COVER
Pregnant Woman, Three Others Die in Paliatives Looting Stampede
By Martin Paul, Jude Opara, Orkula Shaagee, John Onah, Ateed Yusuf, Abuja
Violent attacks, killings, vandalism of warehouses and shops in the guise of searching for COVID-19 palliatives by irate youths continued yesterday in some states of the federation dashing hopes of immediate return to normalcy.
DAILY ASSET, which monitored the ongoing youth rssyuvensss found out that even the law enforcement agencies were clear targets of the killing spree.
In Abuja, Taraba, Akure, Lagos and other cities, the violent youths overwhelmed security personnel to cause mayhem that led to killings a wanton destruction of property.
Pregnant Woman, Three Others Die in Palliatives Looting Stampede
No fewer than four persons including a pregnant woman died during a stampede for palliatives of COVID-19 stored in a warehouse in Gwagwalada Area Council.
DAILY ASSET observed at the scene of the incident that some youths in the area stormed the Agric Central Workshop overpowering the security guards to gain access into the premises at about 8.00AM, after breaking the gate and other offices
Some beneficiaries of the looted items had to trek long distances to reach the warehouse before laying their hands on any food items of their choice.
DAILY ASSET also gathered that the looters had succeeded in carting away valuables such as new motorcycles, generating sets, bags of rice, bags of fertilisers, Semovita and cartons of noodles, among others.
After they emptied the warehouse, the youths they started moving around looking for other places where Covid-19 palliatives were kept.
An attempt by the looters to break into the FCT Fadama office along Gwagwalada market to loot the office was not successful as armed security men prevented them from gaining access to the place.
One of the looters who didn’t want his name in print told our correspondent that they had a field day yesterday in Gwagwalada even as he appreciated the understanding of the Army officers in guard for not using force against them.
In a related development, similar incidence occurred in Kwali Area Council and Tungan Maje, a suburb of Gwagwalada, where the looters carted away fertiliser, bags of maize, Agro chemicals and building materials such as Zinc among others.
Police Area Commander in charge of Gwagwalada, ACP Sunday Okoebor could not be reached for comment because he was working round the clock to bring the situation under control.
Six Policemen, Four Others Killed in Lagos
Parading suspects yesterday in Lagos, state Police Commissioner, Hakeem Odumosu, said 10 persons, comprising six policemen and four civilians, were killed and 38 cops injured in the hijacked #EndSARS protest.
The Commissioner of Police also said 16 police stations were burnt and 13 vandalised, while 520 suspects were arrested for their alleged involvement in the destruction and looting of private and public properties.
He said 58 police vehicles were burnt,13 vandalised, 62 belonging to individuals and those connected with some pending cases (exhibits) were burnt and nine other vehicles vandalised by the hoodlums.
Odumosu also disclosed that 15 motorcycles and tricycles were torched and 65 vandalised at various locations within Lagos state.
For public assets destroyed, Odumosu listed High Court Complex Igbosere, Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre, Broad Street; Ejigbo LCDA Secretariat; BRT Terminal Iddo (where 67 buses were burnt); City Hall, Lagos Island; COVID-19 Warehouse at Monkey Village; BRT Terminals at Ojodu and Ikotun; Ajeromi Ifelodun LG Secretariat; NPA Head Office, Marina, and FRSC/VIO Office at Ojodu where only the vehicles parked outside the main buildings within their compounds were burnt.
“Sixteen Police Stations were set ablaze during the unrest. They included Orile, Amukoko, Layeni, Old Area J Command Ajah, Elemoro, New Area J Command Elemoro, Igando, Ebute-Ero, and its barracks and Ilasamaja Police Stations.
Others were Makinde and its barracks, Ikotun, Isokoko, Pen-Cinema, Onipanu, Alade Police Stations etc.
