Headlines
NDA Denies Arrest of NAF Personnel over Attack on Facility
The Nigerian Defence Academy has denied arresting a Nigerian Air Force personnel, Sergeant Torsabo Solomon, in connection with the attack of the facility.
Some armed men had attacked the institution in August killing two.
Sergeant Solomon, according to reports was picked up on Monday and flown to Kaduna for further investigations.
Two separate written communications on the arrest was quoted in some of the reports.
The first reads, “On 08 Nov 21, at about 0600hr, NAF07/ 23922, SGT Torsobo Solomon of 153 BSG (AIRFORCE COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL YOLA) was arrested on the order of the Base Commander as requested by the NDA Commander for an offence connecting with arms and ammunition with recent bandit attack at NDA Kaduna.”
The second on the airlift of the suspect from Yola, reads, “At about 0815hr, ATR with reg no NAF 930 to arrive flight line to convey him from Yola to NDA KADUNA for further interrogation.”
However, the NDA in a statement on Monday night by Major Bashir Jajira said he was not in their custody.
The statement was titled, ‘RE: Arrest of sergeant Torsabo Solomon’.
It reads, “The attention of the Nigerian Defence Academy has been drawn to a viral publication on social media regarding the arrest of one Sgt Torsabo Solomon for his involvement on the security breach in Nigerian Defence Academy and was conveyed to the Academy for investigation.
“This is to inform the general public that the above named person is not in the Nigerian Defence Academy’s custody as alleged and has no connection with the Academy.
“The Nigerian Defence Academy is a Military Training Institution and not an Investigative Security Agency. The general public is hereby advised to disregard this misinformation and refer to relevant Investigative Security Agencies for clarification.
“The Nigerian Defence Academy wishes to reassure the general public that the perpetrators of the security breach on the Nigerian Defence Academy architecture will sooner rather than later be apprehended.”
The Punch
The National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (NWC) has suspended the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade; National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu; Deputy Legal Adviser, Okechukwu Osuoha; and National Organizing Secretary, Umaru Bature for one month.
The suspension comes on the heels of the judgement of the Federal High Court On Friday, which stopped the party’s planned national convention.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba, told journalists in Abuja on Saturday, that the decision followed an emergency meeting of the national working committee, which was held in Abuja.
President Donald Trump of the United States on Friday designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), in response to allegations of widespread persecution and genocide against Christians.
Writing on his Truth Social account, Trump stated that Christianity faces a serious threat in Nigeria.
The US leader also added Nigeria to a State Department watch list.
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter,” Trump wrote.
According to the US president, he was placing Nigeria, Africa’s top oil producer and most populous nation, on a “Countries of Particular Concern” list of nations the US deems to have engaged in religious freedom violations.
According to the State Department’s website, the list includes China, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia, and Pakistan, among others.
Trump said he had asked US Representatives Riley Moore and Tom Cole, as well as the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee, to look into the matter and report back to him.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has removed Hon. Abubakar Gummi from the House of Representatives after he left the Peoples Democratic Party for the All Progressives Congress.
The lawmaker represented the Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency in Zamfara State.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu delivered the ruling, holding that Gummi’s defection breached the Constitution.
The court said the seat does not belong to any politician but to the political party that sponsored the election.
According to the judgment, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, is barred from recognising Gummi “as a member representing Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency.”
The judge also instructed the Independent National Electoral Commission to “conduct a fresh election” for the vacant seat within 30 days.
The case was instituted by the PDP and its Zamfara chairman, who insisted that Gummi’s move to the APC had no legal justification. They argued that there was no division in the PDP to support his defection, as required by Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution.
Gummi, through his counsel, claimed he left the PDP due to internal crises which he said made it “impossible” to serve his constituents effectively. The judge, however, dismissed his arguments and granted all the reliefs requested by the plaintiffs.
Justice Egwuatu, in a firm comment, warned politicians against what he described as reckless party hopping.
“Political prostitution must not be rewarded,” he declared, adding that lawmakers must not transfer votes won on one party’s platform to another party.
The court also ordered Gummi to refund all salaries and allowances received from October 30, 2024, until the date of judgment. He is also barred from earning any further benefits as a member of the House.
Additionally, the judge imposed a N500,000 cost against the defendants in favour of the PDP.
