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Sowore Must Get Punishment For His Action – Presidency

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By Mathew Dadiya, Abuja

The Federal Government has said that the coordinator of RevolutionNow Movement, Mr. Omoyele Sowore and his co-defendant, Olawale Bakare, would not go unpunished for their attempt to destabilise the country.

The Presidency said there was nowhere in the world where people called for a revolution and were set free without appropriate trials to justify their remote or otherwise causes of moulding the idea.

Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said yesterday in a statement that no government would allow anybody to openly call for destabilization in the country and do nothing about it.

Garba dismissed the insinuations in the media about the re-arrest of Sowore by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) saying: “Nigerians do not need another spate of lawlessness and loss of lives all in the name of ‘revolution’, especially not one that is orchestrated by a man who makes his home in far away New York – and who can easily disappear and leave behind whatever instability he intends to cause, to wit, Nnamdi Kanu.”

The Presidency Spokesman noted some of the insinuations about Sowore’s re-arrest to include that “DSS does not necessarily need the permission of the Presidency in all cases to carry out its essential responsibilities that are laid down in the Nigerian Constitution”.

He said Sowore, who called for a revolution to overthrow the democratically elected government of Nigeria, “is a person of interest to the DSS.”

“He did so on television, and from a privileged position as the owner of a widely read digital newspaper run from the US. He founded an organisation, Revolution Now, to launch, in their own words, “Days of Rage”, with the publicised purpose of fomenting mass civil unrest and the elected administration’s overthrow.

“No government will allow anybody to openly call for destabilisation in the country and do nothing. Sowore is no ordinary citizen expressing his views freely on social media and the internet.

“He was a presidential candidate himself, who ran – and lost – as the flag bearer of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the Feb. 23 general elections.”

He further observed that Nigeria’s democracy was a long time in the making, and was achieved after” decades of often harsh, military-led overthrows of government: the kind of situation Sowore was advocating.

“To believe in and desire armed revolution is not normal amongst ‘human rights activists’, as Sowore has been incorrectly described.

“Again, it is no surprise that he should be a person of interest to the DSS.’
According to Shehu, Nigeria is already dealing with an insurgency that has left millions of people displaced and desperate in the north-eastern region of the country.

“The Boko Haram militants, who are behind the violence, also fancy themselves to be fighting for some sort of revolution,” he added.

The presidential aide, therefore, asserted that Sowore’s self-imposed predicament is a matter for the DSS, acting under its powers”.

Wife Begs US for Help

Wife of the convener of RevolutionNow Movement,Opeyemi Sowore, has raised the alarm over what she called “threat to her husband” and has taken the case of re-arrest of husband to the United States (US) for help.

Opeyemi, therefore, called on the US government to intervene in the predicament of her husband, who was re-arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, in an Abuja Federal High Court on Friday.

Briefing the Press in the US at the weekend, Opeyemi said her husband’s life might be in great danger unless the US government intervened.

Opeyemi insisted that Sowore’s re-arrest was a show of lawlessness and a gross disregard for the rule of law, adding: “After over 125 days of my husband being in detention illegally, he was finally set free.

“He got to speak to myself and the children. For the first time, we got to see his eyes when we spoke to him.

“I haven’t told them yet that he was rearrested. I was truly shaken to my core what I witnessed this morning. I was woken up by 4 a.m. what I call truly outrageous and a gross disregard for the rule of law.

“My husband was strangled and forcefully removed from the courtroom. The judge had to run and hide for her own safety. How do I tell my children who, after 125 days, have for the very first time spoken to their dad and seen his face that he is again in detention and he may not be coming home for Christmas? How do they understand this? Where do they go from here?”

“My 10-year-old (son), one of the things he wants for Christmas is for his dad to be home for Christmas. Christmas is only a few days away. What do I tell him when I leave here and get home?

“I’m truly afraid for his life and at this point, I believe the only way to bring him home is with the help of the United States.”

Activist Not Arrested in Courtroom ― DSS

Meanwhile, the Department of State Service (DSS), while responding to allegations of illegality in the arrest of Sowore, said in contrast to what is obtained in the media, it did not arrest the RevolutionNow Movement convener in the courtroom.

