Global Naija Info

Mamelodi Sundowns Players Celebrating Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa were on Sunday crowned winners of the 2016 CAF Champions League after a 3-1 aggregate defeat of former champions Zamalek SC of Egypt in Alexandria. The new champions lost 0-1 in the second leg clash, but they benefitted from a 3-0 first leg advantage earned a week earlier. It was sufficient to earn South Africa their second club continental title, after Orlando Pirates’ win in 1995, silencing the home crowd at the El Borg Arab Stadium. It was a lively start to the final clash that saw Zamalek doing a lot of running and piling a lot of pressure on the Mamelodi Sundowns’ defence. Sundowns were however quite comfortable sitting back and allowing the hosts pile on the pressure, while they relied on counter-attacks. Goalkeeper Denis Onyango however did well to calm the nerves of his side in the opening minutes of the pulsating encounter. The Ugandan indeed established himself as one of the best on the continent

At least 13 people are dead following a tour bus and semi-truck collision in Southern California early Sunday morning, according to the Associated Press. The bus crashed into the back of the truck on Interstate 10 north of Palm Springs, the California Highway Patrol said. The westbound 10 Freeway remains closed. At least 31 people from the bus were taken to hospitals in the Palm Springs area, The Desert Sun reported. Photos from the crash show firefighters using ladders to get into the bus’s window and pull people out. The death toll is expected to rise as firefighters enter the bus. Footage from the crash shows the front of the bus pushed into the semi-truck’s trailer. Culled from TIME magazine

Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State The Bayelsa Police Command on Sunday said that it is investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of an innocent person shot in error by police while responding to distress call. Mr Asinim Butswat, Deputy Superintendent of Police and Police Spokesman disclosed in Yenagoa that one of the three people shot in error on Saturday died in hospital. Asinim, who said that investigation into the incident had commenced, said that the policeman who fired the shot was immediately identified and taken into custody. “On 22 October 2016, at about 1730 hours, policemen from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad responded to a distress call of cult attack at Ekeki village, Yenagoa. “The policemen were ambushed by the cultists. “Consequently, a police sergeant fired a bullet, it ricocheted and injured three persons who were unfortunately not among the cultists. “The victims were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa for treatment and one of th

Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, Lagos, Maj.-Gen. Isidore Edet, has warned officers that would be promoted to the rank of Major to desist from cheating during their promotion examination. The GOC gave the warning on Sunday to the officers who are Captains and participating in the practical promotion examination at 192 Battalion in Owode-Yewa, Ogun. “Your generation is a generation of technology and this has always been used for cheating. “I will never condone any form of cheating. If you pass, pass honourably and if you fail, fail honourably. “As an officer, you still have another chance if you fail but if you feel you can cheat during examination, I will not have any room for that so you will be shown the way out. “I will write a report about you and recommend that you leave the system because if you are a cheat, you have no integrity and you cannot aspire to grow up to be a General,’’ h

Jose Mourinho signed image right deal with Chelsea Manchester United’s Coach Jose Mourinho has admitted that his team started badly which cost them an embarrassing 4-0 loss to Chelsea. The goals from Pedro Rodriguez, Gary Cahill, Eden Hazard and N’golo Kante ensured that Mourinho was humiliated on his return to Stamford Bridge. Mourinho, who spoke to reporters at the end of the match, said: “It started badly after a few seconds. We are close to the 1-1 and after another defensive mistake and it is 2-1. “You come with a strategy, you cannot concede a goal in the way we did. We were coming to have an offensive approach, we wanted to create chances, and we showed that after the 1-0. “The second and the third were counter-attack goals. If we score a goal like we almost did for the 2-1, the game would be different. “It is one of those days when you give the advantage to opponents by doing nothing. We made incredible defensive mistakes, individual mistakes and you pay for that. “In t

Oba Ewuare 11 of Benin True to his word, the reign of the new Oba of Beni‎n, Oba Ewuare II, has started bearing positive fruits with the outlawing of activities of land speculation carried out by the various Community Development Associations (CDA) in Benin. It would be recalled that activities of youths as land speculators had been a source of worry to inhabitants of Benin City in the past. With this pronouncement, all operations of CDA Chairmen and Youth Chairmen ceased to exist, including collection of development fees, sales and marketing of community land. The directive came during a homily delivered by the Priest of Holy Aruosa Cathedral, Benin, Ohenosa Harrison Okao, at the thanksgiving service by Oba Ewuare II as part of activities marking his coronation as the 40th Oba of Benin Kingdom. According to the Ohenosa, henceforth, sale and management of community affairs and land shall be better managed by the Edionwere-in-Council and the Enigie (Community Head). He urged all

