The Nigerian troops have repelled an attempt by Boko Haram Terrorists to overrun Dalori internally displaced persons (IDP) Camp in Maiduguri on Thursday night, security sources said to SaharaReporters.
A reliable source noted that hundreds of the IDPs had fled in Dalori axis Maiduguri city in fear of the attack.
SaharaReporters gathered an unspecified number of persons including soldiers might have been killed with Boko Haram insurgents losing its members too.
The source said, "The invaders came at about 2045hrs along with suicide bombers and thereafter, there were heavy gunshots.
"After about an hour that the gun battle has subsided, hundreds of the IDPs from Bama council could not be found as it appeared they fled their tents to avoid being killed."

Port Harcourt Based Singer, Tuesday Cruise, Bags 6 Months Jail Sentence Over 'Yahoo-Yahoo'
A 25-year-old Port Harcourt based singer, Gagiyouwe ThankGod a.k.a Tuesday Cruise has bagged a six months jail sentence after being arraigned before Justice A.T. Mohammed of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on a one count charge.
The charge against the singer arrested by operatives of the Uyo Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, reads;
“That you, Gagiyouwe Pal Thankgod (alias Chris Henry) on or about the 11th day of July 2019, in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this honorable Court, fraudulently impersonated one Chris Henry by using his email addresscchrishenry560@gmail.comwith the intent to obtain money, property or any advantage from one John Smith and other unsuspecting persons, the pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2 ) (b) (ii) & (iii) of Cyber Crimes (provision, prevention, etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b) (iv) of the same Act.”
Tuesday Cruise was convicted and sentenced him to six months imprisonment with an option of fine of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) only, after he pleaded guilty to the charge. A statement from the EFCC reads in part;
"Thankgod, a 25-year-old entertainer with the stage name “Tuesday Cruise” was arraigned on July 24, 2019, by the Uyo Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a one-count charge.
He pleaded “guilty” to the charge, and in view of his plea, counsel for the EFCC, Adebayo Soares prayed the court to convict and sentence him accordingly.
Justice Mohammed, thereafter, convicted and sentenced him to six months imprisonment with an option of fine of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) only.
His journey to prison began on July 11, 2019, when he was arrested along Edet Akpan Avenue (Four Lanes) in Uyo by operatives of the Commission, following intelligence report.
At the time of his arrest, a laptop was found on him and a forensic analysis of it led to the retrieval of various scam documents, which the convict admitted to have sent out to mainly female foreign nationals with the aim of fleecing them of their hard-earned money under various disguise.

Hushpuppi has revealed what he does for a living without so many noticing it. The celebrity who resides in Dubai has quietly revealed what he does for a living – adding it to his instragm profile. Recall Nigerian stars like Eniola Badmus, Deji Adeyanju have openly asked what he does, with Deji even saying he should be investigated a thing many young Nigerians backed!
Tired of people questioning his source of income and doubting how legal it is, Hush has now revealed how he makes his millions! It’s Real Estate babyyyyy

This came less than one week after the state police command constituted a Special Anti Kidnapping Squad comprising operatives of the Special Anti Robbery Squad and the Mobile Police, MOPOL.
The operation which was launched in collaboration with the vigilantes followed a tip-off from locals of Kungana village in Bali LGA.
Confirming this via telephone, spokesman of the state police command, DSP David Misal said the suspected kidnappers were killed in their camp located on the mountain top.
According to him, ” the DPO of Bali received a tip off that the kidnappers who have been operating within the area were hiding on the mountains, he quickly mobilized the police and Vigilante groups.
“On getting to the camp of the kidnappers on the mountain, there was a duel which led to the death of four of the suspected kidnappers.”
He disclosed that a Dane gun, charms, pots of soup, solar panel, and ammunitions were recovered from the kidnappers den.

