News
Oyo market shut as Yoruba, Hausa clashes go full blown
Clashes between Hausa and Yoruba Youths took a dangerous dimension on with casualties on both sides on Saturday in Shasha market of Oyo State.
Source said clashes followed the reported death of a Yoruba cobbler who allegedly charmed by a Hausa cart pusher.
The youths were seen unleashing mayhem on one another and on shops belonging tonthise they believed are their enemies.
Before now, Oyo State has been tension soaked over insecurity and other forms of criminality believed to be carried out by Fulani herdsmen in Igangan and Ibarakpa area of the State.
But residents on Saturday said they had fled the entire area of Shasha as there reports of pending crisis, saying that they could not pass the night in their homes on Friday night for fear of overnight attack from any of the warring groups.
Sources said despite the deployment of police and security agencies in the area, yet to be identified groups razed the Shasha market overnight by burning down some shops, kiosk and wares of some traders.
Meanwhile, Oyo State government has imposed a 24-hour curfew on Shasha market while the embattled market has also been ordered shut down indefinitely.
In a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor of Oyo State, Mr. Taiwo Adisa said, the shut was a proactive measure to stop further killings and destruction of properties in the market.
Some residents of the area who spoke with newsmen blamed security operatives for not doing much to avert the crisis, noting that they were stationed at the gate of the market, while attacks are being carried out inside the market.
One accused police of protecting Seriki Shasha a (Hausa leader) while the house of the Baale Shaha was left unprotected.
Reacting to the development on his verified Twitter handle, Senator Shehu Sani, who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial district in the 8th Senate, described the situation as dangerous, while he urged government to cautiously handle ethnic crisis before it gets out of hand.
“The Hausa community was attacked in Ibadan as the Southerners seem frustrated about the recent activities of Herdsmen in the city.
“However, the attack isn’t a justifiable one and you just continue to hope things doesn’t get out of hands in the State.
“Nigeria is threading on the path of inter-ethnic conflict and it’s high time the Federal Government intervened. The government needs to take proactive measures concerning the issue of Herdsmen and inhabitants of the South.”
Member representing Biu/Bayo/Shania/Kwaya/Kusar Federal Constituency of Borno State, Hon. Mukhtar Aliyu Betara has disclosed that he shared $5,000 with members of his committee as a “Sallah gesture”.
Betara who is the Reps Committee Chairman on FCT said the money was not a bribe to pass resolution declaring a state of emergency in Rivers as being insinuated.
The was posted by a Nigerian investigative journalist, Jaafar Jaafar on his X handle.
Jaafar said Betara explained this to him after the lawmaker reached out to clarify that the $5,000 given to lawmakers was merely a “Sallah gesture” and not an inducement.
He quoted Batara to have said the gesture was a long standing g tradition and has nothing to do with the state of emergency I Rivers.
Jaafar wrote:
“The chairman of the House Committee on FCT, Mukhtar Aliyu Betara, has clarified to me that he only shared $5,000 with each member of his committee as a ‘Sallah gesture,’ not as an inducement to support emergency rule in Rivers State.
“According to him, he maintains the tradition—like Santa Claus—every year.
“As we say in Hausa, not thigh but hind leg.”
The clarification by Betara came amid strong speculations that Senators received $15,000 bribe to pass a resolution to sustain declaration of state of emergency rule in Rivers.
The bribe was reportedly shared on Tuesday before they voted on Wednesday.
News
INEC holds crucial meeting to look into petition recalling Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from Senate
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has proceeded into a crucial meeting to study and look into a petition submitted to it by constituents of Kogi Central Senatorial District.
CAPITAL POST gathered, it a top management meeting as it was claimed that over 250,000 constituents signed the petition out of 480,000 registered voters.
The meeting was confirmed on Monday by the Acting
Director of Publicity, Esther Chibuikem, stating that the meeting held at a committee room at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.
It was also confirmed that the Secretary to the commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, on received the petition against Natasha on Monday.
The petition follwed the nod given by the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja on Friday where the earlier judgement restraining INEC from accepting the petition was set asid3.
Last week, constituents from Kogi Central were said to have i initiated a recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, but some constituents claimed that they were d3ceived into exercise as they were told to gather with their voters card for 3 powerment.
However, the Court, in a judgement delivered in Lokoja, affirmed that the recall process is constitutionally valid and aligns with the civic rights of the constituents.
The court urged the constituents to continue exercising their rights in an orderly and peaceful manner.
The development was after the court on Thursday granted an interim injunction restraining INEC, its staff, agents, privies or assigns from receiving, accepting or acting on any petition containing signatures of members of Kogi Central Senatorial District.
As at press time, INEC hasn’t release information on the next action as signatures may have to be critically compared with its register to determine validity.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC on Monday received a petition to recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Uduaghan from the 10th Senate.
The petition was submitted by the constituents of Kogi Central Senatorial District to recall Natasha having signed the petition which claimed to have met the requirements as stipulatedby the Constitution 1990 as amended.
Our correspondent who monitre the development at the Maitama headquarter of INEC report that th3 petition was submitted with over 250,000 signatures out of 480,000 registered voters.
The Constitution however required above 50% register3d voters’ recall signatures before it could be recognised and acceptable.
Senator Natasha is currently on suspension for six months for breaching Senate Rules and has proceeded to Court to challenge the Senate decision which was yet to determined.
She also alleged sexual harassment by the Senate President, Godswill Obot Akpabio.
CAPITAL POST gathered that the former Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has highjacked the recall which is being pursued through proxies disguised as constituents in order to contest for the Senate if the exercise succeeds.
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State of Emergency in Rivers: $5,000 shared to Reps as ‘Sallah gesture,’ not bribe – Hon.
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