News
14 Nigeria to Die by Hanging in Saudi Arabia
Fourteen Nigerians have already been moved to a jail in Medina apparently in preparation for the hangman’s noose. That has sent shivers down their spines, forcing them to dispatch a Save-Our-Souls message to President Muhammadu Buhari to do all within his powers to save them from being slaughtered like cows.
They were 15 in number but one of them was executed last year as a common criminal.
The manner in which Yusuf Yakubu Ajiboye from Kwara State was arrested, hurriedly tried and subsequently killed, made them to entertain fear for their lives and came to the conclusion that the long knife was indeed awaiting them.
“We know they are preparing to kill us but before we die, we are pleading with the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to look into the charges preferred against us and see if indeed, we have been given fair hearing for the offences they claim we committed, and whether the Saudi authorities have treated us well under the law,” one of the suspects said in a leaked document made available to Saturday Vanguard from Riyadh.
“They claim that we peddled drugs and committed other drug-related offences, which according to them carry death penalty but we want Nigeria to intervene and give us another chance to live,” the suspect pleaded on behalf of the rest being detained in preparation for their execution in the Middle East country.
Among the Nigerians in the Medina Prison awaiting execution are: Lolo Babatunde, Biola Lawal, Hafis Amosu, Jimoh Ishola, Tunde Ibrahim, Abdurimi Aweda, Adam Abubakar, Amode Tunde, Adewumi Adepoju, Saka Riyau, Aliu Muhammed, Abdul Raman, Yekini Yahaya and two other women.
Many other Nigerians arrested for drug-related offences have also been detained at Jedda, Mecca and Riyadh prisons in Saudi Arabia, awaiting execution.
Sources close to the suspects said that there are no fewer than 25 Nigerian drug suspects being detained in several prisons in Saudi Arabia with the ultimate aim of executing them since the offence carried the maximum death penalty in that country. But their fear has heightened since they claimed that they contacted the Nigerian Embassy in Riyadh and pleaded with them to take action to at least free them from that country’s jail and repatriate them to Abuja to either live or die and be buried on their father land, but regretted that the appeal fell on deaf ears.
“Our government should act fast to save our lives from the hangman’s noose because delay is dangerous in this case,” one of the suspects said.
FG reacts
The Nigerian Government confirmed yesterday, that it was aware of the detained Nigerians in Saudi Arabia in connection with drug-related offences and had already waded into the matter. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, said necessary steps were being taken to engage with the Saudi authorities on the fate of the detained Nigerian drug suspects.
“The Minister of Foreign Affairs has directed the Nigerian Mission in Riyadh to look into the detained suspects’ case urgently,” the Spokesman for the Ministry, Dr. Tope Adeleye Elias-Fatile, said in response to enquiry on the matter. “The Nigerian Government will continue to engage the Saudi authorities in negotiations so that they will not be executed,” the Foreign Ministry assured.
Source: Vanguard
News
King Charles Reportedly “Really Unwell” And Funeral Plans Are Currently Being Reviewed
King Charles III’s health is causing concern for friends and the palace as he continues to battle cancer.
“Speaking to friends of the king in recent weeks about his health, the most common response is … ‘It’s not good,’” Tom Sykes of the Daily Beast reported Thursday, April 25.
A friend of the monarch claimed Charles “is determined to beat it and they are throwing everything at it,” adding, “Everyone is staying optimistic, but he is really very unwell. More than they are letting on.”
Royal writer Tina Brown also hinted at the monarch’s health struggles, writing recently that Charles’ cancer has put Prince William and Kate Middleton “in frightening proximity to ascending the throne just when they had hoped for a span of years to parent their children out of the public eye.”
“The prospect of it, I am told, is causing them intense anxiety.”
Sykes also reported that the king’s funeral plans, codenamed “Operation Menai Bridge”, are currently being reviewed.
A separate document that states what went well at Queen Elizabeth’s September 2022 funeral and what could be done better the next time a monarch dies is also circulating, according to the Daily Beast.
All the sources emphasized that royal funeral plans are constantly in review. However, one former staffer in particular conceded that Charles’ health woes have given his plans a different urgency.
“The plans have been dusted off and are actively being kept up to date,” the former staffer explained.
“It’s no more than what you would expect given the king has been diagnosed with cancer. But the circulation of them has certainly focused minds.”
Buckingham Palace announced in February that after undergoing surgery for a benign prostate enlargement, it was discovered that the king has cancer.
We hope the king gets well soon.
News
EFCC: New Documents Extracted Shows Yahaya Bello Allegedly Paid School Fees To The Tune Of $845,852,84 For His Family Members
Still on the EFCC trailing on Ex Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, Documents serving as exhibits have shown how he allegedly paid school fees in advance for his family members already in the school and even those to be enrolled in future with hundreds of thousands of dollars withdrawn from the state coffers.
A letter from the American International School of Abuja to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has shown the school admitting that Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, paid $845,852,84 into their bank account since September 2021 as advance school fees for 4 family members from the present class until they graduate.
Payment was also made for any future student to be enrolled by the family.
The document alleges that the payment was made by Mr. Ali Bello, alleged to be the eldest son of Yahaya Bello.
In the document, the school stated that they have deducted the fees for the educational service already rendered to the Bello children in the institution and what is left is $760, 910, which would be refunded to an account provided by the EFCC as the commission continues investigation into alleged money laundering levelled against Yahaya Bello.
The school also added that from the Bello family kids, “no further additional fees are expected in respect of tuition until they graduate from ASIA.”
News
Niger State Prisoners Run From Facility After Rainstorm Brings Down Part Of Fencing
Many prisoners serving time at the Suleja Correctional Centre, located in Suleja Local Government of Niger state, fled the facility after a rainstorm brought down a part of the inner fencing.
This incident happened as a result of the heavy rainfall which fell on Wednesday night. This led to a cell being torn down, providing incarcerated individuals with a chance at freedom.
Reporters gathered that security forces fired many shots in the air, attempting to scare the inmates out of hiding.
While the State Comptroller of Prisons declined to speak to the press, it has been noted that security has been beefed up on the Minna-Suleja and Suleja-Kaduna roads, including the Madalla axis to Abuja road, which is a likely escape route out of the state for the inmates.
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