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FORMER PRESIDENT OLUSEGUN OBASANJO REFLECTS ON PRISON EXPERIENCE AND LEADERSHIP

Nicolas Adekeye / 4 months

2 min read

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has opened up about his prison experience under the military junta of General Sanni Abacha in 1995. Speaking at an interactive session with 15 young African leaders at his presidential library, Obasanjo attributed his imprisonment to his inability to remain silent on national and international issues. “I refuse to keep quiet. For me, if there is anything to comment on, I did comment on them, and so, I landed in prison, and that is a challenge,” Obasanjo said. He also shared that his time in prison was a turning point that led him to seek the presidency in 1999, driven by a desire to save Nigeria from disintegration. Obasanjo, who had previously settled into agriculture after his military service, emphasized the importance of leadership and encouraged the young leaders to take on positive roles in shaping Africa’s future. “Go and be African leaders of tomorrow; you have even said it is leaders of today and not tomorrow. It is no longer tomorrow but today with positive disruptive action,” he urged. The former president also expressed concern about Africa’s debt, citing cases of reckless borrowing and corruption. “Most of the debts cannot be explained. Some outright corruption,” he noted. The interactive session was part of the Future Africa Leaders Foundation’s program, which brought together young leaders from various African countries. Obasanjo commended the foundation’s founder, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, for his efforts in nurturing young leaders. “What Pastor Chris Oyakhilome has been doing since 2013 is marvelous… I am very pleased and satisfied with him on this project,” he said.

HOW WE CAUGHT OYENUSI, MIGHTY JOE – May 7 2022.

Nicolas Adekeye / 4 months
0
19 min read

An interview with Dr Joseph Itoto-Ogodo, The Ogiribo 1 of Amu-Ogodo, Sapele. Retired Police Inspector Joseph Itoto Ogodo, who was among the crack team of Police detectives that arrested the notorious robbery kingpins of the ‘70s, Ishola Oyenusi; and Mighty Joe in Lagos, turns 88 years. Pa Ogodo tells Adibe Emenyonu how the two gangsters and their cohorts were arrested. He also speaks about his career in the police force You are now 88 years old. Can you tell us about your early life? I was born on April 27, 1934 in Sapele in present day Delta State. I attended First Baptist School, Sapele from 1944 to 1952 where I had my Standard Six Certificate. From there I proceeded to Abbot Commercial institute between 1953 and 1955. I worked briefly with the sawmill department of the African Timber and Plywood (ATP) from 1955 to 1958. I had a brief stint as a Revenue Collector at the then Sapele Urban District Council. That was from 1958-1959. After that I enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force in 1959 and went to Police College, Yaba, Lagos. Thereafter, I was posted to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). From all indications you spent most of your career with the police in Lagos. Why? This was because I was in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). At that time, Lagos was the capital of the Southern Protectorate before it became the capital of Nigeria in 1959. With this, there was an influx of people both young and old to Lagos. This large movement of people into the new capital triggered several criminal activities that needed police investigation, being the capital of a new nation. This, of course, was not enough to have made the force keep you for such a long time in Lagos. There must be something unique. Can you tell us what it was? I agree with you. There were several incidents of crime and criminality, but we had two major breakthroughs which may have necessitated my long stay in Lagos, though I also found myself in other states and cities outside Lagos, but only on criminal investigation. Because of the increasing cases of armed robbery and burglary, the then Commissioner of Police, Joseph Adeola constituted a Special Anti-Robbery Squad made up of a team of detectives headed by a Superintendent of Police who was popularly called the ‘Flying Policeman.’ He got the sobriquet because he was a good sprinter and athlete. So when you hear SARS, it is not new. It has been in existence. It was founded many years ago. So he formed the squad known as SARS to investigate the numerous cases of robbery in Lagos. There was this very robbery incident where a young police constable who was just six months in the service was shot dead at Ikeja. It was in connection with a company called Wahum, owned by one of these Asian countries on Allen Avenue. The company went to seek police protection to help convey their staff’s monthly salary. So a constable was assigned to accompany the staffers to the bank to withdraw the cash. He then escorted them back. Coming back from the bank to the company, the security man was hesitant to open the gate for them to drive in. This angered the police constable on escort duty and he went to meet the gateman to ask him why he was causing delay to open the gate for the vehicle to drive in. At that point, armed robbers opened fire and killed him on the spot, while the remaining bank officials scampered for safety into the company premises. The robbers went straight to the vehicle, a Citroen, and fired at the booth, got it open and took the cash box containing £10,000 meant for workers salary and drove off in another waiting car. The matter was reported to the police. We had what was called the Lion Building in Lagos, housing the control room. The control room then called the Robot Cars (cars fitted with communication gadgets to look out for the robbers. Prior to this robbery incident, there was a reported case of car snatching along Ikorodu Road. A young man was robbed of his car at gunpoint. Upon investigation, it was discovered that the snatched car was the same one used to get away by the robbers at the Wahum gate. While investigation was still on after some arrests were made, the police learnt the leader of the robbery gang was Ishola Oyenusi who had been on police wanted list. It was at this time that the then CP constituted an X-squad from the SARS and made available a separate police station for them at Panti in Onikan area of Lagos. This time, all the policemen there were asked to go to other divisions for the X-squad to enable them handle all robbery cases without interference. So as a member of that squad, we were moved to Panti and began the investigation. We were a 10-member investigative team headed by one Superintendent of Police (SP) Oyebisi who hailed from Ibadan then the capital of Western State. In the course of investigation, we knew that members of the robbery gang came from different parts of the country, which first made the investigation cumbersome. Some were from the West, some from the Midwest, while some were from the East. But we were determined to do our duty. In the robbery gang was an Ijebu boy who happened to be the driver in all their robbery operations. There was also a member of the gang called Diokpa who, as gathered, was their armourer and in whose house the proceeds of each robbery was shared. While carrying out further investigation, we got all the gang members and accomplices arrested, including the Administration Officer of Wahum company. All of them gave us useful information. The only person at large was their leader Oyenusi. In fact, they were the ones who revealed to us that Oyenusi was their leader.

