
News
BREAKING: Catholic priest, other church officials arrested, detained over Abuja palliative stampede deaths
LA senior Catholic priest in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, has been arrested over the tragic stampede that claimed 10 lives during the distribution of free food to the needy at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama.
It was gathered that a number of officials of the church involved in the planning and execution of the ill-fated charity event have also been arrested by security agents. All those arrested have been taken into detention and will likely spend Christmas behind bars, a top Catholic Church leader confirmed on Christmas Eve.
The arrests came against the background of demands by the Islamic activist group, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), for the arrest of those behind the event and a similar one in Okija, Anambra State, where 22 persons were confirmed dead in a billionaire businessman’s house.
MURIC had demanded that organisers of a similar tragic charity event in Ibadan, Oyo State, who were taken to court and remanded in prison custody, should be released if those of the Abuja and Anamnra events would not be given similar treatment.
Inspector general of Police, Dr. Kayode Egbetokun, had also ordered an investigation into the Abuja and Anambra tragic charity outreaches.
Reacting to the arrest and detention of his church officials, the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, Most Rev Ignatius Kaigama, last night condemned what he described “verbal demonization of the Catholic Church” by some agents of government in responding to the tragedy at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama.

According to Kaigama, the detention of the priest as well as some officials of the church and the threat to slam criminal charges on the church “is to say the least, uninspiring, unfriendly and a misplaced zeal, and one wonders what purpose these were meant to serve.”
Archbishop Kaigama, who made his mind known in his Message titled, “Christmas: A Season of Hope and Renewal”, said that government officials should have focused on helping the organisers and the church to overcome their trauma instead of compounding it through arrest, detention and threat of criminal prosecution.
Photo: Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, Most Rev Ignatius Kaigama

News
My govt cares – Tinubu reassures Nigerians amid worsening insecurity, hardship

President Bola Tinubu has restated that his government is committed to addressing the country’s main problems, including economic difficulties, power shortages and safety issues.
Speaking in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Tinubu stated that his government is still focused on policies aimed at helping the poorest and most at-risk Nigerians.
He said: “We won’t stop moving forward, and we’ll keep looking for ways to help those who are struggling.
“This is a government that really cares.”
He noted that having steady power supply is very important for development, stressing that industrial growth and learning new skills mostly rely on having dependable electricity.
“You can’t have industrial growth, learning new skills, or people gaining strength without having enough power.

“I promise Nigerians that we will provide electricity to support our country’s development,” he said.
The president also thanked Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, for the way he leads the state.
“Diri has shown the strength of leading with a clear purpose, and I am here today making a promise that the challenges we face, along with the legacy of those who led this country, including the battles and difficulties of ensuring security, will be met with hard work to properly equip and train our men and women in the Armed Forces. We will defeat terrorism and banditry.”

News
BREAKING: Ebonyi Catholic Bishop, Peter Chukwu is dead
The Catholic Bishop of Abakaliki Diocese, Dr Peter Chukwu is dead.
A source said the Bishop died where he was receiving treatment for an undisclosed ailment.
Meanwhile, a social media influencer, Nwoba Chika Nwoba, in a post on his Facebook page, mourned the demise of the Bishop.
He wrote, “A very bad one for us in Ebonyi State. The loss of the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Abakaliki, Dr Peter Chukwu is a terrible loss.
“This loss is huge. God knows why, but it’s painful losing him in his 50s. A refined man and Associate Professor. This loss is beyond Ezza’s loss. It’s well. We can’t take war to God’s place. Kidney transplant issue. NCN.”
The authorities of the Catholic Church is expected to issue an official statement announcing the demise of the Bishop.


News
Terrorism: Ex-Borno senatorial candidate jailed 10 years
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday sentenced former senatorial candidate in Borno State, Babagana Habeeb, to 10 years’ imprisonment for aiding terrorism through the sale of petroleum products to insurgents.
The trial judge, Peter Lifu, convicted Habeeb on a one-count charge of aiding and abetting terrorism filed by the Federal Government.
Habeeb, a fuel dealer based in Maiduguri, had pleaded guilty to the charge upon arraignment, admitting that he sold fuel to members of the Boko Haram operating in the North-East.
The convict, however, claimed that the transactions might have been carried out by attendants at his filling station.
During the proceedings, Habeeb appealed for leniency, kneeling in the dock as he urged the court to temper justice with mercy.
He told the court that he had two wives and six children and had been in detention for over 10 years without contact with his family.

Counsel to the Federal Government, David Kaswe, opposed the plea, arguing that the support provided to the terrorist group had serious consequences.
Kaswe submitted that the supply of fuel enabled the insurgents to power motorcycles used in attacks, leading to loss of lives and displacement of communities.
He urged the court to impose a stiffer penalty, noting that although the defendant had spent over a decade in custody, a 20-year sentence would be appropriate.
In his judgment, Justice Lifu held that there was no evidence establishing that the defendant was a member of Boko Haram or had undergone weapons training.
He, however, ruled that the admission of selling fuel to the insurgents was sufficient to sustain the charge of aiding terrorism.
The judge also noted that the prosecution did not challenge the defendant’s claim of prolonged detention.
Justice Lifu consequently sentenced Habeeb to 10 years’ imprisonment.
He ordered that the sentence should take effect from the date of the convict’s arrest and detention.

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