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Breaking: Rivers Reveals Name of Suspected Bomber

The Rivers State Government has revealed the identity of the suspect behind the explosion that rocked Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

Josiah Preye, a university graduate and resident of Port Harcourt, has been named as the culprit.

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The Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, alleged that Preye is a supporter of the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, and participated in the solidarity walk on Tuesday.

The government released a 50-second video showing Preye, masked and holding an improvised explosive device, and another video of him in a medical facility’s intensive care unit.

The statement accused Preye of being part of a larger plot to create chaos and justify a state of emergency in Rivers State, backed by Wike’s loyalists.

Preye, a graduate of Imo State University, works at Sky Packing Materials Trd., LLC, and lives in Port Harcourt.

READ ALSO: Lagos Issues Two-Week Registration Notice to Public Drivers

His failed bombing attempt resulted in severe injuries, and he is now facing justice.

The government is calling on security agencies to take action and bring all involved to justice.

Read the full statement below:

BSTED: ASSOCIATES OF RIVERS FAILED BOMBER, JOSIAH PREYE

On Tuesday, June 25, 2024, ardent loyalists of the former Governor of Rivers State and Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, entered Day 2 of their so-called pro-police protest to press home a smokescreen of the veiled narrative that they support the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) decision to barricade and deny staff and officials of the third tier of government in the 23 local government areas access to their offices to perform their constitutional duties and advance democracy in the state and country.

The narrative was anchored on their agitation for tenure elongation by six months for the former elected local government chairmen and councillors, whose statutory three-year term had expired at midnight of June 17, 2024, and therefore, constitutionally barred from continuing to serve in that capacity, except their mandates are renewed through a fresh election, and are sworn-in again after taking a new oath of office administered by appropriate judicial officer.

But for a group, which claimed that they were on the side of the law, and embarking on ‘peaceful’ protest in support of law enforcement agents, to hire, empower and embolden thugs, suicide bombers, cultists, anarchists, and all manner of criminals, does not add up.

READ ALSO: EURO2024: Foden To Return Back To Team After Son’s Birth

This is Josiah Preye, hired together with other thugs, cultists, anarchists, and violent extremists, all sponsored by the likes of former Speaker, state House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule; member representing Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, former Obio/Akpor Local Government Council chairman, Barrister George Ariolu; Chief of Staff to FCT Minister, Chidi Amadi; President General of GDI, Bright Amaewhule; Timothy alias General Whosky; among others; who are all core unrepentant loyalists of Nyesom Wike.

Josiah Preye was part of the protest on Monday – Day 1 of the protest – and on Day 2, he is seen in this video carrying improvised explosive device, with specific instructions on how to use, where and when to detonate the device.

He is one, among others, in the crowd paid by the sponsors of the evil protest to cause anarchy and chaos in the state with the major aim of justifying their call for a state of emergency in Rivers State, so that they can usurp power from the back door, since they know that Rivers people have rejected them in their various positions.

Again, their ploy was to create pandemonium with the explosive device while they matched the streets to demand for tenure elongation for local government chairmen who had served out their statutory three-year tenure.

They chose near Hotel Presidential on the very busy Port Harcourt-Aba Expressway, where some Senators and House of Representatives committee members on oversight functions in the State were lodging, to detonate the device but it failed. Nemesis rather caught up with Josiah Preye, and the explosive device caused severe harm and injuries to the hunter – Josiah Preye. The hunter is now hunted, Josiah Preye is now battling with karma, and the God who sees the hearts of the wicked and unleashes vengeance against their evil plots, is fighting for the innocents and real law-abiding citizens and liberated residents of the state.

Their plan to get reason to support their call for a state of emergency and scuttle the God-ordained administration currently providing good governance and dividends of democracy to the people of the State, failed woefully.

And by the special grace of God, they will continue to fail and falter.

Security agencies should act now, and bring all those involved in the failed bombing in Port Harcourt to face justice.

Josiah Preye is a graduate of Imo State University, Owerri; works at Sky Packing Materials Trd: LLC, and lives in Port Harcourt.

National

Reps reject bill seeking six-year single tenure for president, governors

The House of Representatives on Wednesday rejected a bill seeking a six-year single term for Nigeria’s presidency.

The bill, sponsored by Ikenga Ugochinyere (PDP, Imo) and 33 others failed to pass second reading on Thursday during a debate on its general principles.

The bill also canvasses the rotation of the presidency among the six geopolitical zones of the country.

35 legislators had in June under the auspices of Reformed-minded Legislators, said the proposition would lead to a reduction in the cost of governance.

Ugochinyere, added that the move would unite the country and ensure a seamless transition and unprecedented development for the country.

