Jonathan Never Promised Speed

 by Salisu Suleiman

What’s the hurry?

Nigerians amaze President Goodluck Jonathan.
They quickly accuse his administration of not delivering on his election promises. Where this does not stick, they alleged he is slow, so slow in addressing the country’s challenges.
The President admits he is slow. Unknown to Nigerians, he dictated his pace before he commenced his tenure in May 2011. Then he had said he needed more time –to know his Ministers (two years), to throw out those who were not performing, probably another two years to study the replacements, then programmes implementation.
He had suggested seven years as ideal for him to fulfill his election promises. The President never promised speed. He made promises during the campaigns. Who remembers them? Who does not know that campaign talks are just promises? The President does not expect anyone to hold him accountable for them.
If an explanation is needed, he had a good excuse. He does not want to make hasty decisions. He wants to be sure he makes no mistakes. His logic is simply – instead of making mistakes, do nothing. With this as the foundation of the President’s policies, it is easier to understand his pace, rather his lack of pace.
The President used a Christmas service to explain to a congregation that his decisions must stand the test of time. “By human thinking, our administration is slow, I won’t say we are slow but we need to think through things properly if we are to make lasting impact. If we rush we will make mistakes and sometimes it is more difficult to correct those mistakes,” he said.
We had thought security issues distracted the President. We speculated that resources were low to match the challenges. At other times, we guessed the President needed better hands on the job. The President waved these aside, in the presence of God, and affirmed that his speed was deliberate. Nigerians have to apologise to the President, we are mere mortals, hence our “human thinking”.
Many Nigerians thought that with months to the mid-term of his tenure, foundations for fulfilling his fanciful 91 election promises, among them an airport in States without one, should have been laid. It must be admitted the President tied his promises to a four-year frame. Are Nigerians the ones to dictate a pace for their President?
His fundamental point is the dilemma of reforming Nigerians – to stop them from vandalising infrastructure – before implementing the transformation agenda. The President reckons it is better to reform the people before transforming the country. He must think it through!
As he mulls the difference between “reforming” and “transforming” Nigerians, 2013 would be another mistake-free year, the better year the President promised.
NigeriaIntel

Robbery is the Only Job I Can Do – Arrested Robber

Kolawole (center)and the suspected members of his gang

“You again”? This was the question posed by an operative of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Ikeja, Lagos, on sighting a member of a robbery gang that was arrested recently by his colleagues.

The suspect, Kolawole Ajayi, was discovered to have been arrested on two occasions by the Squad for robbery and charged to court. Between 2006 till date, he was discovered to have served five years in jail. But after serving each jail term, rather than turning a new leaf, the recalcitrant suspect would go back to his own vomit, more hardened.
Hear him: “I am a School Certificate holder and also computer literate. I was formerly selling computer and phone accessories at Computer Village but I had no shop. All I was doing then, was to hawk them along the street of Computer Village. That was since 2006. Along the line, I started buying stolen goods and laptops from some of my friends in computer village. You see, most of the items they sell along the street in Computer Village are stolen. But because I was making huge profits from it, I could not resist the temptation of continuing.
“I was arrested in 2006 by policemen from Mosafejo division for buying a stolen laptop. I was charged to the Igbosere High court but was granted bail, after awaiting trial for two months in the prison.”
His mere visit to the prison apparently opened his eyes to other acts of criminality,as barely had he returned than he graduated into other forms of robbery.

