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Cracks widen in Yoruba nation movement as Akintoye steps down as leader

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Banji Akintoye, the leader of Ilana Omo Oodua, has stepped down from his position.

His resignation as leader of the Yoruba nation movement comes months after Wale Adeniran, his erstwhile deputy, renounced his position in the movement, citing matters of principle.

Adeniran had said although he was resigning from his role as an executive, he will remain a member of the organisation.

But in a letter addressed to Adeniran on December 5, Akintoye said he is recusing himself as the leader of the self-determination movement because the “struggle has been too heavy for me at my age”.

He said Adeniran, as the “closest person” to him in the movement, should take over the reins of power.

Akintoye said he will “always be a friend and close associate in the higher levels of the self-determination struggle”.

“I am greatly honoured that you as the closest person to me in llana, most llana members, and all llana committees, have for months been urging me not to leave llana because according to you all,” the letter reads.

“Ilana is my special ‘baby’ in the whole self-determination struggle. But you would remember that in a special meeting of leaders of the self-determination struggle from all over the world about a month ago, you and all the other meeting participants agreed graciously that I should give up my duties in llana because of my heavy accumulation of duties to the higher levels of the whole struggle.

“As for our current difficulties in llana, I am sure you would testify that I am not leaving because of them, and that, in general, even the greatest of difficulties never make me quit, I am imbued with a God-given confidence that I can bear all things and solve the most tortuous complications among men because God in His mercy has given me the gift of a heart that loves all persons in all situations.

“Still, I must ask you to forgive me for leaving llana to you in its current condition. I had wanted to leave llana immediately after the special meeting of worldwide leaders about a month ago, but I decided to help you to iron out some of the ongoing difficulties before leaving.

“Unfortunately, things have not improved as quickly as I expected, and you now have to face a situation in which some of our extremists are still compounding the difficulties. However, I have much confidence in you – including confidence that you will find ways to steer our llana back to the path of compromise, unity and strength.

“No doubt, we shall soon be hearing from some habitual detractors that it was you who disloyally plotted against me and made me leave llana, but we must not let such talk bother us in any way. By the grace of God, we shall win this war and liberate our Yoruba nation, thereby giving our nation the freedom it desires to develop into a greatly respected modern country in the world.”

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NAFDAC raids Abuja supermarkets, confiscates counterfeit products worth N50m

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Operatives of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Thursday raided Sahad store, a popular supermarket in Abuja, for selling some counterfeit products.

The agency also raided H-Medix outlets located in Wuse 2, Gwarinpa, and Utako market, in the nation’s capital.

Speaking with journalists during the exercise, Embugushiki-Musa Godiya, the NAFDAC head of investigation and enforcement in Abuja, said the team had also raided markets in Nyanya and Mararaba axis on Tuesday.

He said the team equally raided Wuse market on Wednesday and seized goods worth millions of naira.

Godiya said the three-day operation was carried out based on intelligent reports the agency gathered from well-meaning Nigerians.

“We have been able to successfully recover some of the counterfeit products, and evacuate them for destruction. Our concern is one of the products, purported to be Nivea NAFDAC regulated product, but it is not,” NAN quoted him as saying.

“The most shocking to me is that such substandard Nivea cream and other cosmetics are even more expensive than the ones approved by NAFDAC. This is criminal.

“The market value of what we have seen so far for drug hawking is N5 million, and for the NIVEA products, other cosmetics and other products, including Jik bleach, Harpic toilet cleaner and Airwick room freshener, all counterfeit in large quantity, valued at N45 million.

“The total value of all the goods seized during the operation is N50 million.”

He said the agency has zero tolerance for compromised standards, adding that “NAFDAC will arrest whosoever is involved in this crime”.

“NAFDAC enforcement will make sure it gets to the root of the syndicate that imports these products,” he said.

He called on Nigerians to be careful with the kind of products they buy, and always watch out for the NAFDAC registration number before they buy.

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NIS places Yahaya Bello on watchlist as IGP withdraws officers attached to him

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The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has placed Yahaya Bello, former governor of Kogi, on a watchlist.

The police headquarters in Abuja has also “ordered the withdrawal of all men attached to his excellency Alhaji Yahaya Bello, former executive governor of Kogi state”.

Bello was declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on April 18 after his absence from the federal high court in Abuja “stalled his arraignment”.

The anti-graft agency alleges that Bello, alongside Alli Bello, chief of staff to Usman Ododo, governor of Kogi; and one Daudu Suleiman, diverted about N80.2 billion belonging to the Kogi government.

In a statement signed by DS Umar, assistant comptroller of immigration, on behalf of Kemi Nandap, comptroller-general of the NIS, the agency said “the above named person has been placed on watch list”.

“The subject is being prosecuted for breach of trust and money laundering. If seen at any entry or exit point, he should be arrested and referred to the Director of Investigation for further action,” the statement reads.

On April 17, the EFCC ended its siege on Bello’s residence in Abuja after Usman Ododo, governor of Kogi, arrived at the house and was later seen leaving with his predecessor.

Lateef Fagbemi, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), has warned against obstructing the EFCC “in the discharge of its duty”.

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Kenya’s Defence Chief, Francis Ogolla killed in helicopter crash

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Francis Ogolla, Kenyan chief of defence forces, and nine members of the military have died in a helicopter crash in the western part of the country.

President William Ruto announced the tragic incident in a press briefing on Thursday.

Ruto said the crash happened on Thursday afternoon shortly after take-off, noting that two people survived the incident.

The Star, a local media, quoted witnesses as saying the chopper burst into flames after crashing.

Ruto said he was deeply saddened by the incident and announced that a team of investigators had been dispatched to the site of the crash to determine the cause of the accident.

The president said Ogolla had departed Nairobi, Kenya’s capital city, to visit troops in the North Rift region of the country and to inspect ongoing school renovations.

“For me, as the commander in chief of the Kenya defence forces, it is a tragic moment for the Kenya defence forces fraternity and it is a most unfortunate day for the nation at large,” he said.

“Our motherland has lost one of her most valiant generals. We have also lost gallant officers, servicemen, and women.

“The demise of General Ogolla is a painful loss to me, and certainly, the sorrow we all feel about his passing is shared by all the people of Kenya.”

Ogolla, who was previously the head of the Kenyan Air Force, before rising to deputy military chief, was promoted by Ruto on April 28, 2023, to head the military.

The late defence chief joined the Kenya forces in 1984, where he trained as a fighter pilot with the United States Air Force.

He was also an instructor pilot at the Kenya Air Force (KAF).

Ruto declared three days of national mourning beginning on Friday.

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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