Thailand's Immigration Police have arrested a 40-year-old Nigerian man for allegedly overstaying his visa by 2,683 days, Siam Rath newspaper reports.
The suspect, identified as Onyebuchi Johnbosco Ezedinugwu, had entered Thailand in April 2014 on a 60-day tourist visa with permission to stay until June 25th of same year. Onyebuchi Johnbosco EzedinugwuLIB
Ezedinugwu was arrested by immigration officers led by region one commander, Pol Maj-Gen Piti Nitinonthaset, at Soi Phetchaburi 35 in the Makkasan area of Bangkok on Tuesday, January 19, 2021.
According to the newspaper, illegal immigration is considered as a major factor of the second wave of COVID-19 after an outbreak at Samut Sakhon seafood Market, affecting a large migrant population.
Region 1 Deputy, Lt-Col Suriya Phuangsombat, said that the immigration were targeting Africans to check on their visa status as part of measures associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
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A libel suit filed by a group, Global Integrity Crusade Network, believed to be a proxy for the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, against human rights’ activist, Omoyele Sowore, on Tuesday in Abuja suffered a setback due to the absence of the judge handling the matter.
The minister,through the group had on July 20, 2020, instituted a fundamental rights’ enforcement suit at the Federal High Court against Sowore and three others over publications alleged to be libellous against the minister.
Omoyele Sowore
The group prayed the court to order a retraction of the publications by SaharaReporters that exposed the purchase of a multi-million naira mansion by Malami for his newly married son.
They also asked the court to order the activist to tender an apology and award a sum of N2billion as damages.
The matter, which was assigned to Justice Taiwo Taiwo, could not hold as scheduled as the trial judge was said to have gone for a seminar.
Meanwhile, Sowore's lawyer, Femi Falana, has filed an application and asked the court to dismiss the suit and also award cost to the group.
A large number of supporters accompanied the activist to the court in solidarity.
Also joined as respondents in the matter, which is a breach of the fundamental rights’ enforcement are Kabir Akingbolu, and Vanguard Media Limited.
SaharaReporters had on July 10, 2020 published a report on how Malami bought a N300million mansion in Abuja as a gift for the young couple to help them start their marital journey on a glorious footing.
It was also seen in a video recording of the wedding ceremony of Abdul Aziz Malami how guests were seen dancing and mingling with one another without wearing face masks while spraying bundles of United States’ dollars and naira notes on the newly married couple.
Despite maintaining a public posture of sainthood, Malami, events of recent times had shown, was not very far away from scandals.
Recently, the AGF took over the case involving Bala Hamisu Wadume, a notorious kidnapper, after soldiers killed three policemen taking the suspect to the police headquarters in Jalingo, Taraba State after his arrest.
The soldiers removed Wadume's handcuffs and helped him and his gang member to escape via Ibi River to Kano state.
Malami later announced that the soldiers would be tried by court-martial and not the conventional court, sparking public outrage.
He had also disregarded a court order by Justice Murtala Nyako, demanding their production in court.
The minister,through the group had on July 20, 2020, instituted a fundamental rights’ enforcement suit at the Federal High Court against Sowore and three others over publications alleged to be libellous against the minister.
The group prayed the court to order a retraction of the publications by SaharaReporters that exposed the purchase of a multi-million naira mansion by Malami for his newly married son.
They also asked the court to order the activist to tender an apology and award a sum of N2billion as damages.
The matter, which was assigned to Justice Taiwo Taiwo, could not hold as scheduled as the trial judge was said to have gone for a seminar.
Meanwhile, Sowore's lawyer, Femi Falana, has filed an application and asked the court to dismiss the suit and also award cost to the group.
A large number of supporters accompanied the activist to the court in solidarity.
Also joined as respondents in the matter, which is a breach of the fundamental rights’ enforcement are Kabir Akingbolu, and Vanguard Media Limited.
SaharaReporters had on July 10, 2020 published a report on how Malami bought a N300million mansion in Abuja as a gift for the young couple to help them start their marital journey on a glorious footing.
It was also seen in a video recording of the wedding ceremony of Abdul Aziz Malami how guests were seen dancing and mingling with one another without wearing face masks while spraying bundles of United States’ dollars and naira notes on the newly married couple.
Despite maintaining a public posture of sainthood, Malami, events of recent times had shown, was not very far away from scandals.
Recently, the AGF took over the case involving Bala Hamisu Wadume, a notorious kidnapper, after soldiers killed three policemen taking the suspect to the police headquarters in Jalingo, Taraba State after his arrest.