Other suspected members of the gang
“In 2007, after I was released, I got a gun and started robbing people at gun point. It was a one man’s show. I stole laptops and phones at gunpoint. But again, I was arrested and charged to the Ikeja High Court, from where I was remanded in Kirikiri prison where I spent two years”.
After serving his two years jail term, he reportedly continued what he knew how to do best and as expected, was arrested, charged to court and ended up in his second home, the Kirikiri prison for the third time!
Like a dog that would always return to its vomit, the Ogun state-born suspect who was released after one year, continued his heinous crime. But this time around, he decided to form his own gang which specialized in armed banditry.
“After I was released in 2012, I went to the African shrine in May, where I met Olalekan, Femi, Sylvester and Lucky. We got friendly and exchanged phone numbers and from there I formed a gang of five. So far we have operated in areas like Ikosi, Ketu, Ogudu, Dolphin estate and Magodo.
And our targets are usually residential homes. Before operation, we would just be roaming round the area until we see a building we could easily penetrate”
The gang as gathered, started operating in June. In the month of December, they reportedly intensified their operation in preparation for the Christmas celebration. But unfortunately for them, they met their water loo, following their arrest.
The gang as gathered, stormed a building at Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi, in the first week of December, where they dispossessed their victims of cash and other valuables.
But while the operation was on, one of the residents was said to have alerted policemen attached to Dolphin division, who stormed the scene. Sighting the policemen, the robbers scampered in different directions for escape. But unfortunately for one of them later identified as Chibueze, he was shot in the thigh as he attempted to scale through the fence.
He was transferred to SARS and during interrogation mentioned the names of other members of his gang. Sources at SARS said it took them two weeks to trail Kolawole. His arrest, reportedly led to those of four members of the gang.
Asked why he did not resign from robbery, he replied: “ Robbery is the only job I can do. My several visits to the prison have hardened me. So, I can’t do a decent job other than robbery.”
Naijaurban

Lagos Assembly Passes Cremation Bill

Lagos State House of Assembly has adopted the recommendations of report to provide for voluntary cremation of corpses in the state mortuaries.
Presenting the report before the whole committee, Chairman Committee on Health Services, Hon. Suru Avoseh said section (2) of the bill, stipulates that no cremation may take place except in a crematorium established by the Ministry of Health or by any other body upon the recommendation of the right authority approved by the Commissioner for Health.
Related Article: Catholic Church Blasts Lagos Lawmakers Over Cremation Bill
Avoseh further stressed that the bill is not seeking to cremate all corpses within the state but voluntary cremation for those that are interested and for unclaimed corpses.
Hence the allure to put in place enabling laws to facilitate smooth take-off of crematorium in the state.
The report admonishes the state government to encourage more individuals to go into funeral services through Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement as done in LASUTH.
During the presentation of the report, Hon. Bayo Osinowo, enjoined the state government to provide land for those who are not in support of cremation.
“Cremation is not our culture, if government cannot provide land to bury our dead, then it is a shame to humanity.”
Under the Certificate of Coroner of the bill, section 6 states that “a post-mortem examination has been made under section 32 of the births, deaths and burials law cap B3 Laws of Lagos 2003 and the cause of death of the deceased person be certified by the coroner under the provisions of the births, deaths and burials Law cap B3 Laws of Lagos State, 2003.
Naij

