Train/Bus Accident: Sanwo-Olu Declares Three Days Mourning Period In Lagos

Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has declared 3 days mourning period in his state following the unfortunate accident that occurred as a moving train rammed into a state bus conveying civil servants to work in the state on Thursday, March 9, IGBERETV reports.

He wrote on his Twitter handle;

"I was at LASUTH to understand the condition of the victims of the bus/train accident.

The team at LASUTH expertly setup an outdoor triage centre which has contributed in saving lives, speeding up injury level profiling and supporting immediate critical action. 

"This was a totally avoidable incident that simply required patience and the need to follow proper transportation protocol. 

There were 85 pax on board the bus with 6 deaths, 42 moderate injuries, 29 serious and 8 mild injuries according to the LASUTH classification scale.

"Lagos is in a state of mourning and for the next 3 days, I am suspending all campaign activities. All flags will be flown at half mast and tomorrow all civil servants will work till 12 noon before returning home to be with their loved ones during this trying time.

"It is still a critical period for some of the patients as we continue to call for blood donations across different state government medical facilities. 

This is a call for our humanity to rise above all. I also thank LASEMA, the security agencies, staff and students of LASUTH."

Why Buhari’s Quiet Over Allegations Of Irregularities Against INEC — Garba Shehu

 The Presidency, on Thursday, gave the reason why President Muhammadu Buhari kept is silent when there were allegations of irregularities and compromise against the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on the conduct of the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections.

The Presidency also ruled out the possibility of taking any decision that would lead to the annulment of the presidential elections as was the case of June 12, 1992.

It advised any candidate or political party that is not satisfied with the conduct and outcome of the election to approach the court for redress.

These were contained in a report by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, titled, “At the 5th United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries (LDCs), President Buhari drums up support for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Presidency”.

Before the elections, President Buhari had at different fora, both local and international, assured that he would ensure that the elections that would herald his exit from office would be credible, free, fair and transparent and that the outcome would reflect the wish of the people in choosing who would lead them.

The signing into the law the Electoral Act, 2022 and the use of technology for the elections were indications that President Buhari was ready to bequeath to the Nigeria, a transparent electoral process, devoid of manipulations.

However, controversies have trailed the conduct and outcome of the February 25 presidential election as the INEC has been accused to have failed to follow strictly the Electoral Act as regards the transmission of the results from the BIVAS to the iREV immediately after collation at the Pulling Units.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was the first to raise the alarm that the INEC had compromised the conduct of the election by not keeping to the electoral laws and had, in a statement, called on President Buhari to call the electoral umpire to order so that the country would not be thrown into political crisis.

There has also been plethora of negative reports from a section of international news media, casting aspersions on the conduct of the election, saying that it fell flat from the expectations of majority of the electorate.  

But the presidential spokesman in what could be said to be the takeaways he listed from the President participation at the LDCs Conference, in Doha, Qatar, said that Buhari, while speaking to Nigerians in the Diaspora about the ongoing political transition, called for support for the incoming government of Asiwaju Tinubu, “so that Nigeria will continue to be the beacon of hope and prosperity in our continent and an example for other African countries to emulate.”

He further said, “In addition to other things, this trip, more than any other, speaks to the courage, political stamina and statesmanship with which the President has managed the affairs of the nation. 

“In the buildup to the trip, he was faced with orchestrated attempts to poison public opinion against national institutions, particularly the presidential election and its conduct by the independent National Electoral Commission, INEC as an institution, against which vile and unsubstantiated allegations were hurled.

“The clear intent of this was creating an atmosphere of fear, polarizing the public and demonizing the administration of the President. The wishful thinkers appeared to assume that the June 12, 1993 election crisis, the worst ever since the Civil War could be recreated. Those who sought to do this forgot what the President said at the palace of the Gbong-Gwon Jos, when he went to the city to inaugurate the Tinubu-Shettima campaign: “this election will not be annulled; whoever is the winner will be president.,’’ he said. 

He also said, “President Buhari not only muted himself following the cacophony, he picked up international travel: “Bola Tinubu’s election stands. If you are aggrieved, and you have the locus to do so, go to court.’’ 

