Lere Olayinka, the media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, on Thursday cautioned former Vice President Atiku Abubakar against running for the presidency in 2027.

Olayinka warned that 2027 would be Atiku’s seventh failed attempt if he contests the presidency.

Posting on his Facebook page, the minister’s spokesman charged Atiku to stop lying to himself after six previous failed attempts at the presidency.

Olayinka wrote: “Six unsuccessful attempts at the presidency, he won’t still stop lying despite his age.

“2027 will definitely be his seventh failed attempt.”

This comes as the former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate declared uncertainty about vying for the presidency in 2027.

In an interview with Adesuwa Giwa-Osagie of Untold Stories, Atiku said: “I don’t know because there has to be, first of all, a viable platform, more than any other time in the political history of this country, particularly since the return of democracy.”

Atiku, however, did not rule out the possibility of still running for the presidency in 2027, saying Nigeria needs a good leader.

“I have not seen Nigeria in dire need of, you know, an experienced and credible leadership than this time,” he said.

Atiku’s remarks come a few days after forming a coalition with some opposition leaders with the aim of ousting President Bola Tinubu from power in 2027.

Meanwhile, Olayinka has warned Atiku that Wike would ensure he loses the presidency in 2027 if he decides to run.

Olayinka noted that Wike has no regret that Atiku ignored him and picked former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate in 2023.

 

Two operatives of the Plateau State Police Command have lost their lives in a gun battle while dismantling a syndicate allegedly involved in kidnapping and armed robbery in the state.

The police operatives also arrested four of the suspected kidnappers.

LEADERSHIP  gathered that at about 9pm on Tuesday sounds of gun shots were heard along Bukuru Rayfield road.

It was learnt that the kidnappers had attempted to kidnap some individuals but were foiled by the men of the Police command .

The public relations officer of the Plateau State Police Command DSP Alfred Alabo, in a statement made available to newsmen in Jos, informed the general public of the arrest of four suspected kidnappers in the recent foiled kidnapping incident that took place along Little Rayfield Road, Jos.

According to him, two of their officers, namely Fatoyo Femi and Inspector Dafur Dashit, attached to the Force Investigation Department, Abuja (IRT), who are on special duty in Jos, lost their lives during the exchange of gunfire with the suspected kidnappers.

He explained that the case is under investigation adding that further development will be communicated in due course.

The 2023 Labour Party, LP, governorship candidate in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has alleged an attempt to use the Department of State Services, DSS, to force the Speaker of the state Assembly, Mojisola Meranda, to step aside or resign.

Rhodes-Vivour said the invasion of the Lagos State House of Assembly by DSS operatives was a major blow to politics in the state.

DAILY POST reported that operatives of the DSS and the Nigeria Police, on Monday, took over the Lagos State House of Assembly.

The invasion followed a leadership crisis in the State Assembly.

Recently, Meranda had replaced Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker of the Assembly after he was impeached by lawmakers.

Obasa was impeached while he was in the United States.

Upon his return to Nigeria, Obasa had insisted that he was not impeached, stressing that the lawmakers failed to follow due process in his removal.

However, featuring on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Rhodes-Vivour said lawmakers must not owe their loyalty to godfathers.

He said: “It was a major low for politics in Lagos State today.

“What we saw today was an attempt to intimidate the speaker to step aside and resign by using armed men and threats of violence.

“Whoever is behind this should solve this problem in a civilized fashion because the State Assembly must owe its loyalty to its constituents and not any godfather.”

Officials elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress in the October 15, 2022, Local Government elections in Osun State on Monday resumed at the Boripe Local Government Secretariat in Iragbiji, Osun State.

However, members of the party that attempted to take over the Olorunda local government secretariat, in Igbona, Osogbo were resisted, leading to tension in the area.

When our correspondent arrived at the entrance to Olorunda LGA secretariat around 9:20 am, armed police operatives were seen at the junction leading to the area.

Some APC members who had mobilised to the entrance of the secretariat were chased away.

NSCDC operatives and members of Amotekun Corps were also on the ground, trying to calm down aggrieved PDP members, who positioned themselves at the entrance of the secretariat.

The gate was however locked and no one was allowed in.

Two people suspected to be using phones to record happenings in a storey building directly opposite the secretariat were beaten up and their phones smashed.

Hoodlums wielding assorted charms were also seen beating those they observed using mobile phones to record happenings.

Addressing PDP members near the secretariat, Osun State Commissioner for Rural Development, Mr. Gani Olaoluwa, urged them to remain peaceful.

“We thank you for heeding our call. We won’t allow any illegal takeover here. No court judgement restored them here”, Olaoluwa said.

