Senate President Godswill Akpabio says the reintroduced national anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee”, could have prevented banditry and insecurity if the country had retained it.

The old National anthem ‘’Nigeria, we hail thee” was abolished by Obasanjo in 1978 but was reintroduced by President Tinubu in May 2024. 

While speaking during a visit to the Nigeria Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies in Abuja on Tuesday, June 18, Akpabio said the reintroduced anthem would foster unity, patriotism and love among Nigerians. He noted that those labelling the re-introduced anthem as an element of colonialism don’t understand the country’s history and are ignorant of the law.

According to the Senate president, a panel made up of Nigerians was set up in 1959, which received inputs from all over the world regarding the anthem and approved the reintroduced anthem then.

“The other impactful bill signed by the National Assembly is the reverting to our old national anthem. A lot of people are not aware that there was a panel set up and made up of Nigerians to receive input from all over the world in 1959. So when people are saying we’re bringing in a colonial anthem, they need to look into the history of “Nigeria, we hail thee”. If we had kept to that anthem, we probably would not have banditry today in Nigeria because if you take your neighbour as your brother, you will not want to kill him.”

Akpabio also revealed that more than 30,000 Nigerian students have been selected to benefit from the student loan scheme.

The Senate President said the Student Loan bill allows the children of the poor and underprivileged persons in the country to obtain higher education without the financial burden.

According to Akpbaio, the bill was one of the most important pieces of legislation passed by the tenth Assembly of the country.

He said: “One of the most important bills for the tenth Assembly was the bill sent to us by President Bola Tinubu. The Student Loan Bill enables vulnerable Nigerian students, the less privileged, to obtain higher education.

“And as I speak to you now, over 30,000 Nigerian students have already been selected to benefit from that scheme.

“That is one of the bills I will say appeal to me the most.”

On Father’s Day, a 35-year-old man, Siyanda Magagu kidnapped his girlfriend’s 3-year-old son, Anganam Magxwalisa and hanged him to die on a tree in Xholora township, Stutterheim, in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.  

Eastern Cape NPA spokesperson, Luxolo Tyali said Magagu appeared on charges of kidnapping and murder at the Stutterheim Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, June 18, 2024. 

He was remanded in custody.

It is alleged that Magagu, who was in a relationship with Anganam’s mother, took the child from his 13-year-old cousin, saying he was going to buy him sweets at a local spaza shop.

This allegedly happened after he had argued with the child’s mother.

According to the family’s spokesperson, Babalwa Goroleki, Magagu had been in the child’s life since he was two months old.

“We are deeply shocked,” said Goroleki.

“We never thought he would do something like this. He loved him like his own. We just don’t understand what could have possessed him to do something like this.

“Even here at home, we had a good relationship with him because we could see how he treated the little boy.

“Was it just because he argued with the mother? I don’t understand how someone could involve a child in something like that,” said the visibly distraught Goroleki.

Provincial police spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel Siphokazi Mawisa said the mother contacted the police to report that Anganam was missing.

Police found his body hanging from a tree a few hours later. 

Magagu, a taxi driver, was arrested early on Sunday morning.

Linda Ikeji

The Police Command in Delta has launched a manhunt for a fleeing father who allegedly murdered his six-year-old daughter at Agbarho Community in Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state.

Spokesman of the command, SP Bright Edafe, who disclosed this to newsmen on Sunday in Warri identified the suspect as Stanley Ovemureye.

Edafe said that the suspect, currently at large, allegedly smashed the head of his daughter, Abigail, on the wall several times before she gave up the ghost.

He said that the incident occurred on Saturday, adding that the matter was reported at the Agbarho police division by the suspect’s brother.

“The command is aware of the gruesome murder of one Abigail Stanley, aged 6, allegedly killed by her father, Ovemureye.

“The sad incident which occurred on Saturday was reported at the division by the brother of the fleeing suspect.

“The Divisional Police Officer on receipt of the complaint, detailed operatives to the scene at Uviama New Layout, Agbarho in Ughelli North Local Government Area.

“The police operatives recovered the corpse of the little child whose head was smashed several times on the wall, and deposited it at the mortuary.

“The father who is the principal suspect is currently at large,” Edafe said.
He said that the Commissioner of Police (CP) of the command, Mr Olufemi Abaniwonda had ordered a serious manhunt for the fleeing suspect.

Edafe added that the CP had assured the public that the suspect would be apprehended and justice meted accordingly.

He, however, said that the CP had urged anyone with useful information that could lead to the arrest of the suspect to call the control room number on 0803684974 or report at the nearest police station.

• Family seeks justice

A female student of the University of Benin, UNIBEN, identified as Adekolore Idowu Glory, has been reportedly raped to death.

Glory, 22, a recent graduate of the university, was said to have been beaten and raped to death at Iyowa Community in Benin City, on June 13.

In an X post, a user who identified as Glory’s brother said unknown men attacked her while she was on her way back home from school.

