Soldiers Shoot Five Vigilantes For Demanding To Search Army Vehicle – Sahara Reporters

Sahara Reporters says that Nigerian soldiers killed five vigilante youths in a shootout in Borno State. This, it says, happened after the vigilantes demanded to search a lorry the soldiers were using to convey arms into their barracks.

Sahara says:
An angry member of the vigilante group told our correspondent that the conflict started when some of their members stopped a convoy of the 7th Division of the Nigerian Army with headquarters in Maiduguri. The soldiers were reportedly escorting ammunition in a private commercial trailer.

“We were asked to block most of the major roads within the town as a security precaution against any attack that might be planned during the visit of the APC presidential candidate, retired Major General Muhammadu Buhari,” the vigilante worker told our correspondent. Mr. Buhari had campaigned in Maiduguri yesterday. The source added, “Five of our members were shot dead and several others received serious injuries. This is not acceptable that soldiers should kill our members. After all, we are all working to safeguard the lives of citizenry.”

Our source said the soldiers had refused the vigilantes’ demand to inspect a trailer that was carrying weapons. Then the soldiers shot when some of the vigilante youths climbed the vehicle to check its freight.

Obanikoro Sues Premium Times, Sahara Reporters

Former Defence Minister, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, has dragged online newspapers, Sahara Reporters and Premium Times before a Lagos High Court for defamation of character.

Joined in the suit are Punch Newspapers Ltd., Omoyele Sowore, Publisher of Sahara Reporters and Festus Owete, General Editor at Premium Times.

The defendants had published an audio recording of Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, purportedly in a conversation with other individuals to rig the Ekiti State gubernatorial election, an allegation Obanikoro and others have denied.

In a suit filed on his behalf by Dr Yemi Oke of MJS Partners, at the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, on Tuesday, February 10, 2015, Obanikoro is suing the defendants for damages to the tune of N1 billion.

Obanikoro is seeking “an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from publishing or causing to be published, either directly or indirectly, defamatory, damaging, offensive or degrading statements, articles and/or materials against the claimant.

“An order directing the defendant to jointly or severally pay to the claimant the sum of N1 billion, being damages for harm caused to his political, professional, business, social and institutional reputation, as a result of the defamation, by willful and scandalous publication of false statements by the defendants.

“An order directing the defendants to retract the false and damaging publication by a letter of apology directed to the claimant and published on the same media through which the defamatory publication was circulated and

“An order of court for the cost of this suit against the defendants.”

SSS Allegedly Arrests Ex-Bayelsa Governor Timipre Sylva

State Security Service (SSS), also known as the Department of State Services, allegedly has arrested former governor of Bayelsa State Timipre Sylva.

According to Sahara Reporters, President Goodluck Jonathan begins crackdown on opposition politicians as SSS men arrest Timipre Sylva in Abuja.

The information is yet to be confirmed. The motive for the arrest is unknown, but it is common knowledge that Timipre Sylva has been standing against the incumbent President (who is also Bayelsan).

South-South Governors Lose Out as APC Allegedly Zones VP to South West

South-South Governors in the All Progressives Congress, APC will not be considered for the Vice presidential slot come 2015 elections as the party has allegedly zoned the position to the South-West.

According to SAHARA REPORTERS, a member of the party who spoke anonymously said, “The party decided to zone the VP position to the southwest in view of the zone’s crucial importance in the plan to win the 2015 elections convincingly”.

The party member also said that the Rivers state Governor who was considered one of the strong contenders for the VP post will be made the director general of Muhammad Buhari’s presidential campaign if the former military head of state is selected as the presidential flag bearer of the APC on December 8th.

#APC #Buhari #Amaechi #SaharaReporters

Like SERIOUSLY: 1,000 Soldiers and Policemen Allegedly Block Tambuwal from Entering National Assembly

According to Sahara Reporters, about 1000 soldiers and policemen have sealed the entrance to the National Assembly in Abuja and have physically prevented Aminu Tambuwal, speaker of the House, from entering.

Tambuwal arrived the National Assembly to preside over the House’s sitting, but the troops stopped him at the gate. This has resulted in an altercation.

Tambuwal, President Jonathan and the PDP are currently at loggerheads over Tambuwal’s decision to leave the party and decamp to the APC.

The spokesperson for the Speaker, ‎Imam Imam, told PREMIUM TIMES that move is likely aimed at stopping Mr. Tambuwal from entering the assembly to preside as speaker.

“All the entrances are locked and only one gate is used and everyone is totally frisked before being allowed in‎ and only one person is allowed into the Assembly from any vehicle, others are asked to go back,” he said.