Sulaimon Popoola is a journalist dedicated to community reporting and grassroots storytelling. His work focuses on issues that affect the daily lives, rights, and welfare of ordinary people, bringing attention to local challenges, voices, and solutions often overlooked by mainstream media. Passionate about social justice and accountability, he uses journalism as a tool to amplify community perspectives and drive positive change.
Unknown gunmen suspected to be bandits have attacked a branch of Living Faith Church Worldwide at Osara community, along Lokoja-Okene road in Adavi Local Government Council of Kogi State.
DAILY POST gathered that the kidnappers, who invaded the church premises when some of its members were rehearsing during the weekend, abducted at least three members. The assailants were said to have stormed the area, shooting sporadically to scare away interveners before whisking the victims to an unknown destination.
The Chairman of Adavi Local Government Council, Joseph Omuya Salami, confirmed the development to newsmen on Monday evening through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Habeeb Jamiu.
The founder of Citadel Global Community Church, Tunde Bakare, has disclosed why he tore a book written by Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith Church.
Pastor Bakare disclosed that he tore the book because it was full of errors. He explained that the book which claimed that anointing oil is not a symbol of the Holy Spirit was erroneously written.
The clergyman, who spoke on TVC’s ‘The Big Talk’, however, said he has nothing against Bishop Oyedepo. Bakare said he only stands for the truth. “There is a difference between issues and persons. “I have nothing personal against any man of God including Oyedepo, but I will always defend the truth that I know, and I will always make it plain.
“How can someone say the anointing oil is not a symbol of the Holy Spirit? It is the release of God in the bottle. If it is told to a few people, it is okay.
The moral police asserted that Islamic law allows for preferential treatment for the rich and influential leaders. The Kano State Hisbah Board has explained that its mode of arrest differs between the poor and the rich because the tenet of Islam forbids criticising leaders in public.
Kano Hisbah has been under criticism for how it prosecutes the poor, its controversial orders such as the ban on the use of mannequins for the display of clothes, stylish haircut, destruction of alcoholic beverages, among others.
Speaking with Freedom Radio, the Director-General of the Board, Aliyu Musa Kibiya, argued that although the Islamic police must ensure uprightness, there were different approaches when treating misconducts based on a person’s social status.
Mr Kibiya argued that Islamic law allows for preferential treatment for the rich and influential leaders and frowns at public criticism against them.
When contacted, another leader of the Sharia police, Haruan Ibn Sina, contrary to Mr Kibiya’s statement, said Hisbah also arrests the rich. The moral police have made headlines for a series of controversial arrests and law enforcement in the past few months.
After Kano Hisbah arrested three males and eight females for eating during Ramadan in April, Mr Kibiya said Hisbah would prosecute them, except they had “cogent reasons”. “We will investigate, and if they have cogent reasons, we will release them. Those found wanting will however be enlightened and even prosecuted if need be,” Mr Kibiya said.
Also, in March, the Islamic police invaded some off-campus hostels of Bayero University, arresting students of the opposite sex found in the same room.
A presidential media aide, Garba Shehu, has said that what the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has done to bandits is worse than declaring them terrorists. Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, said this while speaking with BBC Pidgin on Saturday.
He dismissed the notion of preferential treatment in the handling of matters concerning bandits and other people posing threats to the nation’s stability. He said while there is a subsisting order by the president to shoot any bandit on sight, there is no such order against the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
“What the Buhari administration has done to the arms-wielding bandits is worse than being declared as terrorists. “Do you know that there is a subsisting order by the President that any arms-wielding, AK-47 bandits should be shot on sight? “I am saying yes, IPOB has been proscribed by law of the land, there is no shoot-on-sight order on IPOB.
There is nothing to suggest that these bandits are treated preferentially.” Shehu said progress had been recorded in dealing with bandits and terrorists. “The Nigerian Air Force is busy bombing locations, the military is there on the ground, exchanging fire for fire, taking them out in hundreds, that is certainly not treating them (bandits) lightly. “It is a matter of time, they will be substantially reduced and the Nigerian state will be safe all over again.
