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BREAKING: Finally, 72 minors freed! *Tinubu has proved he’s compassionate leader – Musa
Three days after they were arraigned in court, sparking outrage across the country, President Bola Tinubu, on Monday, directed the immediate release of all the 72 minors arrested and facing prosecution in court over their alleged involvement in the ten-day #EndBadGovernance, which took place from August 1-10.
Tinubu, who gave the order that the children, whose offences included treason on the allegation that their conducts amounted to an attempt to overthrow his government, should be released “without prejudice to the law,” also directed the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction to see the welfare of the minors.
Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, who disclosed the development while briefing State House correspondents, in Abuja, quoted the President as saying that all the law enforcement agents involved in the arrest, detention and prosecution of the minors be investigated and anyone found culpable, would face appropriate disciplinary action.
Not a few Nigerians were enraged at the sight of the malnourished children as they filed in out of the courtroom on Friday, November 1, 2024, with some of them scrambling for biscuits brought for them by sympathetic people present in court, while some of them practically fainted out of exhaustion and hunger.
Before Tinubu’s order, Justice Obiora Egwuatu, of the Federal High Court Abuja, where they were arraigned, had granted each of the children arrested in places like Kaduna, Abuja, Gombe, Jos, Katsina, and Kano states, bail for N10 million each.
Many Nigerians including former presidential candidates, civil society organisations, human rights activists and regional socio-political groups were incensed when they found out that the minors had been detained for over eight weeks since the nationwide protests against hunger and high cost of living.
Lateef Fagbemi, Attorney General and Minister of Justice (AGF-MoJ), in a statement, said “my office will need to look into the matter to enable me to take an informed decision,” directing the police to transfer the case file to his office and hand over the same to the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF).
Sani Musa (APC, Niger East), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, at the Senate, who hailed Tinubu who expressed gratitude for President Tinubu’s leadership and commitment to accountability within law enforcement, adding that it affirmed the President’s leadership, and a firm stance on the need for accountability within law enforcement.”
Carpeting Kayode Egbetokun, Inspector General of Police (IGP), who was quoted as downplaying the situation, saying the children were faking their condition, as “senseless” Musa, said in a statement: “This action demonstrates a profound commitment to justice and humanity and reflects a true spirit of leadership. It is both a relief and a source of reassurance for families affected by these unfortunate incidents. Such actions undermine public trust and contradict the principles of justice and the welfare of our children.”
Urging thorough investigation to ensure accountability and called on all stakeholders to prevent similar incidents in the future, he added: “Let this stand as a reminder that the rights of minors must be respected and protected at all times.”
The echoes of the drums rolled out to celebrate the rescue of the 44 teachers and students, kidnapped from some schools in Oyo State, after 56 days in the bush, would surely be disrupted abruptly, with the divergent echoes of a fresh abduction, this time coming from Kogi State.
Reports indicate that the gunmen, struck on Tuesday at the Government Secondary School, Odo-Ekina, in Dekina Local Government Area of the state, abducting four students, the school principal and a National Examinations Council (NECO) ad hoc staff member.
Authorities of the Kogi State Police Command, who immediately unleashed their operatives in hot pursuit of the abductors, said the attack occurred at about 5:25 p.m. while the students were writing their NECO examination.
Saliu Oyiza Afusat, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) and spokesman of the command, said a combined team of police personnel and other security agencies has launched a search-and-rescue operation following the incident.
Informing that one of the students was actually rescued immediately, she said efforts were ongoing to secure the release of the remaining victims and apprehend the attackers, adding that Naziru Bello Kankarofi, the state Commissioner of Police, alongside the Brigade Commander and the State Security Adviser to the Governor, Commodore Jerry Omodara (Rtd), were already on the way to the scene for an on-the-spot assessment.
Oil prices are expected to go down now with the announcement of Donald Trump, US President that he will no longer impose a 20 percent “safe passage” fee on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
The POTUS, hinged his reversal of the decision on the intervention from some Gulf countries, who pleaded with him not to toe the line due to the massive economic impact the decision would make on the region.
Indeed, oil prices had shot up immediately Trump announced the new levy on Monday while declaring the US ‘the guardians of the Hormuz strait,’ a measure which he said was to pay for the cost of guarding the volatile area in order keep supply of oil flowing.
Reports said that Gulf allies of the US worked frantically to get Trump on the phone in time to talk him out of the idea altogether, while a flurry of appeals came from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar.
In response, the POTUS, posting on his Truth Social platform, wrote: “Based on highly productive conversations with Middle East leadership, I have decided to replace the 20% United States Reimbursement Fee with Trade and Investment Deals that the various Gulf States will be making into the United States.”
Trump, who said the investments would be “MASSIVE but, at the same time, extraordinarily good for them, and their future,” added that the deals would see factories, plants, and equipment pour into the US at “Historic levels.”
The Gulf nations have committed to invest trillions of dollars in the US, though it remains unclear how much of that they will actually spend over the next several years.
Meanwhile, the US continues to bomb Iran in what appears to be a resumption of active conflict between both countries, despite an ongoing roadmap to end the conflict.
Reports say operatives of the Osun State Police Command, and those of the Department of State Services (DSS) had tracking the trail of Adeniyi Adeyemi, controversial Director General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), for weeks, before he was eventually pulled out of his hole on Tuesday.
However, the duo, were said to have pulled back after failing to track him through his mobile phones, which he had reportedly switched off for about two days, making it difficult to locate him, leaving the stage for the members of the Police Intelligence Response Team (PI-RT) led by Moses Lohor, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP).
Lohor, said to have previously served as the Commander of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of Osun State, and reported to have been involved in high-profile security operations and controversies, after taken over fielded his men to pick up signals from their well-oiled signal networks.
Regarded by many Osun residents as one of the key security officers who contributed significantly to the peace and stability enjoyed in Ilesa and other parts of the state during his tenure, he was said to have relied on his contacts before his transfer out of the state, said to have raised concerns from the public about the security situation he would be leaving behind.
His exit from the state was said to be hinged on an incident in 2024, in which he allegedly shot one Iyanda Alowonle, then Chairman of Osun State Motor Transport System, in the stomach at the police station in the state prompting an order for his arrest by then Inspector General of Police (IGP).
His effort was said to have paid off when he successfully tracked down the controversial PFIPC, boss, who was seen on Tuesday evening, in a shot video on social media undergoing interrogation, and eventually handed him over to Ibrahim Gotan, Commissioner of Police in the state.
The PUNCH quoted one of the sources as saying: “The arrest (of Adeyemi) took place on Tuesday morning by the IRT squad, who immediately moved him to Abuja. After he was arrested, he was taken to Ibadan and from there to Abuja.”
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