2015: Plot to sack ACN in South West thickens

By Ajibola Abayomi
A group of ambitious politicians across several parties in the South West have commenced move to wrestle power from the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).
The party presently controls Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Oyo and Ekiti states in the zone. Ondo, with a Labour Party (LP) governor, is the only non-ACN state in the region.
Saturday Independent gathered that they are strategising to compete against the ACN on different platforms and are already reaching out to different interest groups in the region for support.
Those behind the political move comprised members of LP, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Democratic People’s Alliance (DPA), aggrieved ACN member and chieftains of some of the parties recently de-registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, has however denied reports linking him to any plot to work against Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun and his Ekiti counterpart, Kayode Fayemi, during the 2014 governorship election in both states.
The group working to sack ACN from the six states in the South West, according to an insider, has set up machinery to accommodate the interest of people from different parties by backing consensus candidates to contest all elective offices by using the 2014 governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun as test case.
A top governorship aspirant in Ekiti PDP and one of the arrowheads of the group who would not want his name in print confirmed the development.
He said, “for now we are keeping most of our plans to ourselves but we have crossed one of the difficult paths. We have resolved that we are not going to back a particular political party but rather we would pull resources together to sponsor credible people in different parties.
“Our focus is simple; we are tired of the charlatans in ACN giving Yoruba land a bad image. We are reaching out to Afenifere and other groups. We will meet Afenifere leaders soon.
“The progressives are in different political parties. From the responses we are getting, we are going to win the support of most credible Yoruba leaders.”
He added that Nigerians should not “make the mistake of thinking that this is a PDP or a particular party’s project.”
Chief Reuben Fasoranti and Chief Sehinde Arowogbofa, leader and secretary of Afenifere respectively, stated in separate interviews that the socio-political group is yet to take a decision on the concrete road map for future elections.
“We are meeting next week. If you get back to me by then I would be in a position to give you a definite answer on our plans. Afenifere is not a political party, we have our own mechanism of operation,” Fasoranti said.
Arowogbofa added: “We are a responsible organisation. We don’t just take decision like that.
“Remember during the last governorship election in Ondo State, we changed the political permutation within four months.
“The point I am driving here is that even one day is enough to alter any political equation. It is too early now to start gasping with political perspectives concerning 2015 elections.
“We will be meeting soon to review certain things. Maybe when matters like that come up for discussion, a position would be taken.”
Concerning those willing to work with Afenifere, Arowogbofa said, “we don’t know them yet.
“Well, maybe some of our old members who we have not seen for a long time are willing to reunite with us. They are welcome. We are always ready to accommodate them if they are willing to return to our fold.”
Reacting, Publicity Secretary of ACN in Lagos State, Joe Igbokwe described the plot to dislodge his party from the South West as a ruse.
“Ask them, do they have the power? Do have the character, content and the wherewithal? Certainly they don’t,” he said.
“Wherever they are coming from, we are not interested in joining issues with them because they have nothing to offer. If you go back to what happened during the Ondo State governorship election, we have reviewed the situation and we knew what they did and how President Goodluck Jonathan helped them to power but we don’t want to talk about that now.
“As far as we are concerned, they can make all the noise, our duty is to get the job done because the people are behind us. So we are not interested in their empty boast and un-purposeful excursion.”
DailyIndependent

Covenant University expels 200 students for not attending Church service

About 200 students may have been expelled by the authorities of Covenant University, Cannanland, Ota, Ogun State, recently for what was described as “disregard of paramount core values.”
Frustrated and angered by the development, some of the affected students who gave account of what happened battled emotions while narrating their situations to Saturday Vanguard recently. They however pleaded with the school authorities to tamper justice with mercy in order to save their future.
Saturday Vanguard investigation revealed that out of the figure, about 126 were expelled for not attending the ‘departure service’, meant to sign off from the school after the end of the Semester and Matriculation of students on November 30.  Five other students were thrown out for smoking while unconfirmed source said additional 60 got the same fate for violating other rules bordering on the University’s core values. A few others were given four weeks suspension for failure to sign the head count that was conducted a couple of weeks earlier.
A letter of expulsion signed by the Registrar, Ntia Ubong, a copy which was made available to Saturday Vanguard stated that the affected students contravened Chapter 1, section 30, page 40 of the 2010-2014 Student Handbook.
We gathered that the massive expulsion was predicated on the anger of the Chancellor, Bishop David Oyedepo who was said to have been infuriated after seeing students loitering around when they were supposed to be at the Chapel for the Departure Service.
He was said to have personally chased students to the Chapel and ordered for a search into all the halls and colleges to fish out those who did not attend the service.
Several attempts to get the school authorities comment on the issue proved abortive.  The Instituion’s Corporate Affairs Head, Mr Igban Emmaunel also refused to comment as calls pulled through to him were unanswered and text messages not replied.