The soldiers removed Wadume's handcuffs and helped him and his gang member to escape via Ibi River to Kano state.
Malami later announced that the soldiers would be tried by court-martial and not the conventional court, sparking public outrage.
He had also disregarded a court order by Justice Murtala Nyako, demanding their production in court.
Ok
LegalNewsAddThis : Original Author : Saharareporters, New York Disable advertisements :
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A libel suit filed by a group, Global Integrity Crusade Network, believed to be a proxy for the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, against human rights’ activist, Omoyele Sowore, on Tuesday in Abuja suffered a setback due to the absence of the judge handling the matter.
The minister,through the group had on July 20, 2020, instituted a fundamental rights’ enforcement suit at the Federal High Court against Sowore and three others over publications alleged to be libellous against the minister.
Omoyele Sowore
The group prayed the court to order a retraction of the publications by SaharaReporters that exposed the purchase of a multi-million naira mansion by Malami for his newly married son.
They also asked the court to order the activist to tender an apology and award a sum of N2billion as damages.
The matter, which was assigned to Justice Taiwo Taiwo, could not hold as scheduled as the trial judge was said to have gone for a seminar.
Meanwhile, Sowore's lawyer, Femi Falana, has filed an application and asked the court to dismiss the suit and also award cost to the group.
A large number of supporters accompanied the activist to the court in solidarity.
Also joined as respondents in the matter, which is a breach of the fundamental rights’ enforcement are Kabir Akingbolu, and Vanguard Media Limited.
SaharaReporters had on July 10, 2020 published a report on how Malami bought a N300million mansion in Abuja as a gift for the young couple to help them start their marital journey on a glorious footing.
It was also seen in a video recording of the wedding ceremony of Abdul Aziz Malami how guests were seen dancing and mingling with one another without wearing face masks while spraying bundles of United States’ dollars and naira notes on the newly married couple.
Despite maintaining a public posture of sainthood, Malami, events of recent times had shown, was not very far away from scandals.
Recently, the AGF took over the case involving Bala Hamisu Wadume, a notorious kidnapper, after soldiers killed three policemen taking the suspect to the police headquarters in Jalingo, Taraba State after his arrest.
The soldiers removed Wadume's handcuffs and helped him and his gang member to escape via Ibi River to Kano state.
Malami later announced that the soldiers would be tried by court-martial and not the conventional court, sparking public outrage.
He had also disregarded a court order by Justice Murtala Nyako, demanding their production in court.
The minister,through the group had on July 20, 2020, instituted a fundamental rights’ enforcement suit at the Federal High Court against Sowore and three others over publications alleged to be libellous against the minister.
The group prayed the court to order a retraction of the publications by SaharaReporters that exposed the purchase of a multi-million naira mansion by Malami for his newly married son.
They also asked the court to order the activist to tender an apology and award a sum of N2billion as damages.
The matter, which was assigned to Justice Taiwo Taiwo, could not hold as scheduled as the trial judge was said to have gone for a seminar.
Meanwhile, Sowore's lawyer, Femi Falana, has filed an application and asked the court to dismiss the suit and also award cost to the group.
A large number of supporters accompanied the activist to the court in solidarity.
Also joined as respondents in the matter, which is a breach of the fundamental rights’ enforcement are Kabir Akingbolu, and Vanguard Media Limited.
SaharaReporters had on July 10, 2020 published a report on how Malami bought a N300million mansion in Abuja as a gift for the young couple to help them start their marital journey on a glorious footing.
It was also seen in a video recording of the wedding ceremony of Abdul Aziz Malami how guests were seen dancing and mingling with one another without wearing face masks while spraying bundles of United States’ dollars and naira notes on the newly married couple.
Despite maintaining a public posture of sainthood, Malami, events of recent times had shown, was not very far away from scandals.
Recently, the AGF took over the case involving Bala Hamisu Wadume, a notorious kidnapper, after soldiers killed three policemen taking the suspect to the police headquarters in Jalingo, Taraba State after his arrest.
The soldiers removed Wadume's handcuffs and helped him and his gang member to escape via Ibi River to Kano state.
Malami later announced that the soldiers would be tried by court-martial and not the conventional court, sparking public outrage.
He had also disregarded a court order by Justice Murtala Nyako, demanding their production in court.
Ok
LegalNewsAddThis : Original Author : Saharareporters, New York Disable advertisements :
https://ift.tt/30CUHvo
The Presidency has condemned the seven-day ultimatum given to herdsmen by the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, to vacate forest reserves, urging the governor ‘not to act outside the constitution of the country’.
