14042021 -6 Northern govs link up to fight banditry, terrorism

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 2021 — 11
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EFCC arrests ex-gov Okorocha
over alleged N7.9bn cash in banks
By Soni Daniel
A Imo BUJA—FORMER
State Governor,
Owelle Rochas Okorocha, was
yesterday arrested in Abuja over
alleged misappropriation of the
funds of the state to the tune of
N7.9 billion.
There has been a running
battle between the former
governor and the EFCC in recent
months following his claims and
counter claims that he did not
wrong and that he was being
witch-hunted by the EFCC and
his successor, Hope Uzodinma.
The commission, which started
investigating the former governor
even before he left office in 2019,
claimed that it traced at least N7.9
billion in different bank accounts
to the former governor, now a
senator representing the state in
the upper chambers of the
Nigerian parliament.
UNILORIN Alumni Impasse: CAANU
commends VC for restoring sanity
By Demola Akinyemi
I L O R I N —
CONFERENCE of
ALUMNI Associations of
Nigerian Universities, CAANU,
has commended the Vice-
Chancellor of University of Ilorin,
UNILORIN, Professor Sulyman
Age Abdulkareem, for the roles
he played in the, “restoration of
integrity and honour that the
University of Ilorin Alumni
Association is known for. “
In a commmendation letter,
CAANU National chairman,
Professor Ahmed Tijjani
Mara said: “National
executive committee of
CAANU and the entire
delegates at the 2021 first
CHRISTIANITY
is
about meeting spiritual,
physical and materiel needs,
just like Jesus Christ and the
early church did, unlike today;
the Church is now taking more
than it is giving.
Pastor Rosemary Akaette,
Founder, Living Encouraged
Ministries and convener,
Sought Out Outreach, said
this in her address at the
maiden outreach and
empowerment conference for
widows in Lagos.
She noted that the lack of
focus on the welfare of
Christians had exposed the
quarter meeting of CAANU
held at the Ebonyi State
University, Abakaliki on Saturday
27th March 2021 use this medium
to express our profound gratitude
to our distinguished Vice-
Chancellor, Professor Sulyman
Abdulkareem for your role in the
restoration of integrity and
honour that the University of
Ilorin Alumni Association is
known for.
“The University of Ilorin
Alumni association was a giant
among the comity of universities
Alumni Association before a non
compatriot and selfish individual
found his way to the leadership
of the association and brought it
to disrepute for his egocentric and
self serving agenda.''
Konshisha: Benue Security Council demands
return of slain soldiers' weapons
•Wants masterminds arrested, prosecuted
•As youths allege plot to invade Benue communities
By Peter Duru
MAKURDI—THE Benue
State Security Council,
yesterday directed traditional
rulers and stakeholders in
Konshisha Local Government
Area, LGA, to ensure the
unconditional return of the arms
and ammunition confiscated from
the 12 soldiers killed on Easter
Monday by armed bandits in the
area.
The Council also advised
against any form of inflammatory
statements that could aggravate
the situation in the area urging
stakeholders to allow the
government and security agencies
to handle the matter.
These were part of the
resolutions reached at the end of
the Council’s meeting which was
presided over by Governor Samuel
Ortom and had in attendance
stakeholders and traditional rulers
from Konshisha LGA.
While confirming that militias
were responsible for the killing of
the soldiers deployed to ensure
peace between Konshisha and
Oju LGAs, the Council
condemned the killing and
expressed its condolences to
President Muhammadu Buhari,
Chief of Army Staff and families of
the soldiers.
Reading the resolutions,
Governor Ortom said, “the
meeting confirmed that six persons
including two militia members died
during the search for the missing
soldiers.
“Stakeholders were advised to
restrain themselves from making
inflammatory statements and
Foursquare holds annual int'l confab for ministers,
leaders
LAGOS—THE National
Leadership of the Foursquare
Gospel Church in Nigeria has
announced that its annual
International Conference for
Ministers and Leaders 2021 will
take place from Thursday, April
15 to Sunday April 182021.
