Headlines
Lagos Assembly Threatens to Order Ambode’s Arrest over Bus Purchase
The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, has asked the Clerk of the House, Mr Azeez Sanni, to invite former governor Akinwunmi Ambode over the 820 vehicles purchased during his administration.
Obasa also directed that former government officials involved in the project should be invited.
He said if they refused to hour the invitation, the Assembly would do newspaper adverts, after which it would issue warrants for their arrest.
The Speaker spoke at the plenary on Thursday after two ad hoc committees set up to investigate the purchase of 820 buses during the Ambode administration and appraise the 2019 mid-year budget, delivered their reports.
The chairman of the nine-man committee probing the bus purchase, Fatai Mojeed, stated that out of the 20 officials summoned by the committee, four did not appear.
He identified them as the former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Kazeem Adeniji; ex-Commissioner for Budget, Mr Olusegun Banjo; ex-Commissioner for Finance, Mr Akinyemi Ashade; and former Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr Wale Oluwo.
Some members of the House, while reacting to the reports, suggested that warrants should be issued for the arrest of the former governor and the ex-commissioners.
The member representing Alimosho Constituency 1, Bisi Yusuf, said the House had constitutional powers to issue such warrants.
However, member representing Badagry Constituency 1, Ibrahim Layode, advised that invitation should be extended to the ex-governor and former commissioners through newspaper adverts.
Obasa then said, “The clerk should write them, including the ex-governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, and if they refuse, we will do newspaper publications and after that, we will issue warrants of arrest.”
In another development, the House disregarded a petition against member representing Lagos Mainland Constituency II, Lanre Oshun, who was accused of collecting $200,000 bribery to cover up a breach of contract in the environment ministry.
The chairman of the ad hoc committee investigating the allegation, Tunde Braimoh, informed the House that the petitioner was faceless, and the allegation was baseless.
The Punch
The first hostages freed from Gaza under a long-awaited ceasefire agreement are back in Israel. The news sparked jubilant scenes in Tel Aviv where large crowds gathered ahead of their release.
The three freed Israeli hostages – the first of 33 to be released over the next six weeks – are Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari. They are said to be in good health and are receiving treatment at a medical center in Tel Aviv.
In exchange, 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees are set to be released by Israel from Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank.
The Israeli military withdrew from several locations in southern and northern Gaza after the truce began earlier on Sunday, an Israeli military official told CNN.
Displaced Gazans have started returning to their homes, while the aid trucks laden with much-needed supplies have crossed into Gaza. Here’s what we know about how the ceasefire deal will work.
Hamas, despite suffering devastating losses, is framing the Gaza ceasefire agreement as a victory for itself, and a failure for Israel.
One of Hamas’ main goals for taking some 250 people during its brazen October 7, 2023, attack on Israel was to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. As Israel pounded Gaza in response, Hamas vowed not to return the hostages until Israel withdrew its forces from the enclave, permanently ended the war, and allowed for rebuilding.
Source: CNN
The leader of UK’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has said she doesn’t want Britain to be like Nigeria that is plagued by “terrible governments.”
Speaking on Thursday at an event organised by Onward, a British think tank producing research on economic and social issues, Badenoch expressed fears that Britain may become like Nigeria if the system is not reformed.
“And why does this matter so much to me? It’s because I know what it is like to have something and then to lose it,” Badenoch told the audience.
“I don’t want Britain to lose what it has.
“I grew up in a poor country and watched my relatively wealthy family become poorer and poorer, despite working harder and harder as their money disappeared with inflation.
“I came back to the UK aged 16 with my father’s last £100 in the hope of a better life.
“So I have lived with the consequences of terrible governments that destroy lives, and I never, ever want it to happen here.”
Badenoch has been in the news of late after she dissociated herself from Nigeria, saying she has nothing to do with the Islamic northern region.
She also accused the Nigeria Police of robbing citizens instead of protecting them.
She said: “My experience with the Nigeria Police was very negative. Coming to the UK, my experience with the British Police was very positive.
“The police in Nigeria will rob us (laughter). When people say I have this bad experience with the police because I’m black, I say well…I remember the police stole my brother’s shoe and his watch.”
