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Nuad Thai is now part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, according to Unesco.

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Two bodies are missing as six are airlifted off the island - despite the risk of another eruption.

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The new Democratic governor will return the vote to as many as 140,000 non-violent former felons.

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Andrew Scheer is stepping down two months after his party's disappointing election loss.

Natasha Akpoti

The Independent National Electoral Commission has appealed the judgment of a Federal High Court in Abuja reversing the commission’s disqualification of the Social Democratic Party candidate, Natasha Akpoti, in the November 16 governorship election in Kogi State.

The Federal High Court presided by Justice Folashade Ogunbanjo-Giwa, had on November 7, 2019,  ordered INEC to restore Akpoti as candidate of the SDP in the governorship election.

The court held that INEC had no power to disqualify any candidate for an election as contained in sections 31(1) and 83 of the Electoral Act.

But in an appeal petition filed by the commission at the appellate court, INEac said the Federal High Court erred in law and thereby occasioned a miscarriage of justice.

The respondents in the appeal were Natasha Akpoti, Adams Khalid, and the SDP.

The INEC added that without proper evaluation of the evidence of appellant, the court proceeded to grant the reliefs sought by the respondents.

In the eight-ground petition, INEC stated among others that the Federal High Court failed to put into consideration the fact that SDP had no validly nominated deputy governorship candidate at the close of the period for nomination on September 9.

The petition further stated that the invalidity of the deputy governorship candidate (Muhammed Bashir Yakubu) invalidated SDP’s nomination of Akpoti as its governorship candidate.

But reacting to the appeal, the SDP candidate alleged that INEC was biased by going ahead to conduct the election when there were issues.

She said, “INEC’s decision to appeal against the judgment of the Federal High Court is simply to silence me at the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal. 

"They do not want anything Natasha in the courts with regards to the Kogi governorship election because they know that I will fight vigorously to the end. 

"I have sent in a petition to the tribunal asking for the cancellation of the entire election.

“Questions arising from INEC’s decision to appeal will include: what happens to the election? I recorded about 10, 000 votes, so what happens to these 10, 000 voices? Will there be another election? We would have 10,000 who have been deceived into voting Natasha?

“The judgment came nine days before the election, why did they not appeal against it and they would have gone ahead without me being on the ballot. 

"They also had the option of postponing the election and allow the courts to deal with this. Unfortunately, they did not do this. Coincidentally, SDP was not on any of the result sheets.”

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The trial of musician, Azeez Fashola widely known as Naira Marley, continued on Thursday at the Federal High Court in Lagos. 

Nuru Buhari, an operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, told Justice Nicolas Oweibo that the laptop retrieved from the defendant during investigation does not show either it was used for crime or not.

Buhari stated this while being cross-examined by Naira Marley's counsel, Olalekan Ojo (SAN). 

When asked how he accessed the Laptop without the owner's password, Buhari replied that as a cybercrime hacker, he doesn't need to know the password of anybody because it was part of his training. 

Justice Oweibo later adjourned further trial to February 27 and 28, 2020. 

Naira Marley is being prosecuted by the EFCC on an 11-count charge of conspiracy, possession of counterfeit cards and fraud.

His co-defendant is one Yad Isril, who is said to still be at large.

Naira Marley pleaded not guilty to all 11 counts.

He was also granted bail in the sum of N2m with two sureties in like sum.

According to the charge, the defendant committed the offences on different dates, November 26, 2018, December 11, 2018, and May 10.

He and his accomplices are said to have conspired to use different ATM cards to defraud their victims.

The offences contravene the provisions of Section 1 23 (1) (b), 27 (1}, 33, 33(9) Cybercrime (Prohibition) Prevention Act, 2015.
 

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IGP Mohammed Adamu

Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has suspended the rally of a faction of the All Progressives Congress scheduled for Benin, Edo State, on Friday.

The faction is loyal to the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, PUNCH reports.

The IGP’s letter suspending the rally was communicated to the deputy governor of the state, Mr Philip Shuaibu, about one hour ago.
 

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IGP Mohammed Adamu

Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has suspended the rally of a faction of the All Progressives Congress scheduled for Benin, Edo State, on Friday.

The faction is loyal to the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, PUNCH reports.

