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Taraba Tiv Cultural Leader Lauds Nigeria Army Over the Release of Kidnapped Council Chair
Chief Joshua Ayagwa, the president general of the Tiv Culture and Social Association in Taraba state, applauded the joint security operatives as well as community leaders in Takum local government area of the state for ensuring the safe release of the council chairman Hon. Boyi Manja.
In an interactive section in his residence on Tuesday, Ayagwa made the commendation also saluted governor Darius Ishaku for his swift action that saw heavy presence of joint security operatives and cooperation of community leaders in the area and the eventual release of the council chairman.
Ayagwa voiced that the safe release of the council boss was not just a plus to the security operatives, noted that the development has also portrayed the entire Chanchaji community as anti- criminal area in the state.
According to him, the quick respond of governor Darius Ishaku and the cooperation given to the security operatives by community leaders in Chanchaji during the search for the chairman was a prove that both the governor and Chanchaji people were development minded Nigerians.
“I sincerely commend the security operatives and community leaders in Chanchaji area of Takum local government for ensuring the safe release of Hon. Boyi Manja, the Takum local government council chairman who was abducted last week along Peva- Chanchaji Takum road. I wish to salute governor Darius Ishaku for acting fast in the matter.
“The release of the chairman is not only a plus for the security but also a prove that both governor Darius Ishaku and the entire Chanchaji community leaders are development minded Nigerians and has portray the Chanchaji community as anti- criminal area in Taraba state.
“I want to appeal to the released council chairman Hon. Boyi Manja not to see anyone as a suspect that masterminded his abduction. I want the chairman to have the heart of a leader and let it pass for the interest of peace and development of Takum local.
“I wish to state here that, Chanchaji community leaders are development minded citizens and are not willing to compromise with any form of criminal activities. I call on all those who may be intending to join any criminal group or, who are already into the system should stay clear from Chanchaji and any other Tiv community in Taraba as there would be no hidden place for criminals.
“No Tiv community in Taraba is willing to compromise with criminal activities because, what we want is peace and development. Anything that would truncate the peace and development of my people, I urged all Tiv community leaders in the state to resist it without fear” Chief Ayagwa expressed.
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“No Injustice Was Done Against Ex-Minister Turaki By the Police Regarding DNA Test Result, Woman Tells Court
A woman, Hadiza Baffa, has told a Federal High Court in Abuja that tno Injustice was done against Kabiru Turaki, former minister, special duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, in obtaining a DNA Test result to determine the paternity of her child.
She said by her knowledge, all that transpired in the Police Headquarters was with every sense of humility against the parties involved.
Hadiza told Justice Inyang Ekwo in her affidavit to show cause filed by her lawyer, Sani Idris, on why the reliefs sought in Turaki’s motion ex-parte should not be granted.
Turaki, in the motion ex-parte marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/244/2025, dated Feb 11, but filed on Feb 13, had sued the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), Inspector-General (I-G) of Police; DCP Rita Oki Oyintare, who is Deputy Commissioner of Police for Gender and Hadiza Musa Baffa as 1st to 4th respondents respectively.
He sought an order of interim injunction restraining the respondents from presenting, using, or relying on the purported DNA paternity test result procured from the DNA Labs Limited or any other DNA laboratory on Nov. 5, 2024, or any other date thereafter.
Hadiza, in her counter-affidavit alleged that the ex-minister “maliciously filed the suit when it came to his knowledge that the DNA Test forms part of the evidence at the Magistrate Court and knowing the result shows that 99.9% the applicant is the biological father of the baby.”
“ That contrary to the denial of the Applicant having illicit sexual intercourse with me and also denying being a biological father of our daughter, the Applicant volunteered his swab in the daylight not night, and the Applicant the next day equally took the swab of our daughter by his medical doctor in the presence of his lawyers at Police Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), and some days after reached out to me that he had confirmed the DNA and asked me for settlement;
“ That his lawyers on the 9th Day of January, 2025 asked me to come to Police Force Intelligence Department (FID) to collect their proposed terms of settlement;
“That after collecting the proposed terms of settlement it was stated therein that the Applicant will take custody of the daughter in order to grow up and bond with his children which he refers to as her siblings, and also offered to give me access to our daughter, and I refused the Applicant’s proposed terms,” Hadiza said.
She said the purported restraining order Turaki mentioned in his originating summon was obtained ex-parte by fraud and misrepresentation to restrain the 1st to 3rd respondents from accepting any complaint, and same was vacated by the presiding Upper Area Court Judge.
According to her, contrary to the allegation of the applicant the order was made after I had made my complaint and my statement was already obtained by the Nigerian Police.
