IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

President Muhammadu Buhari has visited the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, the nation’s capital. It had been reported that terrorists attacked the centre and freed inmates including 64 of their members held in the custody during the attack.

Shortly before the President’s arrival, the Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi, had told journalists that there are strong indications that terrorists invaded the facility to free their members from being held in detention. He explained that the Federal Government is working hard to ensure that other fleeing inmates were being recaptured and kept back in the facility. “Most likely, they are Boko Haram because we have a sizeable number of Boko Harams that are in detention,” the minister said.

“Presently, we could not locate any of them. I think there are about 64 Boko Haram (members) in prison, they have all escaped.” Also, the Nigeria Correction Service, stated that said one personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and four inmates died during the incident. 

NCS spokesman, Umar Abubakar, in a statement, said the terrorists used explosives on the centre’s fence and its main entrance to gain access to the facility. Noting that a total of 16 inmates and three custodial officers were injured during the attack, Abubakar stated that 879 inmates escaped from the facility while 443 had been recaptured and 551 are still at large.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday reshuffled his cabinet, seven months before the 2023 presidential election in the country. The President also administered an oath of office to seven newly appointed ministers recently confirmed by the Senate.

The new ministers took the oath of office shortly before the commencement of the Federal Executive Council Meeting at the Council Chamber. He urged the new ministerial appointees to consider their emergence as a call to duty that demands diligent service to the nation.

Those sworn in are Henry Ikoh (Abia), Umana Okon Umana (Akwa-Ibom), Udi Odum (Rivers), Ademola Adegoroye (Ondo), Umar Ibrahim El-Yakub (Kano), Goodluck Nana Opiah (Imo) and Ekumankama Nkama (Ebonyi). The new ministers replace those who resigned their appointments to contest for various elective offices during the 2023 general elections in April.

Before the council meeting, a minute of silence was observed in honour of the outgoing Secretary-General of OPEC Mohammed Barkindo who died on Tuesday evening, hours after meeting with Buhari. Meanwhile, physically in attendance is the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, and Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari.

Paul Pogba is set to rejoin Juventus on a free transfer after his Manchester United contract expired. It is understood the 29-year-old France midfielder will have a medical at the weekend before completing the move. Pogba joined United from the Italian side in 2016 for a then world-record fee of £89m.

United and Pogba failed to agree on a new contract and the club confirmed at the start of June that he would leave as a free agent this summer. It is anticipated Pogba will begin training with Juventus next week prior to their trip to the United States, where they will face Barcelona and Real Madrid on 27 and 30 July respectively. For the second straight season, Juventus finished fourth in Serie A, 16 points behind champions AC Milan.

They had been Italian champions for the preceding nine seasons, with Pogba playing a key role in their title wins from 2012-13 to 2015-16. He scored 34 goals from 178 games in his previous spell with Juventus having also joined on a free from United in 2012, after coming through the Old Trafford academy.

During his first season back at Old Trafford, Pogba helped United win the EFL Cup and Europa League but they would prove to be the only trophies he won in his second spell.

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday granted permission to former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha to travel to the United States for medical attention. While granting the permission, Justice Inyang Ekwo ordered the Registrar of the Court to release the traveling passport of the former governor to him to undertake the medical trip.

The order of the Judge followed an application argued by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mister Ola Olanipekun, who notified the court that his client has been having health challenges in the receipt times. Olanipekun argued that Okorocha, now a Senator representing Imo North in the Senate, will not abuse the order and will return to the country for his trial.

Although, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) represented by Mr Chile Okoroma had sought to vehemently oppose the request, the commission soft-pedalled when Justice Ekwo explained that the request would be granted with a caveat by the court. While granting the request, Justice Ekwo ordered Okorocha to return the passport to the Court Registrar not later than three days of his arrival in the country.

Justice Ekwo subsequently fixed November 7 for his trial in the money laundering criminal charges brought against him by the Federal Government.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the spate of insecurity and the audacity with which terrorists ravage the country unchallenged, under what the party terms a “rudderless” All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.

According to the opposition party, the simultaneous terrorist attacks on the advance convoy of President Muhammadu Buhari in Katsina State as well as the Correctional Facility in Abuja, the nation’s capital, underscores the collapse of the nation’s security command and control structure.

In the PDP’s opinion, the failure of the APC to tame the violence and secure the citizens only adds to affirming assertions that the ruling party is complicit in the matter.

PDP Spokesman, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, in a statement on Wednesday noted that the terrorist attack on President Buhari’s convoy in his home State of Katsina as well as the “ferocious invasion and the freeing of hundreds of terrorists and criminals from the Kuje Correctional Facility further confirm that Mr. President has lost control of the security of the nation and that Nigerians are no longer safe under the APC”.

The West Minister Magistrates Court, the United Kingdom on Thursday accepted that the kidney donor in the case of former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice is not a minor.

Ekweremadu and his wife were arrested by the British police on June 23 on allegations of human trafficking and organ harvesting that violate the country’s Modern Slavery Act.

The police authorities had accused the lawmaker of conspiring to bring a child to the United Kingdom for organ harvesting, saying the victim was a 15-year-old boy.

During the continuation of the case, the prosecution has accepted that he is 21 years old, contrary to earlier claims that he is 15 years old.