SABINEWS EVENING NEWS UPDATE DECEMBER 1, 2018
Fasehun’s death, big loss to Nigeria –Afenifere
Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, has described the death of the founder of Odua People’s Congress, Dr Frederick Fasehun, as a big loss to the country. The 83-year-old died in the early hours of Saturday at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, after spending four days in the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital. Describing the OPC founder’s death as a shattering news, the Afenifere Publicity Secretary, Mr Yinka Odumakin, said the deceased would be greatly missed. “He was a prominent Yoruba and Nigerian citizen who dedicated his entire life to the service of humanity,” Odumakin told our correspondent.
Metele massacre: Sack service chiefs now
Some retired military officers and security experts yesterday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the nation’s service chiefs over Boko Haram’s attack troops in Metele, Borno State. In different interviews with our reporters yesterday, the ex-military officers and security experts charged President Buhari to replace the service chiefs with new officers, saying that the country was not getting the desired result in the fight against the insurgents. Many officers of the 157 Task Force Battalion were reportedly killed by the deadly sect in the said attack, while several military officers who had gone to evacuate the bodies of their fallen colleagues were also killed in another attack by the insurgents on November 19.
Okorocha suspends Imo AG, orders arrest of bank managers
Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State on Friday suspended the Accountant-General of the State, Mrs. Stella Udogwu over the non-payment of the November salary of Local Government Workers. The governor also ordered the arrest of the Branch Managers of Ecobank and Access Bank where the money for the payment was lodged, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Sam Onwuemeodo, stated in a release on Friday. The governor said that the suspension of the accountant-general would take immediate effect. He also directed that the Chief of Staff appoint an acting accountant-general pending the appointment of a new person to the office.
Wike may quit as Atiku’s South-South campaign coordinator
There were indications yesterday that Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, could quit as the South-South campaign coordinator for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Sources close to the governor told The Nation yesterday that he was not happy because Atiku’s campaign committee was not carrying him along in its activities. The governor was said to have complained that some of the people appointed to work with him were appointed without his knowledge. An aide of the governor told our reporter yesterday that he was planning to communicate his decision to the presidential candidate.
Akeredolu mourns Fasheun
Ondo State governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) has lamented the death of the founder, Oodua People’s Congress, (OPC) Dr. Federick Fasehun who died on Saturday. Akeredolu described the late Fasehun as a disciplined citizen, a Pan-Yoruba and nationalist to the core and intelligent medical practitioner who used his energy and other resources to fight for the interests of his people and the common man. He described as a shock to Ondo State and the entire country, adding that the deceased would be sorely missed by lovers of justice and peace. As a politician, Akeredolu in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary(CPS)Segun Ajiboye opined that the late Fasehun’s argument for egalitarian society where merit and equity are made parametric conditions for selecting leaders or people’s representatives would continue to dominate socio-political discourse.
Army rolls out new strategies to fight Boko Haram…as COAS conference ends
The Nigerian Army said yesterday that it had put in place new strategies to fight and defeat Boko Haram insurgents in the country. The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, at the closing ceremony of the Chief of Army Staff Annual Conference held at the Command Guest House, Maiduguri, stated that the conference afforded the participants to deliberate on critical areas, such as leadership, command, responsibilities and doctrine. The Army Chief gave a stern warning to operational commanders against leadership failure, just as he urged them to remain committed and focused on their duties.
Armed robber with toy gun nabbed by Lagos residents
A suspected armed robber who attempted to rob a business woman in front of her house at Ojota, Lagos, was arrested by residents of the street after the woman raised alarm. Witnesses said that the incident happened on Friday night at Olabisi Street, Ojota, at about 8. 30 p.m. while the victim was about entering her house. The suspect brought out his toy gun and pointed to the woman as she opened the door of her car and carried her baby. The victim (name withheld), who also spoke with NAN, said as she was coming out from her car, she discovered strange face standing before her.
FIFA investigating alleged abuse of Afghanistan women’s team
Football’s world governing body FIFA is looking into claims of sexual and physical abuse on the Afghanistan national women’s team, it confirmed in a statement on Saturday. The allegations against officials including the Afghanistan Football Federation’s president Keramuddin Karim were reported in Britain’s Guardian newspaper. The AFF has “vigorously” rejected claims. “The serious subjects mentioned are being looked in to by FIFA,” the global body said in a statement, adding that it has a “zero tolerance policy” on such violations.
Lebanese smuggling N940m out of Nigeria arrested
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have arrested one Abbas Lakis, a Lebanese for money laundering. The EFCC said in a statement that the suspect was arrested with different foreign currencies valued at N940m. The commission said in a statement by its acting spokesman, Mr. Tony Orilade, that Lakis was picked up at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, following intelligence report that he had on him, undeclared huge sums of monies aboard the Egypt Airline bringing him from the Kano Airport en route to Lebanon.
Protest clashes erupt in Paris as anti-Macron rallies return
Police fired tear gas to disperse protesters trying to tear down barricades on the Champs-Elysees in Paris early Saturday as hundreds converged on the city for new demonstrations, with anger over fuel taxes morphing into a wide-ranging anti-government movement. Clashes between police and demonstrators wearing the high-visibility yellow vests, which have become the symbol of the protest against President Emmanuel Macron, broke out soon after crowds began gathering near the Arc de Triomphe, at the top of the famous avenue.
Suu Kyi calls for peace in speech which avoids Rohingya crisis
Myanmar’s civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is facing international criticism over her country’s crackdown on Rohingya Muslims, called Saturday for “a culture of peace” to end conflict between communities. The Nobel Peace prize winner did not mention the Rohingya crisis — which has led the United Nations to call for a genocide investigation — in her keynote address to an international meeting organised by a group linked to the Unification Church. “At the basis of conflict is ill-will which seeks to hurt and to destroy and thus to open the way to conflict, which in turn spews out an ever-renewing cycle of hate and fear, snuffing out the light of peace,” Suu Kyi said.
Iran hails oil-for-goods deal with South Korea
Iran said Saturday it had finalised a deal with South Korea to trade oil for goods, skirting renewed US sanctions. “A mechanism has been devised for returning oil export revenues from South Korea, by which Iran’s oil export revenue will be bartered with imported goods,” Hossein Tanhayi, head of the Iran-South Korea chamber of commerce, told state news agency IRNA. Washington unilaterally reimposed a crippling oil embargo on Iran last month following its withdrawal in May from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal.
