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Dele Giwa assassination: Investigation was marred by interferences from`high places’ – Ex-DIG

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Twenty-nine years after the murder of renowned journalist, Dele Giwa, a retired police chief, Chris Omeben, who conducted the investigation says the unresolved assassination is the most frustrating case he handled in his career. Giwa, the founding Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch Magazine, was killed through a parcel bomb at his Ikeja, Lagos residence on Oct. 19, 1986.
Omeben, a former Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), who turns 80 on Oct. 27, told NAN on Monday that the high profile investigation was marred by interferences from “high places’’. The DIG explained that even when he had narrowed in on the principal suspect, who could have thrown more light on the riddle, the suspect was allowed to escape from Nigeria.
“They said somebody brought a parcel and his son Billy received the parcel and took it to his father (Dele Giwa), who was having his breakfast that morning. “On the breakfast table was a man called Kayode Soyinka, he was there; Dele was there and then the son Billy handed over the parcel. “And as he did so, I heard Soyinka left the table and went to the adjacent room.
“It was while he was there that the parcel detonated. Dele was injured and eventually died. The metal partition separating the dining room and the kitchen was destroyed. “Beyond that, everything in the kitchen was destroyed. If metal could be mangled this way by the bomb, what of human flesh, what happened to Soyinka? Nobody could give me an answer.
“My conclusion was that Soyinka knew what was coming and he left the room to hide behind the wall. “I took note of all these, went back to conduct an identification parade. We had an identification parade and got people of different physical attributes to be identified by the day watch. “Eventually, when one of those paraded was said to bear a resemblance to the person that delivered the bomb, in spite of my insistence to have the man quizzed, we could not.
“Because interference now came from high places to protect the man. “The man was said to be related to the wife of a governor at that time and as a result of his connection we came to a dead end on that lead,’’ the former police chief, who was in charge of the research department of the police CID, when Giwa was killed, said.
Omeben told NAN that the setback did not in any way deter him from using the evidence he had to follow the lead on Soyinka, and that he called on the Newswatch authorities to produce Soyinka. “I have enough evidence to quiz Soyinka now. Please, Ray Ekpu can I have Soyinka now?
“They resisted up till today. Up till today Soyinka never appeared before the police. “They started to insinuate that the assassination was masterminded by Babangida, Akilu etc. “They said that Akilu ought to have been investigated. “As a matter of fact, I had interrogated Akilu and he told me that yes they had invited Dele Giwa some few days before the assassination over a negative statement he made about Nigeria in a New York newspaper.
“He said that they had to invite him to tell him that he was wrong for portraying the country in bad light in the international press. “Akilu insisted that the invitation was not enough to accuse the government of complicity in the assassination of Dele Giwa.
“He satisfied me with his explanation. “Togun also absolved himself with his own explanation. “The parcel bomb was said to have the Federal Government logo on it, which to me was not enough evidence. “It was more of a circumstantial evidence. I can prove it!
“Go to any printing press if you are a “good’’ criminal and you are planning well, they can print it for you and place it on the parcel, and it will look as if it came from the government. “But for me to satisfy myself, I said please gentlemen, can I have Soyinka?
“Nobody! Soyinka ran away to London that was my principal suspect! “He did not appear until eventually I left the CID. I was retired from the police in 1989 and what happened after that I don’t know,’’ Omeben, now an Archbishop of the Jesus Families Ministries at Iyana Ipaja, near Lagos added. He said that Giwa was also careless in maintaining a relationship with his estranged wife.

source: vanguard

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Thou saith the lord, make AIG Fayoade Adegoke the new IG of police, prophet Ikuru tells Tinubu

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By Collins Nkwocha

 

 

The prophetic hall of fame, prophet Godwin Ikuru of Jehovah Eye Salvation Ministry is one of the leading prophets on the African continent, having witnessed the fulfilment of numerous stunning prophecies, prophet Ikuru is indeed God’s mouthpiece and oracle of the End time.

 

Prophet Ikuru who was on the mountain for seven days to seek the face of God has told the president of the federal republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to make AIG Fayoade Adegoke the Inspector General of police to bring the needed transformation and reform in the police ” I love this country and I will continue to love this country, it’s because I love this country that God keep giving revelations concerning the nation,God said that I should tell the president to make AIG Fayoade Adegoke the new IG of police in Nigeria because God is interested in the affairs of the police in Nigeria,as a prophet of God, I’m mandated to bring hope and restoration to people, that’s exactly what I’m doing”

 

AIG Adegoke heads the Zone 2 Headquarters in Onikan, Lagos.He is one of the police officers that has distinguished himself and shown that he has what is required to make the Nigerian police effective and efficient.

