News

Lalong pleads for forgiveness as Plateau marks Forgiveness Day

Published

3 years ago

February 6, 2023

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Plateau State Governor Simon Bako Lalong pleaded with residents on Sunday to forgive government over the current hardships being experienced by the cashless policy and fuel scarcity.

Governor Lalong made the plea at an interdenominational service at St. Monica Catholic Church, Jos, the state capital to mark the 2023 Plateau Forgiveness Day.

Lalong said that the situation had been of concern to governors who were having a series of meetings with the president to address the situation.

“On behalf of all of us, we apologize for the pain being inflicted on the society and we ask for forgiveness,” the Governor said.

Lalong prayed that the Federal Government would look into the hardships and review the policy.

He said the Plateau Forgiveness Day celebrated annually on February 7 was conceived as part of efforts to continue the restoration of peace.

It was also conceived to remind the younger generation that the state is home to peace, hospitality, and tourism, he added.

The Governor explained that the day was marked to strengthen peace processes, using the Plateau Peace Building Agency to coordinate its initiatives.

Lalong said: “The Day of Forgiveness, which was unveiled and launched by Mr. President in 2018 has since then been implemented by the Plateau Peace Building Agency.

“We established it as the first in the country with the sole responsibility of coordinating and implementing all our efforts towards removing toxic narratives, crisis merchandising, violence and tackling root causes of disharmony and intolerance.

“The day is to appeal to our conscience and take us to the path of forgiving the past, and looking ahead to the future that will be devoid of ugly experiences.”

Lalong thanked the Church for supporting him in the discharge of his duties and for preaching forgiveness, which is one of its pillars, stressing that forgiveness is not a sign of weakness but of strength.

He dispelled rumors that many villages had been taken over by herdsmen.

“I can say authoritatively that there is no report on my table that any village has been taken over,” he said.

The Governor added that the Anti-Land Grabbing Law of 2020 was enacted to prevent such situations and urged communities to report such attempts instead of going to social media to politicize them.

In his remarks, the Catholic Archbishop of Jos Diocese, Most Rev. Matthew Audu, thanked the governor for conceiving the Forgiveness Day and urged him to legislate it for continuity.

Audu advised the involvement of stakeholders, especially those in the rural areas affected by insecurity, to achieve the objectives of the Forgiveness Day.

The Archbishop urged Plateau people to vote for credible persons irrespective of their parties, saying that only the action would ensure good governance.

Audu in his homily also urged Christians to be the light of the world and to make a positive difference wherever they found themselves.

Related Topics:2023 Plateau Forgiveness Day.Lalong pleads for forgiveness

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News

Bandits kill pregnant woman, husband in fresh Plateau attack

Published

33 minutes ago

May 13, 2026

Preport

Gunmen suspected to be bandits have killed a couple, Iliya Gyang, 30, and his pregnant wife, Grace Iliya, 25, in a fresh attack on the Angwan Ishaku community in Barkin Ladi LGA of Plateau State.

Rwang Tengwong, spokesperson for the Berom Youth Moulders Association (BYM), told Peoples Gazette that the incident occurred at about 6 p.m. on Wednesday.

In a statement sent to the Gazette, Mr Tengwong condemned the gruesome attack carried out by terrorists on Wednesday evening.

“The couple were both shot by the assailants while the husband was working in front of their home, leading to the immediate death of Mrs Grace Iliya at the scene, while her husband, who sustained serious gunshot injuries, was rushed to the hospital but sadly later gave up while receiving treatment,” he said.

Mr Tengwong noted that the attack came a day after the State Security Council meeting, where the Plateau government announced decisive measures aimed at addressing persistent attacks and destruction of farmlands across communities.

According to him, the attackers arrived on a motorcycle, opened fire on the couple and others in the area, and fled through the road leading to Fulani settlements in Fass along the Rakung-Sho road.

“The deceased woman had only recently finished breastfeeding their one-year-old twin boys and was pregnant again. The tragic killing of the couple has now left the innocent twins orphaned and devastated their entire family.

“Two other persons also sustained gunshot injuries during the attack, while their health conditions are yet to be confirmed,” Mr Tengwong said.

The group described the attack as barbaric, wicked, and inhuman, saying it reflects the worsening insecurity confronting residents of Barkin Ladi and surrounding communities.

Mr Tengwong also called on the Plateau government to immediately provide support for the orphaned twins left behind by the deceased couple.

Efforts to reach the police spokesman in the state, Alfred Alabo, were unsuccessful. Text and WhatsApp messages sent to him remained unattended as of press time.

Business

Court Jails Saleh Mamman 75 years for N33.8billion Fraud

Published

35 minutes ago

May 13, 2026

Preport

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday, sentenced a former Minister of power, Saleh Mamman to 75 years imprisonment for money laundering charges.

Mamman, who was absent in court, was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for money laundering to the tune of N33,804,830,503,73( Thirty Three Billion, Eight Hundred and Four Million, Eight Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Five Hundred and Three Naira, Seventy Three kobo).

Justice Omotosho convicted him last week on all the 12-count charges preferred against him by the EFCC but deferred his sentence to Wednesday.

Count one of the charges reads:

“That you, SALEH MAMIVIAN {Male), sometime in 2019, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Court, whilst you were the Minister of Power conspired with other officials of your Ministry and some private companies to indirectly convert the total sum of =N=33,804,830,503.73

{Thirty-Three Billion, Eight Hundred and Four Million, Eight Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Five Hundred and Three Naira, and Seventy-Three Kobo) through various private companies which sums you reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activity, to wit: criminal breach of trust in relation to the funds released for the Mambilla and Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant Projects by the Federal Government of Nigeria; and you thereby commit an offence contrary to Sections 18(a), 15(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 {as Amended), and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”

Count two reads:

“That you, SALEH MAMMAN (Male), sometime in December 2019, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Court, conspired with SAMSON BITRUS to make a cash payment of US$665, 700:00 (Six Hundred and Sixty-Five Thousand and Seven Hundred United States Dollars) to MOHIBA INVESTMENT LTD (acting through Mohammed Asheik Jidda), without going through a financial institution, and that you thereby commit an offence contrary to Sections 1 and 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as Amended), and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.”

At Wednesday proceedings, Prosecution Counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo,SAN informed the court that the convict again was not in court and no reasonable excuse was given from his lawyers about his whereabouts. He urged the court to continue with the sentencing in his absence citing Section 266 and 352 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 which provides guidelines for such an occasion.

Oyedepo also urged the court to order the forfeiture of properties traced to the convict to the Federal Government. The properties are, two units of four- bedroom detached apartments located at 93 Ahmed Joda Crescent, Kado Estate, Abuja and a property located at No 12A & B, Lingo Street, Wuse, Abuja.

Also, Oyedepo, who is also the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, urged the court to order the forfeiture of cash recovered from Mamman’s house: $13,890, €19,960, £10,000 , 42,390 Doran, R35,000, ₹50,60,00 and 247 Saudi Arabia Riyadth . He also urged the court to direct that the convict refund the difference of the amount recovered and the amount remaining in the N22bn for which he was found guilty.

Delivering judgment, Justice Omotosho sentenced Mamman to 75years imprisonment: seven years each on counts 1,2,3,6,7,8,9,10,11& 12 without an option of fine, three years on count 4 with an option of fine of N10m and two years on count 5 without an option of fine. The sentence will run consecutively from the date of his arrest.

Justice Omotosho ordered all national and international security agencies to arrest and handover the convict to the Nigerian Correctional center.

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