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You Lied About How Abiola Died, Family To Abdulsalami Abubakar

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General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd.), a former Head of State, has been chastised by the family of late Chief MKO Abiola for his statements about the death of the acclaimed victor of the 1993 presidential election.

In an interview, Gen Abdulsalami stated that he was not slain and that he died after being ill, contrary to the widespread belief that he died after drinking poisoned tea.

Jamiu, one of Abiola’s children, claims that the former head of state failed to provide his father with necessary medical care, resulting in his death.

Expressing disappointment over the retired military leader’s claims, he said, “This incident happened over 24 years ago. Gen Abdulsalami is much older. I used to think that age would come with more honesty, but this is obviously not the case here.

“He said that unlike late Gen Sani Abacha he made arrangements for the family of my father to see him. Can anyone, first of all, ask him why it took almost a month for any family member to see him? Other political prisoners were being released all along but yet a visit was too much to ask for.

“When we speak of death, one can be liable in two ways. If you kill a person directly like in the case of my mother who, as you know, was shot by Sergeant Rogers acting on behalf of the then military government.

“Or if you kill someone indirectly by allowing the person to die as in the case of my father during Gen Abdulsalami.”

Daily Trust reports that Kudirat, one of the wives of late Abiola, was killed on June 4, 1996, by assassins suspected to be military.

Jamiu further said, “Trying to pin down my father’s death on poison would be a waste of time since there was an autopsy report and it did not state poison as the cause of his death even though there is still a possibility.

“But my father did have heart problems and the head of state knew that. The general public knew. Even those who saw him the night before his death said he was not well so why was he not given proper medical attention?”

Reacting to Gen Abdulsalami’s statement that God’s guidance helped him to handle the tense situation in the country at that time, he said, “God provides guidance to those who seek it, but those who do not will be guided by the devil. In this case, the general was not being guided by God’s guidance.

“If he was being guided by God, why did he allow the then UN Secretary-General, Kofi Anan, to see my father before any family member? Did my father even know who Kofi Anan was?

“My mother had been murdered in cold blood; would it not have been the priority of a head of state being guided by God to allow her children to see their father after such a tragic loss? We were never allowed to see him.

“Gen Abdulsalami was more interested in getting diplomats to talk to my father and persuade him to relinquish his mandate so that he (Abdulsalami) could enjoy a more legitimate stay in power.

“This world might be a circus to the former head of state, but let’s see what the hereafter has in store for him.”

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), also criticized the statements credited to the former military leader.

Falana said the ex-head of state had to explain the circumstances around Abiola’s death while with foreigners in the villa, adding that his latest excuses were what he was told as the incident was only witnessed by his CSO, Major Aliyu, who was in the room during the tragedy.

“It has never happened in Nigeria’s history that foreigners will be allowed to give tea to a detainee, but now, it has become part of our history,” he said.

“In any case, even if it is water that you have to serve the detainee, you have to taste it first. How can you tell us that you left Abiola in the custody of foreigners?

“So, the general has to explain why Abiola was left in the hands of foreigners.”

He further said the military severally forced Abiola to renounce his mandate by bringing former Secretaries General of the Commonwealth and the United Nations, Emeka Anyaoku and Kofi Annan respectively, but failed before they brought in American diplomats.

He refuted the claim that Abiola died of natural causes, claiming he was denied medical attention for four years and was not released with other political detainees.

“When at the instance of President Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu came to Nigeria to visit Abiola, he told the whole world that his health was very bad and required urgent medical attention, for four years that was not allowed.”

He said the testimony of Gen Abdulsalam’s CSO was eventually discredited at the Oputa Panel after the general failed to attend the hearing.

BIG STORY

Comedy Duo’s #MakeWeHalla Video Catalyzes Conversations on Domestic Violence in Nigeria

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In a nation where the discussion on domestic violence often remains shrouded in silence, two power actors have ignited a powerful movement that is resonating deeply across Nigeria.

Charles Inojie and Ali Nuhu, through their viral video titled #MakeWeHalla, have initiated a much-needed conversation on the pressing issue of domestic violence.