DSS operatives It was 1 a.m. when it happened; a singular event which by any standard struck a clear cord sharp enough to reach the ears of God. An historical affront on the judiciary was recorded; most definitely the first of its kind since the end of the military rule in the year 1999. Nigeria had yet to encounter such a blatant disregard for the due process and the rule of the law, in all her years of Civil rule and through all her muddles. In the history of any Judicial system, when executive personnel can afford to forcefully enter the homes of their Lordships and reduce them to the equivalent of victimized children, only one possibility can be prescribed and only one such political situation could afford such idiosyncrasy; a Gestapo regime. The inspirer of this article was the event of October 8, 2016. On this day, that Nigerians need not forget in a hurry, the DSS, took to its ravenous inclinations and arrested various judges in their homes, claiming they had been tipped as t

Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai knows that he has a responsibility to deliver on the hopes the Kaduna people demonstrated in him when they helped him clinch a landslide victory in the 2015 Gubernatorial Elections, and from all indications, this is an obligation he is taking really seriously. In furtherance of this responsibility, he is currently focusing mainly on improving service delivery, ensuring sustainable infrastructure development and protecting the lives and property of Kaduna State’s citizens. His unrelenting efforts and commitment are important especially in contrast to the status quo in Nigerian politics, wherein politicians typically fall short of delivering and even renege on their most basic obligations. A trend which continues to undermine whatever modest successes the country, and its nascent democracy make. This is why it is refreshing to learn of states like Kaduna which seek implement reform with deliberate policies that achieve all of the above. In

Steven N’Zonzi Steven N’Zonzi played for Blackburn and Stoke before a 2015 move to Sevilla Sevilla went top of La Liga as Steven N’Zonzi’s goal gave them 1-0 victory over title rivals Atletico Madrid. Angel Correa missed a sitter for Atletico and Vitolo should have put Sevilla ahead with a volley which Jan Oblak brilliantly kept out. With 17 minutes left midfielder N’Zonzi settled the game by sprinting away from Atletico’s defence to slot home. The visitors, who were unbeaten and would have gone top with a draw, had Koke sent off for two yellow cards. European champions Real Madrid are level with city rivals Atletico and will go top if they beat Athletic Bilbao at 19:45 BST.

Chelsea beat Manchester United Pedro scored Chelsea’s opener with his first shot on target this season Jose Mourinho was humiliated on his return to Chelsea as his former club blew away his Manchester United side at Stamford Bridge. The Blues, who sacked Mourinho for a second time last year, led after just 30 seconds when Pedro capitalised on slack defending to roll in. Gary Cahill smashed in the second after United allowed Eden Hazard’s corner to bounce in their box. United offered little sign of making a comeback, falling further behind when Hazard drilled in a precise 15-yard strike. N’Golo Kante skipped around a static defence to slot in and seal victory as Chelsea moved within a point of Premier League leaders Manchester City. The comprehensive win lifted the Blues above Tottenham into fourth, with just one point separating the top five. United stay seventh as the gap between them and the early pacesetters widens to five points, with almost a quarter of the season gone.

Kellyanne Conway, Trump’s Campaign Manager Donald Trump’s campaign manager Kellyanne Conway acknowledged the Republican nominee’s latest dip in the polls. “We are behind,” Conway said on Meet the Press. Trump has fallen behind rival Hillary Clinton, who is up by double digits in some recent polls. Trump’s dip comes largely from disapproval of his treatment of women and his refusal to say whether he will accept the results of the election. Conway said the shortfall in polls is due to Clinton’s other advantages over Trump. “She has a former president, happens to be her husband, campaigning for her,” she said. “The current president and first lady, vice president—all more popular than she can hope to be. And she’s seen as the incumbent.” Conway also walked back Trump’s threats from Saturday, when he said he would sue the women who have accused him of sexual misconduct. Multiple women over the last month have alleged Trump inappropriately touched or kissed them without consent in ev