“Thirteen formations were vandalised amongst which were Ojo and Ojodu Stations. Police posts burnt included Cele, llogbo-Elerin, Shibiri, Defunct Anti-Cultism office, Gbagada, Defunct SARS Office Onilekere, Makoko, Daleko, Ashamu, Makinyo, Amuwo-Odofin, Defunct Anti-Kidnapping Office, Surulere and 0ld SARS Office Ajegunle.
“During the unrest, the police posts that were vandalised by the hoodlums included PPL, Mowo, Morogbo, Ikota and Mawa police posts.
“Some private facilities as well as other investments that were partly torched and vandalised/looted included the Oba of Lagos’ Palace; Television Continental Station (TVC) at Ikosi-Ketu, Access Bank, GTBank and Ebeano Supermarket at Victoria Island, The Nation Newspaper office at Fatai Atere Street, Mushin, Shoprite Malls at Ajah, LTV 8, Alausa, Ikeja, Surulere, Samsung Outlet at Apple Roundabout, Festac, Shoprite at Festac, Samsung Office Oyingbo, etc. However, some of the looted items from these outlets or offices have been recovered.
One Ibrahim in whose possession several looted items were allegedly found denied the accusation insisting that he only showed security agents were the items were kept in Ebute Meta.
Some of the suspects, who became dramatic, claimed they were either arrested at the bus stop while going about their legitimate duties or apprehended in front of their shops or near their homes.
Youths Rebuff 24-hour Curfew in Taraba
Hundreds of irate youths defied the 24-hour curfew imposed on Jalingo, invaded and vandalised the State Radio station, state Commissioner of Information and Reorientation, Mr Danjuma Adamu, has said.
Adamu, who visited the Taraba State Broadcasting Corporation (TSBS), condemned the action of the youths, saying the destruction had gone beyond #EndSARS protest.
Speaking to Journalists after the inspection, Adamu said the dimension the protests took in the last two days was criminal.
“The looting of COVID-19 warehouses had later turned to invasion and looting of private warehouses, shops and private schools”, he said.
The commissioner described the incident as worrisome, adding that it had reduced the “radio station to square one because all documents, equipment and electrical appliances of the station had been stolen”.
The commissioner said that apart from the radio station, other organisations being accommodated within the premises were also destroyed.
He listed them to include the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Cooperatives, Port Health Services (Yellow Card Center) and ministry of environment among others.
Hoodlums Dig Crater on Akure Airport, Runway
Flight operations were grounded in Akure Airport, Ondo state, following the discovery of a crater dug on the runway of the airport during the EndSARS protest.
Executive Secretary of the Osun Health Insurance Scheme (OHIS), Dr. Samuel Oginni, disclosed that hoodlums looted and vandalised N120million worth of drugs and equipment belonging to the agency.
“The crater was allegedly dug on the runway by some suspected hoodlums during the #EndSARS protest in the state. Officials of the Airport Authority reportedly discovered the crater in the night and alerted the management, who thereafter, halted flight operations.
“Management of the airport was forced to shut the airports thereby preventing flight from either taking-off or landing in the airport.
“Security operatives have been invited to see the place. The government has to deploy the security agents to the airport so as not to allow the miscreants cause havoc there”, he said.
When contacted, spokesperson of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Henrietta Yakubu, said that the cracks were discovered on the runway during the routine checks on Monday morning.
Ondo Police spokesperson, Mr. Tee Leo Ikoro, who spoke in Akure, said 10 persons have been arrested for looting and vandalism.
Ikoro stated that those arrested were not ENDSARS protesters but looters, adding: “The operation is still on to arrest other fleeing shop looters”.
Court Arraigns ex-PDP Lawmaker, four others
Meanwhile, a former House of Assembly member, Dayo Akinleye and four others, appeared before an Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrate Court over alleged involvement in the burning of properties in the state during the #EndSars protest.
The Police Prosecutor, Mr. Johnson Okunade told the Court that and Afolabi Ariyo, James David, Ajimoko Busola and Oyin Filani committed the offence on October 20 at Ado-Ekiti.
He explained that the defendants, who were members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), burnt three trucks laden with cement.