The video features the two talented actors in a humorous yet thought-provoking short video, emphasising the importance of speaking out against domestic violence.

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C43iD60Nh7e/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D

 

With their trademark wit and charm, Inojie and Nuhu delivered a compelling message; when Nigerians witness domestic violence, they must make noise, they must ‘halla’.

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5BEb4wMq5h/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

The video is capturing the attention of viewers across various demographics, sparking discussions on online platforms.

Among many Nigerians who have been inspired by the video is a fast-rising actor and social media influencer, Joseph Momodu.

He wrote, “Yesoooo Oga Charles. The voice of the people is the voice of God. Domestic violence is not good and the more reason to really Halla!!”

A popular Nigerian film director and social media personality, Falalu Abubakar Dorayi, also known as Falalu A. Dorayi, added his voice against sitting on the fence while witnessing incidents of domestic violence. To him, “Women abuse is a bad behavior. Silence, when we see people doing (it), is like giving a chance to continue. It’s true, everywhere we see signs of “abuse” happening. Let’s expose the secrets. #MakeWeHalla.”

“This is powerful. We must halla! Like I always say, to fix this nation, you must fix yourself first. You are a part of the nation; once you fix you, you have fixed the nation. This is applicable to a community where domestic violence thrives,” Lanre Adediwura, an award-winning actor and online personality, opined.

A Nigerian actress and online celebrity, Kiitan Bukola, said that Nigerians can’t continue to sit on the fence in the face of domestic violence. “We must halla; we can’t continue to ignore. let’s kick against domestic violence… ,“ she wrote.

The success of #MakeWeHalla by encouraging individuals to speak up, is empowering communities to break the cycle of silence and stigma.

Inojie and Nuhu’s efforts have not gone unnoticed, as their initiative has garnered widespread praise and support from both fans and advocacy groups alike.

Monsurah Hamza with handle @ayotibami0 wrote, “Kudos to Charles Inojie and Ali Nuhu for sensitizing Nigerians on domestic violence #MakeWeHalla.”

Elated social media user @oladebuofficial stated, “How do I like this video 1 million times cos Bravo. Thank you for this… #MakeWeHalla.”

Bammy_ay wrote, “We really need more of this kind of video to educate people on domestic violence. Do not die in silence! #MakeWeHalla.”

@ekumastanleyifeanyi3 simply commented, “Say no to domestic violence.”

Through their creativity and dedication, Inojie and Nuhu have leveraged their platform to shine a spotlight on a critical issue that often remains hidden in the shadows.

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BIG STORY

President Tinubu Directs Single-Digit Tax System In Nigeria, To Launch Consumer Credit Scheme Soon — FIRS Chairman Adedeji

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Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue (FIRS), Zacch Adedeji says President Bola Tinubu has given a directive for a single-digit tax system in Nigeria.

Adedeji made this known on Wednesday when Adebayo Alli, chief executive officer (CEO) of Guinness Nigeria, led a management team of the firm on a visit to the revenue house in Abuja.

Adedeji, in a statement, described the directive as a strategic plan that is being religiously followed to lead the country out of the current economic challenges.

“The president gave a directive that he wants a single digit tax in the country, meaning that the maximum number of taxes we will have after the work of the presidential committee on fiscal policy and tax reforms will be nine taxes,” the chairman said.

“For us at FIRS, we have responded to that directive. We want to grow the pie such that even if we are taking the same percentage of the bigger pie, the result will be huge.

“By God’s grace, we will not introduce additional taxes nor increase any form of taxes. We are only determined to increase the pie.

“We have restructured our operations at FIRS in such a way that we are now effectively carrying out our duty of assessing, collecting and accounting for taxes.

“We used to have functional types of taxes, but we have identified that the only customers we have are the taxpayers.

“We have improved the way we relate with our customers by rearranging our operations based on our customers, using their turnover as the basis to categorise them into large, medium and small.

“We did this to actually develop expertise in what we do. Secondly, to provide you with a one-stop shop for your activities.