Akeredolu had on Monday issued a statement giving herdsmen seven days to vacate all forest reserves due to the high rate of kidnapping in the state.
The governor also banned the movement of cattle within cities and highways, as well as night grazing.
He had said, "Today, we have taken major steps at addressing the root cause of kidnapping, in particular, and other nefarious activities detailed and documented in security reports, the press, and debriefings from victims of kidnap cases in Ondo State.
"As the chief law and security officer of the state, it is my constitutional obligation to do everything lawful to protect the lives and property of all residents of the state. In light of the foregoing, the following orders are hereby issued: All forest reserves in the state are to be vacated by herdsmen within the next seven days with effect from today, Monday, January 18, 2021."
But reacting in a statement on Tuesday, Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari, Garba Shehu, condemned the action of the governor.
Shehu said Akeredolu, being a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and indeed a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, will be the least expected to unilaterally oust thousands of herders who have lived all their lives in the state on account of the infiltration of the forests by criminals.
The statement read, “The Presidency has been keenly monitoring events occurring in Ondo State and the 'orders' by the government of the state, 'asking herders to vacate the forests in seven days.'
“What is clearly emerging, is a lack of consistency in messaging which in turn leads to various contradictions regarding accuracy and the intent behind the message. There is little to be said other than to call for restraint on both sides and urge the state government and the leadership of the Fulani communities to continue their dialogue for a good understanding that will bring to an urgent end, the nightmarish security challenges facing the state.
“Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, a seasoned lawyer, Senior Advocate of Nigeria and indeed, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has fought crime in his state with passion and commitment, greater sensitivity and compassion for the four years he has run its affairs and, in our view, will be the least expected to unilaterally oust thousands of herders who have lived all their lives in the state on account of the infiltration of the forests by criminals.
“If this were to be the case, rights groups will be right in expressing worries that the action could set off a chain of events which the makers of our constitution foresaw and tried to guard against.
“We want to make it clear that kidnapping, banditry and rustling are crimes, no matter the motive or who is involved. But, to define crime from the nameplates, as a number of commentators have erroneously done- which group they belong to, the language they speak, their geographical location or their faith is atavistic and cruel.
“We need to delink terrorism and crimes from ethnicity, geographical origins and religion—to isolate the criminals who use this interchange of arguments to hinder law enforcement efforts as the only way to deal effectively with them.
“The President, who swore to defend the constitution has spoken against the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in asking citizens of Northern origin to leave; he did not spare the group based in Sokoto, ‘Muslim Solidarity Forum,’ which asked the Bishop of Sokoto to leave and is prepared to do all that the law permits to protect citizens all over the country in their choice of where they wished to reside and are treated as equal citizens.
“The government of Ondo, and all the 35 others across the federation must draw clear lines between the criminals and the law abiding citizens who must equally be saved from the infiltrators. Beyond law and order, the fight against crime is also a fight for human values which are fundamental to our country.”
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Anchor University, Lagos State, Prof. Johnson Fatokun, has been kidnapped.
Anchor University is a faith-based university in Ayobo, Lagos, owned by the Deeper Christian Life Ministry.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the victim left Lagos on Sunday to drop off his two children who were schooling in the north.
He was said to be returning on Monday when the gunmen attacked his vehicle in Nasarawa en route to the airport to return to Lagos.
A source said the assailants were in police uniform.
The source said, “The professor had dropped his son at the Deeper Life High School in the morning. He also went to drop the daughter at a Federal University in Jos.
“He was returning from Jos to Keffi, Nasarawa State, late in the evening when they encountered the gunmen on the road. The driver, however, manoeuvred his way and sped through them. The gunmen started chasing the vehicle and shooting.
“There was another set of kidnappers right in front of them. They succeeded in stopping the vehicle. They beat up the driver, who managed to escape. The professor begged them for mercy because those people were angry. That was how they whisked him away.”
Our correspondent learnt that the kidnappers had been speaking with some leaders of the victim’s church in Nasarawa.
An official of the school, who spoke on anonymity, confirmed the sad development.
However, he said prayers were being offered for the safe release of the professor.
InsecurityNewsAddThis : Original Author : Saharareporters, New York Disable advertisements :
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The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto State, Bishop Matthew Kukah, has said that the heart of the late Premier of the Northern Region and Sardauna of Sokoto State, Sir Ahmadu Bello, must be bleeding presently for the region as a result of the killings and insecurity.