According to the Chairman of
the Organizing Committee, Rev.
Dr. Ben Taiwo, the ICML is the
flagship training programme for
ministers and leaders of the
organisation which over the
years has trained thousands of
leaders within and outside the
The commission also claimed
that it had identified many choice
property said to be owned by the
former governor in different parts
of the county and that they would
be eventually forfeited to the
government.
The former governor, according
to EFCC sources, was arrested
at his private office in Garki
District of Abuja yesterday and
taken to the EFCC office also in
Abuja.
It was learnt that the anti-graft
agency might charge the former
governor to court immediately in
order to make him to account for
his actions while in office as the
Chief Executive officer of the
state for eight years.
The Spokesman for the EFCC,
Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, who
confirmed the arrest of the former
governor to Vanguard on Tuesday
night, however declined to give
details of the matter.
Foundation empowers widows,
says Church now taking more
than giving
Church to criticism, lamenting
that “the Church has missed it.”
Represented by Pastor John
Okwuone, Senior Pastor, Love
Christian Centre, LCC, she
urged the beneficiaries to also
“bless and empower others as
you were reached to reach
others.”
At the conference, over 50
women were trained in makeup
and hair making, simple snacks
and cake making, and liquid
soap and detergent making.
While giving her talk on
“Soaring Above the Storms of
Life,” Olubunmi Onipede, the
guest speaker, told the women
that widowhood is a storm, but
it’s one they can overcome.
Foursquare Movement. This
year's edition promises to be
spiritually enriching and
physically refreshing. Listed
among the ministers during the
programme are the General
Overseer, Rev. Sam Aboyeji,
Engr. Abiodun Fijabi, Rev. Yomi
Oyinloye, the National Secretary
and Pst. Tunde Oyediran,
National Minister for Missions
(Youth) among many others.
Commenting on what should
be expected during the
programme, the General
Overseer, Rev. Sam Aboyeji said:
‘The theme of this year's
conference, Stewardship taken
from 1 Corinthians 4:1,2 is a reminder
to us of the spiritual, sacred,
solemn and serious service
which we have been called to offer
as Gods servants. Towards this
conference, God has prepared His
vessels to lead us, teach us and
impact us in definite ways as we
focus on this important subject of
stewardship. The ICML will also
reflect the dynamics of the times
we are in. As a carryover from last
year, we are retaining as much of
what was planned before but will
seek further opportunity to handle
some of the subjects that are not
accommodated.”
allow the government and
security agencies to handle the
matter.
“The meeting tasked traditional
rulers and other stakeholders to
ensure that all the weapons
taken from the murdered soldiers
are returned unconditionally.
And soon as the arms are
returned, the State Security
Council will review the situation.
“The meeting resolved that all
those involved in the killing of
the soldiers should be arrested
and prosecuted. To end the
lingering crisis between Oju and
Konshisha, the meeting resolved
that the demarcation of the
boundary between the two LGAs
be carried out as soon as possible.
“The meeting also appreciated
the military for accepting the plea
of the state government not to
further escalate the destruction
of lives and property of innocent
citizens in the affected
communities of Konshisha.”
Planned invasion of
Benue communities
Meanwhile, Benue Youth
Forum, BYF, has raised the alarm
over alleged plot by armed
herdsmen to invade Guma Local
Government Area, LGA, and
other parts of the state.
The group appealed to security
agencies to intensify surveillance
in border communities of the
State, particularly Guma LGA to
avert a repeat of the 2018
massacre in the area.
The National President of BYF,
Terrence Kuanum in a statement
Nigeria’s victory against
insecurity’s around the
corner — PASTOR ADEBOYE
By Ibrahim Hassan
K General ADUNA—THE
Overseer of the
Redeemed Christian Church of
God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has
said Nigeria’s victory against
insecurity is around the corner.
