News
Police take over emir’s palace in Kano, dislodge local guards protecting Sanusi
The police have reportedly stormed the emir’s palace in Kano state and displaced the local guards protecting Muhammadu Sanusi, the recently reinstated emir.
According to Premium Times, the hunters who served as local guards left the palace as soon as the police officers took over the security of the building.
This was said to be a move aimed at securing the main palace for the relocation of Aminu Bayero, the deposed 15th Emir of Kano, following a court order that faulted his dethronement.
On Thursday, a federal high court in Kano nullified all actions of the state government repealing the Emirates Council Law of 2019.
In his ruling, Muhammad Liman, the presiding judge, said the defendants were aware of an interim order previously granted by the court but ignored it and implemented the law.
BACKGROUND
On May 23, the Kano house of assembly passed the amended bill, which Abba Yusuf, the governor, signed into law.
The law repealed the 2019 version, which divided the Kano emirate into five jurisdictions and was relied upon to dethrone Muhammadu Sanusi as emir in 2020.
On the same day the law was repealed, Sanusi was reinstated as Emir of Kano by kingmakers and the governor.
Aggrieved, Aminu Babba Dan Agundi and Sarkin Dawaki Babba of the Kano emirate approached the court to restrain the respondents from enforcing, implementing, and operationalising the law that reinstated Sanusi.
On May 23, Liman ordered the defendants to “suspend” and “not give effect to the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law, 2024, as they affect all offices and institutions of the Emirate Council created according to the provisions of the Kano State Emirate Council Law, 2019”.
The Kano police command had also said it would not comply with the directive of the state government on the eviction of Bayero from the Nassarawa palace which he moved into after he was replaced by Sanusi, the new emir, who moved into the main palace in Kano.
Since then, Bayero, who is said to have the backing of some federal government officials, has been under the protection of a retinue of soldiers and police officers at the Nassarawa palace.
News
Human Rights Radio partially shuts down over detention of protesting minors
Human Rights Radio and Television, an Abuja-based media organisation, says it has partially shut down operations to protest the treatment of minors involved in the #EndBadGovernance demonstrations.
The media organisation disclosed news of the partial shutdown in a statement released on X on Monday.
On Friday, the police arraigned 76 suspects, some of whom were minors, over their alleged roles in the #EndBadGovernance protests in August.
The charges levied against them include terrorism, arson, and treasonable felony.
At least four of the minors, however, collapsed at the court session.
The defendants, who looked ill and malnourished, were later granted N10 million bail each.
The trial, along with news that the defendants had been detained for 90 days prior to arraignment, has drawn widespread criticisms from the civil society.
Also reacting, the broadcast establishment called for the unconditional release of the children, and reiterated its stance on solidarity with the voiceless “until justice is served”.
“Human Rights Radio and Television (Brekete Family) shuts down partially in protest of the Nigerian government’s detention of underage children,” the statement reads.
“This decision reflects our deep commitment to defending the rights of the vulnerable and holding authorities accountable.
“We call on all well-meaning Nigerians and international bodies to join us in demanding the immediate and unconditional release of these children. Until justice is served, we stand firm in solidarity with the voiceless.”
News
Equatorial Guinean anti-graft boss enmeshed in 400 sex tapes scandal
Baltasar Ebang Engonga, a top official of the Equatorial Guinean government, is embroiled in a massive sex scandal.
According to Real Equatorial Guinea, the scandal was uncovered when officials searched the house and office of Engonga, the embattled director general of Equatorial Guinea’s Anti-graft National Agency for Financial Investigation (ANIF) as part of a fraud investigation.
The country’s authorities were said to have discovered about 400 explicit videos allegedly featuring him and numerous women.
The footage, discovered in his office, reportedly included sex tapes involving prominent persons, such as his brother’s wife, his cousin, the sister of the president of Equatorial Guinea, the director general of police’s wife, and about 20 of the country’s ministers’ wives, among others.
The videos, now widely circulated on social media, were filmed in his office, hotels, and toilets, with all scenes being recorded with the participant’s consent.
https://twitter.com/teonguema/status/1853095431263400274?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1853095431263400274%7Ctwgr%5E263b65fdc2c9d6ea58be763a4c3d6bf704ef0cd3%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Flifestyle.thecable.ng%2Fequatorial-guinean-anti-graft-boss-engonga-enmeshed-in-400-video-sex-scandal%2F
Addressing the scandal via X, Teodoro Nquema, Equatorial Guinea’s vice president, emphasized that sexual relations in administrative workplaces are strictly prohibited.
He warned that anyone violating the rule will face disciplinary actions, including dismissal from their job.
“Given the abuse that has been shown on social media in Equatorial Guinea in recent days, and remembering that ministries are solely and exclusively for carrying out administrative work in support of the country’s development, sexual relations in offices are prohibited,” he wrote.
“Control mechanisms are already in place, and anyone who violates this rule again will be subject to disciplinary proceedings for indecent conduct and will be dismissed from their job.”
Engonga is the son of Baltasar Engonga Edjoo, the current president of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC).
His role in ANIF includes overseeing financial investigations and managing activities aimed at curbing financial corruption in the country.
The 54-year-old government official is married with six children.
News
EFCC arrests Ifeanyi Okowa over alleged diversion of N1.3trn
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested Ifeanyi Okowa, the former governor of Delta state.
TheCable understands that Okowa was arrested over the alleged diversion of N1.3 trillion.
The amount is said to be part of the 13 percent derivation fund earmarked for oil-producing states.
According to insiders involved in the investigation, the funds were allegedly diverted between 2015 and 2023.
TheCable learned that Okowa was arrested on Monday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital, when he reported to the EFCC office following an invitation over the matter.
Insiders informed TheCable that the former governor is also being probed over another N40 billion allegedly used to acquire shares in UTM Floating Liquefied Natural Gas — a facility being developed by UTM Offshore Limited in Akwa Ibom state.
The former governor was said to have failed to account for the utilisation of the funds.
The anti-graft agency is also investigating Okowa over the alleged diversion of funds “to acquire estates in Abuja and Asaba”.
Okowa, who is being held at the EFCC holding facility in Port Harcourt, was governor of Delta state from 2015 to 2023.
He was succeeded by Sheriff Oborevwori.
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