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Oodua integrity Group acknowledges COPAN calls for calm and suspension of protests
A known Southwest base socio cultural organisation,the Oodua integrity group has endorsed the recent call by the conference of patriotic Nigerians for Nigerians to give Tinubu time to fix Nigeria and as well suspend the nationwide protests for national interest. OIG head of Human rights,Wole Olaosebikan made this call in Saki Oyo state after going round the town to calm youths down.
He emphasised that Sudan became what it is today through violent protest even though the fight of two generals also contributed to it.
Quoting from the late Ayinde barrister precaution album,Wole said it is when you have not experienced the devastating aspect of crisis and war that you beat the drums of war the way the late Mr Fuji sang it in Yoruba language.
It is only mutual understanding,patience,perseverance and commitment to nation building that can get us there. We therefore call for the immediate suspension of the nationwide protests as it will only create chaos and anarchy. Similarly,the Arewa Renaissance group through it spokesperson Zainab Armayau in Sokoto commended the conference of patriotic Nigerians call for patience and understanding among Nigerians on the current economic situation as the Tinubu administration inherited it.
Zainab emphasised that she as a mother and woman would have been more disposed to this protests were it to be genuine but intelligence reports before them indicted the organisers as being political and partisan particularly getting funds and sponsorship from foreign antagonists and their domestic detractors.
Agreed that the removal of fuel subsidy aggregated the current economic hardship but what about the insecurity in the north,are they not also worthy of protests but no one is talking about that which exposed the sentiments of the protesters.
I want to call on all northerners to go back to their homes and suspend all protests.
Look at the shameful lootings in Kano,Sokoto,Nasarawa,Niger,Yobe and Maiduguri are they genuine ways of protesting? No! Some disgruntled and undesirable elements were even hailing the Army and calling for takeover against democracy.
This is wrong in all ramifications. Above all,the north lost alot from looting of Saad stores in Kano to Rufaidah Yoghurt still in Kano.
Vandalisation of NCC Kano office was not also left out same way some police personnel were also killed. It is unfortunate and we as a formidable group immediately call for withdrawal of our people from protests across the north.
Gunmen have abducted some female students of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University in Makurdi, Benue state.
The students, reportedly numbering up to four, were abducted on Tuesday evening at the university’s North Core campus.
The students were said to have been headed for “night class”, a practice of late-night studying in Nigerian campuses.
The gunmen were said to have invaded the hotel area of the campus before abducting the four students.
Some moments after the incident, operatives of the Nigerian army arrived at the school.
Sewuese Anene, Benue police spokesperson, told TheCable on Wednesday that a report received by the police indicated that only two students were kidnapped during the incident.
Anene added that the police have launched an investigation into the matter.
The Markurdi incident is the latest in a series of abductions targeted at Nigeria’s tertiary school students in recent years.
In August 2024, at least 20 medical and dental students were kidnapped in Benue State while travelling to a convention in Enugu.
In September 2023, gunmen abducted approximately 20 students from a university in Zamfara state.
At Greenfield University in Kaduna State, at least 20 students and two staff members were kidnapped in April 2021.
Tragically, five students were killed during captivity before the remaining hostages were released after a month.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Jude Okoye, the elder brother and former manager of Paul and Peter Okoye of the defunct music group, P-Square, on charges of laundering ₦1.38billion, $ 1 million and £34,537.59.
Jude was arraigned alongside his company, Northside Music Ltd, before Justice Alexander Owoeye of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on a seven-count charge
One of the counts read: “That you, Jude Okoye Chigozie and Northside Music Ltd sometime in 2022, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did directly acquire a landed property known as No 5, Tony Eromosele Street Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos worth ₦850,000,000.00 (Eight hundred and fifty million naira) only, which money you knew or reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2) (d) and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
Another count read: “That you, Jude Okoye Chigozie and Northside Music Ltd sometime in 2022, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did indirectly using bureau de change convert the sum of $1,019,762.87 (One million nineteen thousand, seven hundred and six-two dollars eighty-seven cents), domiciled in Access Bank Plc operated by Northside Music Lid to the naira equivalent and remitted into various bank accounts with the intention of concealing that the said fund form part of the proceeds of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2)(a) and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
He pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.
In view of his plea, the prosecution counsel, Larry Peters Aso, applied for a date for hearing as well as for the remand of the defendant in the correctional facility pending trial.
The defendant’s counsel, Inibehe Effiong, informed the court of a pending bail application. He asked for a short date for the hearing. Effiong also asked that the defendant be remanded in the EFCC’s custody pending the hearing of the application.
Aso objected to the request for the defendant to be remanded in the EFCC custody. He argued that the EFCC custody was already congested with suspects awaiting arraignment. He urged the court to remand the defendant to the correctional facility since he had taken his plea.
Justice Owoeye adjourned the matter till February 28 for bail hearing and April 14 for trial.
He also ordered that the defendant be remanded in the Ikoyi correctional facility.
The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested Kogi-born political activist and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Austin Okai, in Abuja.
The arrest, which took place on Wednesday morning, was reportedly carried out on the directive of Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo.
Video footage obtained by Elanza shows heavily armed security operatives storming Okai’s residence in the Federal Capital Territory before taking him away.
While no official reason has been given for his arrest, sources suggest it may be connected to his outspoken criticism of the Kogi State government.
Okai, a well-known opposition figure, has frequently condemned the administration’s policies and governance.
His wife, speaking to reporters, claimed that the DSS operatives did not present an arrest warrant before detaining him.
“They came to arrest him at our home in Abuja without a warrant,” she said.
“They ransacked our house, forced their way inside, and took him away. I asked for a warrant, but they had none.”
She further alleged that Okai’s personal gadgets were confiscated during the operation.
As of the time of this report, the DSS has not issued any official statement regarding Okai’s detention.