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Governors, Miyetti Allah Okay Conditions To End Farmers, Herders Crisis

Published

1 year ago

January 25, 2021

NewTimes

Governors Miyetti Allah Okay Conditions To End Farmers Herders Crisis

Some state Governors led by the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi on Monday held a meeting with national leaders of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) in Akure, Ondo State capital.
The meeting which became neccesary due to the challenges between farmers and herders was to proffer a workable blueprint on curbing criminal activities by bandits, kidnappers, and others who hide in forests to unleash mayhem on innocent citizens.
At the end of the meeting, all parties agreed to prioritize national security, the governor conluded that night grazing across the South-West region be banned.
The leadership of the Miyetti Allah group present at the meeting were also encouraged to embrace modern global ranching practices which prevent cattle roaming that could result in the destruction of farm produce.
The communique issued at the end of the meeting partly noted that “the order of the Ondo State governor was misconstrued and misinterpreted by a section of the media. The governor only ordered those occupying the forest reserves in Ondo State illegally to quit.”

It further states that “night grazing should be banned henceforth while underage herding is inimical to security and hence be banned and occupation of state forest reserves illegally is condemned.”
On its part, MACBAN said that they had also suffered insecurity and kidnapping, hence they desired peaceful coexistence and that they were ready for any peaceful move by the states to engender security.
Other resolutions reached were: “There must be an enduring framework with MACBAN in a way that will help address security issues.
“That free-range grazing must be stopped to avoid conflicts between the farmers and the herders.
“Strengthening alternative security arrangements and make them complementary to the mainstream security agencies in Nigeria.
“MACBAN should embrace and be committed to modern breeding process by creating grazing reserves and practice ranching to prevent cattle roaming about.”
The meeting also resolved that “a standing committee comprising farmers, MACBAN and the government should be set up in each state to ensure synergy and result.
“We must create economic opportunities for our people and reduce opportunities for criminalities in our country.”
Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo State; Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State; Muhammadu Badru Abubakar of Jigawa State; Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State; and Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State were all in attendance at the meeting.

The meeting comes after various opinions were aired as a result of the quit order issued to Fulani herdsmen to vacate the forest reserves of Ondo State as well as the 7 days ultimatum given by Sunday Igboho to herdsmen to leave Oyo State.
Speaking at the event, the governors bemoaned the incessant and unprovoked attacks on their citizens and vowed to protect them while promoting unity, and good neighborliness.
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde noted that the meeting was not about politics but a meeting about “a serious challenge we are faced with.”
He said “we will not use criminality to solve criminality as nobody can predict the outcome of such. We will continue to work with our people to face the kidnappers, bandits, armed robbers who are our common enemies. We have to deal with the issue of fake news.”
He added that his administration “will continue to expand the economy and provide job opportunities for our people. We will continue to provide the leadership that the country needs at this time.”
On his part, the Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu said kidnappers were using forest reserves as an area of operation for kidnapping, hence the need to regulate activities within and around the forest areas.
“Even our farmers are registered, we all agreed no night grazing, no underaged grazing. We will ban grazing in cities. I assure you we can all work together to chase all criminals from the state. We must be able to identify and move them out of the forest reserves. We must protect everyone living in Ondo State,” Akeredolu said.

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Two Catholic priests Kidnapped In Edo

Published

9 hours ago

July 3, 2022

NewTimes

The abduction of two Catholic priests, Rev. Father Udo of St, Patrick Catholic church Uromi and Rev. Father Philemon Oboh of St. Joseph Retreat Center Ugboha, was confirmed on Sunday by Edo State Police Command.

The priests were abducted along the Benin-Auchi Road on their way back to Uromi in Esan South-East Local Government Area of the state.

In a statement on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer of the state, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, confirmed the abduction of the reverend fathers.

The statement read: “This is to confirm the kidnap of two Catholic Rev. Fathers; Rev. Fr. Udo Peter of St. Patrick Catholic Church Uromi and Rev. Fr. Philemon Oboh of St. Joseph Retreat Center, Ugboha in Esan South East LGA of Edo State.