The proposed legislation seeks to alter Sections 76, 116, 132, 136, and some others of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

According to the general principles of the bill, “these amendments was to ensure inclusive governance and to curb wastages occasioned by four year periodic elections.

“The bill among others seeks amendment of Section 132 of the Principal Act by inserting a new subsection (2), deleting the extant subsection (4) and renumbering the entire section accordingly to provide that an election to the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be rotated between the North and the South regions of the country every six years.

“Other amendments include, Section 76 of the Principal Act is altered by inserting a new subsection (3) as follows; (3) For the Purposes of Section (1) of this section, all elections into the offices of President, Governors, National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly shall hold simultaneously on the same date to be determined by the Independent National Electoral Commission in consultation with the National Assembly and in accordance with the Electoral Act.

“Section 116 of the Principal Act is amended by inserting a new a subsection (3) as follows; For the purposes of subsection (1) of this section, all elections into the offices of President, Governors, National Assembly, State Houses of Assembly and Local Government Councils shall be held simultaneously on the same date to be determined by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in consultation with the National Assembly and in accordance with the Electoral Act.”

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National

NAFDAC alerts Nigerians on fake products

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has released a fresh warning on the risks of unregulated products, especially as the festive season approaches.

The warning came after the agency uncovered a warehouse stocked with unregistered and expired supermarket products in Oke-Afa, Okota, part of Lagos State.

According to the Agency on X (formally Twitter), a NAFDAC team acted on intelligence and raided the facility, apprehending operators offloading a 20ft container filled with unregistered carbonated drinks. “A further inspection revealed over 14 rooms packed with unregistered and expired products, some of which were contaminated by rats, indicating poor storage conditions.”

The agency said the facility is currently placed on hold for further investigation and asked the management to provide sourcing evidence such as the Global Listing for Supermarket Items (GLSI) certificate.

It then encouraged consumers to report suspicious activities to any NAFDAC office and remain vigilant by ensuring their product sources are verified, particularly during the coming festive season.

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National

ICPC tracks N610 billion projects in 22 states

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has kicked off phase 7 of the Constituency and Executive Project Tracking Exercise.

The tracking of the constituency and executive projects is an initiative of the Commission that began in 2019, focusing on how well money allocated to critical sectors of education, health, agriculture, water resources, and power, amongst others, by the government is utilised.

The 7th phase, involving 1500 projects with a total project value of N610 billion, commenced on Monday, November 18th, 2024, in 22 states across the 6 geopolitical zones.

The states are Kwara, Niger, Kogi, FCT, Kebbi, Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Borno, Lagos, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Cross River, Delta, Imo, Abia and Enugu State.

The phase 7 tracking exercise will cut across agencies of government, including intervention agencies such as North-East Development Commission (NEDC), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA), Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Rural Electrification Agency (REA), National Primary Health Care Development Authority (NPHCDA), Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) and Ecological Fund Office.

The objective of the exercise is to deepen adherence to due process in the execution of government projects, improve value for money, and entrench the culture of compliance with the scope and specification as contained in the contract documents.

The ICPC tracked a total of 1,900 projects valued at N500 billion naira in phase 6 of the exercise across 24 states of the nation’s 6 geopolitical zones.

The projects were tracked within the focal sectors of Education, Water Resources, Agriculture, Power, Health, Energy, and Roads.

These projects in the 6th phase were awarded to 1,355 contractors in 176 MDAs.

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National

FG awards contracts for Calabar, Ebonyi, Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, Abuja highways

President Bola Tinubu has approved the restructuring of his media team

The Federal Government has signed a contract with Infiouest International Limited for the construction of the Calabar-Ebonyi-Benue-Kogi-Nasarawa-Abuja Superhighway to boost the country’s transportation ecosystem.

Speaking during the signing ceremony in Abuja, Minister of Works, David Umahi, thanked President Bola Tinubu for his inclusive leadership and the distribution of the dividends of democracy.

Umahi also explained that the Legacy Project is strategic for boosting transportation along the economic corridors of the South East and North Central, noting that it would stimulate trade along the regions and foster inter-regional cohesion, cooperation, and collaboration.

He noted that the project will create a seamless movement of goods and services between the Southeast and Northern routes of the road and further the road infrastructure revolution master plan in keeping with the tenets of inclusive leadership in the country.

According to Umahi, the Federal Ministry of Works has also signed a contract with Infiouest International Limited for the construction of Enugu/Abakaliki/Ogoja Highway (Africa Trans-Sahara route) cutting across Cross River, Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa States and terminating in Apo in Abuja.

The Works Minister argued that the project will consist of the reconstruction of the existing jointed, asphalt concrete and laterite surfaced road pavements from Ndibe beach, traversing through Eke Market.

