Today’s Headlines: Tinubu meets Senate President Akpabio; Anambra monarch meets Kanu, exonerates Biafra leader from sit-at-home, killings

BREAKING: Tinubu meets Senate President Akpabio

President Bola Tinubu is meeting with Senate President Godswill Akpabio at the State House, Abuja.

The meeting is coming moments after the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly went into a frenzy while screening one of President Tinubu’s ministerial nominees, Festus Keyamo.

Akpabio arrived at the Villa around 2.25 pm shortly after the Senate adjourned for a close-door session to determine the fate of the former Minister of State.

The ensuing rowdy session in the Senate was a result of a motion that Keyamo’s nomination be stepped down.

The motion to suspend the screening was initiated by Darlington Nwokocha, a senator representing Abia Central Senatorial District, and was seconded by another Senator from Abia, Enyinnaya Abaribe, a senator from Abia South Senatorial District.

Nwokocha accused Keyamo of disrespecting the 9th National Assembly and leveling allegations of corruption against the previous administration.

Keyamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), previously served as the Minister of State for Labour and Productivity during ex-President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

Nwokocha claimed that Keyamo was summoned to clarify matters about a Special Public Works program during that time but failed to honor the invitation.

The program was overseen by the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), which fell under Keyamo’s ministry.

Anambra monarch meets Kanu, exonerates Biafra leader from sit-at-home, killings

The traditional ruler of Enugwu-Aguleri, Anambra East Council Area of Anambra State, Eze Chukwuemeka Eri, has absolved the leader of Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from prevailing insecurity in the Southeast.

He said the IPOB leader, through his solicitor, Barr. Ifeanyi Ejimofor invited him to come as “Aka Ji Ofor Igbo” to help reach out to Ndigbo that he is not behind the Monday Sit-at-home and security challenges in the zone. He said he is not behind the killings, bloodshed, kidnappings, robberies, and molestations.

Speaking at his palace in Aguleri shortly after the return from a meeting with Kanu in Abuja, the Monarch quoted Kanu as saying, “I don’t derive joy from seeing children being denied going to school and workers staying idle on Mondays that is the beginning of the week.

“My vision for fighting for the emancipation and liberation of the peoples of Biafra is not such that will enslave them to economic deprivation.

“My suffering is not to destroy or harm rather to give voice to Ndigbo but some hoodlums have maximized my absence to perpetrate all forms of crime and criminality in the name of agitation.”

The Royal father further quoted Kanu to have appealed to Ndigbo to stop adhering to the Monday Sit-at-home order while showing love in unity as he warned those still enforcing the exercise to desist or face the full wrath of Ndi Igbo.

Other monarchs who came to welcome Eze Eri from his journey, including traditional rulers of Mkpunando and Enugwu-Otu Aguleri, Igwe Johnson Mbanefo, and Igwe Emmanuel Ejiofor, respectively corroborated his (Eri) position.

They regretted many lives that have been lost to the hoodlums’ activities who portray themselves as freedom fighters but tarnished the image of the Biafran warlord.

They reiterated the call on the Federal Government to release Kanu from custody.

Female corporal shoots colleague dead while enforcing curfew in Adamawa

A female soldier enforcing the curfew imposed by the Adamawa State government has killed a senior colleague at a checkpoint in Yola, the state capital.

Governor Ahmadu Fintiri had imposed a curfew in the state after hoodlums broke into government warehouses and looted foodstuff meant for distribution as palliatives to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal.

But while enforcing the curfew order at Fire Service Round About, the female soldier simply identified as Lance Corporal Nkiru shot a captain who tried to intervene in her altercation with civilians.

Eyewitnesses told Daily Trust that the female soldier had insisted that motorists returning home during the curfew hours must turn back.

“Some people stopped at the checkpoint and explained themselves as workers on essential duties but the female soldier insisted they must turn back.

“A captain came forward to intervene. Unfortunately, she had already cocked her rifle, so she just fired and killed him accidentally,” a security officer said.

The victim was said to have been rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Yola, where he was confirmed dead.

The suspect was instantly arrested and whisked away by soldiers.

Mali, Burkina Faso to send delegation to Niger over coup crisis

Mali and Burkina Faso will send a joint delegation to Niamey, the capital of Niger, on Monday in a show of solidarity amidst a coup crisis, the Malian army said.

“Burkina Faso and Mali are sending a delegation to Niamey to show the solidarity of the two countries with the brotherly people of Niger,” the army tweeted.

The transitional governments of Burkina Faso and Mali, which were established after the military took power by force in 2020 and 2022 in the two countries, also declared their support for the Nigerian soldiers who overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum.

The two countries also warned that any military intervention in Niger would be considered a declaration of war against them. They also warned that the military in Niger would lead to the withdrawal of Burkina Faso and Mali from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

ECOWAS, a regional political and economic union of 15 countries located in West Africa, has threatened to restore order in Niger by force.

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