Mr Femi Falana (SAN), the lawyer to detained leader of Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky and his wife, Mallama Zinat, has said they are still carrying the pellets of bullets allegedly shot at them in 2015.
This is even as a Kaduna State High Court yesterday adjourned ruling till August 5 on the application for permission to travel for medical attention by El-Zakzaky and his wife.
The IMN had filed an application for permission to travel to India for medical attention, hinging the application on its leader’s “failing health”.
The court, presided over by Justice Darius Khobo, adjourned ruling on the application till August 5.
Falana, who addressed reporters after the hearing, said his clients were in dire need of medical attention as they had not been given adequate medical care since their detention in 2015.
He said the pellets of bullets had been in the bodies of the detainees since the December 2015 incident in Zaria, Kaduna.
Expressing concern over the continued deteriorating condition of his client’s health, including the alleged loss of an eye, Falana said there is urgent need for them to travel abroad for medical care.
“In fact, he was not in court because his health had gone very bad. Even during last appearance, he could not climb the staircase to the courtroom. That is why we applied that he be excused from appearance in court, and it was granted.
“The pellets in their bodies had resulted to lead poison and they need to be urgently removed by highly professional medical personnel,” he said.
The activist lawyer expressed confidence that the court would grant his clients the permission to travel for urgent medical care.
Counsel to the respondents (Kaduna State government), Mr. Dari Bayero, who also addressed reporters, said the adjournment followed the arguments of both parties on the application.
The lawyer said his team had examined the eight medical reports by Nigerian and foreign doctors and argued that there are medical facilities in the country to handle the medical needs of the IMN leader and his wife.
According to him, they argued that there are several medical facilities in the country that can handle the medical needs of the IMN leader and his wife.

The Deputy Registrar of the West African Examination Council, WAEC, Oshindehinde Adewumi, on Wednesday, told the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja that he was the one that certified President Muhammadu Buhari’s statement of results.
However, under cross-examination, the witness, who was subpoenaed to appear before the Justice Mohammed Garba-led five-member panel tribunal, said he could not confirm Buhari’s Cambridge Assessment International Certified Statement Of West African School Certificate issued in 1961, which was earlier admitted in evidence as exhibit R-21. “This document is not bearing my name or signature. You cannot expect me to certify a document that is not from WAEC. This document is bearing Cambridge Assessment International Certified Statement. It is not a document from the WAEC”, the witness stated. Meanwhile, the witness had earlier when he was introduced by President Buhari’s lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, maintained that he certified the statement of results. Fielding questions from counsel to the All Progressives Congress, APC, the witness told the tribunal that the statement of result Buhari tendered, emanated from an examination WAEC conducted in conjunction with University of Cambridge. He told the tribunal that 18 candidates sat for the exam in 1961, with President Buhari listed as number two.
Adewumi who said he had worked for WAEC for about 30 years, confirmed that Buhari sat for eight subjects, out of which he got five credits in Oral English, History, Geography, Hausa and Health Science. He said Buhari came out with aggregate score of 32 and was categorized in Grade 2. “I confirm that whoever has this result has secondary certificate”, he added. When it was his turn to ask questions, counsel to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar, who are the petitioners before the tribunal, asked the witness to spell the name on the certificate. The witness told the tribunal that the name on both the list of candidates and the certificate was “Mohamed Buhari”. It was at this juncture that the witness sort to clarify that the documents did not emanate from WAEC. Asked if he had ever worked in University of Cambridge, the witness said: “I have never worked there”. Besides, though Buhari was said to have registered for eight subjects, when he was shown Exhibit R-19, the witness told the tribunal that only six subjects were listed for the 2nd respondent. Asked if he knew one Dr. Iyi Uwadiae, the witness answered in the affirmative, identifying him as current Registrar of WAEC. Asked if he was aware that Dr. Iyi had on November 2, 2018, “purported to give President Buhari attestation certificate”?, the witness said: “Yes I am aware”. Nevertheless, he said it was not true that such attestation could only be given when a candidate misplaced or lost his certificate. Adewumi was the fourth witness, RW-4, President Buhari has produced to testify in his bid to defend the petition challenging both his re-election and the allegation that he lacked the requisite educational qualifications.