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The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has slammed the former governor of Osun State, Bisi Akande, over his allegation that the 2020 #EndSARS protest across Nigeria was orchestrated by the Obi’s supporters, otherwise known as Obidients,  to derail the ambition of the current President, Bola Tinubu.

Obi and the Obidient Movement described Akande’s narrative as an attempt to rewrite history, adding that it was insensitive to the memory of #EndSARS victims, particularly those who lost their lives.

The nationwide #EndSARS protest, which lasted between October 7 and 20, began with the demand for the disbandment of the notorious police wing called Special Anti-Robbery Squad but soon snowballed into a demand for good governance.

There were confrontations between protesters and security agents, particularly in Lagos State, where soldiers allegedly opened fire on defenceless protesters at the Lekki Tollgate.

In a recent podcast anchored by a popular broadcaster, Edmund Obilo, Akande claimed that the #EndSARS protest was orchestrated by Obidients to stop Tinubu’s presidential ambition.

According to him, the movement was well funded with foreign donations.

“The Obidients were behind the #EndSARS. It was manufactured in America and brought in just to stop him (Tinubu). I said the Obidients, I didn’t say Obi.

“They came from America to do the #EndSARS and later became a movement to form a party. They couldn’t form a party. It was well planned and organised with a lot of money from America,” the octogenarian asserted.

But in an interview with our correspondent on Thursday, Obi’s media aide, Umar Ibrahim, tackled Akande, describing his claims as misleading and insensitive to the people who died during the protest.

He said, “The allegations are not only misleading but also divisive. It is unfortunate Akande would suggest that the Obidient Movement was behind the #EndSARS protests, and even more astonishing that he would imply it was orchestrated to prevent a particular individual from becoming President.

“Well, let me be clear: the movement is a grassroots phenomenon that emerged organically, driven by the passion and dedication of Nigerians who are committed to creating a better future for our country. It’s a movement that transcends partisan politics and is focused on promoting good governance, accountability, and inclusive development.

“The #EndSARS protests, on the other hand, were a spontaneous response to the widespread discontent and frustration among Nigerian youth regarding issues of police brutality, corruption, and economic inequality. It’s a testament to the resilience and determination of our young people, who are demanding a more just and equitable society.

“To conflate these two distinct phenomena is not only inaccurate but also unfair to the millions of Nigerians who are genuinely committed to creating positive change. We urge former governor Akande to refrain from making unsubstantiated claims that can only serve to further polarise our society.”

Similarly, the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Tanko Yunusa,  described Akande’s narrative as an insult to the memory of all #EndSARS victims, particularly those who lost their lives.

He said, “The Obidient movement outright rejects the baseless and revisionist claim by former Governor Bisi Akande. His false narrative is not only an insult to the memory of the young Nigerians who lost their lives in the fight against police brutality but also a desperate attempt to rewrite history and shift blame for the government’s failures.

“#EndSARS was a decentralised, youth-led movement demanding an end to police brutality, extrajudicial killings, and systemic oppression in Nigeria. It was not about politics, nor was it about any single individual’s presidential ambition.

“Rather than engaging in revisionist propaganda, we urge Akande and his associates to focus on addressing the real issues facing Nigerians today — economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment, and bad governance. The people are suffering, and no amount of misinformation or historical distortion will change that reality.”

Operatives of the Ekiti State Amotekun Corps have arrested a 25-year-old man, Ojo Adewunmi, for allegedly attempting to rape a 19-year-old girl.

The Ekiti Amotekun Head of Communications, Abiodun Adeleye, disclosed this in a statement issued in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday.

Adeleye said Adewunmi was apprehended on Tuesday in Ilawe Ekiti by operatives of the corps from the Ekiti South West Local Government Command while allegedly trying to assault the girl.

He explained that the girl, who was shouting for help, was rescued by Amotekun operatives who arrived at the scene and thwarted the suspect’s attempt.

Adeleye stated, “The Amotekun officers who arrested the suspect reported that the victim was locked indoors by the suspect to sexually assault her. However, his attempt was foiled upon the arrival of the operatives.

“The girl narrated her ordeal, explaining how she felt helpless and hopeless after screaming until the officers of the corps arrived to assist her.”

The suspect has been handed over to the Ilawe Ekiti Police Division for further investigation and possible prosecution.

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A 23-year-old OnlyFans Turkish model, Ezra Vandan, popularly called Azranur AV has been arrested for vowing to sleep with 100 men in one day.

According to Daily Mail, the model’s declaration came days after Brit Bonnie Blue claimed to smash the previous world record of the most men bedded in 24 hours, taking the total to over 1,000 men in 12 hours.

Vandan took to social media on January 14 to announce that she planned to film the day-long sex session and broadcast it live in an attempt to break a record in Turkey, reports said.

She was detained by cops in Istanbul 24 hours after declaring her mission which was deemed as ‘obscene’ and ‘damaging’ to the country’s morals.