Glory, who graduated in April this year, was said to have been processing her clearance when she was killed. Her body was reportedly left close to her house.

The user also called on the police to unravel the mystery surrounding her death, saying “Justice for my younger sister Adekolure Idowu Glory, who was rape and killed in lyowa Community Benin Edo state on her way back from school (UNIBEN ) she went for her clearance and her corpse drop close to her mother’s house.

“Help us seek for justice for my kid sister that just graduated from University of Benin (UNIBEN) in April 2024 and still processing her projects and clearance and was rape to death on her way back from school on Thursday 13th/6/2024 just 22 years.

“Her lifeless body has been deposited at UBTH mortuary on the 15/6/24 with the help of the Nigerian police from Ekiadolor Division. She was beaten, rape and killed. Please, Nigerians come to my rescue. The help I need now is just for my innocent sister. My mum can’t hold herself.”
The police in Edo have yet to comment on the matter — as of the time of this report.

Vanguard

FIV Mara Movéis, a three-year-old Nelore cow from Brazil, valued at US$4 million, is the most expensive cow ever sold at auction, according to Guinness World Records.

The price realised for the cow, weighing 1100kg or twice the weight of an average adult of this breed, is three times that of the previous record holder.

According to the Associated Press (AP), although 80% of the cattle in Brazil were from the Zebu breed, a subspecies that originated in India, with a distinctive hump and dewlap, the Nelore was bred for meat, not milk.

“The cattle industry is a major source of Brazilian economic development, and the government is striving to conquer new export markets. The world’s top beef exporter, [Brazil], wants everyone, everywhere, to eat its beef,” the AP said.

Viatina-19 was constantly being monitored by security cameras and a veterinarian, and she had an armed guard on duty around the clock on the farm near Uberaba in the state of Minas Gerais, where she was being kept.

The owners erected two billboards showcasing the cow on the highway traversing the state, which attracted curious locals and busloads of veterinary students eager to view this ‘super cow’.

The AP reported that Viatina-19 was the product of years of effort to “raise meatier cows” in Brazil.

“The country’s prize winners are sold at high-stakes auctions [where the stakes are] so high that wealthy ranchers share ownership. They extract the eggs and semen from champion animals, create embryos and implant them in surrogate cows that they hope will produce the next magnificent specimens,” the AP reported.

Local veterinarian Lorrany Martins said the exceptional price paid for the cow was based on “how quickly she put on vast amounts of muscle, her fertility and, crucially, how often she has passed those characteristics on to her offspring.”.

“Breeders also value posture, hoof solidity, docility, maternal ability, and beauty. Those eager to level up their livestock’s genetics pay around US$250 000 [R4,7 million] for an opportunity to collect Viatina-19’s egg cells,” the report said.

Brazil, along with the US, was at the forefront of cattle genetics, and more in vitro fertilisation was being undertaken there than anywhere else in the world, according to João Henrique Moreira Viana, genetic resources and biotechnology researcher at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation.

Viatina-19 has also won several awards, including ‘Miss South America’ at the Fort Worth, Texas-based ‘Champion of the World’ competition in the US, a bovine version of Miss Universe, where cows and bulls from around the world compete for top honours.

AP

A Federal High Court in Lagos State has granted the bail application filed by a social media influencer Chizorom Harrison Ofoegbu, popularly known as Ijele.

A report by SaharaReporters said that the bail was granted in a ruling delivered by the trial judge, Justice Akintayo Aluko on Friday morning.

The court mandated Ijele to provide N50 million bail bond with two sureties, adding that one of the sureties must own a landed property in Lagos while the civil service cadre of other one must not be lower than level 14.

The Nigeria Police Force had on May 30, 2024, filed an amended three-count criminal charge against Ijele before the court.

The three counts between the Inspector General of Police as the Complainant and Chizorom Harrison Ofoegbu as Defendant bordered on conspiracy, criminal defamation, cybercrime and threat to life.

In the charge numbered FHCA/3210/24, the police said the offences violated sections 24(1)(a)(b), (2)(a)(b); 27(1)(a) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention) Act 2015 and sections 373 and 374 of the Criminal Code Act, punishable under section 375 of the Criminal Code Act.

Also, a magistrate court in Abuja had earlier struck out the case bordering on criminal intimidation, threat to life, cyberstalking, and cyberbullying filed against him.

The Chief Magistrate, Emmanuel Iyanna, while ruling on the bail application filed through his lawyer, struck out the case for lack of jurisdiction.

The judge also ordered the police to arraign the blogger before a competent court of law to enable the defendant to take his plea in line with the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice (ACJA) 2015.

Delivering his ruling on the bail application, Iyana ruled that the defendant be arraigned before the Federal High Court where the prosecution claimed to have filed charges against him.

He added that there was no charge before his court against the blogger and that his court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the case.

On Monday, May 30, at the last hearing, Justice Aluko criticised the Nigeria Police Force for what he described as an excessive deployment of legal resources in the cybercrime case against the social media influencer.