How it happened
A few of the affected students gave account of what happened to Saturday Vanguard at different points.  The similar accounts go thus:  “On November 30, the last day of the semester, preceding our December break, there was also a Matriculation for the 100 level students; in fact some students had their last semester exams on that day, some of them finished around 3:00pm while the matriculation started around 8am. Some students retired to their rooms to relax while some engaged in some other activities jubilating the end of the semester.
“Some also got drinks from the matriculating students. Even as these were going on, some students who finished around 3pm retired to their halls. By 5pm, they announced that we should get prepared for the ‘Departure service’ which was to start by 8pm. Some students were already seeing their parents off while some of us were just trying to relax to get off the stress of the exams.
“Most of us hadn’t gotten through the tiredness of the sleepless nights of the exams; so, some us stayed back in our rooms. The departure service is usually a day before we go home and it is usually presided over by the Chancellor. Before the commencement of the service, they used to lock up the main doors of the halls so as to prevent cases of theft. I was not bothered since there were a lot of us in the hall. Some minutes past 8pm, they switched off the light and all of us in the hall went into our rooms. Because of the darkness and the cold, I slept off immediately.”
He continued: “The persistent knocks on the door woke me up and I realised that they had come to search for people who had not come to service. Before I realised what was going on, I found myself with other students numbering about 30. They took down our names and counted us to make sure that no one was omitted. They said the Chancellor was at the service and we refused to come. I heard them talking about other halls and they asked us to wait. I didn’t take it seriously because I never believed in my widest imagination that we would be expelled. We were later asked to go to our various halls.
“Some of those who went into hiding were lucky as they were not found. Shortly, those who went for the service returned and told us there was poor attendance at the Chapel and how students were diving in through the windows, scampering for seats. In fact, one narrated to us how the Chancellor jumped through the window to vent his anger on some students who had jumped in,” he stated.
Another expelled student also gave similar account of the incident. “I couldn’t go to the service because, I was not feeling well which was as a result of the stress of the exams we had just finished. After a while, I managed to go but I heard that they started driving people back around 7:30pm while the service was to start around 8pm. I was surprised because the rule was that you’ve got to be seated 15minutes to the service. Again, it was never made compulsory, but they tried to get students out of the halls to prevent cases of theft. So, because I was not feeling well, I went back to my room because I needed to rest for a while.
“I thought it was a  joke when they said we are in for expulsion because we failed to come for departure service. I have never done anything contrary to the school laws. I have never faced any panel before  and neither did I have any unpleasant case in my file. I never thought it was real until letters were handed to me the  following morning.”
Giving account of how letters were handed out to them, the visibly troubled student said: “By 6am, they announced the names of  those who were caught in halls and colleges. Usually after the departure service, one can sign out from there and go but because it ended late and no one could travel, students had to wait till the  following  morning. But the hall officer told those of us whose names were written down that if we leave, we should  be considered gone from the university forever. That gave us an insight into what was likely to come as punishment. By 7:45am, we were called once again to go downstairs for our letters. Those who collected theirs before mine were crying and I wondered what the punishment could be until I read the letter stating I was expelled from the university.”
At the Chapel
Another student who found his way to the Chapel also told Saturday Vanguard that while the Chancellor was being driven past, he noticed that students were loitering at about the time they were supposed to be seated at the chapel. He said that this apparently infuriated him and he alighted from his car and chased students to the chapel with knocks. “I saw him, alighted from his car and chased students to the chapel; I quickly found my way to the hall. Not quite long after, I saw students jumping in through the windows. It was a big commotion. Even the chancellor was going after those who jumped into the chapel. Later, he addressed the students saying  he was very disappointed by the behaviour that the students were not seated 15 minutes before the service.”
Another account had it that while the Education Secretary, Prof. Aize Obayan was addressing the students, the students were murmuring, then the  Chancellor immediately took to the microphone and said: “if I hear the voice of any student, the curse of the Lord shall fall upon that one.” The chapel immediately went dead silent.
Our source who was also late to the service stated that the Chancellor later directed that those students who did not come to the service would be purged out saying they did not belong  to the school. Our source stated that at the end of the service, he prayed for the students in the hall.