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Welcome back to Lagos, prophet applauds Tinubu

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As the president of the federal republic of Nigeria, Ahmed Bola Tinubu arrives Lagos for Yuletide, the prophet of the nation,the prophetic hall of fame, prophet Godwin Ikuru of Jehovah Eye Salvation Ministry has expressed his utmost delight in seeing the president return to Lagos,a state he resided and ruled for 8 years before he became the president.

Prophet Ikuru reiterated that the president is navigating the nation through obstacles, impediments and would ultimately make Nigeria a dream nation ” I want to officially welcome Mr.president back to Lagos, he’s a man that i love so much because he has also given so much for this nation,God will continue to bless him as he navigates the nation through this difficult period”

He urged Nigerians to keep faith with the president because his reform programmes are genuine and would ultimately be to the boon of the country

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Foundation offers free medical care to over 300 widows, orphans

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In a society where the less privileged are often overlooked, the Mercy Ogbuehi Widows & Orphans Foundation has bridged the gap by reaching out to help.

Founded by Barrister Nnenna Uchegbu, the foundation was established in honour of her late mother, Lolo Mercy Ogbuehi.

The Late Lolo Mercy Ogbuehi was a woman who embodied generosity in its purest form.

“She was accommodating, charitable, and homely,” said the foundation’s secretary, Oladipupo Uchechukwu Stephen. “She welcomed children who were not her own and ensured no one left her small buka (local restaurant) hungry.”

Her buka, situated in a remote town somewhere in Abia State, Nigeria became more than a place for meals; it was a haven for the community. Mercy’s innate ability to care for others, especially the less privileged, became the cornerstone of her daughter’s vision. Barrister Nnenna sought to expand on her mother’s acts of kindness, creating a foundation dedicated to uplifting widows, orphans, and the less privileged.

One of the foundation’s unique goals is its emphasis on empowerment through education and skill acquisition.

As Oladipupo explained, “We don’t just equip people with what to eat; we teach them how to get what to eat. It’s the essence of the proverb: Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”

Since its inception, the foundation has been running free skill acquisition programs, beginning with two classes in catering and industrial training in 2017. Today, the programs have expanded to include seven to eight fields, such as fashion design, shoemaking, hairdressing, computer literacy, and more.

Graduates of these programs are equipped not just with knowledge but with tools to jumpstart their careers. Participants in fashion design receive sewing machines, those with computer literacy are given brand-new laptops, and catering graduates are provided with essential equipment or startup funds.

“This December 19th marks our 15th graduation ceremony,” Oladipupo proudly noted. “We’ll empower widows with sewing machines and others with tools and funds to bring their skills to life.”

Over the past seven years, the foundation has grown into a hub of opportunity for many. Its focus on sustainability ensures that participants not only acquire skills but also build livelihoods that last.

The foundation also caters to the younger generation through its annual summer coaching programs. These sessions are open to orphans and children from the community, offering educational support that goes beyond the classroom. “This is not just for children within the foundation but for all children in the community,” Oladipupo emphasized.

Beyond education and skills training, the foundation recognizes the importance of healthcare for the less privileged. Friday Ogbuehi, the foundation’s director and brother to Barrister Nnenna, noted their impactful medical outreach programs.

“Our medical outreach aims to attend to about 350 beneficiaries, primarily widows and orphans,” Friday shared. These outreaches offer services like pulse, blood pressure, and blood sugar monitoring, as well as massages, dental care, and free medications. “We ensure that every participant leaves healthier and more informed about their well-being.”

What began as a small gesture of kindness in a local buka has grown into a robust foundation impacting lives in numerous ways. The foundation not only supports immediate needs but also builds a future for the underprivileged through empowerment and education.

“Through the foundation, we are honouring my mother’s legacy by creating a lasting impact,” said Friday.

The “Graduation/Christmas Party for the newly trained Widows and Orphans is scheduled for the 19th of December 2024.

The 2024 Children’s Christmas Party was held on Saturday 14th of December. The event began with a prayer session for the Children and later lots of fun as the DJ played music for the children to dance. The children also played games and received gift packs from the Foundation.

One of the high points of the December programs was the “Shop 4 Free” held on Tuesday 17th of December 2024. All the Widows, Orphans, and other less privileged members of the community were given access to shop without paying a dime. Available wear, shoes, sandals, fabrics, clothing, kitchen utensils, etc.

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