Headlines
Police Accuse IPOB for Explosion at Wike’s Father’s Church, Arrest Three
The police in Rivers State have arrested three suspects for allegedly detonating devices suspected to be dynamite at the Christian Universal Church Incorporated located at No. 25 Azikiwe Street, Mile 3 area of Diobu, Port Harcourt.
The church, which is also known as ‘God’s Power House’, is allegedly run by Governor Nyesom Wike’s father, who is a cleric.
This is as the state police command said the attackers might be members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra.
Eyewitnesses told our correspondents, who visited the scene, that five men wearing face masks strolled into the church as if they were worshippers before carrying out the attack.
One of the eyewitnesses said the arsonists came in from Ojoto, an adjourning street, walked round and detonated the explosive devices around 10pm on Saturday.
He explained, “We were all outside because people don’t sleep early in Azikiwe. Even by 2am, you will still see people moving about here peacefully and enjoying themselves, because there are some hangouts here.
“I saw the boys; they were three when they went inside the church, but we didn’t suspect anything. The next thing we heard was a loud sound and people started running.”
Another eyewitness said the attackers were first spotted by some hangers-on in the area, adding that one of the hoodlums, who was holding a gun, was held from behind and the weapon fell.
In the process, an alarm was raised and the local security group known as the Diobu Vigilantes moved in and immediately arrested him and rounded up two others, who shot indiscriminately to pave the way for their escape, not knowing that the vigilantes had spread their dragnet.
“In the ensuing melee, some of the vigilante members sustained injuries and were taken to hospital for treatment, while the attackers, including those arrested, also suffered injuries.
It was gathered that the explosion affected the foundation of the church building and shattered windows, doors and some equipment, even as some residents said it shook their buildings.
“I was inside when I heard the deafening sound. It shook our building and we were all afraid. We didn’t come out till later when we heard that some persons had been arrested,” a woman said.
When our correspondents visited the scene around 7.25am on Sunday, the both ends of the street from Ikoku and UBA had been condoned off, while armed policemen and machete-wielding members of the Diobu Vigilantes were seen preventing people from coming into the street.
While the church gate remained open, seven patrol vans, including the Operation Sting vehicle, were stationed on the street and motorists were asked to make a U-turn.
Speaking on the incident, Assistant Chief Security Officer of the Azikiwe Street, Collins Johnbull, who said he was in the area when the incident occurred, noted that some of his men were hit by bullets, while chasing after the suspects and were receiving treatment in hospital.
He stated, “I was on my duty post and we observed some movement between 8pm and 9pm. We saw some strange faces, about five of them. They entered into the governor father’s church.
“We thought they were church members having their normal evening programme or something, but not up to five minutes when these guys entered, we heard the sound of an explosion from that direction and we approached.
“Immediately the hoodlums started jumping out with masks on their faces and bearing guns; they started running and shooting at my men. We said, ‘No, we can’t be here and such an act will take place without apprehending these boys.’”
Johnbull also said some of his men sustained injuries and were receiving treatment in hospital
He added, “By God’s grace, we were able to apprehend three of them, while two escaped; we did everything in our powers, even taking risks to apprehend the hoodlums. Some of my men are receiving treatment at the Life Care Hospital.
“During the #EndSARS protests, some hoodlums tried to attack this church and the Azikiwe vigilantes came out and did a nice job.”
The spokesman for the state police command, Nnamdi Omoni, confirmed the attack, saying the perpetrators were suspected IPOB members, adding that the Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan, had launched an investigation to ascertain the motive behind the attack as well as apprehend other fleeing suspects.
Omoni stated, “Some hoodlums suspected to be IPOB members attacked the church. We are investigating. The church suffered substantial destruction.
“Our bomb unit was there. The personnel swept the place in the early hour of today (Sunday) and they are still there. The Area Commander is leading the operation. Policemen will be there until further notice.
“But I can tell you that normalcy has been restored. So far, we have arrested three persons. The Commissioner of Police has launched an investigation into the incident. Our bomb unit is here.
“They have been able to sweep the place and clean-up is going on as we speak. The engineer will come to ascertain the integrity of the building for habitation.”
The Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Kelvin Ebiri, and some senior police officers were also at the scene of the incident.
The Punch
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), on Thursday, published a list of 9, 532 alleged land title debtors in Abuja, giving them a two-week ultimatum to settle their outstanding bills.
The list, which includes prominent individuals and government agencies, was published on November 26, with defaulters expected to pay for their certificate of occupancy (C-of- O) within the stipulated timeframe.