“If you are in a large tax group, you only need to go to one office to pay all forms of taxes, including audit and other activities. You don’t need to move from one office to another again.

“We are here to serve you. You taxpayers are not armed robbers or criminals that we will be chasing about. FIRS is also not a law enforcement organisation. We are partners in progress.

  • FG To Launch Consumer Credit Scheme Soon

Adedeji said the president, through the consumer credit scheme recently introduced, intends to increase the purchasing power of Nigerians to boost the productive capacity of companies and stimulate growth.

According to the chairman, another bold decision the president has taken is the birth of the renewed hope infrastructure fund.

He said some of the raw materials sourced locally are produced in the Northern part of the country, noting that the lack of sufficient infrastructure raises the expenses associated with transporting these materials between locations.

“In a couple of days, the consumer credit scheme will be launched and what that will do is to really set the right fundamentals most especially for the kind of products you sell,” he said.

“In an economy of our size, it will be extremely difficult if we don’t have a consumer credit scheme. People need to eat before they drink. But when they have credit to buy things, this gives them more money that they can use to come to drink and relax after work.

“More so, the president has also directed the commencement of a single window platform for your logistics at the ports. So, instead of having to pay in many places, you can now do that through the platform, most especially for companies like yours.

“You know your products before they come into the country, so you pay before they arrive as the issue of port congestion that delays the time you get your raw materials has been taken care of now.

“Based on the president’s holistic plan, in the next three years, we will have a very good rail and road transportation network that will make movement of goods and raw materials easy and remove most of the bottlenecks for industries.”

On his part, Alli pledged that the company would continue to do business in the country, notwithstanding the current macroeconomic challenges.

“We have come to know FIRS more and also tell you a little bit about who we are as a large taxpayer so you can understand our world, the value we add to Nigeria, despite the macro-economic situation facing us,” he said.

He assured the Adedeji that Guinness would continue to invest in the country, seeking assurances from the tax authority in terms of the role it would play “in getting the economy back on the right path from the recovery point of view.”

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BIG STORY

JUST IN: DHQ Declares Physics Professor, Woman, 6 Others Wanted Over Murder Of Army Personnel In Delta

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The Defence Headquarters has declared eight persons wanted over the killing of army personnel in Okuama community, Delta state.

Recall that the 17 army personnel were killed on March 14 during an operation in the community.

Those declared wanted include Ekpekpo Arthur, a professor of physics at the Delta State University; Akeywiru Omotegbono, Andaowei Bakrikri, Igoli Ebi, a lady; Akata David, Sinclear Oliki, Clement Oghenerukevwe and Reuben Baru.

The names of the deceased soldiers are A.H Ali, D.E Obi, S.D. Ashafa, U. Zakari, Yahaya Saidu, Danbaba Yahaya, Kabir Bashir, Abdullahi Ibrahim, Bulus Haruna, Sole Opeyemi, Bello Anas, Alhaji Isah, Clement Francis, Abubakar Ali, Adamu Ibrahim, Hamman Peter, and Ibrahim Adamu.

After the killing of the army personnel, President Bola Tinubu and the military high command promised that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.

On Wednesday, the personnel were buried at the military cemetery in Abuja and were posthumously conferred with national honours by President Tinubu.

The president also offered scholarships to children of the late officers.

Speaking during the burial ceremony of the late personnel, Taoreed Lagbaja, chief of army staff (COAS), said it was “highly demoralising” that the soldiers were killed by those they were equipped to protect.

The army chief added that it took over 72 hours of searching to recover the vital organs of some of the deceased soldiers.

He added that the Nigerian Army exercised  “a lot of restraint” in the search for missing arms and body parts of the deceased soldiers.

The army chief also said some of the widows of the slain officers are pregnant.

“The Okuama killing has added to the care of the Nigerian Army and, by extension, the Nigerian state, 10 widows, three of whom are four, five, and eight months pregnant, 21 orphans, and many other dependents, which include parents,” Lagbaja said.

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