Awa Ibrahim junior-golf Championships Lucky Onjefo of St. David Mark Golf Academy and Country Club, Akpegede, Benue, has won the 3rd Awa Ibrahim Junior Golf Open Championships at the Ikeja Golf Club. The annual three-day competition, aimed at discovering young golfers aged 15 and below, was used to mark golf enthusiast, Alhaji Awa Ibrahim’s birthday on Oct. 19. The competition ended on Saturday in the male category with Onjefo from St. David Mark Golf Academy and Country Club winning the grand prize, while Chukwu Odi emerged second in the U-16 to U-18. For the U-13 to U-11 category, Alachenu Odey from St. David Mark Golf Academy was the champion, while John Alex from the same academy emerged second. In the U-10 category, Mark Osimeh of St David Mark Golf Academy took the first prize, while from the same academy, Godwin Okoko emerged the first runner-up. In the Girls’ U-16 to U-18 category, Blessing Abdul from St David Mark Golf Academy emerged the overall winner, while Blessing

primary-school-uniform The Chairman of Bodinga Local Government in Sokoto State, Alhaji Abdullahi Tsara, on Sunday donated uniforms to three hundred Primary School pupils in Gidan-Tsara community in the Council area. Tsara said at the event that the donation was his personal contribution to boost education in the area. According to him, the uniforms will go a long way in augmenting the efforts of their parents and encourage the pupils. ” Similarly, the gesture will encourage more parents to enrol their children in schools. ”This is absolutely imperative, as there is the need to shore up the enrolment, retention and completion of the pupils,” he said. Tsara further promised to replicate the gesture across the eleven wards of the local government area. He also welcomed the declaration of the ‘state of emergency on the education sector’ by the state government. He promised that his administration would continue to accord top priority to education as it is the elixir for national

physically-challenged-person No fewer than 100 physically challenged persons in Enugu and Anambra States have been trained on repair of mobile phones by an NGO, South Saharan Social Development Organisation (SSDO). The Executive Director of the organisation, Mrs Grace Nwobodo, made the disclosure on Sunday in Enugu. She said that SSDO, based in Enugu, was founded to engender development in all sectors of the economy. Nwobodo said that the organisation was moved by the increasing number of physically challenged on the streets who had taken to begging as a means of livelihood. She said that the officials of the organisation decided to engage the physically challenged especially those of them who could not make use of their legs to take them off the streets. She said that after the training, the beneficiaries were given startup kits to start their business. She added that the beneficiaries were now in various markets across the two states fixing phones for their customers. “Righ

Assemblies of God Church The Edo District Superintendent of the Assemblies of God, Dr Joel Okogele, on Sunday urged peace between the two conflicting factions of the Assemblies of God Church. Okogele made this call at a special unity/rally service held at the district’s prayer ground in Oluku, near Benin. At the service tagged, “Enough is Enough”, the district superintendent said that the three-year-old leadership crisis had affected the church membership and mandate – soul winning. He added that the tussle had resulted in courts cases, constituting an embarrassment to the church. Okogele appealed that the leadership structure of the church before the crisis be retained for peace to reign. “We will no longer take this; this crisis and in-fighting must stop now. We are saying enough is enough. This crisis has lingered for too long. “Assemblies of God Church has become an object of ridicule before the public. In police stations, courts and among the public, people now see us and

The kidnapper and his victim Kazeem Ugbodaga The operatives of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of Lagos State Police Command have apprehended a tricycle operator, popularly called, “Keke Marwa”, for allegedly abducting a 15-year old girl and turning her to a sex slave. The suspect, Dada Azeez, 28, had abducted Kabirat on October 5 while on errand for her aunt in Agege area before the RRS operatives rescued her on October 21th, 2016 from his den in the same Agege area of the state. The alleged abduction of the girl was disclosed by her sister, Mrs Gbemisola, who disclosed that the girl was abducted with a sum of N58,000 meant for her thrift contribution. The suspect, after weeks of lodging in several locations to evade arrest, was eventually nabbed by the operatives at his residence at 7, Oseni Street, Danjuma Cinema area, Agege with the girl in his one room apartment. Confessing to the crime, the suspect disclosed that he wooed the girl when she was 14 years old at her sister’ shop i

