Equity Reporters

By Ajogwu Jerry Ochada  Hopes bashed, intrigues unfold, alas! the channel is tuned with spectators converging on an unusual spot to catch the lastest glimpse of the dynamic tale of a once upon a time giant of Africa crippled by obsessions of revered nationalists in the time past; presently suffering a ritualistic rape of justice, posing as a threat to its nascent democracy.  This is not a wrestling contest but the gaze is fixed because it is perhaps a new dawn; another epoch making event, strategized to rewrite or dent the history of Nigeria. It is another season of anticipations garnished with extreme anxiety with the political superpowers flexing fetish muscles bereft of ideas that gives succour to the yearnings of the common man; a gullible fraction of the interested few, who are cajoled by the weak ideologies of fake manifestos to cast votes in favor of corruption manifested champions after the initial standards of compensating  stomach infrastructure is fully met beyond hunger def

A group, the Advocate for Peoples Rights and Justice, has accused Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, of using a special squad of military men to harass, kill and intimidate opposition members in the state. It said the governor had been using the squad named “State Boat Security” to perpetrate nefarious activities in the state. The National Coordinator of APRJ, Victor Giwa, made the allegation in a petition addressed to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai. In the petition dated January 29, the group alleged that the governor had set up and deployed various military personnel under different squads to be used for intimidation, threatening, maiming and kidnapping of his political opponents in the state. “Particularly, the governor is using a special outfit named ‘State Boat Security’ obuquitously in the guise of providing security for riverine areas of the state to intimidate, threaten and kidnap known supporters of other political parties in the state,” the petition read. The

NEWS POLITICS Breaking: Dino Melaye Gets Bail Again The FCT High Court in Maitama presided over by Justice Yusuf Halilu has again granted bail to Sen. Dino Melaye who was arraigned on an eight-count charge of evading arrest. The senator representing Kogi West in the National Assembly, was arraigned on allegations of conspiracy, resistance to arrest, failure to honour police invitation and intentionally giving false information to the public. Ruling on the application by Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), Justice Halilu held that the essence of bail could not be overemphasized, saying that it was meant to make a defendant to stand for trial. According to him, in granting a defendant bail, the court has to consider the nature of the charge, the antecedent of the bail applicant, among others. He held that the constitution presumes a defendant innocent until found guilty by the court. The judge, therefore, upheld the earlier bail granted the Melaye on Jan. 18 and added that Melaye should not leave

Abdullahi Baffa, the sacked executive secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETfund, has revealed reasons for his sack by the federal government. On Monday, Mr Bichi was replaced with Suleiman Bogoro, who was removed in 2014. The Ministry of Education later issued a statement confirming President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval of the reinstatement of Bogoro as TETFund boss. The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, according to the statement, said the re-instatement of Mr Bogoro is with immediate effect, with the same terms and conditions as it were in his previous appointment and as stipulated in the TETFUND staff conditions of service. However, in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service on Wednesday night, Mr Bichi said he was sacked for his refusal to give bribe to the minister of Education not insubordination, inaccessibility and speaking to the press without authorisation which was alleged as reason for his sack. “On Friday night, I was informed at the Presidential Villa that Min

Troops of 27 Task Force Brigade, Operation LAFIYA DOLE and Nigerian Army Special Forces School, have been applauded for their doggedness and decisiveness in inflicting maximum casualty on suspected Boko Haram terrorists who attempted to launch an attack on a military base in Buni Yadi.    The Acting Commander Sector 2, Operation LAFIYA DOLE, Brigadier General Mohammed Dala, gave the commendation during an interactive session with the troops who were in high spirit and battle ready. Brigadier General Dala, was visibly elated with the performance of the troops and the level of casualty inflicted on the terrorist.  He reiterated the need for such combat to be sustained through more proactive efforts such as ambushes and clearance operations.  The Sector Commander further reassured the troops of the unrelenting effort and commitment of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General TY Buratai in giving them all the necessary resources, assuring that issues of troops welfare will always be acc