President Muhammadu Buhari says he has no plan to groom a successor for the 2023 presidential election and accused Nigerian youths of taking things for granted.
The president stated this while reacting to one of the requests made by the members of progressives in academics, who visited him at the State House, Abuja on Tuesday.
The spokesperson for the group, Dr. Bolariwa Bolaji, had earlier urged the president to groom a successor, who will take over in 2023.
Bolaji said: “We are delighted having you and in another four years you would want to go and rest – then who takes over from you? We are suggesting that you bring vibrant youths among people who have shown interest, bring them in so that you start saddling them with responsibilities and you will be watching over these next four years so that when you want to leave the circle, you would have vibrant youths to hand over to.
“This is one of the ways the gains of this government can be made to be continues – so that there will be continuity in what you are doing.’’
However, President Buhari said he would rather stay away from identifying anybody as his successor so as not to create a problem for such a person.
The president said: “To me, this is very funny. I think if I identify anybody I’d create more problems for him or for her.
“So, I’d rather keep my mouth shut. Let those who would want to be president try as much as I did. And I believe that those who are interested know that I tried three times.
“And the first time, I thank God and technology, PVC. Before they just went on the television and they read the results. They said anybody who disagreed should go to court.
“And most of my supporters are looking for the next day’s meal. They don’t have money to give to lawyers. So I said, 'God dey'. So, the first time God and technology came along, PVC, they couldn’t rig the election, so I won."
The president added, "I tried to work hard but I think you have a lot more to do you as intellectuals so that you correctly document Nigeria’s political development. It’s very important for the next generation.
“A lot of our young chaps are taking things for granted. Imagine contesting election three times ending up in Supreme Court three times. It needs a lot of conviction you know, and hard work.
“But people take success for granted. They say, 'Ah, he’s the president'. They think I just closed my eyes and I got it?"

Islamic State says killed or wounded more than 40 Nigerian soldiers - Amaq
CAIRO (Reuters) - Islamic State said via its Amaq news agency that it killed or wounded more than 40 soldiers in the northeast Nigerian state of Borno in two separate attacks on Tuesday.
The group said militants attacked a military post in Baga and killed at least 15 soldiers before carrying out a second attack on an army barracks in the town of Benisheik, where they killed around 25 more.
Locals and military sources told Reuters there were clashes between insurgents and soldiers in the state on Monday and Tuesday. Reuters was unable to immediately verify the number of people killed or injured in those clashes.
An army spokesman did not immediately respond to phone calls requesting comment.
More than 30,000 people have been killed in northeast Nigeria since 2009 in an Islamist insurgency.
At the weekend at least 65 people were killed in Borno, the birthplace of the insurgency, when militants targeted civilians travelling from a funeral.
Reporting by Samar Ahmed in Cairo

Islamic State says killed or wounded more than 40 Nigerian soldiers - Amaq
CAIRO (Reuters) - Islamic State said via its Amaq news agency that it killed or wounded more than 40 soldiers in the northeast Nigerian state of Borno in two separate attacks on Tuesday.
The group said militants attacked a military post in Baga and killed at least 15 soldiers before carrying out a second attack on an army barracks in the town of Benisheik, where they killed around 25 more.
Locals and military sources told Reuters there were clashes between insurgents and soldiers in the state on Monday and Tuesday. Reuters was unable to immediately verify the number of people killed or injured in those clashes.
An army spokesman did not immediately respond to phone calls requesting comment.
More than 30,000 people have been killed in northeast Nigeria since 2009 in an Islamist insurgency.
At the weekend at least 65 people were killed in Borno, the birthplace of the insurgency, when militants targeted civilians travelling from a funeral.
Reporting by Samar Ahmed in Cairo

Man Bites Woman’s bre*st During Fight In Asaba
A 22-year-old man, Precious Michael, who allegedly bit a woman on her breast, on Wednesday appeared in a Magistrates’ Court in Asaba, Delta.
Eyes Of Lagos gathered that, The police charged Michael with assault and causing grievous hurt.
The Prosecution Counsel, Mrs Blessing Okafor , told the court that Michael assaulted Miss Ella Ibeawzie, near the Royal park Hotel, Asaba.
Okafor alleged that the defendant bit Ibeawzie on her bre*st and also knocked out her tooth during an altercation.
She alleged that the defendant also tore Ibeawzie’s dress, valued at N4,000.
The offence, she said, is punishable under sections 355 and 451 of the Criminal Code Cap C21 Vol 1 laws of Delta state of Nigeria 2006.
The accused pleaded not guilty.
Magistrate Edith Anumodu admitted the defendant to bail i the sum of N50,000 with one surety in like sum.
Anumodu ordered that the surety must provide an affidavit of mean.
She adjourned the case until Aug. 20 for definite hearing.