Another source in the school hinted that at that point, the Vice-chancellor pleaded on behalf of those who were absent but the Chancellor insisted they must be  purged from the school.
Our source told Saturday Vanguard  that  the Vice-Chancellor while addressing  the  students announced that a search would be carried out in all the halls and colleges to find out those who failed to attend the departure service, advising them to wait behind.
Saturday Vanguard investigation revealed that out of the figure, about 126 were  expelled for not attending  the ‘departure service’, five were thrown out for smoking marijuana, twenty-five final year students  and undisclosed number of  lower level students were caught violating rules bothering on the University’s core values.  We also gathered that a few others were given four weeks suspension for failure to sign the head count that was conducted a couple of weeks earlier. Some of  the students opined that  failure to sign the head count was even a greater offence which implied that the student was not in the school at the time of the exercise but yet got a four-week suspension.
The private  university is known for its strict rules and discipline such as not allowing the students to use mobile phones within the school’s premises, while it is mandatory for students to always bring their bible to the chapel.
Parents react
A few parents who volunteered information spoke to  us on condition of anonymity  fearing that their children might be victimised in case  the issue was resolved amicably. One of them  said  with bitterness that it is unacceptable, adding that the expulsion was not commensurate with the offence deemed to have been committed. He urged the school authorities to rescind  its decision adding that the future of  the students is at stake.
“For me, it is not acceptable. These students were  not given fair hearing. Expulsion should not  be a punishment for failure to attend service. We all agree, it is a Christian school but failure to attend church service could be due to a lot of reasons. I gathered that some of the students even finished their exams about 5pm that day. So, those people that finished at that time had barely three hours to prepare for the service. But stampeding them to congregate for service and then expelling those who did not come is a decision taken too far. For me, if there was poor attendance, I think the authorities have a responsibility. They have not been fair in putting the service so close to the examination. Even God will not do that.”
He however commended the Chancellor, Dr. Oyedepo on his vision towards the education of Nigeria children especially when the government institutions are failing, but urging him to tamper justice with mercy.
Another parent who was  afraid of the press noted that he was still studying  the situation and would not want to comment but noted that he was reliably informed that some group of parents made frantic efforts to meet with the Chancellor on the issue but without success. It was not clear the level of the efforts made. He further hinted that some students have not told their parents about their expulsion, still hoping that the issue would be resolved.
He lamented that his child had been having sleepless nights, going through mental torture  unjustifiably. “I agree that discipline must be instilled in the students but it should not be aimed at destroying the life of the students. Expulsion is too great a punishment for non attendance of a departure service, without even a warning especially when the students hitherto, had not been found wanting,” he stated.
What the Student Handbook says
The Covenant University Core values border on Spirituality, Possibility Mentality, Capacity Building, Integrity, Responsibility, Diligence and Sacrifice. On the spirituality aspect, it states:  “The Christian ethos underguard our activities and conducts at all time and every student of Covenant University is expected to exhibit character traits and dispositions of a Jesus-centered heritage. The Jesus – factor centered approach to all issues is non-negotiable and central in the pursuit of our mandate in raising a new generation of leaders and in the realization of  the objectives of our purpose.
To this extent therefore, students will be committed to maintaining a high level of spirituality and shall act in such manner as to facilitate their spiritual growth as well as work out ways to evolve and implement a spiritual development plan. Attendance at Chapel Services is a  compulsory part of students’ spiritual development where a bible and notebook are essential kits for the service. Students are expected to demonstrate a deep reverence for God at all  times.”
The school declines comment
Several attempts were made to get the school authorities comment on the issue. The institution’s Corporate/Public Affairs Officer, Mr Igban Emmanuel Kalu declined comment. At first, several calls were pulled through to him but he refused to pick his calls. When the reporter persisted, he later picked but said he was driving and could not answer any question. But few hours later, other calls pulled to him were unanswered. A text message was sent to his phone and up to the time of writing this report, he did not reply.
I’m not aware —Prof Julius Okojie, NUC Executive Secretary
The Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, NUC, Prof Julius Okojie said he has not been briefed on the matter.
Prof Okojie stated this during a telephone conversation Saturday Vanguard had with him a few days ago. “I am not aware of any expulsion by Covenant University; I will ask the school authorities. Right  now, I am not in Abuja, I left Abuja few days ago and until I return to Abuja and find out details about the matter, I cannot comment on it,” he said.
InformationNigeria