DSS said as law abiding agency, it could have and would never have invaded a courtroom, while legal processes were going on.

“It is instructive to note that during the court proceeding of the day under reference, Defence Counsel, Femi FALANA (SAN), called the attention of the Judge to a suspicion that the Service was planning to re-arrest Omoyele Sowore immediately after the court session.

“The Court discountenanced his alarm and asserted that the Service was law abiding and would not engage in such and subsequently adjourned to February, 2020.

“However, when Sowore stepped out of the court and sighted operatives of the Service within the premises, he ran back into the courtroom. In a bid to shield him from an imaginary arrest, his uncontrollable supporters mobbed him while chanting “you can’t arrest him” thus the pandemonium that ensued.

A critical look at the videos in circulation would convince any objective viewer that there was no DSS personnel during the entire period the Sowore crowd acted out its orchestrated drama.

“The DSS, as a professional, responsible and law-abiding Organization, could not have invaded a courtroom including the one presided over by a respected Judge, who is not only handling its case, but whose order was unconditionally obeyed within a 24-hour ultimatum”, the agency said in a statement.

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UBA Raises N157bn Via Rights Issue to Boost Capital Base

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United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) has announced plans to raise N157 billion through a rights issue.The disclosure was made via a notice to the Nigerian Exchange Ltd (NGX).It said in a statement on Thursday that its stock brokers, United Capital Securities Ltd., had submitted an application to the Nigerian Exchange Ltd.

to that effect.
It added its stock brokers had requested for approval and listing of a Rights Issue of 3,156,869,665 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each at N50.
00 per share“Trading License Holders are hereby notified that United Bank for Africa Plc, through its Stockbrokers, United Capital Securities Ltd., has submitted an application to the Nigerian Exchange Ltd.” in that regard.
“The rights issue will be on the basis of one new ordinary share for every 13 ordinary shares held as of the close of business on Wednesday, July 16, 2025.“The qualification date for the Rights Issue is July 16, 2025,” the bank noted.The move is part of UBA’s strategy to strengthen its capital base and support its expansion and growth objectives across Africa.(NAN)

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Benue Uncovers Over 4000 Substandard Schools

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From Attah Ede, Makurdi

Over 4000 substandard and illegal schools have been uncovered and ready to be shut down across the state.The chief press secretary to the Benue State Governor, Tersoo Kula disclosed this at a press conference in Makurdi.Kula was reacting to a statement credited to former commissioner for education and knowledge management, Prof.

Dennis Ityavyar, said that Governor Alia has stabilised the educational sector since coming on board two years ago.
”No more strikes. Schools are moving on smoothly and in a bid to bring teaching and learning closer to the people and address the problem of younger school leavers in securing admission into tertiary institutions, the governor has established a new university.
”The establishment of University of Agriculture Science and Technology Ihugh, Vandeikyaa LGA is real..The governor has secured the licence, acquired land and made appointments of principal officers.”This is to address the issue of providing admission for the teeming Benue indigenes seeking admission into Nigerian universities.”The Governor has employed over 9700 teachers to energize public primary schools in the state. Apart from the fact that our primary schools would be energized, 9700 youths have been taken off the streets.”The government of governor Alia has also paid the 38 months earned allowance owed to lecturers at the Moses Adasu University, formerly Benue State University Makurdi”, he said.He maintained that renovation of government secondary schools and colleges across the state are ongoing where ongoing construction of new structures is in some public primary and secondary schools to ensure conducive learning environment.”Public primary schools teachers are trained on ITCs to enhance the teaching and learning of information and technology innovations at elementary level.”This government has been able to identify over 4000 substandard schools in the state and have secured insurance cover for Benue State students and paid bursary allowances in law school students in the state”, Kula stated.Benue Moves to Domesticate National Policy on IDPsThe Benue State Government has commenced a validation process to domesticate the newly federal government policy on Internally Displaced Persons (PDP) in the State.Commissioner for Humanitarian and Disaster Management in the State, Aondowase Kunde, stated that upon stakeholders’ inputs into the Internally Displaced Persons policy document, it would be fully launched.He added that the aim is to improve the welfare of the displaced population in the state.Kunde stated this during a two policy validation meeting held at Benue Hotels Makurdi yesterday.He maintained that the document which was passed into law by the national assembly needed to be domesticated in the state in line with the peculiarities of the state.In his remarks, the chairman, House Committee on Humanitarian and Disaster Management, Benue State House of assembly, James Abu Umoro, noted that the state has suffered so many natural and man-made disasters that it requires the policy to be domesticated in the state.Umoru insisted that the house will not hesitate to pass the document into law when presented by the executive arm of government.He said the issue of IDP in the state is a concern for everyone and must be given accelerated consideration at any point in time.On his part, House committee chairman on SDG and Donor Agencies, Peter Uche, noted that in most cases, communities have suffered attacks for more than ten years.”Let me therefore, call on all to support the implementation of the policy document for the displaced to return to their ancestral homes to start their normal farming and business activities”, he stated.The Director General, Sustainable Development Goals, John Akuse, who spoke at the occasion, said the validation of the IDP policy document is vital in paving the way for the displaced population to be adequately taken care of regarding their peculiar needs.