A Kano High Court on Wednesday sentenced a 25-year-old man, Umar Yakubu, to death by hanging for stabbing his friend, Ibrahim Adamu, 22, to death during an argument over N20 loan.
Yakubu, who lives at Sabuwar Gandu Quarters in Kano, was convicted on a one-count charge of culpable homicide, contrary to Section 221 of the Penal Code Law.
Delivering judgment, Justice Dije Aboki, held that the Prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubts.
Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Lamido Soron-Dinki, told the court that on June 13, 2018, at about 11 a.m in Sabiwar Gandu Quarters, Kano, the convict asked the deceased to give him a loan him of N20.
Soron-Dinki said the convict the stabbed the deceased in the chest with scissors during an argument over the N20 loan

Atiku Reacts Over 'Killing & Secret Burial of 1000 Nigerian Soldiers'
By Wisdom Nwedene
The Presidential candidate of the People's Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2019 general election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has reacted to the alleged killing and secret burial of 1000 Nigerian soldiers by Boko Haram terrorists, Igbere TV reports.
In a statement made available to Igbere TV, Atiku said he read the report by the Wall Street Journal that over a thousand Nigerian soldiers have been secretly buried at night by the General Muhammadu Buhari led administration, in order to hide the true state of the war on terror, with a sense of heartbreak and shock.
Atiku further said that men and women of our armed forces are our first, second and last defence against our domestic and foreign enemies and should be treated with love, respect, dignity and appreciation for the invaluable service they render to Nigeria.
The statement reads in full,
"On The Secret Burial of 1000 Soldiers Killed By Boko Haram/ISWAP: Nigerians Are Entitled to Know The Truth."
"I read the report by the Wall Street Journal that over a thousand Nigerian soldiers have been secretly buried at night by the General Muhammadu Buhari led administration, in order to hide the true state of the war on terror, with a sense of heartbreak and shock."
"Heartbreak for the families and friends of those soldiers who, if the report is true, have lost their loved ones, without being allowed to bury them or even to have any sense of closure as regards their fate."
"Shock, that such a thing could happen under a democracy, such as Nigeria is supposed to be. I shudder to think that the cover-up of such an event of epic proportions can be true."
"The men and women of our armed forces are our first, second and last defence against our domestic and foreign enemies and should be treated with love, respect, dignity and appreciation for the invaluable service they render to Nigeria."
"I cannot fathom that in the space of a year, 1000 of these great patriots were killed and buried secretly without their families being told. I hesitate to believe that deceit on such a grand scale is even possible."
"To ensure that we get to the bottom of this matter, I urge that a Judicial Commission of Inquiry headed by a non-partisan and reputable jurist, be inaugurated to investigate the findings of the Wall Street Journal. While this is occurring, I also strongly urge that a panel of inquiry comprising distinguished former military officers be set up to investigate and report to Nigerians the true state of the war on terror and what must be done to ensure Nigeria brings a speedy end to the ongoing insurgency."
"Nigeria must ensure prudent use of finances, so we can redistribute national resources in such a way that ensures that our military and security forces are well armed and well remunerated."
"Even the death of one soldier affects me. But the alleged cover-up of the deaths of one thousand soldiers is a national emergency that should shock all statesmen and leaders of thoughts into action to save Nigeria."

Social critic and digital media influencer, Japhet Omojuwa has unveiled his new book tagged Digital: The New Code Of Wealth
at an event held at Civic Center, Victoria Island, Lagos. The book launch had in attendance various stakeholders in media, entertainment and governance, including Emeka Mba, Kadaria Ahmed, Pastor Tony Rapu, Otega Ogra, Steve Baba-Eko, Timi Dakolo, Banky W, Bovi and many more.
The launch also featured panelists who took turns to share insights on how digital platforms impacts the continent and its people. They also engaged the audience on how digital platforms is shaping governance and developments across Africa.

