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The 2018 diary: January

By Oshineye Victor Oshisada
02 December 2018   |   3:50 am
January 2. Herdsmen kill 50 in Benue Communities. Suspected Fulani herdsmen invaded five communities in Benue State, killing over 50 persons and leaving many others wounded. They struck around 10.00 am on New Year Day and in the early hours of the following day. Kaduna ex-Governor, Lawal Kaita dies at 85. Former Governor of old…

[FILE] Residents fleeing Tse Igbudu Taraka and Bakin Kota communities in Benue State yesterday following the outbreak of Fulani herdsmen killing, which has left 50 people dead… January, 2018

January 2. Herdsmen kill 50 in Benue Communities.

Suspected Fulani herdsmen invaded five communities in Benue State, killing over 50 persons and leaving many others wounded. They struck around 10.00 am on New Year Day and in the early hours of the following day.

Kaduna ex-Governor, Lawal Kaita dies at 85. Former Governor of old Kaduna State, Lawal Kaita died aged 85.

He was elected the Governor of Kaduna State on the platform of National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and served from October to December, 1983.

January 3 Suicide bomber kills father, 14 other in Borno State. A male suicide bomber blew himself up at a mosque in Gambouru, Borno State killing 15 people, including his own father

January 4 President Buhari visits Kaduna, silent on killings. Buhari commissioned 10 coaches and two locomotives and the Kaduna Inland Dry Port. The President left the state without commenting on the killings.

January 5. Govt to prosecute Marketers selling petrol above =N=145

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu warned that the Federal Government would prosecute any marketer that sold petrol above the recommended =N=145 per litre

January 6. Violence mars Delta council poll.Widespread violence characterized councils polls in Delta State but Ughelli North, Ughelli South and Aniocha North Local Council were the main theatres of war.

January 7. ‘12 millions Nigerian motorists carry fake insurance papers.’Despite the benefits from motor insurance cover, Nigerian Insurance Association said over 12 million Nigerian motorists carried fake insurance papers.

Investigations revealed that many motorists preferred patronizing fraudsters rather than obtaining valid certificates

January 8. Nigerian Ladies were sold to Arab men =N=200,000 in Libya

Six-month pregnant Lewisa Comfort, 23, narrated her experience to The Guardian, “Nigerians sold Nigerian ladies to Arabsmen for about =N=200,000 and the Arabsmen would use the girls as sex machine and for house cleaning jobs while dry bread without water served as daily food”

• 16,387 Nigerians repatriated from abroad, says FG A total of 16,387 Nigerians were repatriated from different parts of the world in 2017.

• Kaduna teachers shun El-rufai’s threat, begin strike Primary schools teachers in Kaduna embarked on an indefinite strike despite the Governor’s threat

“External reserves hit $40.4 billion Nigerian’s external reserves rose to $40.4 billion indicating an increase of about $1 billion, between December 2017 and January 2018.

• Air Force helicopter crashes in North East
Nigerian Air Force (NAF) confirmed that one of its Mi-17 helicopters suffered a mishap in the North-East

• Agim resumes as spokeman, Defence headquarters Brigadier-General John Agim assumed duty as the new Director of Defence Information (DDI), replacing Major=General John Enen, who was appointed Commandant, Army War College, Nigeria

January 9. Herdsmen attack Benue Police camp, kill two Herdsmen stormed a police camp at Awashiwa village in Logo Local government Area (LGA) of Benue state, killing two personnel.

A policeman who survived the incident said the herdsmen swooped on the camp in large numbers overpowering the officers. The inspector and a sergent later had their throats slit, some houses were also burnt.

January 10 Buhari appoints Ahmed Abubakar as new DG for NIA

President Muhammadu Buhari approved the appointment of Ahmad Rufai Abubakar as the Director-General for the National Intelligence Agency (NIA)

• Fayose holds security summit with hunters over killer herdsmen

Ekiti Governor Ayodele Fayose held an emergency security summit with hunters from the 16 Local Government areas of the state. In fatigues, the Governor ordered the huntsmen to set up a 24- hour surveillance of the state to prevent attack by herdsmen.

January 11. Six Nigerian- owned guest houses burnt in South Africa.

The Nigerian Union in South Africa, said six guest houses owned by their members were burnt during attacks against Nigerians in Rustenburg, North West Province of South Africa. The attackers beat a woman and her child.

January 13. Ten feared killed, others hospitalised as herdsmen attack Kaduna. Armed men again suspected to be Fulani herdsmen unleashed terror on Kaduna State when they attacked two villages in Birnin Gwari Local Government Council.

