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Biden Signs Executive Order To ‘Expand Access To Abortion’ After Several States Ban Procedure

US President Joe Biden has signed an executive order meant to “protect and expand access to abortion” in response to several states banning the controversial procedure after the United States Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade decision.

In an executive order released Friday, Biden said his administration was “taking action to protect healthcare service delivery and promote access to critical reproductive healthcare services, including abortion.”

“It remains the policy of my Administration to support women’s right to choose and to protect and defend reproductive rights. Doing so is essential to justice, equality, and our health, safety, and progress as a Nation,” stated the order.
Biden ordered the Department of Health and Human Services to give him a report within 30 days outlining strategies with the intention to “protect and expand access to abortion care, including medication abortion.”

This will include “launching a public awareness initiative,” sharing information with providers on abortion access, and to hold a meeting with “private pro bono attorneys, bar associations, and public interest organizations in order to encourage lawyers to represent and assist patients, providers, and third parties lawfully seeking these services throughout the country.”

“The Attorney General shall provide technical assistance, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, concerning Federal constitutional protections to States seeking to afford legal protection to out-of-State patients and providers who offer legal reproductive healthcare,” added the order.

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You Can’t Snatch Wike from PDP, Saraki Tells APC Governors

Former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, has described last Friday’s visit by the Governors of Ekiti, Ondo and Lagos states, Dr Kayode Fayemi and Mr Olurotimi Akeredolu and Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu to their Rivers State counterpart, Mr Nyesom Wike in Port Harcourt as an exercise in futility.

Nigeria Youth Movement reports that Governors Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, and Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos had a closed-door meeting with Wike. Ayodele Fayose, former Ekiti governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chieftain also participated in the meeting.

Addressing reporters during the Eid celebration in Ilorin, Kwara state capital, Saraki stated that the Peoples Democratic Party can’t lose Wike because he’s important to the opposition party.

He said; “Wike is an important member of our party and I am very confident that in no distant time, we will sit down and address all the issues. There is no doubt about it that he has cause to feel the way he does, but there are better ways by which issue like this can be resolved.

“The good thing is that we are all talking to one another. We are on top of the situation and PDP will reunite and forge ahead to win the next elections. I assure you that PDP will definitely resolve its family issue that it currently has.

“The fact that some APC governors went to see their colleague, trying to capitalise on what they think is an issue is a gross miscalculation. At the end of the day, their visit is going no where.

“The APC governors know that it is this kind of a crack they need to latch on. Fortunately, we are not going to give him to them because the election ahead is too important. The destinies of millions of Nigerians are too important and even bigger than any party or individual. I appreciate that, all our stakeholders appreciate that and Governor Wike himself appreciates that.”

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EFCC Rescue 17-Year-Old Yahoo Apprentice Abducted For Rituals By His Boss

A 17-year-old alleged yahoo apprentice, Destiny Peter, has been rescued by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), just before he was used for ritual in Abuja.

The EFCC, in a statement, said the teenage boy was rescued on July 1 from an apartment in Mpape, a suburb of Abuja.

On Friday, July 1st, Peter was able to get in touch with the anti-graft agency through its Twitter account, @officialEFCC, and he described how some alleged internet fraudsters (yahoo boys) abducted him with the intention of using him for money rituals.

“Good afternoon sir, I called the EFCC number and lay some complaints about some yahoo boys intending using me for ritual and he said I should send a screenshot of the location

The house is in Mpape, but don’t know the exact place so check google map and save the screenshot. I’m in the bathroom because I don’t want his boys to know what I’m doing. My name is Destiny Peter and the place is Mpape.

I don’t know the actual place but I used google maps and the people in the house now are his boys. Hold on let me try and do a video, sir”. Peter had written in a series of tweets.

He was then instructed to send a screenshot of his location to the EFCC using the Google Location App on his smartphone.

The commission mobilized a team of operatives to rescue the youngster from the location in Mpape after receiving the Twitter SOS.

When they arrived at the residence, they discovered Peter locked in a room and met four other suspects, who were later taken into custody.

