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‘Defamatory’ Tweet: Parents Of Arrested Student Beg Aisha Buhari 

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Final Year Student Reportedly Arrested Over A 'Defamatory Tweet' Against Aisha Buhari

arents of a student of the Federal University, Dutse, Aminu Azare, who was arrested for alleging that the wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, Aisha Buhari, was feeding fat on poor people’s money, has called on the first lady to forgive and release their son.

Mr Azare, a final-year student of Environmental Management and Toxicology at the University, was arrested after a tweet he posted in June on the allegation against Mrs Buhari, went viral five months later.

Speaking to BBC Hausa on Monday, the uncle of the arrested student, Shehu Baba – Azare, said the family are pleading with the wife of the president to forgive their son.

He said the family had no knowledge of the arrest until five days later when their son’s colleague told them, he had not been seen for days.

He said Mr Azare was taken on 17 November and taken to Abuja, where he was reprimanded and tortured in the presence of Mrs Buhari.

“The father did not know of the arrest… The following morning on Monday, Aminu (Mr Azare) called his father through a security agent’s phone and informed him that he was being held in Abuja by security agents. He said he was taken to the State House, reprimanded and beaten in the presence of the wife of the president, before he was taken to an unknown location and locked.

“The father later informed me that the university management (Federal University Dutse) called to inform him that they were not aware of the arrest,” Mr Baba – Azare said.

The uncle said the family has been thrown into a state of confusion.

“Of course, we are disturbed. There are instances of such arrests that are still unresolved. We’re pleading with her to forgive our son because she is a mother too. Let her forgive and forget. We’re pleading with her,” Mr Baba – Azare said.

When contacted by journalists, Mrs Buhari’s spokesperson, Aliyu Abdullahi, said he was in a meeting.

As soon as this reporter introduced himself, Mr Abdullahi quickly said, “I’m in a meeting now. I’m in a meeting, please.” And he hung up. He did not respond to subsequent messages sent to him on the issue.

The arrest of the student has been greeted with outrage on Twitter with some young Nigerians blasting Mrs Buhari for being intolerant.

Amnesty International a human rights organisation, in a statement pn the incident, said the student must be released unconditionally.

“Amnesty International calls on the authorities to release him from unlawful detention and ensure that all those suspected of torture and other violations against him are brought to justice.”

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NEWS

Obi Urges FG To Comply With Court Order, Release Nnamdi Kanu

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BREAKING: Justice Nyako Orders Maximum Comfort for Nnamdi Kanu

The clamour for the release of the embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is gathering momentum.

The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi has added his voice to those urging the Federal Government to comply with judicial pronouncements and release Kanu.

This was gleaned from a one-minute-twenty-three second video posted on micro-blogging site by @BiafranTweets, which appeared to be a clip from an interview granted by the former governor of Anambra State.

The tweet was captioned, ‘#FreeNnamdiKanu as Ordered by Our Court, We should for once practice Rules of Law ~ Mr Peter Obi tell Tinubu Government’.

In the video clip, a journalist, who held out his recorder to Obi alluded to the continued unrest in the South-East, and noted that some people were attributing it to Kanu’s continuous incarceration.

The journalist noted that people like Ohaneze and other well-meaning individuals had ‘called for the release of that young man’ (Kanu) and asked ‘what’s your take on this?’

Obi responded, “My take is very simple. I don’t see any reason for his continued detention, especially, as the law, the court has granted him bail. The government must obey the law.

“Rule of law is intrinsic concept that we must cherish and live with. And I’ve said that I’m going to discuss with every agitator.

“And I use this same opportunity to plead with the government to ensure that all those who are in similar conditions are released and discussed with.

“We are in a democratic government; we shouldn’t be doing things that are arbitrary and not within the law.”

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NEWS

Adeleke Opens Up On Osun’s Agro-centric Initiatives

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Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has opened up on the plans of his administration for the agricultural sector, assuring stakeholders that farm inputs, including tractorization and food security are being addressed by his government.

He made the assertion on Friday evening after a meeting with a Nordic, a firm interested in setting up a tractor assembly plant in Osun State.

Gov Adeleke maintained that his plans for the agricultural sector remained robust and all inclusive.

In his words, “the state is now set for implementation of various programmes in the sector.

