Metro
Ekweremadu recounts how he was held hostage by 200 security operatives, war
Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, has recounted his ordeal on Tuesday, when he was held hostage inside his house, by about 200 security operatives.
Ekweremadu woke up to a siege on his residence.
A similar siege was carried out on the home of Senate President, Bukola Saraki.
In a statement on Wednesday, Uche Anichukwu, media aide to Ekeweramdu, quoted the deputy senate president as calling on Nigerians to condemn the incident.
He said for over six hours, a combined team of policemen, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other agencies prevented him from leaving his house.
“On Tuesday morning, some people laid siege to my house. They left at about 12:20pm after spending about six and half hours,” the statement read.
“We anticipated that a number of our colleagues in All Progressives Congress (APC) would defect and join People’s Democratic Party (PDP). In anticipation of that, the APC leadership had tried to stop them. When that didn’t happen, the first thing they did was invite President of the Senate to come to the Police. They believed that once the President of the Senate goes to the Police, I would be the one to preside and probably give effect to the letter of defection.
“In anticipation of that, the Police, EFCC, and other security agencies came together, about 200 of them, to stop me from going to the national assembly. They said I should come to the EFCC to give explanation over the things I was accused of. I agreed to follow them even though there was no prior invitation, but they were not eager to let me go to answer the invitation.
“The plan was to stop me and the president of the senate from going to the national assembly today. Unfortunately for them, the president of the senate was already at the senate to preside over the plenary session.
“This is not good for democracy. We must respect the law, respect institutions because that is the only way we can make progress as a nation. This is total embarrassment to our nation. I hope this will not happen again.
“I am very worried. This is a decline in our democracy. I want to call on the media and Nigerians to stand up for Nigeria and ensure we save our democracy.
“This is a dangerous development. The whole world expects Nigeria to lead in democracy in Africa. We need to make progress and show the world that Nigerians are indeed leaders in every aspect of life.
“When you invade the national assembly, you are invading the temple of democracy. That is exactly what has happened today. This is a major assault on democracy.
“Those advising the president should advise him correctly. As a result of this occurrence, senate had to go on recess when there are outstanding issues to attend to. Nigerians are loosing. Whoever is behind this is not a good friend of Nigeria.”
Customers of Zenith Bank have taken to social media to voice their frustration over difficulties encountered during online banking transactions.
Reports emerged on Tuesday of challenges related to payments and various features, leading to widespread discontent among users on social media platforms like X.
In a statement shared on X on Saturday, Zenith Bank announced that routine maintenance would commence on September 29 and conclude on October 1, running from 12:01 AM to 5:00 AM. The notice, titled ‘Notice of Routine Maintenance,’ stated, “Please be informed that we are currently undertaking routine maintenance of our Information Technology Infrastructure to enable us to significantly improve the quality of service rendered to you.”
However, customers reported that the maintenance did not begin as scheduled, causing considerable inconvenience.
On Tuesday, October 1, 2024, the bank’s Mobile Banking App, USSD Service, Internet Banking, and Corporate Internet Banking platforms remained unavailable for an extended period, specifically between 12:01 AM and 2:30 PM WAT.
One dissatisfied customer, Adetunji Akeem, expressed his frustration, sharing that he was unable to withdraw money for food and transportation to work, which forced him to borrow from colleagues.
“It is frustrating. I haven’t eaten all day because I wasn’t able to withdraw money today. Zenith said they would be undergoing maintenance on Saturday through a pop-up message on the bank app, but they didn’t start until this morning,” he lamented.
Another customer, Adeleye A. P., known on X as #deji4ever, criticised the bank for not scheduling maintenance during the night, especially at the end of the month when many employees are expecting their salaries.
He tweeted, “The worst bank award should be given to Zenith. Why deny customers transfer privileges to other banks on the last day of the month? It’s a bad business strategy to ensure money doesn’t leave its coffers.”
Dave Oriss, tweeting under the handle #orissonline, echoed similar sentiments, adding, “#ZenithBank, you should keep frustrating your customers. Some have emergencies, and you are busy shifting the time for maintenance.”
Iran fired 200 missiles, including hypersonic weapons, at Israel in a major escalation of the ongoing conflict, state television reported on Wednesday.
The barrage, which Iran claims targeted military bases near Tel Aviv, came as retaliation for the recent killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah by Israeli forces.
This picture shows a projectile flying above the Jordanian capital Amman towards Israel, on October 1, 2024. – Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said a missile attack under way against Israel on October 1 was in response to the killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah last week as well as that of the Hamas leader. (Photo by Khalil MAZRAAWI / AFP)
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed the missile launches, stating that “90 percent” of the projectiles hit their intended targets, which included three military bases.
The footage of the missile strikes was broadcast on Iranian media, showing a significant show of force by Tehran.
This picture taken from the West Bank city of Hebron shows projectiles above the Israeli city of Ashdod on October 1, 2024. (Photo by HAZEM BADER / AFP)
The Israeli military countered that 180 missiles had been fired into their territory, with most being intercepted by Israel’s advanced defense systems.
Despite the intercepts, the attack marks the first reported use of hypersonic missiles by Iran against Israel.
This picture shows projectiles being intercepted by Israel above Jerusalem on October 1, 2024. (Photo by Menahem Kahana / AFP)
Hypersonic missiles, capable of traveling at speeds of up to 15 times the speed of sound, pose a unique threat due to their low-altitude flight path and ability to evade conventional missile defenses.
Iran unveiled this advanced missile technology in June 2023, with then-president Ebrahim Raisi proclaiming it as a cornerstone of Iran’s deterrence capabilities, designed to maintain peace and stability in the region.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded swiftly to the attack, warning that Tehran had made a “big mistake.” He vowed to make Iran “pay” for the strikes, further raising tensions in an already volatile situation.
Fire erupts between Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv and the city of Modiin following an Iranian missile attack, on October 1, 2024. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said a missile attack under way against Israel on October 1 was in response to the killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah last week as well as that of the Hamas leader. (Photo by Ahmad GHARABLI / AFP)
In Washington, the United States indicated that it was discussing a joint response with Israel.
Meanwhile, Iran’s chief of staff issued a stern warning that Tehran would strike key Israeli infrastructure if Iran’s territory were attacked in retaliation. The region now braces for potential further escalation amid growing fears of a broader conflict.
No fewer than 60 bodies have been recovered following a tragic boat accident in Niger State, officials confirmed.
According to a statement released by Abubakar Dakani, Press Secretary to the Chairman of Mokwa Local Government, the boat was carrying over 300 passengers when it capsised at the notorious Gbajibo River in Mokwa Local Government Area yesterday evening.
Dakani disclosed that the ill-fated boat was en route from Mundi to Gbajibo for the Annual Maulud celebration when the disaster occurred.
The Chairman of Mokwa Local Government, Abdullahi Muregi, acknowledged the recovery of about 60 bodies and confirmed that 10 survivors have been found so far. Rescue operations, involving the State Emergency Management Agency and local volunteers, are ongoing in a bid to recover the missing passengers.
This incident brings painful memories of a similar boat tragedy in September 2023, when a boat carrying over 50 passengers capsized, killing 24 people who were traveling to their farms for harvest.
Authorities have expressed concerns about the recurring boat accidents in the region, calling for urgent measures to improve safety on the waterways.
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