“The applicant knows full well that it is only the DNA Test that will exonerate me or him if at all what I am saying about the pregnancy is not that of the applicant and the paternity issue.
“That by my knowledge, all that transpired in the Police Headquarters was done with all sense of humility against the parties involved,” Hadiza said.
She said Turaki had been arraigned at the Chief Magistrate Court, Wuse at Zone 2 in Abuja.
“That it is in the interest of justice to dismiss the applicant’s application,” she prayed
Giving a 13-ground argument why his application should be granted, Turaki said he instituted an action against Hadiza (4th respondent) vide suit No CV/35/2024 on June 24, 2024.
The ex-minister alleged that on Nov. 5, 2024, he was invited by DCP Oyintare and he honoured the invitation.
He further alleged that upon honouring the invitation, Oyintare insisted that she must take a swab from him to conduct a DNA to prove the paternity of Hadiza’s daughter.
He said though he protested, he was detained at the Force Criminal Investigation Department’s cell at Area 10, Garki, Abuja for about 6 hours from 12 noon till 6pm, and at about 9pm, his “swab sample was collected by a purported scientist at the behest of the 3rd respondent,” before he was allowed to go home at about 10pm on that day..
He further said unless the court promptly intervened, the respondents would rely on the said purported DNA test paternity result, the validity or otherwise being the subject matter of the instant suit.
Justice Ekwo had, on Feb. 18, ordered the former minister to put all the respondents on notice when the motion was moved by his lawyer, Abdulaziz Ibrahim, SAN.
The judge directed the respondents to show cause in the next adjourned date why the prayers sought by the ex-minister should not be granted.
Meanwhile, Hadiza, in her affidavit to show cause, told the court that granting Turaki’s application would prejudice her and would cause her and her child an irreparable damages.
The police, in their counter affidavit, also urged the court to dismiss the ex-minister’s request.
Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter until March 24 for hearing.
The Sultan of Sokoto and President General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III on Friday confirmed
the sighting of new moon and urged all Muslim ummah in Nigerian to commence fasting from Saturday 1st March, 2025.
Speaking in his palace in Sokoto, Sultan noted that, the new Moon of Ramadan, 1446AH was sighted in various places as confirmed by both the state and national Moon Sighting Committee.
According to him, they have accepted the position of the committees hence admonishing Muslims to commence fasting accordingly from Saturday 1st March, 2025 being the first day of Ramadan 1446AH.
The Sultan who appealed for understanding, tolerance and love among Nigerians also admonished the Muslim ummah to seek the face of Almighty Allah in the fasting period.
He therefore use the opportunity to implore Muslim Ummah to devote themselves fully to Ibadat throughout the Holy Month, and also implore them to show love and understanding to all irrespective of religion, tribe or political affiliations.
Sultan further urged Muslims to pray fervently for the blessings of Allah for leaders in Nigeria to succeed in steering the affairs of the country, as well as sustenance of peace and and peaceful coexistence.
And to Nigerians, Sultan said, “I want to implore all of you to continue to pray for peace and stability of the country”.
BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto
Worried by the indefinite strike action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) Sokoto State University chapter, the state government has concluded that it was a politically motivated action.
Addressing newsmen at the Government House, Sokoto, the state commissioner for Higher Education, Professor Isa Muhammad Maishanu expressed concerns that the management of Sokoto State University (SSU) should rather show some degree of appreciation to the governor Ahmed Aliyu led who have intervened in most of their challanges.
According to Prof. Maishanu, SSU had suffered neglect from previous administration thus leaving the state Ivory tower in a deplorable condition without electricity, dilapidated lecture rooms, and offices which rendered the institution unpalatable.
Continuing, Prof Maishanu said, despite not giving any document regarding assets and liabilities of SSU by the immediate past governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal led government, the present administration of Ahmed Aliyu has restored cash allocation to the institution, payment of the stopped visiting lecturers salaries all in his pursuit of better education for he people of the state.
While stressing that the reasons giving for embarking on the strike by SSU ASUU which include, “Non- implementation of the 25% and 35% salary increase for both non academic and academic staff,
non payment of the check off dues, implementation of 25%-35% increase and the EAA, are issues that could be easily addressed as the governor has constituted committee to look into the complaint after it was presented, Prof. Maishanu appealed to the striking SSU ASUU to give peace a chance.
He added that the committee set up by governor Ahmed Aliyu had “obtained templates and relevant circulars and making frantic consultations with relevant agencies including the Federal Ministry of Labor and Employment on the said matter’.