Okunade said that the offence was punishable under Section 451 of the Criminal Code, Cap. C 16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.
Counsel to the defendants, Mr. Kola Kolade prayed the Court to grant bail to the defendants, saying they were implicated and promised that the defendants would not jump bail and would always be available wheneve thy were wanted in court.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Olanike Adegoke, granted bail to the defendants in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties each.
He added that each of the sureties must be a Civil Servant on grade level 12 and adjourned the matter to November 11 for further hearing.
From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
Former Governor of Kogi State Yahaya Bello yesterday honoured the invitation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
A statement from Bello’s Media Office signed by Michael Ohiare said that the decision was made after due consultations with his family, legal team and political allies.
The statement read, “The former governor, who has great respect for the rule of law and constituted authority, had all the while only sought the enforcement of his fundamental rights in order to ensure due process.
“The case has been before a competent court and Alhaji Yahaya Bello had been duly represented by his legal team at every hearing.
“It is important for the former governor to now honour the invitation of the EFCC to clear his name as he has nothing to hide and nothing to fear.
“The former governor believes firmly in the efforts of the administration of President Bola Tinubu to place Nigeria on the path of sustainable economic development and support the fight against corruption in the country.
“It is on record that he was the first Governor of Kogi State to put in place an anti-corruption mechanism to check graft and ensure that the resources of the state work for the people of the state.
“He was accompanied to the EFCC Headquarters by high profile Nigerians.
“It is our hope that the commission will be as professional as necessary and respect his fundamental rights as a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Details of his engagement with the operatives of the anti-graft agency will be disclosed later.”
However, EFCC denied that the former governor was in its custody.
The commission, in a statement by its spokesperson, Dele Oyewale said that Bello remained wanted with a subsisting warrant of arrest.
He said, “Media reports today that a former Governor of Kogi State, Mr. Yahaya Bello is in the holding facility of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC is incorrect.
“The commission wishes to state that Bello is not in its custody.
“Bello, already declared wanted by the commission for alleged N80.2 billion money laundering charges, remains wanted with a subsisting warrant for his arrest.”
Bello was declared wanted after the incumbent governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo helped the embattled former governor to escape arrest in April.
Ododo’s arrival with heavy security at the residence of the ex-governor in Wuse, Abuja prevented the EFCC men from effecting his arrest.
Ododo’s entourage drove out with Bello in the governor’s car.
Since then, it was said have holed up in the Kogi State Government House, Lokoja.
From Attah Ede, Makurdi
Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State yesterday handed over a truck of palliatives he recently confiscated in Makurdi to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) with a charge on them to conduct a thorough investigations bordering on alleged diversion.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), had on Sept.
11 through the office of the representative of House of Representatives for Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency, Terséer Ugbor deployed two trucks of palliatives to his constituency for onward distribution to IDPs and vulnerable households.However, one of the trucks containing several materials worth millions of naira was confiscated by the state governor.
Our correspondent had earlier reported that the seized truck was conveying assorted relief materials meant for IDPs in the Kwande/Ushongo federal constituency was caught offloading its contents at a private residence around Kilometre 2 in Makurdi.
Further checks revealed that the palliatives, which were loaded from a NEMA warehouse in Jos found their way to a private residence under the directives of Ugbor.
The governor explained that he gave a standing order that the truck be impounded and moved to Government House Makurdi so as to know why goods released from NEMA for distribution to IDPs in Kwande and Ushongo could be offloaded at a private residence in Makurdi.
Alia who spoke at NEMA headquarters upon his return from the United Kingdom expressed displeasure over the discovery of some hidden facts regarding the matter.
He explained that preliminary investigations revealed that the goods were coming from NEMA and were meant to be sponsored by the state government and lifted by the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).
In a letter from NEMA headquarters addressed to the representative of the Kwande/Ushongo constituency, Ugbor, who lobbied for the materials, the agency specified that the state government should pay for the expenses of lifting the materials in Jos and that the materials be taken to the state by NEMA and handed over to SEMA.