The IGP’s letter suspending the rally was communicated to the deputy governor of the state, Mr Philip Shuaibu, about one hour ago.
 

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The University of Lagos Alumni Association, North American Chapter, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to release Omoyele Sowore, who is one of its members.

The group in a statement expressed grave concern on the treatment of Sowore, who was rearrested barely 24 hours after he was released on bail following a third court order to free him.

The group said it was concerned about the refusal of the government to release him, adding that the government should respect the law governing the country.

The statement reads, “We are especially concerned about the government’s refusal to set him free after he had perfected his bail conditions as set down by the court.

“The North American chapter of the association wishes to implore the government to release Sowore on bail as a welcome gesture of deference to the rule of law.

“We wish to emphasise that the association is avowedly non-political and our statement is not to be construed as partisan posturing. 

“We simply intend to charge the Federal Government of Nigeria to maintain respect for due process and eschew all actions that could undermine the rights of all accused to fair and impartial hearing.”

Sowore was first arrested on August 3, 2019 by operatives of the DSS in Lagos for calling on citizens to take to the streets in peaceful demonstrations to demand a better country from Buhari’s administration.

In charges that have been described as baseless and laughable by observers around the world, the government is accusing Sowore of insulting Buhari and planning to bring down his government.

But despite two court orders directing his freedom on bail, the 48-year-old journalist remains in detention – a glaring breach of his fundamental human rights as guaranteed by the Nigerian constitution and several conventions the country is a signatory to.

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Alfa Babatunde

Following the arrest of founder of Sotitobire Miracle Centre in Akure, Ondo State, Pastor Alfa Babatunde, by operatives of the Department of State Services on Tuesday over a missing child in his church, some high-profile Nigerians are already begging to mount pressure on the secret police to release the cleric from custody, SaharaReporters can confirm. 

A source in the DSS, who confirmed the development to SaharaReporters, disclosed that top politicians and traditional rulers in the state are among those currently lobbying for the cleric’s release.

Babatunde was arrested following a petition by parents of the missing one-year-old boy known as Eniola Kolawole, who went missing at the crèche section of the church during a service on November 10, 2019.

The source said, “He (Pastor Alfa) is still with us in Akure and has been allowed access to his lawyer.

“Some traditional rulers and politicians have been sending emissaries and trying to lobby top officials of the DSS to release the cleric based on recognition.

“Investigation is ongoing and we may invite other top officials of the church for interrogation.”

Already, activities at the church had been paralysed following the arrest of Pastor Babatunde by the DSS.  See Also Breaking News JUST IN: DSS Arrests, Detains Popular Akure Pastor Over Missing Child In Church 0 Comments 1 Day Ago

Our correspondent, who visited the church on Thursday, observed that the evening programme usually held on such days had been suspended.

Members of the church were seen wearing long faces as they discussed the arrest and detention of the pastor. 

Also, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria in the state has disowned the cleric, saying that the Christian group does not condole any acts of evil.

Ondo State Chairman of PFN, Bishop Kolawole Opayinka, said security agencies must do their jobs by investigating the case of the missing child and bring those involved to book.

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Alfa Babatunde

Following the arrest of founder of Sotitobire Miracle Centre in Akure, Ondo State, Pastor Alfa Babatunde, by operatives of the Department of State Services on Tuesday over a missing child in his church, some high-profile Nigerians are already begging to mount pressure on the secret police to release the cleric from custody, SaharaReporters can confirm. 

A source in the DSS, who confirmed the development to SaharaReporters, disclosed that top politicians and traditional rulers in the state are among those currently lobbying for the cleric’s release.

Babatunde was arrested following a petition by parents of the missing one-year-old boy known as Eniola Kolawole, who went missing at the crèche section of the church during a service on November 10, 2019.

The source said, “He (Pastor Alfa) is still with us in Akure and has been allowed access to his lawyer.

“Some traditional rulers and politicians have been sending emissaries and trying to lobby top officials of the DSS to release the cleric based on recognition.

“Investigation is ongoing and we may invite other top officials of the church for interrogation.”

Already, activities at the church had been paralysed following the arrest of Pastor Babatunde by the DSS.  See Also Breaking News JUST IN: DSS Arrests, Detains Popular Akure Pastor Over Missing Child In Church 0 Comments 1 Day Ago

Our correspondent, who visited the church on Thursday, observed that the evening programme usually held on such days had been suspended.