NCPC The Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), says it will give 50 per cent attention to the youth and 10 per cent to agriculture in its plan to refocus Christian pilgrimage. Rev. Tor Uja, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), gave this indication in Abuja. He said that the commission would expose the Nigerian youths during the pilgrimage to activities of the Israelis whose economy, agriculture, polity and security are driven by the youths. “We are looking for funds, we are looking for groups and establishments, and we are looking for people that will sponsor youths. “We want to expose them to what goes on particularly in Israel because the Israeli economy and the Israeli polity and the Israeli society are driven by youths. “You don’t find anybody above 30 in the Israeli army or police; it is (the) youths that they give attention to and it is these young people (that) are dedicated to their country”. Uja said that the commission would

Adeniji Kazeem, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice The Lagos State Government will on Monday arraign the key suspects arrested in connection with the kidnap of Oniba of Iba, Oba Yishau Goriola Oseni before a Lagos High Court in Igbosere. The State’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem, in a statement on Sunday, said the four suspects – Duba Furejo, Ododomo Isaiah, Reuben Anthony and Yerin Fresh would be arraigned before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of Court 24 for offences of conspiracy to murder, murder, armed robbery and Kidnapping. Specifically, Kazeem said the suspects would be arraigned on eight count charges relating to kidnapping of the monarch, murder of the palace security guard – Sunday Eniola Okanlawon, and a commercial motorcycle rider, Joseph Okeke. They would also be arraigned on attempted murder of the monarch’s wife, Olori Abosede Oseni and armed robbery of the Olori’s property. While expressing the resolve of the present admin

Kelechi Iheanacho scored 13 goals in 31 senior appearances last season Manchester City returned to the top of the Premier League despite seeing their winless streak extend to a fifth game as Southampton earned a deserved draw. The visitors led when John Stones’ sloppy pass allowed Nathan Redmond to round Claudio Bravo and slot in. City improved after being booed off by some home fans at the break, equalising when half-time substitute Kelechi Iheanacho prodded in Leroy Sane’s low cross. Pep Guardiola’s side controlled the second half as they searched for a winner, but Saints keeper Fraser Forster produced splendid saves to deny Ilkay Gundogan and David Silva. City’s inability to grab a second goal means ex-Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss Guardiola has failed to win in five successive matches for only the second time in his managerial career. However, the point was still enough to lift the Blues back above Arsenal and Liverpool to the Premier League summit. Southampton stay eigh

The freed sailors Somali pirates have freed twenty-six Asian sailors held captive in a small fishing village for more than four years since their ship was hijacked in the Indian Ocean. Government officials and a maritime expert on Sunday in Mogadishu confirmed them as the sailors from China, the Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Taiwan that were seized when the Omani-flagged FV Naham was hijacked close to the Seychelles in March 2012. John Steed, East Africa Region Manager for the Oceans Beyond Piracy group, said the crew is staying overnight in Galkayo and arrived in Nairobi at 1830 local time tomorrow. He said their period of captivity is one of the longest among hostages seized by pirates in the anarchic Horn of Africa nation. Steed said one member of the crew had died during the hijacking, while two succumbed to illness. He said among those released, one was being treated for a gunshot wound on his foot and three were diabetic. The sailors were held in Dabagala

Abayomi Sogunle The Nigeria Police Force on Sunday said there would be no cover-up in the case of the Assistant Commissioner of Police arrested with N2.7 million bribe money. The Head, Compliant Response Unit (CRU), Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Abayomi Shogunle, disclosed this in an interview in Abuja. He said the police had taken all necessary actions provided in the Police Act and Regulations in respect of the case. He added that “I don’t see anybody covering up this particular case because the necessary actions needed to be taken, the normal disciplinary procedure as provided under the Police Act and Regulations are being followed.” Shogunle said the officer in question had already been issued a query and a criminal investigation had been conducted by the X-squad. The officer had since responded to the query and had faced the Force Disciplinary Committee (FDC), he said. Shogunle added that the FDC had made its recommendations to the Inspector-General of Police (I-G