Kukah, in an open letter to the late Premier on Tuesday, recounted to him that “we have spilled so much blood around the North, you will be shocked to see how many unmarked graves there are.”
The cleric also lamented that thousands of lives had been lost “and today, millions of our people are in refugee camps.”
Kukah said, “I am not sure I know how to address you, especially now that the formal Ranka ya dade is of no use to you since you are now in eternity. However, because this is a very special year, I had decided to write two letters, one to you and the other to Sir Tafawa Balewa. I thought I should start with you for obvious reasons.
“These letters are my formal way of having an imaginary conversation with both of you. In a way, I want to give you a report of what you left behind, what your immediate successors have done with your investment and how they shared our inheritance to the descendants.
“In a way, I feel like a grandchild reporting his uncle to his grandfather, so please be patient with me. I think this is necessary because if we continue this way, I am sure your memories will be a distant whisper in the ears of your great grandchildren.
“Today, however, many of your children have become orphans because the region has become a huge orphanage. Our children fill the streets begging for food, their elder brothers who have some education have no jobs and nowhere to turn to, their parents have no work and those who have worked are dying with no pension. Farming has become a hazardous preoccupation. You will weep if you see where we are now.”
Kukah continued that the North is in turmoil right now for reasons which began since the First Republic, extending to the period of the Civil War and up till date.
He said, “You will be surprised to note that those you referred to as the scallywags in Lagos, those who booed at you in the wake of the debate over self-government in 1956 were largely responsible for garnering support for General (Muhammadu) Buhari, a son of Daura who is now our President. So, please, pray for us to have a more open and tolerant society.
“Your heart must be bleeding at the sight of what has become of the North today. Boko Haram, a criminal band of murderers, took hold of the North and turned it into a wasteland. Thousands of lives have been lost and today, millions of our people are in refugee camps. Thousands of innocent women, women and children have lost their lives. A great swath of the North is now a refugee camp of desolation and pain.
“Thousands of our girls have been killed, raped and forced into marriages. Over two hundred young girls in a village called Chibok have been in captivity and their fates are unknown. It is over 600 days now and we have no news.
“When you look back now, I believe even you will realise that your controversial conversion campaigns laid the foundation for mistrust in the house that you had built earlier. Since then, there has been increasing distrust among our people and the chasm has grown even deeper. We have spilled so much blood around the North, you will be shocked to see how many unmarked graves there are.”
The Sokoto bishop ended his letter to the premier by saying he should tell “the Prime Minister to be patient because his own letter will come next week. For now, again, please pray for us.”
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I am not sure I know how to address you especially now that the formal Ranka ya dade is of no use to you since you are now in eternity. However, because this is a very special year, I had decided to write two letters, one to you and the other to Sir Tafawa Balewa. I thought I should start with you for obvious reasons. These letters are my formal way of having an imaginary conversation with both of you. In a way, I want to give you a report of what you left behind, what your immediate successors have done with your investment and how they shared our inheritance to the descendants.
In a way, I feel like a grand child reporting his uncle to his grand father, so please be patient with me. I think this is necessary because if we continue this way, I am sure your memories will be a distant whisper in the ears of your great grand children. What is more, your name is now a mere meal ticket for many. I also fear that some of the values you lived and died for are heading into oblivion. Apart from your autobiography, it took a white scholar and lover of northern Nigeria, Professor John Paden to write your authoritative biography. One would think that by now, those who claim your name would have endowed a Chair of Sardauna Studies in one of the northern Universities. But they are preoccupied with other more important pursuits it seems.
A second reason for this letter is the fact that I am now a citizen of your home state of Sokoto where I now serve as the Bishop of the Catholic community. You will be glad to know that Sokoto is still a very peaceful place to live in. From the point of view of progress and development, I am afraid that you will probably not get lost in many of the towns and communities. I have visited Rabah where you were born and I have also seen your house here in Sokoto. It is impossible for me to believe but it reminds me of the modesty of one of my heroes and your contemporary, Julius Nyerere of Tanzania whose personal house sits in a street corner in Dar es Salaam. Since there are no Christians or Muslims in the presence of God, I am sure both of you might have met.
For us, growing up as children in my little and very remote village, Sokoto registered in our memories only because your great stature served as a beckon that pulled the city nearer to us. Yet, looking back, how could I have imagined that I would not only visit Sokoto, but also become a citizen of this state? I deliberately drove to Rabah just to have a feel of where you grew up and where your father had served as a District Head.
