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Court releases 475 suspected Boko-Haram member over lack of evidence

Published

6 years ago

February 20, 2018

Nearly 500 Boko Haram suspects have been released by a Nigerian court citing a lack of evidence, with some detainees held for years without charge.
The 475 suspects will be returned to their home states for “proper rehabilitation” before being sent back to their families, a justice ministry statement said on Sunday.
Those detained were arrested on suspicion they belonged to Boko Haram or had concealed information about the group’s plans or fighters’ whereabouts.
“However, the Prosecution Counsel could not charge them with any offence due to lack of sufficient evidence against them. Therefore, the suspects were released,” the statement said.

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The court proceedings in the town of Kainji, in central Niger state, was part of the second phase of an unprecedented mass trial of more than 1,600 suspects.
Some of the cases heard last week involved suspects held without trial since 2010.
Among those released was a young girl with a three-month-old baby from Borno State who was taken to a Boko Haram enclave by her brother and married off to his friend when she was 11. She was arrested in 2014 while trying to escape.
The Kainji court sentenced 20 Boko Haram members to between two and 15 years in jail last week.
It also imposed a second 15-year sentence on Haruna Yahaya, 35, who was involved in the 2014 kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls from the Chibok region.
Earlier in the week, he had been jailed for 15 years but the court handed him an additional 15-year term on Friday, with the judge saying the two sentences would run consecutively.
In total, some 1,669 people have been processed in a string of mass hearings that began in October.
Most were men, but some women and children were also jailed. Nigeria was criticised by human rights groups for holding them for years without trial, or even contact with a lawyer.
After the first phase of the trial in October, 45 Boko Haram fighters were sentenced to between three to 31 years in jail, while about 500 people were discharged.
More than 20,000 people have been killed and two million forced to flee their homes in northeastern Nigeria since Boko Haram launched a rebellion in 2009 aimed at creating an Islamic state.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari recently said the era of Boko Haram violence “is gradually drawing to end”. However, the group continues to launch attacks in the country’s northeast and its leader remains at large.

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Keep your mouth shut, you are the real criminal, you don’t have respect for elders, Prophet Ikuru blasts Yahaya Bello

Published

6 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Sahara Weekly

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By Collins Nkwocha

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The prophetic Hall of fame, prophet Godwin Ikuru of Jehovah Eye Salvation Ministry, Lagos has blasted the former governor of Kogi state, Yaya Bello for evading arrest and making nasty comments about the government and EFCC.

The prophet was visibly angry that Bello went into hiding and started attacking the government and EFCC with nasty words.He said “yaya Bello does not have respect for elders,in facts he’s not fit to contest for any political position in Nigeria or hold any political position in Nigeria anymore, he’s a real criminal,yet, he’s still talking, he doesn’t not have respect for elders.Ododo should also be punished for aiding a criminal”

Bello was declared wanted by EFCC after evading arrest, he’s been on fugitive since then,many people advised him to submit himself for investigations and clarifications.Nigerians are eagerly waiting to see how this saga will end.

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Business

Nigeria Launches New Fiscal Incentives to Revitalise Oil & Gas Sector, Aiming to Attract $10 Billion Investment

Published

2 days ago

April 23, 2024

Sahara Weekly

Nigeria Launches New Fiscal Incentives to Revitalise Oil & Gas Sector, Aiming to Attract $10 Billion Investment

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… as FG endorses consolidated guidelines

Sahara Weekly Reports That Today, in a move to further revitalise the oil and gas industry’s contribution to the Nigerian Economy, Wale Edun, OFR, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, presided over a signing ceremony at the Federal Ministry of Finance headquarters in Abuja endorsing the Consolidated Guidelines for the implementation of Fiscal Incentives for the Oil & Gas Sector – a cornerstone of the Presidential Directive aimed at enhancing the Nigerian oil & gas sector’s global competitiveness whilst stimulating economic growth.

As disclosed during the signing, the Presidential Directives were developed and coordinated by the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Mrs. Olu Verheijen to ensure a competitive framework for the Nigerian oil & gas industry. These Consolidated guidelines for the fiscal incentives are based on extensive collaboration across Finance and Petroleum Ministries and involved several key regulatory bodies including the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

According to Mrs. Verheijen, these new measures have been designed to deliver a competitive Internal Rate of Return (IRR) for Oil & Gas Projects and attract over $10 billion in new investments within the next 12-18 months. They also underscore Nigeria’s commitment to reaching its long term oil production target of 4 million barrels per day whilst enhancing the reliability of gas supply for to boost export earnings and fuel Nigeria’s industrialization.

Mrs. Verheijen disclosed that among the guidelines signed were the NUPRC Guideline on Hydrocarbon Liquids Content in a Non-Associated Gas (NAG) Field, essential for accurately categorising and quantifying the hydrocarbon liquid content in these fields. Additional guidelines focused on the applicability of tax credits and allowances for Non-Associated Gas Greenfield Development and the Midstream Capital and Gas Utilization Allowance, providing taxpayers with clarity on the computation of these benefits.

HM Edun, in his remarks, thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for signing the directive in February 2024 to engender growth in the Nigerian oil and gas sector, which had stagnated for over the last decade. He also emphasised the potential of the guidelines, saying, “The idea is to create an atmosphere conducive to international competitiveness such that investment comes in. And in this case, we know it’s foreign direct investment”.

The signing ceremony was attended by various stakeholders, including NNPC Limited, Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS) and the Independent Petroleum Producers Group (IPPG), further highlighting Nigeria’s unified approach toward reinvigorating its oil and gas sector.

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Education

JUST IN: Government Shuts Down Lead British School Over Student’s Bully (VIDEO)

Published

2 days ago

April 23, 2024

Sahara Weekly

JUST IN: Government Shuts Down Lead British School Over Student’s Bully (VIDEO)

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Sahara Weekly Reports That The Federal Government has reportedly shut down Lead British School following the bully of a student named Namitira in the Abuja-based institution.

Two videos showing the student reportedly named Namtira being manhandled went viral on social media on Tuesday.

In one of the videos, the victim was seen being slapped repeatedly by another female student while asking “Who broke my heart?”

In another video, the victim was seen sitting next to a male classmate who was heard saying “I spoilt her relationship”.

Furthermore, the minister of women affairs has visited the school to address the situation. In a follow up video recorded this morning, the culprit was seen being slapped by a woman who is said to be the victim’s aunty.

This is the face of the bully, she was brought to the school just now by her parent, the lady who slapped her is the Aunt to the bullied girl, the school has also been shut down for three days and minister of women affairs is there to address the issue,

🎥: Gistlover pic.twitter.com/5M7ocJIlZf

— Pamilerin Adegoke (@UnclePamilerin) April 23, 2024