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DSS Files Terrorism Charges Against Blogger ‘Lady K’ Who Streamed Igboho’s House Raid On Facebook

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The Department of State Services has filed terrorism charges against Amudat Babatunde, a female blogger who did a Facebook Live around 2 am on July 1, 2021, when the DSS in a joint operation with sister agencies raided the Ibadan residence of Yoruba Nation agitator Sunday Adeyemo also known as Sunday Igboho.

Babatunde and Noah Oyetunji (male) are two of the 12 detained aides of the activist yet to be released by the secret police despite that a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on August 4, 2021, had granted them bail.

Known as ‘Lady K ifeoluwa show’ on Facebook, the blogger with over 17,000 followers had turned on her Facebook Live on the midnight of July 1 during the raid of Igboho’s house by the Nigerian security forces.

Seated on a bed in a room in one of the apartments in Igboho’s residence in the Soka area of Ibadan, a fear-torn Lady K had made a 12-minute video, alerting the world that DSS operatives had “attacked” the residence of her boss.

In the video which is still on her Facebook page as of the time of filing this report, an alarmed Lady K had said, “Please share this video, soldiers have attacked Chief Sunday Igboho’s house. We are under attack. Nigerian soldiers have attacked us at Chief Sunday Igboho’s house.

“You can hear the gunshots. This is about 2 am. They have been shooting for over 10 minutes now. I had to confirm it before coming on this Live. I heard their gunshots from my sleep. I can’t come out now. They told me not to come out but alert the world through this Facebook Live.”

Igboho’s spokesman, Olayomi Koiki, had also alleged that the DSS removed the closed-circuit television in his principal’s house after the raid, an allegation the DSS has not denied.

Lady K was said to be a member of the media team of the Yoruba Nation arrowhead before the DSS arrested her alongside 11 others during the raid. The secret police also said its operatives killed two other associates of the activist during a “gun duel”.

Lady K and 11 others had approached the court through their lawyers to exercise their constitutional rights to freedom.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had on August 4, 2021, granted bail to the 12 detainees but the DSS freed 10 of them last week and held back the blogger and Oyetunji after over 60 days in detention following their arrest since July 1.

One of the detainees’ lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, had appealed to the DSS to respect court orders and release Lady K and Oyetunji on bail while three Senior Advocates of Nigeria – Femi Falana, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, and Ifedayo Adedipe – had said that the DSS was inviting anarchy and lawlessness into the country by not obeying the order for the release of the detainees.

Olajengbesi had also threatened to institute contempt of court proceedings against the DSS director-general, Yusuf Bichi.

However, in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CR/305/2021, which was dated August 31, 2021, the DSS through one of its lawyers, S.M. Bello, filed five terrorism charges against Oyetunji and Babatunde also known as Lady K.

The DSS alleged that Oyetunji and Lady K were in possession of firearms for terrorism-related activities while it specifically alleged that Lady K promoted terrorist acts through her Facebook account.

“That you Amudat Habibat Babatunde (f) adult of Okeara of Ibadan, Oyo State did use your Facebook account as a platform to promote terrorist activities contrary to Section 18 (1 &2) of the Cybercrimes Prohibition Prevention Act 2015,” count five on the charge sheet read.

The court has not fixed any date for the hearing.

But reacting in a chat with The PUNCH, Olajengbesi described the charges as “baseless, vexatious, shameful and without limbs.”

Igboho, wanted by the DSS for alleged arms trafficking, has been in detention in Cotonou, Benin Republic, since July 19, 2021, when he was arrested at an airport as he tried to board a Germany-bound flight.

BIG STORY

Oil Cabal Fought Back After Subsidy Removal — But Tinubu Didn’t Budge — VP Shettima

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Vice-President Kashim Shettima says President Bola Tinubu stood firm against pressures from oil sector cabals after the removal of petrol subsidy.

Shettima made this known on Wednesday during a courtesy visit by the newly elected executives of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) at the presidential villa.

The group was led by NACCIMA’s national president, Jani Ibrahim, according to a statement by Stanley Nkwocha, spokesperson to the vice-president.

Shettima described the subsidy removal as long overdue, calling it a burden previous administrations could not handle.

“I want to assure you that the current administration is your own because the President speaks your language – the language of commerce,” he said.

He explained that the President understands the business environment, having worked as the financial controller at Mobil.

“And he (the President) has taken some bold initiatives. For instance, while fuel subsidy had been an albatross around the neck of successive administrations, he had the courage and the conviction to withdraw fuel subsidy.

“And we know the consequence of unveiling a masquerade. The oil cabal is richer than the Nigerian nation; they fought back, but he (President Tinubu) refused to budge.”

Shettima emphasized that the President stood his ground because his actions were in the “best interest of Nigerians”.

He reaffirmed the administration’s support for businesses and emphasized the importance of the private sector in achieving national development goals.

“This is how great nations build; this is how Korea became what it is,” he said.

Jani Ibrahim, speaking as the new NACCIMA president and OPS chairman, said he assumed office a month ago.

He praised Shettima for his leadership of critical economic institutions like the national economic council (NEC), National Council on Privatisation (NCP), Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), and the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC).

Ibrahim called for regular dialogue between the OPS and the vice-president’s office, proposing bi-annual meetings.

He also recommended including private sector representatives in technical and policy councils of the government.

On May 29, President Bola Tinubu officially announced the removal of the petrol subsidy.

Three months after, TheCable reported that the President was weighing the idea of a “temporary subsidy” on petrol due to rising crude oil prices and foreign exchange rates.

Though the federal government repeatedly denied any reintroduction of subsidy, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited stated on August 19 that it was owed N7.8 trillion for under-recovery.

Nigeria completely ended subsidy payments in October 2024 following the deregulation of the downstream sector, which saw petrol prices at NNPC retail outlets exceed N1,000 per litre in line with market rates.

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BIG STORY

BREAKING: Humanitarian Minister, Nentawe, Emerges APC National Chairman

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The National Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress has appointed the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, Yilwatda Nentawe, as the party’s substantive chairman.

Hope Uzodimma, Governor of Imo State and chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, moved the motion during the ongoing 14th Committee meeting at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja.

The motion was supported by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.

The minister was sworn in immediately after.

 

More to come…

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EFCC Declares 28-Yr-Old Woman Wanted Over Alleged Fraud, Theft

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has declared Oyinkansola Folashade Okanlawon, aged 28, wanted over alleged involvement in fraud and the illegal acquisition of funds.

The announcement was made through the Commission’s official X handle, stating that Okanlawon is being sought for reportedly obtaining money through false pretence and theft.

The notice reads: “The public is hereby notified that OYINKANSOLA FOLASHADE OKANLAWON, whose photograph appears above, is wanted by the EFCC in an alleged case of Stealing and Obtaining Money by False Pretence.

“She is 28 years old and a native of Ipokia LGA in Ogun State. Her last known address is 21 Hammed-Kasumu Street, Chevron Drive, Lekki, Lagos.

“Anybody with useful information as to her whereabouts should please contact the Commission in its Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, Ilorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt or Abuja offices or through 08093322644; its e-mail address: [email protected] or the nearest Police Station and other security agencies.”

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