Matthew Hassan KukahCNS photo/Bob Roller
Fifty years have gone past since you and your brave wife were brutally murdered in cold blood. Perhaps, had she merely pleaded or run into hiding, even her murderers would probably have thought otherwise. However, in a rare combination of the deeper instincts of genuine love, passion and total commitment, she gave herself in defense of what she loved most when it mattered most. In that warm embrace into which you both clung, with she serving as a shield, you were both dispatched into eternity in one moment. I hope both of you are happy in paradise now.
I was old enough to have known you, but I did not ever get the opportunity to even see you. Like millions of other young children and teenagers across Northern Nigeria, we heard about you and only had images of you in our minds. So much myth was built around you and Mallam Aminu Kano. For our young minds, your name elicited awe but that of Aminu Kano excited us. We fell in love with Aminu Kano’s name rather quickly because even early in life, we had always lived in fear of the Native Authority people as the ugly face of the oppression of taxation. We recall how much sorrow their visits often left behind especially in the homes of some of our poorer uncles in the villages when they came to collect their haraji. When we heard that Aminu Kano was against haraji, we loved him because haraji threatened our school fees.
Your place in history is assured, but there are still areas of controversies about your legacy. We have heard and read that you were a man who loved the north and its people, irrespective of their religion. The praise singers have left us plaudits, paens, myths and apocryphal material about your greatness. This is not the place to debate your actions. You laid a foundation to ensure that none of your children faced an uncertain future. Today however, many of your children have become orphans because the region has become a huge orphanage.
Our children fill the streets begging for food, their elder brothers who have some education have no jobs and nowhere to turn to, their parents have no work and those who have worked are dying with no pension. Farming has become a hazardous preoccupation. You will weep if you see where we are now. Selfishness has consumed us and the army has deserted the battlefield because there is no one to lead them. There is neither direction nor destination and most people have lost the will to fight for any cause.
At a time when there was no technology and no structures, you developed them from scratch. You built such institutions as the Ahmadu Bello University, Institute of Administration, Kaduna Polytechnic, Colleges of Education, Government Secondary Schools, etc. You set up the Northern Nigerian Development Corporation, Northern Nigeria Investment Limited, Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Broadcasting Corporation of Nigeria, New Nigerian Newspapers, Textiles Factories such as Kaduna Textile Mills, Zamfara Textiles, Cement Company of Northern Nigeria, Northern Oil Processing Mill, Sword Branch Bottling Company, Nigerian Breweries Ltd, Hamdala Hotel, Kano Ground nut pyramids, Central Hotel, Bank of the North, Northern Nigeria Radio Corporation and many others etc.
With this legacy, should every son and daughter of northern Nigeria not walk like a prince or princess? Yet, today, all these institutions have been killed and buried by your successors who refused to develop a professional style of managing these great institutions. They were seen as extensions of a feudal system and today, rather than administer them, your successors presided over their funerals. What is left now are their carcasses.
Today, we look back at all the ideals that guided you. Despite its shortcomings, you were determined to ensure that the North did not lag behind. To do this, you undertook to navigate a very difficult and treacherous terrain without a clear compass. You tried to wield together a medley of peoples with conflicting and challenging histories, cultures, aspirations and so on. To make it worse, the people did not as yet possess such weapons for the construction of a modern state as technology and education. Yet, your programme of Yaki Da Jahilci helped many poor farmers gain some levels of literacy.
The north is in turmoil now and the reasons are many. The turmoil is the result of the sickness that afflicted the nation after you and other great nationalists were brutally murdered. We gradually slid into a civil war. We now have 36 States and the old north now has 19 States. You will be pleased to know that almost all the Governors were born around the time of your death. They are therefore young and promising. Please pray for them so that they can extricate themselves from retrogressive mistakes of their fathers and create a more open society where everyone can have a sense of belonging. Unlike their fathers and uncles, they have University education and they have studied and worked in a more plural environment. Indeed, our Governor in Sokoto was born just a few days before you died and he was the Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives with the help and support of Southerners. This is different from your time when the relationships were more combative and rather acrimonious. You will be surprise to note that those you referred to as the scallywags in Lagos, those who booed at you in the wake of the debate over self government in 1956 were largely responsible for garnering support for General Buhari, a son of Daura who is now our President. So, please, pray for us to have more open and tolerant society.