Others, Abaomege, Onueke, Achiagu, Umuoghara/Onu Nwafor, Ukwuachi, Ishieke, Odomoke before terminating at Mbeke in Ebonyi is the third Project spanning 118.85km and it is to be constructed on Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP).

He assured that the four projects are not just transformational but also critical investments that would turn around the socio-economic fortunes of the country, stimulate diversification, and enhance a more sustainable transportation ecosystem.

Umahi therefore thanked Mr. President for carrying on the execution of the inherited road projects across the 6 Geo-Political zones, including the South East, believing, Lagos – Calabar 750 kilometers sections 1 and 2, construction already are going on very well.

“Despite legal action, the project is a must. We’re supporting Mr. President to have that project accomplished. It is an investment. Very soon, we are starting 3A and 3B in Cross River and Akwa Ibom,” Umahi said.

The Minister argued, “There is Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, 1,068 kilometers. Two sections are already ongoing. The biggest of the project is the Kebbi section, 258 kilometers. It’s ongoing. We’ve flagged off, and we have paid the first mobilization fee.”

Speaking after signing the contract, the Managing Director of the company, Mr. Joseph Abou Jaounde promised to justify the confidence reposed on them, saying, “We have to carry on with this goal, and we have to prove that we trust in the right place.”

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National

Alia approves ₦75,000 minimum wage for Benue workers

 Gov. Hyacinth Alia of Benue has approved a minimum wage of ₦75,000 for workers in the state.

Alia in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sir Tersoo Kula, announced the new wage after he met with organised labour representatives on Monday in Makurdi.

The governor said that the new minimum wage would take effect in November 2024.

He stated that the remaining three months of the five-month backlog of salary arrears promised workers would be paid as budgeted in the 2024 budget.

He emphasised that the arrias would be paid along with the new minimum wage.

“We decided to set the wage at ₦75,000, fully aware of the other concerns raised by organised labour during the negotiations.

“These concerns included a minimum wage of N30,000, wage awards, transportation allowances, tax relief, and work-off days, among others.

“Recall that the President had approved the sum of N70,000, which we have decided to exceed, considering the concerns raised by organised labour regarding our ability to pay,” he said.

Alia restated his administration’s commitment to serve the common man and stressed that he would do everything legitimately possible to ensure that Benue workers were properly taken care of.

The governor added that his motivation to ensure the arrears were paid was to alleviate the effects of hardship on workers.

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Lagos court jails NOGASA chair 21 years for N43.5m fraud

Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Monday, November 18, 2024, convicted and sentenced Fatuyi Yemi Philips, an erstwhile Chairman of the Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA), to 21 years imprisonment for an N43.5 million fraud.

The Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Philips, alongside his firm, Oceanview Oil and Gas Limited, on April 5, 2022, on a two-count bordering on obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of N43,502,000.00.

Count one read: “Fatuyi Yemi Philips and Oceanview Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited, on or about the 28th day of September, 2016, at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, obtained the aggregate sum of N43,502,000.00 from Elochukwu Okoye and Elebana Unique Ventures Nigeria Limited on behalf of WAPCIL Nigeria Limited under the false representation that you would sell to WAPCIL Nigeria Limited $98,870.00, a representation you knew to be false.”

Count two read: “Fatuyi Yemi Philips and Oceanview Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited, on or about the 28th day of September, 2016, at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, stole the sum of N43,502,000.00, property of WAPCIL Nigeria Limited.”

He pleaded “not guilty” to the charges, which led to his full trial.

In the course of the trial, prosecution counsel M.S. Owede tendered several documentary evidences and called five witnesses to substantiate the allegations against him and his company.

The defence, on its part, called three witnesses during the trial.

Delivering judgment on Monday, Justice Dada held that the prosecution proved its case against the defendants beyond reasonable doubt.

Consequently, the judge sentenced Philips to 14 years imprisonment on count one and seven years on count two, without the option of a fine.

The sentences are to be served concurrently.

The judge also ordered the second defendant, Oceanview Oil and Gas Limited, to pay a fine of N500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) in respect of count one and another N250,000 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) in respect of count two within 30 days or be wound up.

The court further ordered the convicts to make restitution in the sum of $90,202.00 or the prevailing Naira equivalent to the nominal complainants.

Phillips’ journey to the Correctional Centre began when he collected the sum of N43,502,000 from Elochukwu Okoye and Elebana Unique Ventures Nigeria Limited on behalf of WAPCIL Nigeria Limited, with a false promise of selling its dollar equivalent ($98,870.00) to them. He neither returned the naira nor the dollar equivalent to the petitioners.

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