The judge expressed dismay at the large number of lawyers as well as junior legal practitioners watching briefs in the case.

The Nigeria Police Force is prosecuting the case on behalf of Evangelist Ebuka Obi’s Zion Prayer Ministry Movement Outreach.

At the re-arraignment of the social media influencer on May 30, the police announced about 10 lawyers appearing on the case.

Amazed at the number of lawyers in the courtroom appearing for the police on the case, Justice Aluko knocked the police for fielding a disproportionately large retinue of lawyers to prosecute the case in what could be implied as a waste of resources and non-efficient utilisation of the lawyers’ time.

Similarly, human rights advocate and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, knocked the police for fielding such a retinue of lawyers, describing it as unnecessary legal representation.

Sowore, who attended the hearing to support Ijele, expressed dissatisfaction with the police’s decision to assemble many lawyers to appear in a case of human rights violation.

He noted that such deployment of lawyers in what was supposed to be a civil matter was not just a waste of resources, but a clear sign of the lengths to which the authorities would go to stifle free speech and violate human rights in the country.

The Lagos police command’s spokesman, Benjamin Hundeyin, has been busted for claiming that a joint task force comprising marine police and the Nigerian Navy rescued three abducted Fouani brothers on Tuesday. Peoples Gazette has reliably learnt that the police played no role in freeing the foreign nationals.

Top police sources, acquainted with the situation, told The Gazette that the Fouani brothers, kidnapped under the Third Mainland Bridge on Thursday night by six bandits, were abandoned around 11:00 p.m. on Monday at Orugbo Waterside, a village near Epe in the creeks where community members found and took them to the Oloja of Epe’s palace.

The palace alerted the police about the matter around 2:00 a.m. and later handed the freed Fouanis over to police the same morning.

The sources told The Gazette that they could not tell whether or not the naval tactical squad played any role in rescuing the hostages from the kidnappers’ lair, given that it was community members who found them in a boat on the creeks.

It was also unclear whether a ransom was paid to the bandits to set free the Fouanis in the creeks of the Orugbo community, where they were found.

Amtar Fouani, 37, Abbas Mohamed Fouani, 40, Hassan Fouani, 29, and two Nigerians, Emmanual Autai, 43, and Ridwan Badari, 31, were all found in the creeks and handed over to the police.

The Fouani brothers, who sources confirmed were unharmed in captivity, were later taken to their apartment at Ocean Parade Towers Banana Island by police officers Tuesday.

Information from police sources corroborated a post by social media user @masudayeola, who tweeted pictures of the released Fouani brothers around 11:00 p.m. on Monday and tagged X handles of Mr Hundeyin and the police to call their attention to the matter.

“@BenHundeyin @PoliceNG Sir, three kidnapped expatriates and 2 indigenes were just dumped at Ebute-Oriba, Epe LG as of this evening,” @masudayeola posted. “Please they are still there as of writing. This is a cry for rescue.”

In the pictures and videos shared by the X user, no police officers were in sight.

It was unclear why Mr Hundeyin said the police rescued the Fouanis, who were already speaking freely among Epe locals Monday evening.

Recently, a student of the Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa, who was kidnapped alongside 29 others, disclosed that the kidnappers collected about N40 million in ransom before they were granted freedom.

On Friday 7 June about 30 travellers, including some students of the polytechnic, were abducted by kidnappers along the Abuja-Nasarawa Highway on Friday.

The kidnappers reportedly ambushed the vehicles transporting the travellers and took them into a nearby bush in the Uke area of Nasarawa State. A student among the abductees was travelling to her family in Abuja at the time of the incident.

Speaking with newsmen the victim recounted how the seven-man gang ambushed their vehicles, shot at the tyres, and robbed them of their belongings before abducting them into the bush.

She further explained that once in the thick bush, the kidnappers allowed the victims to rest upon realizing some were exhausted.

She disclosed that around midnight on Saturday, 8 June the kidnappers instructed the captives to call their relatives to demand a ransom of N10 million each.

The victim also stated that after several pleadings, the kidnappers grouped them into students and non-students, demanding that students collectively pay N10 million while others should pay N10 million each.

She added, “We, who are students, started calling our relatives and money was rallied around to make the payment.

“There is an Alhaji among the other group who raised about N20m and other people raised about N10m. The total money they got was about N40m.

“During the whole incident, we did not see any police officer come around till we were released. It was after they said they had got the money that they allowed us to go. We have gone to the police station but were told to write a statement.”

A relative of the victim earlier stated that the victim had reached out to her family, notifying them of her release.

“She contacted us this morning, saying they had been released. I am on my way to the police station because the number she called us from has been unreachable since,” the relative said.

Efforts to obtain a response from the Nasarawa State Police Public Relations Officer, Rahman Nansel, were unsuccessful, as messages and calls to his phone went unanswered at the time of filing this report.

The Gazzette/Akelicious.net