News
Chaos at National Assembly as DSS operatives brutalize 2 senior staff
Two senior staff of the National Assembly were in the early hours of Friday brutalized by operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, for allegedly not properly identifying themselves at the second gate of the Complex.
The staff, Chris Odoh, a Deputy Director, and John Nnadi, of the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), ran into trouble with the DSS operatives who have been drafted to man the entire National Assembly Complex, at about 11:45 am, when they were asked to identify themselves at the gate.
The DSS officers claimed that the staff could not properly identify themselves but “just flashed their identity card at the gate”.
The operatives, thereafter, forcefully blocked the staff when they attempted to proceed to their offices at the White House, a section of the National Assembly Complex.
In the ensuing altercation, the National Assembly staff were assaulted by the security operatives, while other workers watched helplessly.
Efforts made by passersby to resolve the situation angered the DSS operatives, who after being joined by four of their colleagues, started rough handling the staff and any other person that tried to broker peace.
The operatives dragged the two staff from the linking point, which is about 125 metres in distance.
The incident attracted the sympathy of staff of the Unity Bank, United Bank for Africa, UBA, Senate Committee on Public Accounts and journalists in the Senate Press Centre, whose offices were in the area.
Miffed by the embarrassing scene, staff of the National Assembly from various offices at the White House, including the Mace Bearer in the Senate, spontaneously gathered at the front of the DSS office to demand the immediate release of the two staff.
It took the intervention of the Divisional Police Officer of the National Assembly, Alex Annagu, and the Deputy Clerk of the Senate, Legislative, Mrs Ilobah Isabella, who calmed frayed nerves as they appealed to the irate workers to go back to their offices.
Amidst the crisis, John Nnadi stormed out of the DSS office located underground and started shouting solidarity songs and was immediately joined by other workers who were still hanging around to see the outcome of the confusion.
Chanting ‘We no go gree o, we no go gree’, the irate staff marched to the office of the Clerk of the National Assembly to register their grievance, but he was yet to arrive before they were dispersed by the DPO, who appealed to them for calm.
In the past two weeks, the National Assembly management has replaced its official security arm, Sergeant-at-Arms, who are familiar with staff and the legislative aides and other personnel, with DSS operatives who are daily having altercations with those accessing the Complex.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has disclosed that the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) under his leadership, inherited a debt burden of N8.9 billion.
Ganduje revealed this in Abuja while speaking at the ongoing National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the APC
According to him, the expenses incurred during pre-election legal battles, election cases, and appeals for legislative, governorship, and presidential elections
The current NWC inherited debts and legal liabilities to the total tune of N8,987,874,663, arising from various legal engagements,” he stated.
He, however, noted that Prof. Abdul Kareem Kana (SAN), the National Legal Adviser, has been working to reduce the debt burden.
“We still passionately appeal to the National Executive Committee to intervene accordingly,” he pleaded.
The meeting was attended by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Vice President Kashim Shettima; Senate President Godswill Akpabio; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; state governors; NWC members; and other party chieftains.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Ikeja Special Offences Court in Lagos has rejected the request to step down from the ongoing trial of Godwin Emefiele, the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Emefiele is facing 19 counts bordering on abuse of office, receiving gratification, and corrupt demands, brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
During Monday’s court proceedings, Olalekan Ojo, counsel for Godwin Emefiele, orally requested that Justice Rahman Oshodi should recuse himself from the trial on the grounds of alleged bias.
The request specifically followed a dispute that arose while the seventh prosecution witness, John Adetola, was testifying.
Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, the EFCC’s counsel, was cross examining Adetola’s testimony and referenced an earlier statement in which Adetola claimed he received a bribe from John Ayoh and delivered it to Emefiele at his office.
Oyedepo then asked Adetola to verify a WhatsApp message from Eric Odoh, which had been extracted from his phone by EFCC investigators.
Ojo had objected, arguing that the document was only for identification and had not yet been formally accepted as an exhibit.
The defence had contended that the witness should not read or comment on the document at that point.
The court overruled the objection, citing section 224 of the Evidence Act, which allows for leading questions on introductory or undisputed matters.
Dissatisfied with the ruling, the defence declined to cross-examine the witness and instead filed a motion for the judge to recuse himself from the case.
On Wednesday, Justice Oshodi delivered his ruling, stating that after reviewing the arguments and legal authorities presented, the request lacked merit and was therefore dismissed. [With The Witness report]
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Four female students of the Joseph Saawuaan Tarka Federal University, Makurdi, formally known as Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State, have been kidnapped by gunmen.
Confirming the incident, the State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Sewuese Anene, said that investigation and rescue efforts had begun.
Also speaking on the situation, a senior staff member in the school said the students were going for night study when they were kidnapped between their hostels and the reading point at the North Core area of the school campus.
Meanwhile, the news of the kidnap of the female students sparked wild protests from students.
The students in their numbers marched around the school with tree branches in their hands, demanding immediate action from the school authorities.
The institution’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Isaac Itodo, had yet to respond to any inquiry as of press time.
“I met debt overhang of N8.9bn, says APC Chairman, Ganduje
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