“For instance, Boko Haram are surrendering today in their thousands, this did not just happen…. “Before President Buhari [assumed office] many Nigerians could not worship on Fridays, mosques were being bombed, on Sundays churches were being bombed, motor parks and public gatherings it,” he said while reacting to a question on why the Federal Government had not declared bandits and criminal herdsmen, terrorists and outlawed them just as it proscribed IPOB.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has approves an upward review of electricity tariffs in the country. The decision by the commission was communicated in a document to electricity distribution companies The Nigeria Labour Congress which has been advocating against any electricity tariff increment has not yet reacted to the new development Lagos state – The federal government through the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has directed the Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) in the country to increase their tariffs effect from September 1, 2021.
The Guardian newspaper reported that the increment was confirmed in a document from the Eko Electricity Distribution Company, dated August 25, 2021, with reference number 023/EKEDP/ GMCLR/0025/2021. FG approves electricity tariff increase Labour unions may reject the new tariff increase. Femi Adesina, Office of the Minister of Power, Nigeria The document stated that the tariffs would increase between N42.44 to 58.94 depending on their class. The new increment is expected is to remain implemented till December before a further increase in January 2022.
“This is to officially notify you that there will be an increase in electricity tariff with effect from 1st September 2021. This increase is as a result of nationwide mandate to implement the Service-Based Tariff approved by our regulator NERC.’’ The Nation reported that Eko DisCo also infirmed its metered customers on new increment.
The company said for metered customers with internal vending arrangements, the rates will be adjusted accordingly to reflect the new tariff increase as released by NERC.
Meanwhile, a resident of Ijebu-Ode in Ogun state has taken a surprise action against his community power supply company, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC). The man has written to notify them of his desire to discontinue receiving their electricity on a permanent basis. We will soon deploy 5G network, federal government tells Nigerians In a letter dated June 22nd, 2021 and shared by @instablog9ja on Instagram, the man named Sakiru Onafeko expressed his anger at how they charge him exorbitantly without a corresponding provision of the said light.
Quest Electricity pays N19 billion to acquire Yola Electricity Company In another news, Quest Electricity Nigeria has paid N19 billion to acquire Yola Electricity Distribution Company despite the insecurity in the area of its operation in Northern Nigeria. Adamu Mele, the chairman of Quest Electricity said it would overcome the insecurity through upgrade of Yola electricity infrastructure within a short time.
Aside from the N19 billion paid to acquire the electricity distribution company, Quest Electricity has also made a commitment of N28 billion, which would be invested over a period of two years.
Plateau house of assembly has called on residents to stand up and defend themselves against killers in the state. Plateau has recently come under a series of attacks by gunmen, who kill residents and ravage communities. WITHIN NIGERIA assembled that the assembly gave Simon Lalong, governor of Plateau, two weeks to address the security crisis ravaging the state.
Chairman of house of committee on information, Philip Dasun disclosed the resolution of the assembly during a press conference held in Jos on Friday. According to Dasun, the lawmakers made the resolution during their plenary session.
“On behalf of the Plateau State House of Assembly, I wish to sympathise with the government and people of Plateau State on the barbaric and dastardly killings that have been taking place in different communities of Bassa, Barkin Ladi, Bokkos, Jos North, Jos South, Mangu, Riyom, University of Jos community and recently that of Yelwa Zangam,” he said.
“The House condemns the killings in totality. These killings are unacceptable and condemnable. We commiserate with the families of all those who lost their loved ones during the attacks. “We strongly call on Plateau people to practically stand up and defend themselves and their communities, as the conventional security design is no longer guaranteeing our safety as a people.
“We commend the youths on the Plateau for sustained coordinated and organised campaigns against the killings and as well the courage to make it go viral by sending strong messages to the world using the dead bodies from the mayhem on the social media and the streets of Jos; the display of the corpses in the House is a sign that they recognised the authority of the House of Assembly as an institution that can speak for the people. We greatly appreciate that action.
“As an assembly with people at heart, we call on Plateau State citizens to have confidence in us with renewed commitment as we have given two weeks to the governor Simon Lalong to take action on the resolutions the House has forwarded on security matters and how to restore peace. “We call on the governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, to come up with a statement defending us as a people and to bring back renewed commitment to the cause of Plateau.
“We are still expecting with high hopes, the President to also come up with a statement about the killings in Yelwa Zangam just as he did in the killings of travellers along Rukuba road and to also indicate a sign of justice or we will see him as being reflexive about the conflict in Plateau.”
