.

The APC chairman said, “It is not an unusual visit; the meeting afforded me the opportunity to meet with my brother and with people I have worked with.”

Obaseki also noted that the visit was to celebrate the Islamic holiday with his former boss.

Ganduje continues battle with Emir Sanusi

This week, Abdullahi Ganduje, Governor of Kano State, ordered some district heads in the state not to attend Kano Durbar.

A durbar is a festival that holds during eid el Kabir and eid el Fitri celebrations. It begins with prayers, followed by a parade of the emir and his entourage on horses.

In a statement signed by Abba Anwar, chief press secretary to the governor, Ganduje asked them to celebrate the festivity in their respective emirates, saying “against some calls circulating in the social media, that all district heads were directed to attend Hawan Daushe at Kano emir’s palace, the Kano State government has directed all Hakimai to attend Hawan Daushe at their respective emirates.

Buhari suspends SIPRPP chairman, Okoi Obono-Obla

President Muhammadu Buhari has suspended the chairman of the Special Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, Okoi Obono-Obla,

This is to allow for investigations into cases of alleged falsification of records and financial impropriety against him.

A letter addressed to him through the secretary to the government of the federation, says the suspension would be in place until the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission concludes its probe.

His trouble was linked to an investigation by the anti-graft agency, ICPC, which found that he had falsified his WAEC result to enrol at the University of Jos, where he studied law in the 1980s. He also attended the Nigerian Law school on the back of the fake high school records.

The findings of the ICPC also corroborated a previous inquiry by the House of Representatives in 2018. A House committee that investigated Mr Obono-Obla’s WAEC documents found that it was fake and asked Mr Buhari to remove him from office.

The lawmakers also said Mr Obono-Obla’s university degree and law school certificate should be withdrawn and he should be handed over to federal authorities for prosecution.

Another matter that worried administration officials was the growing claims that Mr Obono-Obla had used his office to enrich himself. The House also reached similar conclusions in its December 2018 report.

Mr Obono-Obla has strongly denied all allegations of certificate forgery or corruption, saying he was a victim of vindictive powerful interests who are offended by his anti-corruption fight.

El-Zakzaky arrives Nigeria, DSS takes him into custody

The leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, has back arrived Nigeria from India.

Mr El-Zakzaky’s flight arrived the Abuja airport on Friday.

He was promptly whisked away by security operatives, believed to be officials of the SSS.

The Shiite cleric has been in the custody of the SSS since his arrest in December 2015 following a massacre of over 300 IMN members by soldiers in Kaduna, for blocking a road.

He travelled to India following an Abuja court order that he be allowed to receive treatment there.

He claimed, upon arriving in India, that the Nigerian government working with the Indian government frustrated him from getting adequate treatment.

Similarly, the Nigerian government has denied the accusations and said the Shiite cleric had ulterior motives for his actions in India.

However, Hostilities resumed on Friday between the Federal Government and the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) moments after officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) took the leader of the sect, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, and his wife, Zeenat, back into custody.

4.7 million have participated in NYSC since inception — DG

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) says more than 4.6 million graduates have participated in the scheme since inception in 1973.

The director-general of the scheme, Shuaibu Ibrahim, said this on Thursday in Abuja while giving the scheme’s scorecard.

Mr Ibrahim said the scheme has achieved so much in fostering unity and contributing to national development over the years.

He said the educational development of the country has also been positively impacted by the presence of corps members as teachers in schools.

“Since inception, 4,664,804 Nigerians have participated in the NYSC scheme. The scheme has done a lot to foster unity and integration through the policy of posting of corps members to other states than their state of origin,” he said.

“Educational development of the country has been positively impacted through the posting of corps members to schools.

PDP BoT chair okays RUGA

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Walid Jibrin, has urged Nigerians to embrace the establishment of Rural Grazing Areas (RUGA) programme of the Federal Government.

Mr Jibrin told journalists at his Nasarawa country home on Tuesday in Nasarawa State that the proposed settlement policy for herdsmen would promote peace and security in the country.

He also explained that the programme would boost food security and improve the health and standard of living in rural communities.

Mr Jibrin, who is also the Sarkin (leader) of Fulani in Nasarawa State, commended the federal government for introducing the RUGA programme in the country considering its importance.