“We take Agriculture very seriously. Our government decided to first focus on bridging the infra deficit to strengthen connectivity between rural and urban areas. We first focused on building the roads and bridges as a condition to empower the agricultural sector in the area of transportation and market linkages.

“Now that we have made enormous progress in the infra sector, we are now set to roll out specific programmes for the agricultural sector. I have set up an implementation committee on the recommendations of our food security committee.

“The Committee which is to be chaired by my Special Adviser on Agriculture, Hon Olaniran Akanfe has the mandate to put into effect the suggestions and proposals in the food committee report. Other members of the committee include Olusola Omole, Dr Alaba Towoju, Dr Olu Olajide, Hon Moshood Yakub, Hon Alexander Kehinde Oloke, Adelowo Adekunle Saburi, Kolade Tunde (TISKO) and Engr Badmus Bukola Mikail. The Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Agriculture is to serve as the Secretary of the Committee while the Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon Tola Faseru serves as overall Coordinator.

“As we kick-start the implementation of the food security committee, our government is to launch the Osun Young Agropreneurs Incubation Programme which is to target thousands of young farmers and agropreneurs across the agricultural value chain.

“The programme will include at least 1000 hectares of land per local government; provision of land clearing and tractorization; availability of inputs; guaranteed off-taking; all season irrigation farming; integration of hydroponic farming; integration of precision farming and emphasis on gender balancing and inclusivity.

“My Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon Faseru is to chair the action committee which will have representatives from ALGON, traditional institutions among others. Other members of the action committee will include Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Land; Surveyor General of the state; Director Agriculture services at the Ministry of Agriculture; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth; President, Osun Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Mr Adegoke Taiwo Kamal; a representative of farm equipment leasers and Hon Hezekiah Olabamiji Oladele (HOB).

“I have also directed the Commissioner to host a meeting with real farmers on our various farmlands in the state. The Commissioner is to meet genuine farmers to strengthen our partnership as we launch various programmes within the sector.

“I am happy to announce that the federal-state partnership on Fertilizers has yielded positive results. We will as quickly as possible commence the distribution of Fertilizers to our farmers.

“On tractorization, this is another piece of good news. The state has acquired some tractors while the Commissioner has been directed to negotiate a leasing deal with the tractor hiring association. We are also repairing existing tractors.

“Our government is therefore elated to recieve your company with such interest as setting up a tractor assembly plant. We warmly welcome your initiative. The Commissioner for Agriculture is to meet and discuss further with your representative.

“For those into plantation farming, we are raising seedlings across the crop sectors. We are starting with cashew and cocoa.

“More importantly, our government is working on reviving the cocoa industry as well as supporting agro processing through public private partnership. We welcome investors and partners in this critical sector.”

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International News

I Don’t Debate As Well As I Used To,’ Biden Reflects On Debate Performance

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President Joe Biden emphasized his capacity to deliver results while acknowledging challenges with his mobility and speech during a campaign rally in North Carolina.

His remarks followed a heated debate against former President Donald Trump in Georgia, marking a significant moment in the 2024 election cycle.

At the campaign rally in North Carolina on Friday, President Biden addressed supporters stating “Folks, I don’t walk as easy as I used to, I don’t speak as smoothly as I used to. I don’t debate as well as I used to. But I know what I do know. I know how to tell the truth, I know right from wrong.”

To downplay suggestions of being replaced in the presidential race, Democrat Joe Biden emphasized resilience, stating, “I know, as millions of Americans know, when you get knocked down you get back up.”

He also asserted his commitment to safeguarding democracy, declaring, “I won’t allow Trump to attack our democracy again, I don’t think so folks.”

Reflecting on progress made since his predecessor’s tenure, Biden remarked, “The US has come a long way from the mess that Donald Trump left,” highlighting the past “constitutional crisis and international embarrassment” caused by the former president.

Biden reaffirmed his belief that America embodies “honesty and decency” and serves as a “beacon of the world,” contrasting this with Donald Trump’s motives of “revenge and retribution,” which he criticized as never having “built a damn thing.”

Reflecting on the recent debate, President Biden remarked, “I don’t know what you did last night, but I spent 90 minutes on a stage debating with a guy who has the morals of an alley cat.”

He also commented on Trump’s performance, alleging, “Did you see Trump last night? My guess is he set, and I mean this sincerely, a new record for the most lies told in a single debate.”

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