The 2016 MTV Africa Music Awards took place on Saturday night at the Ticketpro Dome in Johannesburg, hosted by Bonang Matheba. It was a big night for Nigerian musicians as Wizkid walked away with three major awards namely: Artist of the Year, Best Male and Best Collaboration, while co-host, Nigeria’s Yemi Alade took home Best Female, while Tekno was named Best Breakthrough Act. South Africa also fared quite well as Cassper Nyovest picked up Best Live Act, while Emtee was deemed Best Hip Hop and Caster Semenya got the 2016 Person of the Year as Hugh Masekela was given the Lifetime Achievement Award. Kenya didn’t disappoint either, as Sauti Sol got the award for Best Group. Again, Patoranking featuring Nigeria’s Wande Coal got the Song of the Year in partnership with Google with “My Woman, My Everything”. The Video of the Year went to “Niquer Ma Vie” – Youssoupha (Congo), directed by Antony Abdelli & Jose Eon, while the Best Pop & Alternative went to Shekinah & Kyle Deut

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State The problem facing Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State over payment of salaries of Osun workers is far from being over, as the state got the least from the federation account in September. The state got a paltry amount of N868.9m while others receive not less than N2 billion. A breakdown of the amounts received by each of the 36 states from the federation account in September revealed that Osun State got the least of the N143.6b distributable revenue generated for the month of September and shared by the states. Here is what each of the 36 states got after all deductions were made. Abia N3.01 billion, Adamawa N3.14 billion, Cross River N2.04 billion, Ekiti N2.16 billion, Edo N2.54 billion, Kaduna State N4.23 billion, Kano State N5.2 billion, Lagos state N7.92 billion, Rivers N9.05 billion, and Zamfara, N2.58 billion. Delta N7.39 billion, Anambra N3.43 billion, Benue N3.37 billion, Borno N3.9 billion, Ebonyi N2.99 billion, Enugu Sta

Paramedics prepare to lift an ill migrant on a stretcher into a waiting ambulance after she arrived by an Italian military helicopter at St Luke’s Hospital in Gwardamangia, outside Valletta. Photo: REUTERS Fourteen bodies have been recovered and about 5,700 people have been saved in Mediterranean Sea migrant rescues during the past 48 hours, according to the Italian coastguard. Some 463 migrants and the body of a pregnant woman in her mid-20s arrived in the port of Naples early on Sunday, the ANSA news agency said, quoting local Interior Ministry official Gerarda Pantalone. In Sicily, a total of almost 3,300 migrants were due to be disembarked in five different ports during the next 24 hours, ANSA said. Seven bodies were also due to be disembarked, it added. The coastguard said late Saturday that it coordinated 20 rescue operations on the day, which intercepted about 2,400 people. A day earlier, it reported 24 missions at sea that picked up about 3,300 people. Seven of the dead

Dr Isaac Adewole, Minister of Health The Federal Government planned to immunise 41 million children against polio before the end of the year as part of efforts to ensure complete eradication of the virus in Nigeria by 2017, Health Minister Isaac Adewole said. The minister told newsmen in Maiduguri that the goal was to ensure that polio was eradicated in Africa by next year. He said that similar immunisation would take place in neighbouring countries of Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Central African Republic as part of joint effort to ensure the eradication of the virus from Africa. He added that “our target is for Africa to be free of polio by 2017. “We have an elaborate ring fence immunisation that is going to take place not only in Nigeria, but also in Niger, Chad, Cameroon and the Central African Republic.” He explained that the Federal Government planned to conduct five rounds of immunisation against polio before the end of December. “In Nigeria, we are planning five rounds of

Col-Sani-Kukasheka-Usman Troops have arrested 21 suspected Boko Haram terrorists in Borno, according to a statement by Col. Sani Usman, the Army spokesman. Usman stated that the suspects were arrested in connection with alleged aiding and abetting of cattle rustling. He said “preliminary investigation and profiling of the suspects have commenced.” He noted that troops of Operation Lafiya Dole, in conjunction with other security agencies arrested the suspects as part of measures to stop the menace. He added that the crime served as another means of funding Boko Haram terrorists’ activities. He pointed out that “such actions by these unpatriotic elements are likely to jeopardise our collective efforts of clearing the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists in our country. “Although investigations are ongoing, it is important to state that this is a warning to all those collaborators that aid and abet terrorism in the North East generally and Borno State in particular, to desist forthw

