Government should obey the court’s ruling
Last Thursday, the Kaduna State High Court ordered the release of Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat, after almost six years in “protective custody” and a controversial trial. However, following the acquittal of the duo on grounds that the charges preferred against them lack merit, the Kaduna State government has filed fresh charges at the Federal High Court. The new charges, according to the state Director of Public Prosecution, Daris Bayero, relate to terrorism and treasonable felony. He said that the allegations contained in these new charges predate 2015 and that the court will have to issue an order for the arrest of El-Zakzaky for him to answer them. We find this troubling as we urge the federal government to prevail on Governor Nasir el-Rufai not to embark on an action that can only further aggravate the precarious situation in his state.
.Adds N15,000 as monthly allowance
Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum on Wednesday approved N12.8m as support for 641 candidates currently at their final stage of exercises to qualify for recruitment into the Nigerian Army’s 81 regular intake for 2021.
Zulum announced the support, while addressing the candidates at Maimalari barracks in Maiduguri. The Governor was received at the barracks by the theatre commander of operation Hadin Kai, Major General Christopher Musa.
The 641 candidates, each of whom is to get N20, 000, were those who passed different stages of medical and fitness tests and soon to leave for final military fitness exercises at Falgore Game Reserve in Kano from where successful candidates will be recruited into the army.
The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has called for the probe of the Kaduna air crash that claimed the lives of Army Chief, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru and other officers.
Solomon Adodo, the President, also demanded the grounding of all military aircraft in the country to ascertain their airworthiness.
Adodo, in condolence letters to the Chief of Defence Staff and Chief of Air Staff, said the crashes were affecting the war on terror.
The NYCN leader noted that the spate of military plane crashes in the country was unsettling.
The organization questioned why the officers died while on an official assignment to attend the passing out parade at the Nigerian Army Depot in Zaria.
Festus Akanbi in Lagos, Deji Elumoye, Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja and John Shiklam in Kaduna
Nigeria was yesterday thrown into mourning, when its 21st Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru, along with six senior officers and four crew members perished in an air crash in Kaduna.
Attahiru and the others were onboard Nigerian Air Force Kingair 350 from Abuja to Kaduna, ahead of todayâs passing out parade of soldiers from the Nigerian Army Depot in Zaria, when the crash happened amid torrential rainfall.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed deep sadness over the air crash, saying the military officers would not die in vain.
By Udora Orizu
Members of the House of Representatives have expressed sadness over the death of Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru and his entourage in an air crash in Kaduna.
Attahiru, along with six senior officers and four crew members were onboard Nigerian Air Force Kingair 350 from Abuja to Kaduna, ahead of today’s passing out parade of soldiers from the Nigerian Army Depot in Zaria, when the crash happened amid torrential rainfall, on Friday evening.
The Speaker of the House, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, in a statement issued on Saturday described as shocking and sad the death Attahiru and others involved in the plane crash.