Members of the church were seen wearing long faces as they discussed the arrest and detention of the pastor. 

Also, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria in the state has disowned the cleric, saying that the Christian group does not condole any acts of evil.

Ondo State Chairman of PFN, Bishop Kolawole Opayinka, said security agencies must do their jobs by investigating the case of the missing child and bring those involved to book.

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There was commotion on Thursday in Abuja as a commercial motorcycle rider popularly known as Okada, stabbed a member of the joint FCTA Transportation/Traffic Enforcement Team identified as Danladi Ibrahim.

It was gathered that Ibrahim was with the team at Apo area in Gudu District where commercial motorcycles are banned when the incident happened.

The task force arrived the area and confiscated a commercial motorcycle but some angry workers at a car wash outlet allegedly confronted the team in an attempt to free the rider.

SaharaReporters gathered that in the ensuing argument, the Okada rider brought out a knife from his pocket and stabbed Ibrahim on the chest.

The suspect was said to have fled the scene with his motorcycle while those, who tried to defend him, also took to their heels.

Though the victim was promptly rushed to the hospital for medical attention, our correspondent gathered that he remains in a critical condition going by the extent of the stab wound inflicted on him. 

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As condemnation continues to trail the manner at which operatives of Department of State Services invaded the Federal High Court on Friday to forcefully rearrest pro-democracy campaigner and journalist, Omoyele Sowore, less than 24 hours after his release on bail after spending 125 days in detention, the body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to set up a judicial commission of enquiry to probe the action of the agency.

The body of SANs said the audacity with which the operatives entered the courtroom had exposed the nation's hallmark of indiscipline to the whole world.

The latest call by the SANs followed earlier moves by the Nigerian Senate, which called for an investigation into the court invasion and Sowore’s rearrest.

On Wednesday, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), had said that government was setting up a panel to investigate the incident.

Malami’s statement followed widespread condemnation from around the world that greeted the action of the DSS operatives.

Sowore was first arrested on August 3, 2019 by operatives of the DSS in Lagos for calling on citizens to take to the streets in peaceful demonstrations to demand a better country from Buhari’s administration.

In charges that have been described as baseless and laughable by observers around the world, the government is accusing Sowore of insulting Buhari and planning to bring down his government.

But despite two court orders directing his freedom on bail, the 48-year-old journalist remains in detention – a glaring breach of his fundamental human rights as guaranteed by the Nigerian constitution and several conventions the country is a signatory to.

 

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At least 28 persons said to be members of the same family have been burnt to death in a vehicle accident that occurred along the Bauchi-Ningi Federal Highway in Bauchi State on Thursday morning.

A relation of the victims, Abdullahi Yamadi, confirmed the incident to PUNCH, describing it as “very sad”.

Secretary, North-West Zone of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Yamadi, said the deceased were all his relatives.

He said they were on their way to Yola, Adamawa State, when the incident occurred.

He said, “Yes, the accident is true and all of the deceased are my relatives.

“They were traveling to Yola, Adamawa State, for a visit when the unfortunate incident happened.

“You know, after the harvest and at seasons like this, people travel to visit loved ones resident in different places; and that was where they were going to.

“They left Dutsinma, Katsina State, and they had left Jigawa State and were within Bauchi State when their vehicle had a head-on collision with another vehicle.

“They were 29 in the vehicle and all of them died except the driver, who survived.

“This is a very sad news and very pathetic for 28 people from the same family to die in an accident in one day. It is really sad.”

The Bauchi Police Command has yet to make an official pronouncement on the incident.

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Policemen have fired gunshots at protesting members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria in Abuja as members of the sect took to the streets in commemoration of four years of the Zaria massacre where many of their colleagues were allegedly killed by the Nigerian Army.

The protest, which kicked off from Wuse Market, was disrupted at Berger bus-stop when the armed policemen fired teargas and live ammunition to disperse the crowd.

The demonstrators retaliated in anger and pelted the policemen with stones.

Commercial activities have been grounded around the area as people scurried for safety. 

Recall that the group had engaged in a bloody clash with the entourage of Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, in Zaria, Kaduna State, in 2015 leading to the death of many members of the sect and arrest of their leader, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, who remains in detention together with his wife.

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