The model had shared a photo of herself with her eyes shut on a bed wearing red lingerie, with the caption, “My goal is to break a Turkish record first, then a world record! I’m starting with 100 men in 24 hours.”

Her statement which sparked widespread reactions quickly caught the attention of the Istanbul Security Branch Directorate’s Morality Bureau.

They launched an investigation into the controversial post before catching her at a hospital as she awaited a cosmetic surgery operation in Atasehir.

Footage captured the moment she was dragged down the stairs of the building by two female officers, with her wrists bound behind her.

Vandan was reported to have uploaded an image of her arrest which showed her half-naked.

She allegedly shared it alongside the caption, ‘I had the photo taken by one of the officers, he didn’t object much.’

According to reports, the racy image had been taken by a police officer.

Her husband, Pedram Behdar Vandan, 25, was also reportedly arrested at the time but was later released from custody.

The model reportedly faced charges of obscenity, resisting an officer, and slander.

During her hearing, the Istanbul 6th Criminal Judgeship of Peace determined that prison time was warranted due to her posts being deemed harmful to moral values and provocative to society, while Vandan defended her right to express herself, stating that she was not causing any harm and believes she should not be judged.

The son of a landlord simply identified as Junior has taken to his heels after his attempt to allegedly rape the 15-year-old daughter of his tenant in Elele community in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State failed.

TheNigerian Metro learnt that Junior had approached the siblings of his tenant, aged eight and 15 years respectively last Friday to enquire if their father was coming back home that night.

The unsuspecting children informed him that their father would not be back that night.

A source told our correspondent on the condition of anonymity that at about 1 am the next day (Saturday night), Junior allegedly broke into the house of the tenant and reached for the 15-year-old who was lying down with her siblings.

The source said, “He started romancing her and removing her underwear. At this point, the girl woke up when she felt a hand touching her underwear and grabbed Junior’s hand.

“But Junior punched her and escaped through the window.”

The source who pleaded anonymity in order not to be identified said the teenage girl quickly put on her torchlight and saw that the fleeing man was the landlord’s son and raised an alarm that attracted neighbours to the scene.

Speaking on the incident, the father of the teenager, Felix, said, “I have reported the matter to the Elele Police Division. He (Junior) broke into my house at midnight in my absence and made attempts to rape my daughter who is 15 years old.

“He ran away after what he did because we have not seen him after that day.”

When contacted, the spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said she had yet to get a report of the incident, but promised to find out and get back to our correspondent.

She had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report on Tuesday afternoon.

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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has intercepted a 26-year-old nursing student, Esther Onyinyechi Uzodinma, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, as she attempted to smuggle 76 wraps of cocaine into India.

The 200-level nursing student of Noida International University, Uttar Pradesh, India, was apprehended on Thursday, at the Royal Park Hotel, Sabon Gari, Kano, where she awaited the drug consignment. She was scheduled to fly to India via a Qatar Airways flight on Friday.

A statement on Sunday by the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said her arrest followed the interception of a drug courier, 31-year-old Cosmas Okorie, by the NDLEA operatives on the Okene-Lokoja Highway in Kogi State earlier the same day.

He added that Okorie was travelling from Lagos to Kano with an audio speaker containing 76 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.34 kilograms, noting that a subsequent operation in Kano led to Uzodinma’s arrest.

Babafemi said, “Her lid was blown open when the NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Okene-Lokoja Highway in Kogi State on Thursday, January 16, intercepted 31-year-old Cosmas Okorie in a commuter bus coming from Lagos en route Kano. Inside his black polythene bag was an audio speaker, which was used to conceal 76 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.340 kilograms, which he was going to deliver to Uzodinma in Kano.

“A swift follow-up operation in Kano led to the arrest of the female nursing university student later the same day.”

Babafemi stated that the nursing student in her statement admitted to being recruited by a drug cartel in India that financed her trip to Nigeria for the Christmas and New Year holidays.

“To avoid her parents knowing she was in Nigeria, Uzodinma did not travel to her home state, Imo, but was lodged for two weeks in a hotel in Enugu, from where she was flown to Abuja and then Kano where she was lodged at the Royal Park Hotel to swallow the 76 pellets of cocaine sent to her from Lagos before taking her Qatar Airways flight to India on Friday morning.

“She said she was promised over $5,000 upon successful delivery of the illicit consignment in India, ”Babafemi added.

In other operations along the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja Highway, Babafemi said the NDLEA officers arrested four suspects: Abdullahi Umar; Tijjani Samaila; Lucky Obotte and Abubakar Haruna, who were heading to Maiduguri, Borno State, Kano, and Abuja in commuter vehicles with over 38,000 pills of tramadol 225mg, 250mg and 100mg concealed in audio speakers and cloths.