President Muhammadu Buhari, says the federal government's introduced National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) of the federal government, has in three years, lifted no fewer than five million Nigerians out of extreme poverty.
Mr Buhari said this at the opening of the Global Youth Employment Forum of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Abuja on Thursday.
He said the forum was an opportunity for young persons to address the challenges of national economic stability.
The president's claim came despite report by the World Poverty Clock in 2018 that Nigeria had overtaken India with the largest number of people living in extreme poverty.
According to the report released in May 2018, Nigeria now has an estimated 87 million people in extreme poverty, compared to India's 73 million.
Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, Mr Buhari commended the ILO for committing itself to youth employment.
He noted that the federal government had an in-depth understanding of the rapidly changing demographics and the emerging world of work.
"We note at this point that the issue of youth unemployment has assumed a global significant, and on the front burner of development discourse.
"The government of Nigeria understands the need to focus attention on youth empowerment by creating the enabling environment for job opportunities and capacity building.
"The present administration from the onset, made the investment in our people, one of the key goals of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, which is the national development blueprint from the period of 2017 to 2020.
"The implementation of the plan also has the flagship programme such as the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP).
"It has yielded some measurable outcomes in the form of increased school enrolment and the creation of more jobs.
"One of the key components of the NSIP is the N-Power programme and its sub-components has led to the creation of job opportunities in different sectors of the economy for young persons.
"For example, in the past three years, the programme has yielded over 2 million direct and indirect employment opportunities and has lifted over 5 million Nigerians out of extreme poverty,
"In addition to this achievement, some sectors of the economy with high propensity for massive job creation and employment generation were specifically target by the government for various forms of support."
Mr Buhari noted that these sectors included agriculture, solid minerals, power, works and housing, trade and investment, and also in the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The president said some programmes of the federal government were also targeted at the informal sectors, improving their capacity and boosting the domestic economy, such as the import restriction the executive order on ease of doing business.
The ILO Director General, Guy Ryder, called on governments and the social partners to foster pro-employment growth and decent job creation through macroeconomic policies.
According to him, with right macro-economic policies in place, it will promote youth employability, youth entrepreneurship and rights to tackle the social consequences of youth unemployment.
Read also: Southeast Governors to set up Zonal Security Centre
"There is the need to promote macroeconomic policies and fiscal incentives that support employment and stronger aggregate demand, improve access to finance and increase productive investment, taking account of different economic situations in countries."
He recalled that at its 101st International Labour Conference in June 2012, the ILO adopted a Resolution calling for immediate, targeted and renewed action to tackle the youth employment crisis.
NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, said the event was an opportunity to cross-fertilise ideas in addressing the global challenge of unemployment and under-employment.
He said young persons have the potential to contribute positively to national development, stressing that the forum would seek out solutions to the fundamental issues fuelling the challenge of work.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Williams Alo, said the forum reminded all countries to do things differently, saying Nigeria could not continue to do things differently and expected a positive change.
"After three years of rising unemployment rates, the ILO 2018 World Employment Social Outlook forecast a slight drop in global unemployment rate from 5.6 per cent in 2017 to 5.5 per cent in 2018.
"However, with ever increasing number of person entering into the labour market to seek employment, youth continue to face substantially worse labour market conditions that their adult counterparts," he said.

While the President tweets should be accorded with respect and attention, President Muhammadu Buhari's tweet have received a lot of savage responses from Nigerians.
ABACITYBLOG observed that the President tweets about his administration focused on agriculture, to enable Nigeria with over 200 million population feed itself...
Instead of responding to Mr. Buhari's tweet, a tweet user asked the President to open a record label and sign him as an artist. He promised Mr. President that their duo will make a lot of money.
"A country with a population of close to 200 million has to be able to feed itself. We cannot rely on importing food. This is why one of our priorities as a government is growing the food we eat. Our policies will continue to be focused on agricultural self-sufficiency", Buhari tweeted.
Responding to Buhari, Eko finest boy, replied and
Dear Mr president,
I’m a rapper, why don’t you start a record label and sign me? I deliver well and I’m assuring you we gon get the bag sir!!!!