Continuing, he said, “President Buhari used the opportunity of the visit to speak to his guests about the recent election in Nigeria and the fact that a new President would be taking over in less than three months. He hoped that the strong relations he had built between those countries will continue to endure in the new administration.

“The highlight of the conference for Nigeria was the national address on the theme of this year’s event “From Potential to Prosperity”, a speech that observers described as strikingly activist. In it, the President criticized the current structure of the global financial system which, he said, “places an unsustainable external debt burden on the most vulnerable countries.”

Sir Friday Nwosu Dies At 63

 RIP SIR F.N. NWOSU 

Words are not enough to describe the monumental loss brought by the passing of the Party's National Welfare Secretary, Sir Friday Nwanozie Nwosu on the APC family. May his soul rest in peace.

South African Lady Displays Her Certificate Of Virginity

 

Evra: Messi Will Have 15 Ballon d'Ors If He Had Ronaldo's Work Ethic

 Manchester United legend, Patrice Evra said while appearing on Rio Ferdinand's YouTube channel FIVE: "I want to explain why I say Ronaldo every time. It's not because he's our brother it's because I'm in love with work ethic. I feel like Messi, god just gave him a talent and Cristiano had to work for it. 

He had the talent but he had to work for it. If Messi had the same work ethic as Ronaldo, he would probably have like 15 Ballon d'Ors today. I'm just in love with people working hard so that's why I pick Ronaldo over Messi."

Rashida Bello Wanted By EFCC, Spotted In Aso Rock With Aisha Buhari, Remi Tinubu

 The wife of Kogi governor, Rashida Bello, said to be at large over a N3 billion fraud, has reappeared in the Presidential Villa, meeting with first lady Aisha Buhari and the wife of the president-elect, Remi Tinubu. 

On February 13, the EFCC sued Mrs Bello and others at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court over money laundering and misappropriation of about N3 billion. 

Mrs Bello announced her presence at a meeting with Mmes Buhari and Tinubu at the Villa on Monday, few weeks after the anti-graft agency declared her wanted.

“Few days ago at the Presidential Villa where the wife of the president-elect, (the) wife of the vice-president-elect, myself and other governor’s wives, as well as APC stakeholders and members, paid a courtesy visit to the mother of the nation, Dr (Mrs) Aisha Buhari,” Mr Bello said in a Facebook post on Monday, sharing photos of herself in the company of the women.

EFCC’s spokesman Wilson Uwujaren told Peoples Gazette that “the matter is in court” when asked on Thursday about the anti-graft agency’s claim that Mrs Bello is at large.

Last February, the anti-corruption commission arraigned the Kogi first lady (in absentia) and four others for money laundering and criminal misappropriation.

“That you, Ali Bello, Abba Adaudu, Yakubu Siyaka Adabenege, Iyada Sadat, Rashida Bello (at large) sometime in June 2020 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court procured E- Traders International Limited to retain the aggregate sum of N3,081,804,654.00 which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful activity to wit: criminal misappropriation, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 18(a), 15(20)(d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act,” said count one of the charge.

They are facing an 18-count charge.

Joy Jeff, Nigerian ‘Most wanted’ Prostitution Ring Leader, Extradited To Italy

 A woman described as a prominent figure in the Nigerian mafia has been arrested after being on the run since 2010.

She was flown from Abuja back to Rome, Italy, where she has been sentenced to 13 years in prison.

The crimes of the convict, who was tried in her absence, included running a prostitution ring, Italian police said on Wednesday.

48-year-old Joy Jeff, one of the few women on the country’s most-wanted list, was arrested in Nigeria on June 4, 2022.

The international warrant issued before her extradition was facilitated by a treaty signed by Nigeria and Italy in 2020.

Investigators in the city of Ancona said Jeff played a major role in trafficking women to Italy, Spain and the Netherlands.

The victims narrated how they were forced into prostitution by violence and threats.

Video released by the Italian police showed the woman being flown from the Abuja airport to Ciampino airport in Rome.

“Africa today is a strategic location when looking for fugitives and fighting organised crime,” said Vittorio Rizzi, an officer responsible for international coordination.