In Lagos State, Babafemi added that operatives of a special operations unit of the agency on Tuesday, January 14 raided the hideout of a 59-year-old Nwokedi Jonas in the Ojodu-Berger area of the state where they recovered 10 parcels of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 4.9kg as well as different paper bags he used in dispensing the psychoactive substance in retail quantities.

“Printed on them include street names and codes such as ‘Dead man’; ‘Gelato top shelf smoke’; ‘Topshelf’; and ‘Gelato cake’”, he added.

“In other operations in Lagos, operatives of the state command of the agency on Wednesday, January 15, raided a house in the Igando New Town area of Alimosho where they arrested three suspects: Isaac Vincent, 32; Ebube Ikechi, 25; and Christopher Usifoh, 43, from whom 1,610kg skunk, a strain of cannabis and 6kg pills of tramadol were recovered.

“Also recovered from the house were a delivery van and three other vehicles used for distributing the illicit drugs.

Two suspects, Olashile Okoya and Mohammed Ibrahim, were arrested on Saturday, January 18, when the NDLEA officers raided their home at 5A Addison Palmer, Cadogan Estate, Castle Rock Avenue, Osapa, Lekki Lagos, where 28 kilograms of Canadian Loud were recovered following credible intelligence,” the statement added.

In Kano State, Babafemi said two suspects: Usama Adamu, 25, and Isah Ibrahim, 29, were arrested at Dawanau, Dawakin Tofa LGA on Friday with a total of 7.6kg skunk, 78 tubes of rubber solution and 356 bottles of ‘suck and die’, a new psychoactive substance were recovered from them.

“In another raid in Kano, Usman Isa, 29, was nabbed along the Zaria Road with 114 blocks of skunk weighing 49.8kg.

Three suspects: Lawali Isiaka, Umoru Isiaka and Mohammed Kabiru were on Wednesday, January 15 by the NDLEA operatives with 390 tablets of Molly and 65.5kg of cannabis at Bode Saadu in Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State, while Samuel Ogbu, 24, was nabbed with 25,000 pills of tramadol by operatives along Wukari- Zaki Ibiam road, Wukari LGA, Taraba state, “Babafemi added.

He also in a series of raids in Abuja, a suspect, Rufa’i Hashimu, 27, was arrested at the Gwarimpa village area of the FCT with 118 bottles of codeine-based syrup.

“Thirteen others were nabbed in other locations such as Area 1 IDP camp, Gishiri, Zuba, Dei -Dei, AYA, Lagos Street Garki, Karu, and Lugbe. Recovered from them include different quantities of tramadol, diazepam, and methamphetamine,” Babafemi added.

Katsina State Police Command on Saturday foiled a kidnap attempt involving four commercial vehicles on the Funtua-Katsina to Gusau, Zamfara State, highway and rescued 18 passengers.

The command also thwarted a cattle rustling attempt and recovered the stolen animals.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Abubakar Sadiq, in a statement made available to newsmen late on Saturday, said: “On January 3rd, 2025, at about 2130 hrs, information was received at the Faskari Divisional Police Headquarters that suspected armed bandits, wielding AK-47 rifles and shooting sporadically, had ambushed four motor vehicles at a point along the Funtua to Gusau, Zamfara State, highway.

“The vehicles — a maroon Toyota Avensis en route to Yankara village from Batsari; a white DAF motor vehicle; a Pacars Canter motor vehicle; and a green DAF vehicle, all en route to Funtua from Gusau—were transporting 18 passengers when they were attacked by the suspected kidnappers in an attempt to abduct the occupants.

“Upon receipt of the report, the DPO of Faskari Divisional Police Headquarters swiftly mobilised operatives to the scene, where a gunfight ensued. The team successfully repelled the armed bandits’ attack and rescued all 18 victims unharmed.”

The statement added that on the same date, at about 11 pm, suspected armed bandits attacked Gidan Gada village in Kafur LGA, Katsina State, rustling a number of cattle.

“Upon receipt of the report, the DPOs of Kafur and Malumfashi Divisional Police Headquarters jointly mobilised and traced the suspected armed bandits to Fanisau village, where they engaged the bandits in a gun battle, successfully recovering all the rustled animals.

“Unfortunately, the DPO of Kafur sustained a gunshot wound during the encounter and was immediately rushed to the hospital for medical attention. He is currently responding to treatment,” the statement continued.

According to the police, efforts are underway to ensure the arrest of the perpetrators.

“The Commissioner of Police, Katsina State Command, CP Aliyu Abubakar Musa, psc+, while commending the exceptional bravery displayed by the officers, urged members of the public to continue supporting the command and other security agencies in the state with timely information for prompt and decisive action,” Sadiq added.