Ondo banks close at noon over robbery scare

Customers of commercial banks in Ikare Akoko, the headquarters of the Akoko North-East Local Government Area of Ondo State, were disappointed on Tuesday as the banks abruptly shut down by midday due to the fear of an armed robbery attack.

This came almost a month after a gang of armed robbers attacked some bank branches in Ile Oluji, the headquarters of the Ile Oluji/Oke Igbo Local Government Area of the state, during which four persons, including a policeman, were killed.

It was gathered that the banks in Ikare Akoko stopped attending to customers around noon after receiving a security alert that robbers were planning to attack them.

A customer, who identified himself simply as Kareem, said, “The banks were under lock and key and denied customers entry, while some of the customers, who were already inside the banking halls, were hurriedly sent out by the security guards of the banks.”

A bank official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stated that the action of the institutions was to prevent loss of lives and property, adding that the security signal was for them to stop operation and not let anyone enter the banking halls again.

“We had to obey the instruction to stop work, because we didn’t want any attack on our banks. However, if the instruction comes again to open for operation tomorrow (Wednesday), we will open for customers, but if not, we will close until the coast is clear. It is very unfortunate that the issue of insecurity does not have a solution in our country, the official stated”

It was, however, learnt that shortly after the closure of the banks, police and army patrol vehicles were driven round the town, particularly in the areas where the banks were located.

US offers N2.5bn for information on Boko Haram leader, Shekau

 

The United States Department of State is offering a reward of up to $7m (N2.5bn) for information leading to the arrest of Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau.

The Rewards for Justice Program, which is the counterterrorism rewards program of the US Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, said this in a tweet on its official Twitter handle on Tuesday.

The tweet reads, “The United States Department of State offers a reward up to $7m for information leading to the arrest of the terrorist, Abubakar Shekau, leader of Boko Haram.

Kano Assembly Receives Petition To Investigate Emir Sanusi

The Kano State House of Assembly has received a fresh petition against Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II for alleged behavioural misconduct.

The petition, according to the Chairman committee on local government and Emirates, Hon. Zubairu Masu was submitted by two people requesting the house to make a necessary and thorough investigation about the allegations, they claim is contrary to the culture and tradition of the people of Kano.

During plenary on Wednesday, the report was submitted to the House Committee on petitions for considerations.

The assembly also constituted a committee headed by the Deputy Speaker, Hamisu Chidare and seven others to investigate the petition against the Emir.

Meanwhile, a source within the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, said Emir Sanusi has been invited over to answer questions on alleged corruption charges leveled against him.

Emir Sanusi has been accused by the Kano state government over allegations of misappropriation of over N3.4 billion funds meant for Kano Emirate.

Court Orders Oshiomhole To Stop Parading Himself As APC Chairman

 A Federal Capital Territory High Court has granted an order of interim injunction stopping Comrade Adams Oshiomhole from parading himself as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Justice Danlami Senchi who granted the injunction on Wednesday said that political parties must be bound by their constitution and having been suspended by his ward, Comrade Oshiomhole is restrained from functioning as the National Chairman of the party pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

The judge fixed hearing for April 7 and 8, 2020.

Protesters have been demanding the removal of Comrade Oshiomhole for failing in his duties of providing quality leadership for the party, a call the APC leader dismissed, tagging the group “a non-existing” one.

BREAKING: Italy returnee confirmed Tunisia’s first coronavirus case

Tunisia has confirmed its first case of the novel coronavirus, the health ministry said on Monday.

The Health Minister, Abdelatif el-Maki, said this at a news conference in Tunis, the country’s capital, explaining that the patient is a 40-year-old Tunisian man who had returned from Italy.

Similarly, two new cases of novel coronavirus infection were confirmed in Algeria, the Algerian Health Ministry said on Monday.

The two include a 54-year-old woman and her 24-year-old daughter, who live in the northern province of Blida, some 50 km to the southwest of the capital city Algiers, the ministry said.

The two patients have been placed under quarantine and are currently undergoing medical treatment, it added.

In late February, Algerian health authorities announced the first confirmed coronavirus case in the country, involving an Italian national who had been deported back to Italy after receiving medical care.

Gunmen in Nigeria Kill 51 People in Attacks in Northern State

Gunmen in Nigeria killed at least 51 people in attacks on villages in the northern state of Kaduna, a lawmaker representing the area said.

The attacks on Sunday targeted villages in the Igabi and Giwa districts of the state, Uba Sani, the senator representing Kaduna Central, said on his verified Twitter account.

“The cold-blooded murder of about 51 persons in Kaduna villages has further deepened the pain of Nigerians,” Sani said. “The security agencies must go to any length to ensure that perpetrators of these heinous crimes are brought to book.”

Africa’s most populous country of more than 200 million is experiencing attacks by armed groups targeting remote villages in the country’s northwest for their livestock and granaries.

Corper found dead in a hotel, days to end of service

A female National Youth Service Corps (#NYSC) member identified as Amaka Asikaogu has reportedly died in an Abuja hotel a few days to the end of her service, TheSun reports.

According to the news reports, Amaka and a male friend checked into the New England Hotel in #Abuja on Saturday evening, after which the man ordered for food and drinks.

Shortly after the two were served their order, the man left the hotel leaving Amaka in the room. As gathered, the hotel staff who saw the man leaving the hotel asked about the lady (Amaka) that accompanied him, and he assured them that she is fine and was alone in the room.

The hotel workers had nonetheless checked on Amaka by placing a call to her room, which she answered, confirming that she was fine and alone in the room. She was said to have been alone in the room till the following day.

When it was time to check out, however, Amaka was not seen. The management was worried and had to force their way to the room and found Amaka’s lifeless body in the room.