13 PASSENGERS BURNT TO DEATH IN ONDO AUTO CRASH

Nicolas Adekeye / 4 months
0
1 min read

Tragedy struck on the Owo-Ikare highway in Ondo State on Saturday, as 13 passengers were burned to death in an auto crash. The crash occurred at Abule Panu, Ose Bridge, and involved two buses. According to Dr. Samuel lbitoye, the Ondo State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the crash occurred at about 10:14 am. Dr. lbitoye stated, “The fatal crash claimed thirteen (13) lives of commuters in two buses. A total of 14 people were involved, out of which 13 were burnt beyond recognition, while only one was rescued alive with serious injuries.” Dr. lbitoye explained that eyewitnesses reported that the bus coming from Ikare axis had a tyre burst, leading to a loss of control and a resultant head-on collision with the bus loaded with fabric coming from Owo axis. He said, “Immediately after the collision, the two buses went up in flames.” The FRSC, Police, and Fire Service responded swiftly to the crash scene for rescue operations. Dr. lbitoye added, “The injured victim was taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, while the dead ones were deposited at the morgue of the same hospital.”

FORMER PRESIDENT JONATHAN’S ADC, DIG MOSES JITOBOH, DIES AT 58

Nicolas Adekeye / 4 months

1 min read

Retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG Moses Jitoboh, has passed away at the age of 58. He died in the early hours of Friday, December 27, 2024, at Garki General Hospital in Abuja due to blood clots in his lungs. Jitoboh, a native of Bayelsa State, had a distinguished career in the Nigeria Police Force, serving as Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to former President Goodluck Jonathan during his tenure as Vice President under the late President Umaru Yar’Adua from 2007 to 2010. In 2023, Jitoboh sued the Nigerian Police for his premature retirement from the force, alleging that he was compulsorily retired by the Police Service Commission (PSC) despite not having reached the mandatory retirement age of 60 or having served the required 35 years. Former Deputy Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Kayode Olagunji, confirmed Jitoboh’s passing in a social media post, saying: “We lost DIG Moses Jitoboh, rtd, mni, a friend and course mate @ the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru. Painful exit. Rest in Peace. May the Lord console your family, friends, and others left behind.”

BISHOP KUKAH CAUTIONS AGAINST SECULARISM AND MORAL DECAY IN 2024 CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

Nicolas Adekeye / 4 months

2 min read

In his 2024 Christmas message, Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, has sounded a warning against the growing influence of secularism and the erosion of moral values in modern society. Bishop Kukah expressed concern over the commercialization of Christmas, stating that it is overshadowing the holiday’s spiritual essence of peace, joy, and reconciliation. “Christmas is increasingly being seen as another holiday or at best, one of the greatest opportunities for smart business returns. We have refused to accept the warning of Jesus that we cannot serve two masters,” Bishop Kukah said, referencing Matthew 6:2. Bishop Kukah warned that materialism and moral decay, symbolized by the seven deadly sins, are leading the world astray and fueling instability. He pointed to the ongoing violence in Gaza and other war-torn regions as evidence of humanity’s departure from God’s path. “Today, the baby Jesus lies not in the innocence of swaddling clothes in Bethlehem but in the pool of blood that has now engulfed Gaza and its surrounding communities,” Bishop Kukah lamented. According to Bishop Kukah, the world’s moral compass has been lost, leading to escalating violence that threatens the message of hope that Christmas represents. While urging Christians to be the light of the world, Bishop Kukah emphasized the need for self-examination and accountability rather than blaming institutions for societal corruption. “We cannot continue to blame the Constitution, the Judiciary, the Police, or other public servants for the corruption in our society,” he said. Instead, Bishop Kukah encouraged Christians to remain true to their baptismal promises, reminding them that divine laws written in their hearts should guide their actions. Bishop Kukah criticized efforts to strip Christmas of its Christian meaning, warning that such trends could weaken the spiritual foundation of society. “The forces of secularism are determined to empty Christmas of its core essence, which is the good news of joy and light to the world,” he said. Despite the challenges facing the world, Bishop Kukah called on Christians to use the Christmas season for reflection, repentance, and the renewal of their faith. “Christmas offers Christians a time for deep personal reflections on the values and virtues of the Christian witness,” he concluded.

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FORMER PRESIDENT OLUSEGUN OBASANJO REFLECTS ON PRISON EXPERIENCE AND LEADERSHIP

HOW WE CAUGHT OYENUSI, MIGHTY JOE – May 7 2022.

FORMER PRESIDENT JONATHAN’S ADC, DIG MOSES JITOBOH, DIES AT 58

BISHOP KUKAH CAUTIONS AGAINST SECULARISM AND MORAL DECAY IN 2024 CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

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