Equity Reporters

The Islamic Movement of Nigeria  ( IMN ) otherwise known as Shiites on Friday in Abuja set ablaze  the national flags of the United States of America  ( USA ) and Israeli during a massive protest in Abuja. The protesters who gathered at the Wuse Market junction where the protest was terminated said the US and State of Israel are the enemy and oppressors of Palestine. The Secretary of Academic Forum of the movement, Abdullahi Musa hinted that they are burning the flags of the two countries to show their anger toward their oppressive the tendency over Palestine. He said that the decision of the President not to release him negated the principle of the rule of law which he swore to uphold. He added that several courts of competent jurisdiction have ordered the release of their leader but the Nigeria government continued to keep him in the custody without no reason. The flags were displayed to the crowd with the caricature of President Donald Trump before members of the group sprayed the f

The Katsina Emirate Council headed by the Emir of Katsina has announced the suspension of all Sallah celebrations including the durbar popularly known as ‘Hawan Sallah’ and Hawan Bariki. This is contained in a statement dated the 24th May 2019 and signed by the Secretary of the Emirate council and Sallaman Katsina, Alhaji Bello Mamman Ifo. According to the statement, this is to commiserate with the victims of armed banditry in some of the Local Governments in the emirate like Dan-Musa, Jibia, Kankara, Batsari and the rest. The statement further disclosed that prayers will be said for the sustenance of peace in the state after the Eid-elfitr as usual. Recall that the state government had earlier took similar decision when they cancelled all celebrations earlier lined-up for the swearing in of the Governor Aminu Bello Masari for Second term in office due to insecurity.

”Election days come and go. But the struggle of the people to create a government which represents all of us and not just the one per cent – a government based on the principles of economic, social, racial and environmental justice – that struggle continues”. Words of the American politician Bernie Sanders. ”To say Governor Yahaya Bello is desperate for a second term is, to say the least. The word desperate does not fully capture the tempo in Lugard House (Kogi State Government House) today coming from the latest utterances and body language of the Governor and his aids”. The words of my former Boss and now mentor when I first met after his return to Nigeria after 11 years away from the country on Monday. Many analysts such as my Boss have described the activities of the Governor as running from pillar to post in a bid to get the ticket of his party the All Progressive Congress criticizing his rounds of visits to almost every prominent leader of the party in the last few weeks and call

The supreme court has dismissed an appeal challenging the nullification of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary elections in Zamfara. At its sitting on Friday, the court voided all votes cast for the party during the general elections. The apex court ordered that the runner-up candidate be sworn in if he fulfils the constitutional requirement of getting one quarter of the total votes cast in at least two-third of the local government areas of the state The appeal was filed by Mukhtar Shehu, the state governor-elect, challenging the judgment of a Sokoko appellate court which nullified the ruling party’s primaries in the state. More to follow…

By Ajogwu Jerry Ochada Walking down the dusty road of Etutekpe, Pastor Adukwu visibly looked calm even though his inner mind was preoccupied with many life bothering issues ranging from how to raise the fees for his kids / wards and the basic needs of providing dinner for members of his household that fateful evening made him to ponder in futility. Adukwu Aduga is a branch Pastor of one of the new generation churches springing forth with advertisements of new anointing however with low membership drive. Even though many 'men of God' propagating the tenets of Christianity were caught in the web of scandals and controversies in Etutekpe region, the publicly attested integrity of Adukwu continued to soar high amidst admiration. According to his usual parlance, "man must not live by bread alone" hence he believes in the supremacy of God providing his daily needs. As he approached a T-junction very close to the dilapidated village primary school, his attention caught one o

The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a bill abolishing the dichotomy between Higher National Diploma, HND, and Bachelor’s of Science, BSc, degree holders in the country. The bill for an act to abolish and prohibit dichotomy and discrimination between first degrees and HND in the same profession” was sponsored by sponsored by Ali Isa and Edward Pwajok from Gombe and Plateau states respectively. The legislation, which had been in the chamber since April 2017, seeks to end perceived discrimination against polytechnic graduates and remove the challenges faced by HND holders, especially those in the public service.

Nigerian Government has declared May 29 and June 12 as public holidays to commemorate the transition to a new government and Democracy Day respectively. Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohamed, disclosed this during a press briefing in Abuja on Monday. Mohammed said that most of the activities formerly performed on May 29 as Democracy Day have been moved to June 12 and that the events slated for May 29, would be low key. He said world leaders will only attend the June 12 events. Until June 6, 2018, the Democracy Day was held annually on May 29, the day the military handed over power to an elected civilian government in 1999, marking the beginning of the longest continuous civilian rule since Nigeria’s independence from colonial rule in 1960. It is a tradition that has been held annually, beginning in the year 2000. On June 6, 2018, eight days after May 29, 2018, had been celebrated as Democracy Day, the President Buhari-led government of Nigeria declared June 12 to b

By Mohammed Baba At times, one is tempted to believe that some human beings one meets in the course of life are not just ordinary mortals. They may have all the qualities and attributes of human beings, but the way and manner they handle some situations, more so, consistently, makes one see them as super humans. Most times human beings with such extraordinary attributes are being given different names. Some even call them ‘spirits’, while others attributes their extraordinary life to using either charms of concoctions. Others, however, see them as men or women who are enjoying tremendous Grace of God in their lives. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Abba Kyari, is one of such Nigerians with exceptional grace of God in his life. A geography graduate from the University of Maiduguri, Kyari, is one of the youngest senior police officers in the country. Because of his exceptional exploit in the Nigeria Police Force, especially in the area of arrest of notorious and hardened c

