The newspapers for Monday, June 12 report on several issues including the tension over the notice given by the Coalition of Northern Youths to Igbos in their region, the arrest of notorious kidnap gang leader, Chukwudi Onuamadike, a.k.a Evans among others.
The pan-Yoruba political organization Afenifere, has warned that the recent notice given by the Coalition of Northern Youths to Igbos in their region, asking them to vacate the region could lead to another war.
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The group in a statement by its national publicity secretary, Yinka Odumakin, said the quit order issued to Ndigbo resident in the north would lead to attack on all southerners in their region, The Guardian reports.
“We now mark another June 12 amidst an October 1 quit order to Ndigbo of the south east by Arewa youths of the north, who have also secured endorsement from the Northern Elders Forum, with the Arewa Consultative Forum conceding what they called the frustrations of the youth with Ndigbo.
“While the primary targets of the Arewa youths’ quit order are the Ndigbo resident in the north, we are not deceived that when the rubber hits the road, the Almajiris and the Mujaheedins would pick and choose among all southerners in their region for the baying of blood, "the group said.
Afenifere warned that such actions could escalate to another war.
It said: “The same arrogance of power, insensitivity and atrocious impunity that were at play then are still very much at play today. The same section of Nigeria that rejected the outcome of Aburi is still shouting down the strident calls of most peoples of Nigeria for restructuring today, because command and control is more important to them than equity, justice, fairness, peaceful co-existence, harmony and a progressing country,” the Yoruba leaders said.
Meanwhile, notorious kidnap gang leader, Chukwudi Onuamadike, a.k.a Evans, who was arrested, weekend, has pleaded to be given a second chance to change to a better person, and become a born-again Christian.
The Vanguard reports that Evans, was paraded by police with six members of his gang, including a married woman, described as their cook, at Command Headquarters, Ikeja, Lagos, on Sunday, June 11.
Narrating how he became a kidnapper, he said: “My friend, known as Hunch Man, introduced me into kidnapping and after a few operations during Peter Obi’s administration, we were forced to leave the state and we moved to Edo State. I had some boys from Warri, Delta State, working with me.
“We carried out two big kidnappings where our victims paid N80m and N100million respectively. In 2013, I came to Lagos and I went straight to Festac Town. Before I came to Festac, I had already established contacts with some boys. One of the jobs we did was that of the owner of Young Shall Grow Motors, Chief Vincent Obianodo.
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“One guy, known as Emeka, brought the job and we were five that went for that operation — Hunch Man, Nmamdi, Uche, Nwoke and I. I was the one driving and our target was to kill Young Shall Grow’s driver and his police orderly. Hunch Man, Uche Nnamdi and Nwoke were carrying guns and they were the people who fired at Young Shall Grow.
“Hunch Man and Uche were killed during the attack, while Nnamdi, Nwoke and I survived. That operation was my most bloody operation. I didn’t know it was going to turn out that way. I usually don’t know names of people I kidnapped in Festac. But if I see them, I will tell you what I did to them. I have people who gave me information about my victims.
The Nation reports that Evans launched out into kidnapping after his return from Cape Town, South Africa in 2007, where he survived a gunshot injury inflicted on him by his drug trafficking partner.
Some of his victims include a 53-year-old Mbarikatta Uboma who was kidnapped around 11am on June 16, 2012, he arrived from Hungary.
Evans’ gang, driving a Passat car, was said to have double crossed them, blindfolded Mbarikatta and whisked him away. Initially, they demanded N10million but settled for N2million after keeping the victim for three days. They collected Uboma’s personal effects before dropping him at Okota.
Director, Ocean Glory Commodities, Apapa, Paul Cole, 34, from Ohafia in Abia State was kidnapped on August 3, 2012, at Festac Town together with the firm’s General Manager, Jude Ugoje and a worker, Piriye Gogo. They were taken to an unknown destination by members of Evans’ gang and were released on August 6 after N5million ransom was paid to the gang around Maza-maza on the outskirts of Lagos.
A Lebanese, Mohammed Jamal, 22, fell victim to the gang on August 19, 2012 at Ajah. He was blindfolded and whisked away by three armed men. He was released after N7million was collected at Ojo Barracks.
Kingsley Nwokenta, 34, was kidnapped September 19, 2012, at Mile Two Under bridge, after he left Lebanana Bar in Festac. He paid N1.5million ransom. The gang took his black Toyota Venza and other things.
Anthony Ozoanidobi, 41, was kidnapped on October 10, 2012, on Marwa Road, Satellite Town. He paid N1.5million and was dropped at Apple Junction, Amuwo-Odofin.
Leo Abraham, 58, was kidnapped on August 20, 2012. He secured his release after paying N5million. He was later dropped on Badagry Road, Lagos among others.
In other news, The Senate has invited the Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation and Deposit Money Banks to a meeting on Tuesday, June 13, over the high interest rates being charged by financial institutions in the country.
The Punch reports that the invitation was made by the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions.
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and several other bodies were invited to the meeting based on a motion by the Chairman of the committee, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim.
The invitation follows earlier criticism by the Senate president, Bukola Saraki, on the charging of high interest rates on loans by Small and Medium-scale Enterprises in the country, a situation he said had forced some firms to close shops.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has ruled that no court in the country has the power to stay proceedings in a criminal case.
The ruling was given on Friday, June 9, when the court upheld the provisions of Section 306 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act and Section 40 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, which prohibit courts in the country from granting stay of proceedings in criminal trials.
This Day reports that a five-man panel of the Supreme Court led by Justice Dattijo Muhammed, in a unanimous ruling delivered held that by virtue of the provisions of both laws, no court in the country, including the Supreme Court, has the power to stay proceedings in a criminal case.
In the video below, hundreds of people queue to sign the referendum on Senator Dino Melaye's recall from the Nigerian Senate.