In the aftermath, 10 people were feared dead, while scores were wounded.

January 14, Bakare knocks Buhari, IBB tasks him on bloodletting. Former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida and Pastor Tunde Bakare strongly condemned the insecurity in the country and charged President Muhammadu Buhari to end the bloodletting and other dangers in the nation.

• Controversy over girl’s conversion from Islam to Christianity. The reported conversion from Islam to Christianity of one Miss Nasbila Umar Sandra Galadima was a subject of controversy in Jos, Plateau State capital.

Reportedly interested in Christianity, Nabila made her intention known to one Engineer Simput Dafup who asked how her father, Galadima Bitt would react.

January 15. Ekiti bars Fayemi, ex-commisioner from public office for ten years. Former Governor of Ekiti State and Minister of Mines and Steel Development.

Kayode Fayemi and his Finance Commissioner, Mr. Dapo Kolawole, were banned from holding any public office in the state and Nigeria for ten years.

January 17. Senate turns heat on Buhari over killings by herdsmen.

The Senate delivered a damning indictment on President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government, stopping short of calling for the incumbents, resignation. The Senate demanded sack of cabinet members and service chiefs.

January 18. AFDB pulled Nigeria out of recession, says Adesina.

The African Development Bank (AFDB) said its $1 billion emergency lifeline approval support to Nigeria in 2017 was what helped to pull the country out of recession, the country’s worst economic crisis in more than a decade.

January 19. High Court declares installation of Ibadan new monarchs illegal. An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan declared as illegal the installation of 21 new monarchs in the ancient city by Governor Abiola Ajimobi.

The review of the 1957 Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration and other Related chieftaincies in Ibadanland by Oyo state Government as unconstitutional, illegal, null, void and of no effect.

January 20. Out-of-school children down to 8.6 million from 10.5 million.

The Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, disclosed that the number of out-of-school children in the country dropped from 10.5 million to 8.5 million in the last three years.

January 21. Govt uncovers Islamic State network in Nigeria. A group Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA), is operational in North Central and South-South Nigeria.

It deployed foreign terrorists that unleashed mayhem on communities, with a view to exacerbating ethnic and religious tensions.

January 22. Tears, anger as Nigerians in London protest against herdsmen’s killings. Nigerians in London, United Kingdom, protested against the slow response of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to the killing by Fulani herdsmen in Benue state and other parts of Nigeria.

Roughly 60 protesters marched between the Nigerian High Commission and 10, Downing Street, singing: ‘’All we are saying, enough is enough. Buhari must go. The killings must stop’’.

January 23. Don’t contest in 2019, Obasanjo warns Buhari. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, warned Muhammadu Buhari, not to seek re-election in the 2019 polls.

He urged the incumbent not to seek re-election in the 2019 polls. He urged the incumbent not to “overpush his luck” or “over tax patience and tolerance of Nigerians no matter what his self-serving, so called advisers” say.

January 24.’’Govt takes Obasanjo’s warnings in good faith’’. Reactions continued to former President Obasanjo’s letter advising President Muhammadu Buhari not to seek re-election in 2019.

The Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said:’’… We have also taken his admonition in good faith, and we thank him most sincerely for taking time off his busy schedule to pen such long statement’’.

January 29. Nigeria- India trade volume hits $9.4 billion .The value of trade between Nigeria and India hit $9.4 billion just as the two countries prepared to mark 60 years of diplomatic relations in 2018, since the establishment of such relation in 1958.

January 30. Again, Cameroonian soldiers invade Cross River community. Cameroonian soldiers invaded Nigeria communities In Cross River State, the second time in two months.

The soldiers reportedly killed a Nigerian and a Cameroonian refugee in Danare, Boki Local Government Area (LGA) of the state in December,2017.

**Gas production stands at 236.97 billion cubic feet (bcf). Nigeria’s gas production stood at 236.97 billion cubic feet translating to an average daily output of 7,899.01 million standard cubic feet (mmscfd) in November 2017.

• Nigeria now 70 per cent gas flaring-compliant. Nigeria was about 70 per cent compliant on gas flare exit. That means Nigeria was utilizing about 70 per cent of the gas produced and only about 30 percent was flared

January 31. ‘’Third Force’’ launches in Abuja, considers political party status. Hundreds of people trooped to the Yar Adua Centre in Abuja, for the official launch of what was supposed to be former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s ‘’Coaltion for Nigeria Movement’’, known also as the Third force.

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