It seems like keyboard playing was not the only thing done by a young man at Worship Centre, as he also impregnated six girls from the same church.
This is said to have been revealed by Mbabane Worship Centre’s Apostle Justice Dlamini to the congregation in church on Sunday.
Information gathered was to the effect that the apostle strongly denounced the member’s act.
Apostle Justice is known to be a transformational and dynamic speaker of the Word of God.
Sources privy with details of the matter said mothers of the girls separately informed the apostle that their children were impregnated by the keyboard player, who will not be named.
Victims
Suspicion was that the man was in love relationships with all the girls, though it could not be ascertained or proved how he managed to juggle all of them. It is said that the total number of the young man’s victims tallied up to six. All of the girls are said to have given birth to their babies, who are almost the same age.
Upon noting that the number of the keyboard player’s victims was increasing, a source said the apostle was infuriated and he publicly declared his stand on the matter.
After filling in the congregation about the matter, Apostle Justice is said to have further announced that the keyboard player would be relieved of his duties with immediate effect.
When sought for comment, Apostle Justice Dlamini confirmed the matter. He said when he heard about it he was too shocked and disappointed.
He said he informed the congregation about the keyboard player’s antics, and that he would no longer be participating in the church’s activities because he wanted to set an example that will act as a deterrent to others who might think of doing the same.
Banish
Even so, the apostle clarified that he did not banish the church member from attending services, because he was as entitled to attend as anyone else who wished to be part of the church.
“It is only for God to forgive sinners, so he is welcome to still congregate with us if he so wishes,” Dlamini said.
The apostle further stated that it was forbidden for Christians to behave in such a manner, especially in church.
He said Christian men should not be allowed to sleep around willy-nilly as it was a violation of human dignity.
With regards to pregnant girls from the church, Apostle Justice said they should report to him so that he can follow-up on the fathers of their unborn babies to be responsible.
Importance
For those whose partners are not from the same church, Dlamini said he would still make means to track them down and kindly make them understand the importance of their involvement in their children’s lives.
Worship Centre has had a fair share of such cases, which the apostle resolved by engaging the parties concerned, who later repented while some ended up leaving the church.

The Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, has condemned the arrest of activist Omoyele Sowore.
Mr Sowore, a presidential candidate in the last election, was arrested on Saturday for calling for a revolution against poor governance.
“Beyond the word ‘revolution, another much mis-used and misunderstood word, nothing that Sowore has uttered, written, or advocated suggests that he is embarking on, or urging the public to engage in a forceful overthrow of government,” Mr Soyinka said.
He compared the actions of the security agencies that arrested Mr Sowore to what happended during the tenure of the late dictator, Sani Abacha.
“We underwent identical cynical contrivances under the late, unlamented Sani Abacha, when he sent storm-troopers to disrupt a planning session for a similar across-nation march at Tai Solarin School, Ikenne,” Mr Soyinka wrote in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES.
Read the full statement below.
SURELY, NOT AGAIN!!!
Deployment of alarmist experessions such as “treason”, “anarchist”, “public incitement” etc. by Security forces have become so predictable and banal that they have become meaningless. Beyond the word ‘revolution, another much mis-used and misunderstood word, nothing that Sowore has uttered, written, or advocated suggests that he is embarking on, or urging the public to engage in a forceful overthrow of government. Nothing that he said to me in private engagement ever remotely approached an intent to destabilize governance or bypass the normal democratic means of changing a government. I therefore find the reasons given by the Inspector-General, for the arrest and detention of this young ex-presidential candidate totally contrived and untenable, unsupported by any shred of evidence. His arrest is a travesty and violation of the fundamental rights of citizens to congregate and make public their concerns.
This is all so sadly déjà vu. How often must we go through this wearisome cycle? We underwent identical cynical contrivances under the late, unlamented Sani Abacha, when he sent storm-troopers to disrupt a planning session for a similar across-nation march at Tai Solarin School, Ikenne. This was followed up by a personalized letter that was hand delivered by the State Security Services to me under their ummons, at their Abeokuta so-called ‘Annexe’ with near identical wording to the threats contained in today’s release from the desk of the Chief of Police. At least, I was summoned, not subjected to a terrorist midnight arrest. Some irony!
The same pattern Pavlovian conduct manifested itself under yet another supposed democratic ruler who personally declared that the gathering of civilians to deliberate on, and propose a constitution for the nation was ‘high treason’, and would be resisted by the full rigour of state power if we persisted. The Inspector-General of Police mobilized his forces and issued inflammatory proclamations, but PRONACO went ahead despite all the thundering from Aso citadel. Can the police ever learn anything also their tear-gassing and brutalizing of grieving mothers who marched peacefully to protest the deaths of their children in a plane crash inferno? Their mission, under that same regime, which was simply to deliver a letter to government house in Lagos, demanding greater safety in airline operations, yet such a rational intent, born of traumatic circumstances, was quashed on the sidewalks of a supposed twentieth century nation.
And yet again, even a faceless cabal under yet another civilian regime refused to be left out of the insensate play of power. A march on Aso Rock calling for an end to governance by a ghostly entity was slated to be crushed, but fortunately, a conflicting balance of interests decided in favour of a reduced trajectory of protest. And so on and on and on, in a nation which continues to speak at once through both sides of the mouth, spewing out the same Treason monotone, as if this was a magic incantation that could substitute for the venting of mass feelings, even as collective therapy!
May I invite the Inspector-General to wade through the daily journals of the past few weeks and months, read and digest the calls by numerous sectors of society – across professions and national groupings – for demonstrations against the parlous conditions of society, all identifying ills to which attention must be drawn, and urgently, through mass action? Demonstrations and processions are time honoured, democratic ways of drawing not only the attention of government to ills, but of mobilizing the public towards a proactive consciousness of their condition, and thereby exhorting civil society also to devise means of ameliorating their condition through their own efforts? Religious bodies have urged such remedies, so have civic associations. The ready recourse to arrests, incarceration and threats to civilians are ultimately counter-productive. They alienate the citizens, erode their confidence in governance responsiveness, and thereby advance the very extremist nightmare that security agencies believe they are acting to thwart.
If we cannot learn from the histories and experiences of other societies, let us at least learn from ours. Freedom is not so glibly qualified. It cannot be doled out like slops of charity from soup kitchens. Let the Police stick to their task of protecting and managing protests, not attempt to place their own meaning and declaration of intent on bogey words like – revolution!