The suspects were identified as Aboaba David, 16, Isaac Johnson, 18, in-house cook, Miracle Moses, 20, and leader of the syndicate, Jamilu Aliyu, 20, popularly known as Jamilu Smith.

Upon questioning, Peter disclosed that Jamilu Smith had threatened to have him sacrificed for rituals if he failed to cash out (defraud) victims within two weeks.

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Sule Lamido: Obasanjo wrong to attack Atiku, he was unknown prisoner when Atiku formed PDP

Mr Lamido said Mr Abubakar was a major contributor to the platform upon which Mr Obasanjo ran for office in 1999.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was wrong to publicly criticise his former deputy, Atiku Abubakar, says former Jigawa governor Sule Lamido. He said Mr Abubakar was a major contributor to the platform upon which Mr Obasanjo ran for office in 1999.

Messrs Obasanjo and Abubakar were elected as president and vice president respectively on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party but they endured a fractured relationship that has yet to heal since their reign.

“Obasanjo is a senior man, somebody who is elderly. He has the right to talk down on his own children but that should be an in-house accusation. He can say Atiku you are this or that but when he says it publicly to the country he led, it is wrong,” said Mr Lamido in an interview with Vanguard newspaper.

Mr Lamido was reacting to a statement by Mr Obasanjo a few weeks ago wherein the former Nigerian leader said making Mr Atiku his deputy was a grave mistake but God saved him.

“I don’t want to sound rude but when PDP was formed, Obasanjo was in prison and the formation of the PDP had history,” Mr Lamido, a longstanding politician said. “We had a group led by Atiku and many others and also the progressives as symbolised by Solomon Lar, Abubakar Rimi, Jim Nwobodo and many others. It is right to say that when PDP was formed, Obasanjo was not politically known.”

Messrs Obasanjo and Abubakar fell out after the latter, looking to succeed his principal, truncated his unconstitutional third term bid.

Though attempts have been made to mend their relationship over the years, the portrayal of Mr Abubakar as a deeply corrupt politician by Mr Obasanjo continues to be a sore point in their relationship.

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Ex-president Jonathan’s Relative Pleads From Kidnapper’s Den

A video has been released of Mike Ogiasa, the former Bayelsa State Commissioner and relative of former president, Goodluck Jonathan, pleading for his life from the den of his abductors.

Ogiasa had been kidnapped early June from his hometown, Otuabadi in Ogbia Local Government Area of the state.

The victim spoke from inside a flooded grave, half naked with a sack over his head for some parts of the video.

Begging for his life, Ogiasa said, “Is the money more important than my life? You’re seeing me in the grave. Please do everything to come and release me.”

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Nigeria Removed From List Of Countries Eligible For Turkish e-Visa

Nigerian visa applicants to the Republic of Turkey have been barred from accessing the e-visa provisions but have instead been advised to apply via any Turkish Consulate.

Nigeria Youth Movement gathered on Thursday from prospective applicants about the sudden change without prior notice or communication from the Turkish Mission in Nigeria.

But it appears the decision was taken following the incessant terrorist attacks in Nigeria and the high-security alert that followed the attacks on the Kuje Custodial Center in Abuja on Tuesday, where some terrorist elements were among those released from the centre.

Apparently one of the affected Nigerians in a viral message said, “Just putting this out there. Someone out there with a Schengen /UK/US visa might be booking a ticket to Turkey right now thinking they will apply for a visa electronically. DO NOT. Turkey decided to delist Nigerians from the e-visa list yesterday evening. With no prior warning/ communication. They clearly don’t rate us. Anyway, all Nigerians have to apply via the consulate wherever they are.

“Turns out so many people are/were planning to go to Turkey soon. Honestly, just apply through the consulate. There is still no information online. No press release, nothing! They are disrespectful. An agent told me she applied on behalf of someone yesterday and within the space of 5 minutes, the message on the site had changed. Apparently, it has something to do with the “prison break”/ concerns of terrorism.