Dear Chief of Staff, I followed your chats on ICDA where you called every past leader of Kogi State a thief as adjudged by your new direction government. Fair enough you have the right to pass judgment considering that you are the current custodian of their records. I felt the need to write this letter due to the recent worrisome trends deduced from your conversations on social media. A trend that portrays an unjust attempt at revisionism aimed at flattering the all too frequent missteps of your infantile boss. You claimed the Wada administration conceived several white elephant projects, with the sole aim of siphoning scarce resources from Kogi State. Notable among these projects are the “Ganaja Bridge” flyover and the Kogi House project. Before I proceed to address your attempted revisionism doctrine, there is the need to take you down memory lane. For without history, we cannot have a future. The Ganaja Flyover project is part of the Lokoja master-plan that was designed by the renow

SPY Reporters gathered that a Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Pastor, Michael Arowosaiye of Sunnyvale Estate, Abuja, committed suicide because he was unable to pay his house rent. Read his suicide note:  "I have been going through trauma for the past 2 years now my financial instability has cost me a lot of shame, I have written to the regional pastor here in Abuja and some pastors to help out in my financial situation but everyone seems to be quiet about this matter the best thing to take my life and let me rest in heaven where I can find peace".

By Bright Ocholi Alih The use of social media in politics has continued to grow in recent times in Kogi state after considering its effect on the 2011 and 2015 general elections in Nigeria at large, many states and political circle across Nigeria. Political have continued to embrace the platform to mobilise their citizens and candidates towards active participation in the political process.  Findings have shown that whereas many use the technology to make vital input in the political discourse, others mount the social media podium to attack opponents, spread false rumours; hate and inciting messages which is believed to have contributed in the violence and tensions witnessed before, during and after the elections in many parts of Kogi state.  The foregoing argument is not unconnected with the several accusations and counter accusations that filled the cyber space in the past few days by urban neophyte activists of Kogi extraction accusing one another of turning politicians to financial

A popular stripers club, Caramelo, located at Utako District of Nigeria's Capital City was pulled down on Monday, by bulldozers deployed from Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).  FCDA is an agency empowered to authenticate, regulate and supervise land and building allocation within the city of Abuja. Recall that some prostitutes were recently intercepted from the lounge by operatives of the Nigeria Police. The harlots after suffering detention alleged that police personnel raped them while in custody. SPY Reporters gathered that the demolition may be linked to the recent incursion triggered by a striper who was dancing putting on a 'hijab'. See pictures:

The Wamban Kano Aminu Bayero is now the Emir of Bichi following the acceptance of  Governor Abdullahi Ganduje's offer. The Emir of Bichi is one of the four new emirates established by the governor on May 8. Mr Aminu, a son of late Emir Ado Bayero, had reportedly said on Thursday night that he needed time to consult. He finally accepted the offer on Friday afternoon. The governor had a meeting with Aminu Bayero; Chiroman Kano, Nasiru Bayero and district heads of Rano, Gaya and Karaye at the Government House on Thursday night. Inside sources said the offer to serve as Emir of Bichi was first made to Chiroman Kano Nasiru Bayero, who rejected the offer outright. The governor then pushed the offer to Chiroma’s elder brother, Aminu Bayero, who said he needed time to consult. Mr Ganduje’s third option was Galadiman Kano, Abbas Sanusi, the father of the state chairman of All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Abbas, who also rejected the offer.

Ahead of August 2019 Kogi state governorship primary election of the All Progressivea Congress (APC), former running-mate to late Abubakar Audu and a Lagos state House of Representative member-elect, James Faleke, has joined the race to replace governor Yahaya Bello. Faleke’s governorship posters have already flooded the national secretariat of the APC, located at Blantyre street, Wuse 11, Abuja. BluePrint correspondent visited the party house on Wednesday, the colourful posters were already strategically pasted from the main entrance round about the building. Although the national secretariat seemed deserted but few staff and other party members around appeared happy about the development with some of them seen in groups discussing the matter. A senior members of the party who spoke with our source on condition of anonymity described the move as a welcome development. He said: “Remember that Falake was on a joint ticket with the late Audu. He has right and ability to contest. So, the

A renowned metallurgist, Dr Toyin Jegede, has implored the Federal Government to take urgent actions against past wrong business proposals to turn around Ajaokuta Steel Company for Nigeria’s rapid industrialisation. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that President Muhammadu Buhari, recently withheld assent to the Ajaokuta Steel Company Bill.  Jegede told NAN in Lagos on Monday that the steel company had the potential to create millions of jobs to tackle the socioeconomic crisis in the nation because of the viability of the iron and steel industry globally. She explained that President Buhari refused assent to the bill because of the current economic crisis but called for political will on the part of government to resolve issues of corruption in previous trade agreements that had kept the firm under developed. She appealed to the government to create policies that would favour the regeneration of the industry as well as an enabling environment to create confidence for the privat

May 6, 2019 Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza lauded his 12-year-old daughter and gave her money at May Day ceremonies designed to honour the country’s top workers. “Head of state Pierre Nkurunziza gave an envelope (of money) to his daughter Naomie Nkurunziza, who has been behaving well at home,” state broadcaster RTNB said in an overnight tweet, without specifying the amount. “Pierre Nkurunziza says that she is hard-working and loves Burundian culture and sport,” it said. The May 1 ceremonies, which took place at a sports stadium at Rumonge, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) south of the capital Bujumbura, saw Nkurunziza hand out awards to senior state officials, farmers, the national football team, a judo champion, governors and district administrators. The decade-old tradition has also seen Nkurunziza reward one of his sons, Jonathan — who was aged five at the time — his wife, Denise Bucumi, and one of their nannies. Burundi has been in turmoil since the president announced in Apri