The Joint Military Force in Delta The Joint Military Force in the Niger Delta, Operation Delta Safe, said on Sunday that it arrested five suspected pipeline vandals and repelled a hijack attempt of a vessel by heavily armed sea pirates. Lt.-Cdr. Thomas Otuji, spokesman of the joint military force, disclosed this in Yenagoa Otuji said that the suspects were arrested between Oct. 17 and 18 near some oil wellheads at Apala, off Nana Creeks in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta “Troops of Operations Base 2 in Delta State, while on anti-crude oil theft patrol on Oct. 17 and 18, intercepted pipeline vandals in a large Cotonou and speed boats. “Five suspected vandals were arrested and they confessed to their plan to vandalise the wellheads. The two boats were recovered in the crackdown. “Similarly, troops of Operation Base 2 repelled a hijack of a vessel (MT VAJARA) by heavily armed bandits in Ramos River, around Agge area of Delta State. “The criminals were repelled after fie

Governor Kashim Shettima Night markets have resurfaced in Maiduguri, the Borno capital, nearly three years after they disappeared due to Boko Haram insurgents’ attacks. The markets disappeared in 2012 at the peak of the Boko Haram insurgency in the state. The markets started resurfacing a few months ago, following the gradual return of peace and the removal of military checkpoints by authorities. A News Agency of Nigeria correspondent who went round the city on Saturday night found that there was large-scale trading in markets located in Bulumkutu, Wulari, Gomari, Gwange, Customs and other areas. Commodities sold included fresh meat, fish, grains and other perishables. Also, there were local tea sellers popularly called “maishayi”, bean cake sellers and even fried grasshopper sellers in some of the markets. Traders interviewed expressed happiness over the return of the markets, describing it as good omen. Malam Ibrahim Yusuf, a meat seller at Customs night market, said that th

The 2016 MTV Africa Music Awards took place on Saturday night at the Ticketpro Dome in Johannesburg, hosted by Bonang Matheba. It was a big night for Nigerian musicians as Wizkid walked away with three major awards namely: Artist of the Year, Best Male and Best Collaboration, while co-host, Nigeria’s Yemi Alade took home Best Female, while Tekno was named Best Breakthrough Act. South Africa also fared quite well as Cassper Nyovest picked up Best Live Act, while Emtee was deemed Best Hip Hop and Caster Semenya got the 2016 Person of the Year as Hugh Masekela was given the Lifetime Achievement Award. Kenya didn’t disappoint either, as Sauti Sol got the award for Best Group. Again, Patoranking featuring Nigeria’s Wande Coal got the Song of the Year in partnership with Google with “My Woman, My Everything”. The Video of the Year went to “Niquer Ma Vie” – Youssoupha (Congo), directed by Antony Abdelli & Jose Eon, while the Best Pop & Alternative went to Shekinah & Kyle Deut

The Late Lamido of Gashaka in Gashaka Local Goverment Area of Taraba, Alhaji Hammangabdo Muhammadu Sambo The Lamido of Gashaka in Gashaka Local Goverment Area of Taraba, Alhaji Hammangabdo Muhammadu Sambo, is dead. Confirming the demise of the First Class Chief in a telephone interview on Sunday, the Chiroma of Gashaka, Prince Mustapha Hammangabdo, said the chief died at the National Hospital in Abuja on Saturday night at the age of 81 years. He said that the remains of the late chief would be flown to the Jalingo Airport en route Serti, Headquarters of Gashaka Local Government Council for burial on Sunday. Late Hammangabdo was born in 1935 and became the Chief of Gashaka in 1965. He survived by about 70 children and several grandchildren. Prominent among his children are Mustapha Hammangabdo and Hajiya Batulu Hammangabdo, both served as commissioners under different administrations in Taraba. Zubairu Hammangabdo, also a son, is currently serving as Special Adviser to Gov. Dari

Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Mahmud Mohammed Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Mahmud Mohammed, to speak up on the alleged visit by the Minister of Transport, Mr Rotimi Amaechi to Justice John Inyang Okoro of the Supreme Court to curry favour in respect of the Rivers, Abia and Akwa Ibom governorship elections. In an open letter addressed to Justice Mohammed in his capacity as the Chairman of the National Judicial Council (NJC), SERAP is seeking explanations on what “he and the NJC knew or had reason to know regarding the report to them on 1st February, 2016 by Justice John Inyang Okoro, Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria on the alleged visit by Mr Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transportation to the official residence of Justice Okoro to allegedly discuss election Appeals in respect of Rivers State, Akwa Ibom State and Abia State.” The letter dated 21 October 2016 and signed by SERAP executive