READ ALSO: Kukah’s Diocese Under Attack, Two Priests, Worshippers Kidnapped

“The Edo State Police Command was informed of the incident by the Divisional Police Officer, Ugboha, Edo State, that on Sunday, July 3, 2022, one Rev. Father Amos Abhulimen of St. Dominic Catholic Church Ugboha, reported that he was informed by the Catholic authority via WhatsApp that the above-named Catholic Rev. Fathers were attacked, kidnapped and taken to unknown place by some kidnappers along Benin-Auchi Expressway between Ehor and Iruekpen Communities.

“Immediately, the Commissioner Of Police, CP Abutu Yaro, dispatched policemen to the area to carry out aggressive and well coordinated manhunt in arresting the kidnappers as well as rescue the Rev. Fathers unhurt,” the statement added.

A Catholic priest popularly known as Rev. Father Christopher Odia was Kidnapped last Sunday at Ikabigbo Community, Etsako West LGA and was later found dead after few hours in the bush.

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Court Jails APC Senator Seven Years For Fraud

Published

2 days ago

July 1, 2022

NewTimes

Court Jails APC Senator Seven Years For Fraud

The Senator representing Delta North Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Peter Nwaoboshi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) , has been sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment.

The Court of Appeal in Lagos on Friday also ordered that the senator’s two companies, Golden Touch Construction Project Ltd and Suiming Electrical Ltd, be wound up in line with the provisions of Section 22 of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2021.

The court’s ruling was delivered in an appeal challenging the judgment of Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court which on June 18, 2021, discharged and acquitted the defendants on two counts of fraud and money laundering. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which arraigned him however challenged the lower court’s decision.

EFCC had arraigned the three defendants over the acquisition of a property named Guinea House, Marine Road, in Apapa, Lagos, for N805 million.

READ ALSO: Why Move To Impeach Senate President Will Fail – Nwaboshi

Part of the money paid to the vendor – N322 million transferred by Suiming Electrical Ltd on behalf of Nwaoboshi and Golden Touch Construction Project Ltd – was alleged to be part of proceeds of fraud.

Earlier in his judgment, Justice Aneke said the evidence of the prosecutor “proved that the third defendant obtained a loan of N1.2 billion from Zenith Bank to purchase additional equipment and as provision of working capital”.

“It also proved that the loan of N1.2 billion together with interest of N24 million was properly granted to the third defendant .Nothing else was proved by the complainant or prosecutor in this case,” the EFCC quoted the judge as saying in a statement.

The high court judge was also quoted as claiming that a fatal blow was dealt to the case of the prosecution by its failure to call officials of Sterling Bank “to testify and probably tender exhibits F and F10. Consequently, he discharged and acquitted the defendants”.

However, ruling on the EFCC’s appeal on Friday, the Court of Appeal held that the trial judge erred in dismissing the charges against the respondents.

“The court said the prosecution had proved the ingredients of the offence and consequently found the defendants guilty as charged,” EFCC said.

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Drama In Court As Lawyer Appears In Priestly Attire

Published

3 days ago

July 1, 2022

NewTimes

VIDEO: Drama As Lawyer In Priestly Attire Appears In Court

By John Michael Ojo
There was a mild drama today at the Okpoko Magistrate Court in the Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State, as a lawyer simply identified as Ogbachalu Goshen appeared before the court in a pastoral robe.

But Ogbachalu who was standing before the magistrate, CB Mbaegbu, was denied hearing on the ground that he was not properly attired, leading to a minor incident in the court.

READ ALSO: Female Students Can Wear Hijab To Lagos Schools – Supreme Court

However, citing a recent Supreme Court’s judgment which supported the wearing of hijab by female students in public schools as a reference point, Ogbachalu reminded the court that it was his right to dress in his priestly attire as he was an ordained pastor and that the objection by the court to hear him, was an infringement on his fundamental human right as enshrined in section 38 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

The magistrate however disagreed his submission which only forced the court to dismiss.

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