Ransom On Okonjo-Iweala’s Mum Tears Kidnap Gang Apart

The 10-man kidnap gang, which abducted Prof Kamene Okonjo, mother of the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has been torn apart as a result of sharing the ransom collected for the release of the Queen of Ogwashi-Uku kingdom in Delta State.

The new leader of the gang reportedly bolted away with N1million share of another member of the gang.
The affected member, 32 –year-old Andrew, aka Olokpa, from Edo state, who was desperately in need of money, decided to go on a reprisal mission by forming a new kidnap gang and was caught by the police.
He is presently on detention at the Delta State Police Command headquarters in Asaba.
He was seized on Thursday when police, acting on intelligence information, lured him to sell one of the guns in his possession, which was used in the kidnap of the queen mother of Ogwashi-Uku kingdom.
His arrest was confirmed to Saturday Vanguard, yesterday, in Asaba by the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba.
Hired for the operation
The suspected kidnapper, who spoke to Saturday Vanguard from the police cell, yesterday, however, asserted he was not among the main 10-man kidnap gang that abducted Prof Okonjo.
He stated that he was merely hired to supply food to Prof Okonjo in the bush, where she was kept on two occasions.
Commissioner Aduba, who maintained that that the police was not in support of payment of ransom to kidnappers and was not told by the family of Okonjo that they paid ransom to kidnappers, told Saturday Vanguard that nemesis would catch up with the remaining kidnappers, as the police have a database on them.
He confirmed our information that the second-in-command of the gang, who took over from the former leader and kidnap kingpin, Nwaeze Nwosa, a.k.a Bolaji, after he was shot dead by the police, Thursday, December 13, bolted away with N1 million share of the ransom kept for another member, Olokpa.
The gang members seriously disagreed on the action of the new leader and advised him to return Olokpa’s money to him, as he was the one in who took care of Prof Okonjo in their hideout.
The kidnap leader refused and Olokpa, who was in possession of the arms and ammunition used for the operation was in desperate money for the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
He reportedly formed another kidnap gang, which went for an operation in Aboh in Ndokwa area of the state.
The gang successfully kidnapped the victim but was confronted on the way out by the vigilance group in the area, which riddled its vehicle with bullets.

“Since we know the hideout they planned to use, we strategized to lay ambush for them at the hideout, but because of the shooting by the vigilance group, the group diverted to Edo state, where they abandoned the vehicle used for the operation”, a source confided in our reporters.
Saturday Vanguard was told that police detectives continued with the hunt for the gang and having discovered that Olokpa was in dire need of money, they sold a dummy to him that somebody wanted to buy a gun.
He fell for the deal and struck a bargain for N300,000 not knowing that he was speaking to a police detective.
The suspect came to Koka junction in Asaba to collect the money for the gun when the police arrested him.
He denied being the person that negotiated for the sale of a gun when he found that he was trapped.
However, it was difficult to extricate himself and he decided to escape, but he was shot on the leg in the process.
How we captured the gang member— Aduba
Speaking on the arrest of Olokpa, Commissioner Aduba said, “What I can tell you is that following our intelligence gathering on the identities of members of the kidnap gang responsible for the kidnap of Professor Mrs. Okonjo and days of painstaking monitoring at about 12.30pm, one Andrew (surname withheld) was arrested at Koka junction, Asaba.
“We got to know through networking of information the bush the woman was kept. The major players were identified, even though they are scattered, the camp was in disarray following the death of their leader, Nwosa.
“I still reiterate the issue of ransom, the issue of ransom payment was a rumour. We (police) are not part of it. I don’t encourage ransom”, he stated. According to him, “When we eventually smashed the gang with the death of their leader, one of them, who was promised N1 million as his share became angry because he was denied of the money.
“He broke away from the gang. We (police) were aware because of the close tab on them. And because he was angry, he decided to engage in other kidnapping activities to enable him get enough money for the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
“He participated in kidnapping an 82 year old man at Aboh. We (knew) about the kidnap, but did not know the route. We knew the day and kept on our surveillance and on that day, the community’s vigilance group opened fire and this man, leading another gang, moved to Edo State and abandoned the vehicle used for the operation along Auchi expressway.
“They later brought the man (victim) to Emu in Delta State and put him in custody of one of their gang members, who incidentally is a native of that village’,” he asserted.
His words, “So we sold a dummy to him (leader of new gang) to sell the gun he inherited from Nwosa- led gang to a big man from Lagos who was in need of it for N300,000 since he was desperately in need of money and in the process of giving him the gun, we got him arrested.”
Controversy over ransom
Even though the police have categorically maintained that it was not aware that ransom was paid, it was obvious from the arrest of Olokpa on Thursday that ransom was actually paid.
Saturday Vanguard exclusively broke the story of the ransom that was collected by the kidnappers.
Our information was that the ransom was dropped somewhere along the Benin bypass on the Warri-Benin-Lagos expressway, but it was not confirmed by security agencies, who were hoarding information from themselves. A source said the first time the ransom was to be paid, the kidnappers spotted a security officer with a member of the family and called it off.
“That was one of the reasons why she stayed up to five days in the kidnappers’ den”, our source hinted.
It was reported that the State Security Service, SSS, operatives from Abuja arrested one of the kidnappers when he went to deposit part of the ransom, which was marked in the bank, but the authorities have not officially corroborated the claim. An SSS source in Asaba, who confirmed that their colleagues from Abuja, indeed, came for an operation over the Prof Okonjo matter, however, said, “We do not have the details of what they unearthed here in Asaba”.
Olokpa admitted to the police that the new leader of the gang took his share of the money, but he was asked by Saturday Vanguard how the operation was carried out, he retreated, saying, he was brought in only after the kidnap had been carried out.
According to him, the kidnapper, who took over from Bolaji “is the one I know, he is my friend, he is the one who brought me in, he told me that he has a job for me to supply food, bread , groundnut and water to the person they kidnapped.”
“He said the person was kept somewhere in the bush and that he will pay me N100,000 for the job. I saw it as easy money and I accepted it”, he said, adding that he knew that kidnapping was a crime, but the money was irresistible for him because his job was not rewarding.
InformationNigeria