Alia who discovered that some of the trucks conveying other materials such as mattresses were still missing, directed anti-graft agencies to liaise with a three-man committee from the state and conduct a thorough investigations to uncover more facts.
“It was also discovered that the materials were to be distributed directly to the affected persons by officials from the agency’s North Central Zonal Office in collaboration with the Benue State Emergency Management Agency team.
“I have directed that the Acting Executive Secretary of SEMA, James Iorpuu, officers of the EFCC, and a few others should monitor the situation and ensure that due process was followed and that the materials were distributed to the rightful people.
“I thank President Bola Tinubu for having Benue people at heart. I therefore use this opportunity to call on the National Assembly members to consider the conditions of vulnerable people in their states and ensure that they provide for their constituents whatever the federal government gives,” Alia stated.
The Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the governor, Tersoo Kula in a statement in Makurdi, said the Director General of NEMA through a phone call, thanked the governor for being vigilant and also promised to continue to collaborate with the state government to ensure the fair distribution of materials coming from the Federal Government.
Similarly, last month, the governor uncovered the diversion of relief materials for an IDPs camp in Makurdi by SEMA officials.
The diverted food items include: 55 bags of rice, 24 bags of garri, Indomie noodles, beans among others.
The Executive Secretary of SEMA was perplexed, wondering how the governor got wind of the development.
Three staff of the agency were arrested in connection with the incident.The IDPs said diversion of relief materials by staff of SEMA was a common happening.
By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reconstituted the board of directors of Keystone Bank.
In a statement by the bank on Wednesday, the move is part of the apex bank’s strategy to ensure sustained growth for the financial institution.
According to the statement, Ada Chukwudozie is the new board chairman alongside five other non-Executive Directors.
They are Abdul-Rahman Esene, Fola Akande, Akintola Ayodeji Olusoji, Obijiaku Samuel, and Senator Farouk Bello.
In addition, the CBN named two new Executive Directors, Ladi Oluwole and Abubakar Usman Bello.
Chukwudozie, a prominent figure in Nigeria’s corporate sector, brings nearly three decades of experience in business strategy, management, and administration.
Her expertise cuts across multiple industries, including De-Endy Industrial Company Limited, Dozzy Group, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, and Vogue Afrique Magazine.
Esene, with over 43 years of experience in banking, investment management, and corporate finance, has held leadership roles in major institutions including Fidelity Bank, Afrinvest, and Global Arbitrage International Inc.
Akande boasts over 25 years of experience in legal, compliance, and risk management, having worked with global brands like Cadbury, Stanbic Chartered Bank, and Shell.
Olusoji has a distinguished 30-year career in accounting, finance, and business development, having served at institutions such as Sterling Bank, Access Bank, and Intercontinental Bank.
Samuel with more than 35 years of experience in banking and treasury operations has left a significant mark on Nigeria’s financial sector, previously working with Zenith Bank and Fidelity Bank.
Senator Bello, a seasoned banker with over 20 years of experience, has led initiatives across both the public and private sectors, including the National Assembly and Guaranty Trust Bank.
The two new Executive Directors bring their vast expertise to the table. Oluwole, the new Executive Director of Risk Management comes with over two decades of experience in credit and enterprise risk management, including previous roles at Bank of America.
Bello, Executive Director for the Northern Directorate has extensive experience managing corporate, retail, and public sector clients.
Speaking on the appointments, Keystone Bank’s Managing Director and CEO, Hassan Imam expressed confidence in the new board members, adding that their wealth of experience would play a crucial role in the bank’s continued repositioning and growth.
“We are pleased to welcome the new chairman, non-executive directors, and executive directors to the board of Keystone Bank.
“We are confident that their extensive experience will be invaluable as we continue to reposition the bank to seize emerging economic opportunities while maintaining strong corporate governance and providing our customers with a secure and reliable banking experience,” Imam said.
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