As Kaduna State High Court decides the fate of IMN leader, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky on his application for bail to travel abroad for treatment today, the Kaduna State Police have insisted on ban against demonstration in the state.
The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) leader had requested to travel to India with his wife, Zeenat Ibrahim for medical attention, with the case adjourned last week for ruling on Monday (today), but the police, yesterday warned against any form of demonstrations in Kaduna State, while urging residents to be vigilant of people around them.
According to the Police, “The Kaduna State Police Command wishes to notify the general public to exercise more security consciousness as they go about their lawful businesses by being extra vigilant of their environment, persons around them, and activities of suspicious persons, so as to prevent miscreants from disturbing the peace of the state,” the police public relations officer, DSP Yakubu Sabo said on a statement.
Members of the public should note that the ban on all forms of demonstrations in Kaduna State is still in force. The Police will not hesitate to deal decisively with any person or group of persons who deliberately attempt to violate the ban.
In view of the court trial of Malam Ibrahim El-Zakzaky on Monday, August 5, 2019, the peace-loving and law abiding people of Kaduna State are to note that adequate security has been put in place for a hitch-free court appearance.,

The management of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, has condemned the alleged sexual assault on one of its students by soldiers of the 32 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army.The soldiers were attached to a checkpoint on the Akungba Akoko -Ikare Akoko Road.
The victim, a 300-level student of the Department of Religious and African Studies, AAUA, was allegedly gang-raped by some soldiers at the checkpoint on Wednesday.
The victim was allegedly forced to alight from a commercial bus and dragged into a makeshift shed by the soldiers at the checkpoint and sexually assaulted.
The soldiers, who allegedly perpetrated the act, were said to have been arrested by the brigade, while the army had commenced investigation into the matter.
The university, in a statement on Sunday by its acting Registrar, Mr Opeoluwa Akinfemiwa, called on the army authorities to prosecute the perpetrators of the dastardly act.
The statement read in part, “The university, after its preliminary investigation, noted with concern and amazement that soldiers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, whose duty, among others, is to protect the lives of its citizens, can turn around to exhibit such reprobate tendencies.
“The university, while commending the swift action taken so far by the Brigade Commander on this inhuman and brazen assault on a defenceless and innocent student, calls on the authorities of the Nigerian Army to deal decisively with the perpetrators of the act against humanity.”
The institution urged the army to dismantle the checkpoint at Ikare, where the crime was allegedly committed, and move the soldiers attached to it to Oba-Akoko and Ido Ani areas in the Ose Local Government Area of the state, where kidnapping was rampant.
It also called on the students to remain calm while investigation was ongoing into the matter.
“We will continue to ensure that adequate security measures are put in place to enable the students to continue to pursue their academic activities without molestation,” the AAUA management added.