Pastor Adeboye, who made this
known yesterday when he paid
a courtesy call on Governor Nasir
el-Rufai of Kaduna State at the
Government House, told the
governor that he was praying for
him, the state and the country at
large.
The respected cleric, said: “We
know that you have a problem
that only God can solve. The
problem is far beyond the abilities
of any human being. We have
known each other for years. I
know the kind of person you are.
I know you are tender hearted, I
know how you definitely must be
feeling, particularly when the
kidnappings are going on. When
they begin to kidnap school
children, I know how you must
be feeling.”
He assured the governor that
“victory is around the corner. We
are praying for you and I believe
God is going to answer the
prayers. I am assuring you sir that
the Almighty God is going to fight
for you, He is going to fight for
Kaduna State, He is going to
fight for Nigeria. When God
begins to do what He alone can
do, then the world will see it and
they will glorify the name of God,
and many people who may be
criticizing you now, will probably
see the other side of story.”
Responding, Governor el-Rufai
commiserated with the Redeemed
Christian Church family over the
recent abduction of some pastors
and parishioners in the state.
He said: ‘’We also seek your
blessings and prayers, as a great
man of God, to assist us with
the challenges that we are facing
here and the country at large.
This country needs divine
intervention more than at any
time in its history. So, we are
grateful for your prayers, we are
grateful for your blessings, and
we will continue to ask for more.
“The Redeemed Christian
Church has been a pillar of
strength; a symbol of Nigeria’s
unity and positive force for peace
and progress in the state. And
we are very grateful with the
contributions that they have
made.”
The governor urged Pastor
Adeboye to continue to
encourage the church to
expand throughout the state
because ‘’our state needs
your prayers, our state needs
your blessings.”
PRESENTATION: From left;
Passenger Service Agent, Arik
Air Ilorin Station, Owolabi
Joshua; Admin Secretary,
Hope Motherless Babies
Home, Idofian, Kwara State,
Mrs Bunmi Enimola and Head
of
Corporate
Communications Arik Air,
Adebanji Ola during the
presentation of food items to
the Motherless Babies Home
as part of Easter celebrations.
in Makurdi, claimed that credible
information had it that
clandestine meetings were being
held by armed herders in Bauchi
at the border between the state
and Kano State to unleash
mayhem in Benue State.
According to him “herders who
have been holding meetings in
some northern states have
singled out Governor Samuel
Ortom as their prime target and
have threatened to make his
country home a stream of tears.
Information has it that the latest
meeting of the evil planners took
place at a community in Bauchi
on the border between the state
and Kano State.
“The aim of the armed
herdsmen is to intimidate the
Governor through sustained
attacks and force him to repeal
the Open Grazing Prohibition
and Ranches Establishment Law
to give their cattle unhindered
access to Benue lands.
“Recall that Governor Ortom
recently alerted the nation that
his Bauchi State counterpart,
Bala Mohammed was profiling
him for attacks, and that if
anything happens to him,
Governor Bala should be held
responsible. Also recall the eyepopping
support and defence the
Bauchi Governor publicly gave
herdsmen who carry AK47.
“Is it a coincidence that the said
meeting and plot to attack
Governor Ortom’s country home
took place in Bauchi? Our
investigation points to the fact
that the same terror groups are
remotely behind the communal
clashes within Benue State to
paint a picture of anarchy and
make the Governor to appear as
one who has lost control of affairs
of his state.
“The sophistication and
audacity the communal crises
have assumed lay credence to
the suspicion of external
influence. While supporting the
call for the arrest of indigenous
suspects, we urge security
operatives to equally beam their
searchlight on sponsors of the
crises who may not be residing
within the state.
“We urge Benue people to
continue to support security
agencies as they have been
doing and to report strange
movements around them.
While commending security
agencies for their efforts in
restoring peace in Benue State,
we charge them to do more to
enable our people who are in
IDPs camps to return to their
ancestral homes.”