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NDLEA pursuing vendetta against Senator Ashiru with baseless allegations -Group
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Independent Crusade Against Corruption & Injustice (ICACI), has described as “baseless” and “afterthought witch-hunt”, for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), to have come out against the Deputy Leader of the Senate, Senator Yisa Ashiru with spurious allegations.
The NDLEA, through its Spokesman, Femi Babafemi, had alleged that, the Senator’s personal house situated in GRA, Ilorin, Kwara State, has been used to warehouse illicit drugs.
The NDLEA alleged that the Senator’s residence was raided after intelligence revealed it was being used as a drug joint, claiming two of the Senator’s aides were arrested during the raid, while one managed to escape.
The NDLEA’s allegations came barely 24 hours, after the Senate Deputy Leader, made contributions on the Bill for an Act to establish National Institute for Drug Awareness and Rehabilitation, which would take away, the job of rehabilitation and post-convict orientation of drug addicts from the NDLEA.
In his contributions, Senator Ashiru, apparently speaking based on informed position, described the NDLEA as “the most corrupt and compromised agency”, hence, his support for the establishment of the new institute.
In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja Sunday evening, and signed by the President of the anti-corruption group, ICACI, Dr. Guy Fredrick Abu, the Chairman of NDLEA, Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd.), was given 7 days ultimatum to publicly apologize to Senator Ashiru and the institution of the National Assembly of Nigeria, to save the country of any international embarrassment.
The group said, it had conducted a preliminary investigation and “can boldy submit that the NDLEA is pursuing personal vendetta with the Distinguished Senator, for standing up to support a Bill which the NDLEA has been doing so much underground to kill”.
“If it is not personal vendetta and afterthought witch-hunt, how on earth, would an agency of the government that wants to be taken seriously, would claim it arrested and prosecuted people close to the Senator, to the extent of saying the Lawmaker sent his Personal Assistant to intervene on behalf of the accused, but would keep it underground for over 3 years, only to come out after it was known that the man supported a Bill which the NDLEA felt as rival?
“Even though the agency didn’t mention the name of the court where the accused were tried, but even if the Senator was mentioned in connection to the crime, what has the NDLEA been waiting for all these years, until he contested and won election and still emerged as Principal Officer of the 10th Senate?
“If the NDLEA wants Nigerians to believe them, it means they have been covering this allegation, until such a time that they felt the Senator started supporting establishment of another agency. How many more high profile personalities the NDLEA may have also covered in this regard? Assuming we want to believe their cock and bull story. It then confirms the submission of the Senator that the agency is corrupt.
“But our preliminary investigation has revealed Senator Ashiru to be an upright man in the society, both at home and in Abuja. Ashiru is 68 years old man who has never tasted red wine or any form of alcohol since he was a child. We had had cause to discuss with 2 classmates of his – one from his primary school days and another, his University mate; in the course of our investigations.
“We can categorically tell Nigerians that the NDLEA only wants to embarrass Nigeria and National Assembly before the international community, because, already, nothing is left in their pride, as far as professionalism is concerned.
“We are giving the Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA just 7 days, to come out openly and apologize to Senator Ashiru, the institution of National Assembly and Nigerians in general. Failure to do this, our members shall mobilize other Nigerians to occupy the NDLEA headquarters, until the needful is done”, the statement added.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Nigerian Senate has screened and confirmed the appointment of seven ministerial nominees forwarded to it by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The nominees were confirmed after several hours of screening during plenary in Abuja
However, some of the nominees who had served the nation in different capacities in the past, and were confirmed by the Senate, were simply asked to introduce themselves and then take a bow and go.
The ministerial appointees who were screened and confirmed are: Dr Nentawe Yilwatda, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Muhammadu Dingyadi, Minister of Labour and Employment and Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Minister of State and, Foreign Affairs.
Others are Dr Jumoke Oduwole, Minister of Industry, Trade and Development, Idi Maiha, Ministry of Livestock Development, Yusuf Ata, Minister of State, Housing and Dr Suwaiba Ahmad, Minister of State for Education.
The Senate on Wednesday gave a clean bill of health to Bianca wife of former governor of Eastern Nigeria, Odumegu Ojukwu, and six other minister-designates forwarded to it by President Bola Tinubu.
In her presentation, the nominee from Anambra, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, lamented the state of the country’s embassies abroad.
She said that poor funding had put the posts in “deplorable conditions that do not represent Nigeria’s standing in the comity of nations.”
It is imperative to renovate the buildings and make the surrounding suitable for lawmakers to use when you come to these countries, and to interface with foreign partners”.
She said that among the country’s challenges was commitment to service, adding “if we are committed to serving this nation with the focus of finding peace, we shall succeed.”
A few senators who spoke during the exercise commended Tinubu for bringing in nominees in spite of party affiliations.
The nomination, according to Sen. Eyinnaya Abaribe (APGA-Abia) highlighted the administration’s focus on the unity of the country.
He said, “The President must be commended for nominating someone across party lines, even someone from APGA, and the wife of my former party leader, late Chief Odumegu Ojukwu.
“By this, the President has started a unity government and the process of national integration”.
For his part, Sen. Victor Umeh (LP-Anambra), described her nomination as a healing process for the country
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
President Bola Tinubu has appointed Major General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as the new Chief of Army Staff.
This was contained in a statement on Wednesday by the presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga.
He said Oluyede would hold sway as the CoAS pending the return of Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, who is said to be indisposed and is receiving treatment abroad.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, has appointed Major General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as the acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS),” the statement read.
“Oluyede will act in the position pending the return of the indisposed substantive Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja.
Until his appointment, Oluyede served as the 56th Commander of the elite Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army, based in Jaji, Kaduna.
The 56-year-old Oluyede and Lagbaja were coursemates and members of the 39th Regular Course.
He was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1992, effective from 1987. He rose to Major-General in September 2020.
Oluyede has held many commands since his commissioning as an officer. He was Platoon Commander and adjutant at 65 Battalion, Company Commander at 177 Guards Battalion, Staff Officer Guards Brigade, Commandant Amphibious Training School.
General Oluyede participated in several operations, including the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) Mission in Liberia, Operation HARMONY IV in Bakassi, and Operation HADIN KAI in the North East theatre of operations, where he commanded 27 Task Force Brigade.
Oluyede has earned many honours for his meritorious service in various fields of operations. These include the Corps Medal of Honour, the Grand Service Star, Passing the Staff Course, and Membership in the National Institute.
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Tinubu appoints Oluyede as acting Chief Of Army Staff
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