“Unfortunately, nationals of the country that you selected are not eligible for e-visa. Kindly visit the nearest Turkish mission to apply for a visa application. Please visit http:www.visa.gov.tr for the full list of the Turkish Embassies and Consulates.”

Some members of the diplomatic community such as the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada have warned their citizens against travelling to many parts of Nigeria even in some parts of Abuja, the nation’s capital over security threats.

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Court Jails Fake Army General 7 Years For N266.5m Fraud in Lagos

Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, Thursday, July 8, 2022 convicted and sentenced one Bolarinwa Abiodun, a fake Army General to seven years in prison on a 13-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, forgery of documents and possession of documents containing false pretence to the tune of N266,500,000.

The offences are contrary to Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006; Section 363 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015 and Section 6 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Act No 14 of 2006, respectively.

The defendant, who was prosecuted by the Lagos Zonal Command of the EFCC posed as a General in the Nigerian Army was accused of making false representations to the complainant, Kodef Clearing Resources, that the President , Muhammadu Buhari, had short-listed him and one other to be appointed as the Chief of Army Staff, COAS, and that he needed a short grant to “press and process the appointment.”

Abiodun, who was arrested at his house in the Alagbado area of Lagos State on Wednesday, January 12, 2022, was also accused of forging a letter of appointment as COAS purportedly signed by the President and showed the same to the victim to further prove his claim.

Boris Johnson resigns, he said ”Painful not to be able to see through many projects and ideas” as he announced his resignation as Tory Party Leader.

The PM was met with cheers from family and staff as he made his resignation speech outside No 10.

He said he had tried to persuade colleagues it would be ”eccentric” to change leader and blamed the ”herd instincts” in Westminister for his exit.

He said a timetable for a leadership contest would be announced next week.

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Boko Haram Stole ₦82M, $36,000 Cash Belonging To Inmates – Prison Officials

Inmates held at Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja are threatening a deadly riot after officials claimed a large chunk of money kept for the prisoners had been carted away by Boko Haram insurgents who breached the facility on Tuesday night, two sources with information have informed Peoples Gazette.

The money had been kept with at least five prison officials, including those manning the commissary, for several months, officials said.

“One prison guard told 13 inmates this afternoon that all the money they kept with him had been stolen,” an official said. “He bluntly told them that the N26 million is no longer in his possession.”

The prison, about 43 kilometres southwest of downtown Abuja, was breached at about 10:00 p.m. by suspected Boko Haram insurgents. While some detainees refused to take advantage of the jailbreak, all prisoners affiliated with Boko Haram escaped, according to defence minister Bashir Magashi.

As the president departed the scene, prisoners began shouting that they’d lost money during the raid, while some threatened violence should officials fail to return their cash.

“Yes, that is the problem we’re confronting now,” an official said when asked for corroboration Wednesday evening. “Some people lost money in naira while some lost in dollars.”

The official said the money belong to wealthy individuals inside the prison.

“It’s those big men that are more enraged because they kept millions with the warders,” the official said. “About N82 million was declared missing and four people are looking for $36,000.”

“We don’t know what the prison management will do about the matter because the money was not kept with the warders officially,” our source added. The officials spoke under anonymity because they did not receive permission to comment on internal prison disputes.

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Court Grants Okoracha Permission to Travel Abroad For Medical Check Up.

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday granted permission to former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha to travel to the United States on medical grounds.

Justice Inyang Ekwo who granted the permission ordered the Registrar of the Court to release the travel papers of the former governor to him to undertake the medical trip.

The order followed an application argued by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Ola Olanipekun who notified the court that his client has been having health challenges in the recent times.

Olanipekun said the Okorocha now a Senator representing Imo West in the Senate will not abuse the order and will return to the country for his trial.

Although, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC represented by Mr Chile Okoroma had sought to oppose the request, the Commission soft-pedaled when Justice Ekwo explained that the request would be granted with a condition that he would declare Okorocha wanted if he attempts to abuse the favour granted him.

Justice Ekwo subsequently fixed November 7 for his trial in the money laundering criminal charges brought against him by the Federal Government.