NEWS
BREAKING: Leader Wagner Group, Prigozhin Dies In Plane Crash
Leader, Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, has lost his life in a plane crash on its way to St. Petersburg from Moscow just days after fueling speculations of active involvement in African nations’ political leadership.
This was contained in a statement from the Russia State media which has it that Prigozhin was one of the passengers in which crashed on Wednesday, north of Moscow.
The Russian Ministry of Emergency Services, revealed in a statement that a private Embraer Legacy aircraft with 10 people on board, three crew and seven passengers, crashed on Wednesday, while flying from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
It stated that the aircraft had “10 people on board, including three crew members,” as at the time it crashed in the Tver region to the northeast of the Russian capital.
Though the Ministry did not specifically mention Prigozhin, 61, the Tass state news agency had quoted the Federal Air Transport Agency (FATA) as saying that he had been among the seven passengers on the ill-fated plane.
“According to the Federal Air Transport Agency, an investigation has been launched into the Embraer crash,” state-run RIA Novosti reported.
“Among the passengers is the name and surname of Evgeny Prigozhin,” it added.
The death of Prigozhin is being viewed in different perspectives across world, with the United States of America (USA) pointing accusing fingers at Moscow.
Recall that Secretary of State Antony Blinken had told NBC News’ Andrea Mitchell at the Aspen Security Forum, that were he Prigozhin, he would have been “very concerned” following his attempted mutiny.
“NATO has an ‘open door’ policy,” he said at a fireside chat. “Russia has an open windows policy, and he needs to be very focused on that.”
Once known as Putin’s “chef” for catering state events, Prigozhin, long publicly denied leading the Wagner group, a private military company that has also operated in Syria, Mali, the Central African Republic and other countries.
Prigozhin’s fate had been cast in mystery since his Wagner fighters captured the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don on June 23, before they began to march on Moscow, stopping around 120 miles from the capital after an alleged deal brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
The deal was meant to see Prigozhin go into exile in Belarus and his fighters either sign contracts with the Russian Defense Ministry or join him there.
The Kremlin’s treatment of Prigozhin since the rebellion has nonetheless confounded many observers.
Although Russian President Vladimir Putin had described Wagner’s rebellion treason and a criminal investigation was initially launched, it did not appear that Prigozhin, the Russian leader’s once close ally, was facing charges or any real punishment for the stunning challenge.
But after his fighters led the charge against Kyiv’s troops in Ukraine, often at massive human cost, he started to embrace the public eye, donning military fatigues and appearing in videos.
Some appeared to show him recruiting prisoners or in the thick of the action at the front line, in contrast to the city-dwelling elites he derided in some of his Telegram posts.
What would be of interest Africans, particularly the political leadership is that in a 41-second clip published Monday by several Telegram channels affiliated with Wagner, Prigozhin appeared to give his first video address since the mutiny that shook the Kremlin.
He was dressed in military fatigues and wore a bulletproof vest featuring the Wagner logo, Prigozhin was filmed standing in a desert-like area.
In a veiled speak to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) leaders and the threat of military invasion of Niger Republic, he vowed to make Africa “more free” and “Russia even greater on every continent.”
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas as the military administrator of Rivers State following the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the state House of Assembly.
The announcement came during a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday amid heightened political tension in the oil-rich South-South state.
Tinubu said the suspension would last for an initial period of six months.
READ ALSO: JUST IN: Tinubu Suspends Fubara, Deputy and Lawmakers
“By this declaration, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs. Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months,” the President stated.
Ibas, a former Chief of Naval Staff who served from July 2015 to January 2021, will take charge of the state’s affairs.
Tinubu clarified that the judiciary remains unaffected and will continue to function as mandated by the constitution.
“The Administrator will not make any new laws. He will, however, be free to formulate regulations as may be found necessary to do his job, but such regulations will need to be considered and approved by the Federal Executive Council and promulgated by the President for the state,” Tinubu added.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs. Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the state House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.
Tinubu made the announcement in a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, citing undisclosed reasons for the decision.
READ ALSO: JUST IN: Rivers Assembly Accuses Fubara, Deputy Of Gross Misconduct
“By this declaration, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs. Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months,” the President stated.
The suspension comes amid ongoing political tensions in Rivers State.
More updates to follow…
In what political watchers perceive as part of efforts to discomfit and scatter the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the feeling that its National Working Committee (NWC) antagonises him, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has revoked the rights to occupy the land on which the party’s national secretariat, Abuja is sited.
Biztelers reports that Wike’s revocation notice was conveyed in a letter released in Abuja on Tuesday, dated March 13, 2025.
The letter was titled, “Notice of right of occupancy with file no: MISC 81346 in respect of plot no: 243 within central area district, Abuja.”
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The letter was signed by the Director, Land Administration (FTC), Chijioke Nwankwoeze.
Wike, it was gathered predicated his action on the PDP’s failure to pay the annual ground rents due on the property for twenty (20) years, from January 1, 2006, to January 1, 2025.
The negligence on the part of the opposition party, the letter claimed was despite many publications in several national dailies and electronic media to pay up every outstanding bill and ground rent on its property.
The letter read, “I have been directed to refer to the above Right of Occupancy granted to PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP), NATIONAL SECRETARIAT and inform you that the Minister of Federal Capital Territory has in the exercise of powers conferred on him under the Land Use Act No. 6 of 1978, Cap. L5, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, revoked your rights, interests and privileges over Plot No. 243 within Central Area, Cadastral Zone A00, Abuja.
“The revocation is in view of your continued contravention of the terms and conditions of grant of the Right of Occupancy by failing to pay the annual ground rents due on the property for twenty (20) years, from Ist of January 2006 to 1st of January 2025. This is despite the many publications made by the FCT Administration since 2023 in several national dailies and on electronic media requesting all allottees of plots in the Federal Capital Territory to pay up every outstanding bill and ground rent on their property.
“You would please note that the said breaches by PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP), NATIONAL SECRETARIAT (MISC 81346) run contrary to the provisions of Section 28, Subsection 5 (a) and (b) of the Land Use Act.”
There are palpable fears that the PDP’s national secretariat might be demolished or vandalised, sooner than later because Wike added that the FCTA administration would take immediate possession of the party secretariat until all bills are settled.
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JUST IN: Tinubu Suspends Fubara, Deputy and Lawmakers
JUST IN: Wike Renders PDP Homeless In Abuja
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