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Tinubu Honours Buhari, Renames University of Maiduguri after Late President

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By David Torough, Abuja

President Bola Tinubu has approved the renaming of the University of Maiduguri, Borno State as Muhammadu Buhari University.

“May we now adopt the University of Maduguri as the Muhammadu Buhari University,” Tinubu said at the close of a special session of the Federal Executive Council held to honour Buhari at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja on Thursday.

The President paid a glowing tribute to Buhari, describing him as “a good man, a decent man, an honourable man” whose legacy of discipline, patriotism and moral uprightness would endure for generations.

Tinubu said although the late president was not without flaws, his unwavering commitment to national service set him apart.

“President Buhari was not a perfect man, no leader is, but he was, in every sense of the word, a good man, a decent man, an honourable man.

“His record will be debated, as all legacies are, but the character he brought to public life, the moral force he carried, the incorruptible standard he represented, will not be forgotten.

“His was a life lived in full service to Nigeria, and in fidelity to God,” he said.

Reflecting on Buhari’s time in office and his long military and civil service, Tinubu praised the late leader’s simplicity, humility, and stoic resistance to the trappings of power.

He said, “He stood, always, ramrod straight; unmoved by the temptation of power, unseduced by applause and unafraid of the loneliness that often visits those who do what is right, rather than what is popular.

“His was a quiet courage, a righteousness that never announced itself. His patriotism lived more in action than in words.”

Tinubu also recounted their political alliance, which culminated in the historic 2015 elections that marked Nigeria’s first democratic transfer of power from one ruling party to another.

“We stood together, he and I. Alongside others drawn from across the political spectrum, regions and tongues, we formed an alliance that enabled Nigeria to experience its first true democratic transfer of power from one ruling party to another.

“When he was sworn in as our party’s first elected President, he led with restraint, governed with dignity, and bore the burdens of leadership without complaint,” he said.

The President expressed admiration for Buhari’s post-office modesty, noting that he returned to his hometown, Daura, without seeking to wield influence behind the scenes.

“When his tenure ended, he returned to Daura; not to command from the shadows or to hold court, but to live as he always had, never seeking to impose his will but content to let others carry the nation forward.

“Even in death, he maintained the serenity that defined him in life: not a sigh, not a groan, just a quiet submission to the will of God. Such was the man Nigeria has lost. Such was the man for whom our nation now mourns,” he added.

Tinubu thanked the Inter-Ministerial Committee and Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, for organising a befitting state funeral within 48 hours, describing it as a “profound honour” to lead the burial procession in Daura.

He concluded his tribute with a prayer: “Mai Gaskiya, the People’s General, the Farmer President, your duty is done. May Almighty Allah forgive his shortcomings and grant him Aljannah Firdaus. May his life continue to inspire generations of Nigerians to serve with courage, conviction, and selflessness. President Buhari, thank you. Nigeria will remember you.”

Buhari died on Sunday, July 13, at the age of 82.

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