Full Details On Kogi Governor, Idris Wada’s Fatal Accident

Kogi State Governor, Captain Idris Wada, rtd, has been flown to Abuja in critical condition,  following an auto crash which claimed the life of his Aide-De-Camp, ADC, Idris Muhammed in Lokoja Friday. It was learnt that he would be flown abroad when his condition becomes stable.
Already, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party has directed its members across the country to pray for his survival.
The party in statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh also expressed the party’s deep shock over the accident.
“Our great Party is yet to recover from a rude shock arising from a recent similar incident. We therefore wish to direct all our members to observe compulsory minutes of prayers for the speedy recovery of Governor Wada and to spare the Party from further painful incidents,” Metuh said, and prayed for the repose of the soul of the governor’s ADC  who died in the accident.

According to sources, the front tyre of the governor’s car pulled out while it was on high speed and the vehicle summersulted several times before ramming into an uncompleted building.
Wada who was returning from Ayingba after attending the Igala Summit was said to have been lucky to survive the accident as his official vehicle involved in the crash instantly became a scrap.
Saturday Vanguard was informed that Wada  who was in a haste to return to Lokoja, the state capital for the Friday Jumat prayer left Ayingba by 1.pm after asking his convoy of vehicles to speed up so as to meet the prayer session. However, the accident occurred at Eleta-Jimgbe (a suburb in Lokoja) which was about five minutes  drive to the Jumat Mosque.
”It was curious. Only the governor’s vehicle was involved; nothing happened to other vehicles in his front nor those at the back,” the sources added.
The source further said that the ADC who was not putting on his seat belt died on the spot as he was flung out while the Governor, his orderly and driver were treated at the State Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, before being flown to an undisclosed hospital in Abuja for further treatment. It was not known when he would however be flown abroad.
A statement signed by the Commissioner for Information, Yabagi Bologi confirmed the incident but added that Wada was ‘’in a stable condition’’ just as he was being well catered for at the hospital, even as  a government house source told Saturday Vanguard said that ‘’all they are doing is just to get him stabilized before he is flown for better treatment.’’
InformationNigeria