Yoruba Nation agitators and other self-determination proponents have threatened that there will be a “never-seen-before mass revolt” in states that give room for grazing reserves in the Southern region of the country. The agitators, under the aegis of the Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self-Determination, made this known in a statement titled, “Governors in the Southern Region that welcome FG’s Grazing Reserves should prepare for a never-seen-before mass action”.
NINAS is the coordinating platform for the umbrella bodies of self-determination groups in the South and Middle Belt of Nigeria with Ilana Omo Oodua representing the South West, Lower Niger Congress representing the South-South and South-East and Middle Belt Renaissance Movement representing the Middle Belt Region.
NINAS, which is headed by Prof Banji Akintoye as the Chairman and Tony Nnadi, Secretary-General, told Governors within the alliance territory to expect “a never-before-seen mass revolt of the people should any of them cede an inch of their ancestral land to the central government for Fulani herdsmen grazing reserves”.
The PUNCH reports that the President, Major Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), had on August 19, approved a controversial review of 368 grazing reserves across 25 states in the country. Part of the statement read, “We also urge Governors within the NINAS territory to respect the wishes of their people on the issue of the grazing reserve being planned by the central government for Fulani Herdsmen. “For the avoidance of doubt, under the Land Use Act of 1978, all lands in Nigeria vest in State Governors who hold same in Trust for the People. With the possible exception of the Federal Capital Territory, the Federal Government of Nigeria does not own any land upon which it can establish grazing routes.
“It follows that any Governor in the Alliance Territories who cedes any land to the Federal Government in the name of Grazing Route will be doing so in breach of the Trust in which such lands are held and worse still, in defiance of the overwhelming Will of the People. “We say with all sense of modesty and responsibility that the grazing route is an attempt towards grabbing our ancestral land through the back door which must be rejected by all means necessary.
“This is not a threat, but a piece of advice – any Governor who cedes our land to the central government for Fulani Herdsmen’s grazing reserve should be ready to face the wrath of the people. “Such a Governor should be ready to answer to their people on why the rights of the people are being trampled upon and their land allowed to be invaded by a group that has demonstrated that all they are there to do is kill and take over their ancestral lands.
“Such a governor should know that while the NINAS movement for self-determination is peaceful, this continued pandering to killers, most of whom are being brought in from outside of Nigeria, ceding an inch of their ancestral lands will result in such mass peaceful action that may rumble his state to the foundation.”
Operatives of the Kwara State Police Command rescue a kidnapped 300-level Mass Communications student of Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete, Khadijat Isiaq, while six suspected kidnappers were arrested.
The founder of Citadel Global Community Church (formerly Latter Rain Assembly), Tunde Bakare, has said he is no enemy of David Oyedepo, the founder of Winners’ Chapel, although they share different doctrines and beliefs.
Mr Bakare said this on Saturday during a TVC programme with Sam Omatseye tagged ‘The Big Talk’. A former vice presidential candidate, Mr Bakare spoke about his relationship with fellow Pentecostal pastors in the country. “Oyedepo and I are contemporaries. We were born in the same year,” he said.
“Oyedepo was born in August, 1954, and I was born in September. We are contemporaries, God has really blessed him and used him. “We have differences in doctrines, what we believe, but that does not make us enemies,” he said. Mr Bakare said he and Mr Oyedepo were on a plane one time and another brother was coming over to greet him, but on seeing them together, he froze.
“There is (a) difference between issues and persons. We can defend the gospel but those who do not and destroy it will die before their time. I have nothing personal against any man of God but I will always defend the truth that I know and I will always make it plain.”
When asked whether the incident was before Mr Oyedepo acquired his private jet, Mr Bakare said he doesn’t know why the clergyman makes so much noise about his private jet. “By the way, when he makes noise about his private jet of a thing, do you know that I once acquired a 1707 with the logo of our church on it? Are you aware of that? But we use it for business. I don’t buy a plane to be spending money on it, that I can jump quickly on another and pay little money to where I’m going.
“We can afford it; we are not envious of them at all,” he added. The clergyman cum politician said Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Church of Christ, signed his wedding certificate as his father and he built his first house on the camp ground being a favoured son. “It is only bastards that use (the) left hand to point to the house of his father,” he said.
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