Among those listed as defaulters is former Head of State, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB), who owes N152 million for a plot of land in Asokoro, a highbrow area in the nation’s capital. IBB, who ruled Nigeria from 1985 to 1993, is not the only high-profile individual on the list.
Other notable defaulters include Samuel Ortom, former governor of Benue, who owes N950,000 for a plot of land in Bazango, and Aminu Tambuwal, senator representing Sokoto south, who owes N18 million for a plot of land in Carraway Dallas.
The FCTA has threatened to revoke the land titles of defaulters who fail to settle their bills within the stipulated timeframe. The administration has urged defaulters to settle their bills by e-payment to the “FCT department of land administration” account.
In addition to individual defaulters, some federal agencies, including the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), the navy, and police, were also named as defaulters.
The Lagos governor’s lodge in Asokoro, the Kaduna state government, and ‘State House Abuja’ were also listed as land title debtors.
This development is not the first time the FCTA has taken steps to recover outstanding debts from landowners. In June this year, the administration set up a committee to recover over N29 billion owed by property owners.
The committee has since identified 430 individuals and organisations as defaulters, with plans to prosecute them.
The FCTA has also partnered with anti-graft agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), to check the activities of land grabbers in the territory.
The Senate has granted approval to the ₦1.77 trillion ($2.2b) loan request of President Bola Tinubu after a voice vote in favor of the request.
The Senate presided by Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, approved the loan after the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts chaired by Senator Wammako Magatarkada (APC, Sokoto North) presented the report of the committee.
The request which was submitted by the President on Tuesday is part of a fresh external borrowing plan to partially finance the N9.7 trillion budget deficit for the 2024 fiscal year.
Tinubu had on Tuesday written to the National Assembly, seeking approval of a fresh N1.767 trillion, the equivalent of $2.209 billion as a new external borrowing plan in the 2024 Appropriation Act.
The fresh loan is expected to stretch the amount spent on debt servicing by the Federal Government. The Central Bank of Nigeria recently said that it cost the Federal Government $3.58 billion to service foreign debt in the first nine months of 2024.
The CBN report on international payment statistics showed that the amount represents a 39.77 per cent increase from the $2.56bn spent during the same period in 2023.
According to the report, while the highest monthly debt servicing payment in 2024 occurred in May, amounting to $854.37m, the highest monthly expenditure in 2023 was $641.70m, recorded in July.
The trend in foreign debt servicing by the CBN highlights the rising cost of debt obligations by Nigeria.
Further breakdown of international debt figures showed that in January 2024, debt servicing costs surged by 398.89 per cent, rising to $560.52m from $112.35m in January 2023. February, however, saw a slight decline of 1.84 per cent, with payments reducing from $288.54m in 2023 to $283.22m in 2024.
March recorded a 31.04 per cent drop in payments, falling to $276.17m from $400.47m in the same period last year. April saw a significant rise of 131.77 per cent, with $215.20m paid in 2024 compared to $92.85m in 2023.
The highest debt servicing payment occurred in May 2024, when $854.37m was spent, reflecting a 286.52 per cent increase compared to $221.05m in May 2023. June, on the other hand, saw a 6.51 per cent decline, with $50.82m paid in 2024, down from $54.36m in 2023.
July 2024 recorded a 15.48 per cent reduction, with payments dropping to $542.50m from $641.70m in July 2023. In August, there was another decline of 9.69 per cent, as $279.95m was paid compared to $309.96m in 2023. However, September 2024 saw a 17.49 per cent increase, with payments rising to $515.81m from $439.06m in the same month last year.
Given rising exchange rates, the data raises concerns about the growing pressure of Nigeria’s foreign debt obligations.
Channels TV
Self acclaimed leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Simon Ekpa, has been arrested by law enforcement in Finland.
The BBC reports that Ekpa was subsequently sent to prison by the district court of Päijät-Häme for “spreading terrorist propaganda on social media”.
Ekpa was said to have committed the crime in 2021 in Lahti municipality.
The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) also arrested four other men over alleged terrorist offences.
A citizen of Finland and Nigeria, Ekpa has described himself as leader of the separatist IPOB group since Nnamdi Kanu’s incarceration.
Finnish police say Ekpa’s activities and social media rhetoric may have fanned the flames of violence in the south-east of Nigeria.
“He carries out these activities from his social media channels, for example,” said Otto Hiltunen, detective chief inspector of the NBI.
In February 2023, Ekpa was arrested by police at his residence in Lahti but was released after hours of questioning.
Using his social media channels, Ekpa had directed Igbos not to participate in Nigeria’s 2023 general election.
In September 2021, the Biafra agitator and secessionist denounced Nigeria and vowed to return the medal he won for the country at the 2003 African Junior Athletics Championships.