Your heart must be bleeding at the sight of what has become of the north today. Boko Haram, a criminal band of murderers took hold of the north and turned it into a wasteland. Thousands of lives have been lost and today, millions of our people are in refugee camps. Thousands of innocent women, women and children have lost their lives. A great swath of the north is now a refugee camp of desolation and pain. Thousands of our girls have been killed, raped and forced into marriages. Over two hundred young girls in a village called Chibok have been in captivity and their fates are unknown. It is over 600 days now and we have no news. Northerners are merely looking up at the federal government and refusing to take full charge of what is clearly and mostly our battle or the result of our negligence and disunity.
When you look back now, I believe even you will realize that your controversial Conversion campaigns laid the foundation for mistrust in the house that you had built earlier. Since then, there has been increasing distrust among our people and the chasm has grown even deeper. We have spilled so much blood around the north, you will be shocked to see how many unmarked graves there are.
Finally, I must let you get some rest, but let me give you a little gist. Your grand son, Hassan, is the Magajin Garin Sokoto now. I am not sure he can play Fives as you did because he looks bigger than you. You will be proud of him. Also, the little brilliant boy who got As in his School Certificate examinations from Kabba and whom you gave a scholarship to ended up not in the northern civil service but he became a priest. You will be proud to know that he is now a Cardinal of the Catholic Church and could be Pope!
Please tell the Prime Minister to be patient because his own letter will come next week. For now, again, please pray for us. Ask God to rekindle the spirit of foresight and deep love for people that He endowed you and other men of your generation with. Give my warm regards to Col. Pam and my mama, his wife, Elizabeth and all those great men and women who lost their lives with you. Tell her to please look for Justice Oputa.
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The residents of four villages in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State have fled to other places for fear of reprisal by bandits.
The villages, namely Talli, Dutsin Gari, Mahuta and Munkuru, were deserted by the communities following an encounter between the bandits and the villagers which led to the killing of 15 people.
The bandits, who were confronted by the four villages' residents, could not succeed in abducting anybody due to the large number of people who turned out to defend themselves.
A resident of the area, Ibro Mamman, told The PUNCH that the bandits were currently hiding very close to the four villages waiting for the people to return to attack them.
He said, "The security situation is not favourable. As such, we will not go back until security agents are deployed to protect us."
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Suspected hoodlums have attacked a young lady identified as Sike while jogging on the Lekki-Ikoyi link bridge in Lagos.
The attack was said to have happened on Monday morning.
pulseng
A Twitter user named Lisa Folawiyo, @lisafolawiyo, who identified herself as Sike’s sister, said she was mugged and manhandled.
Lisa said as the attack was taking place, people passed by and no one intervened.
“It was my sister screaming! She was mugged and really roughed up. Traumatic. She screamed but no one helped. Everyone walked by like nothing was happening. I love humans,” she said.
It was my sister screaming! She was mugged and really roughed up. Traumatic. She screamed but no one helped. Everyone walked by like nothing was happening. I love humans.
Meanwhile, joggers have been advised to wait till the day is bright before they jog around the area.
“Please, if you know anyone living in LekkiPhase1/Ikoyi and they love running/walking on the Lekki Ikoyi Link Bridge (lately the streets lights are off)... Tell them to do there cardio when the day is bright... Today by 5.40am.. we overhead a lady screaming for help on the bridge,” a Twitter user, @fit_iam posted.
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Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, says Nigerians cannot wait to see the end of the regime of President Muhammadu Buhari, just as Americans look forward to the exit of the administration of outgoing US President, Donald Trump.
Fayose stated this in a string of tweets of Tuesday, some hours to the end of the Trump presidency on Wednesday afternoon.
Ayodele Fayose
He said Nigerians would remember Buhari just like Americans would recall Trump's government with distaste.
Buhari and Trump met at the White House on April 30, 2018.
The former governor said, "As Americans look forward to the exit of Trump, Nigerians too cannot wait to see the exit of Buhari. The two can't be forgotten in a jiffy. Buhari will be remembered like Trump because he is the low budget Trump when compared to their countries.
As Americans look forward to the exit of Trump, Nigerians too cannot wait to see the exit of Buhari. The two can't be forgotten in a jiffy.Buhari will be remembered like Trump because it is obvious that he is the low budget Trump when damages done to their countries are compared.
"Everything that matters has been destroyed under the watch of Buhari. All the values that we share as a country – economy, security, human rights, the rule of law, credible elections and unity of the country have been destroyed."
Everything that matters has been destroyed under the watch of Buhari. All the values that we share as a country - economy, security, human rights, rule of law, credible elections and unity of the country have been destroyed.
Trump will vacate the White House on Wednesday morning shortly before Democrat Joe Biden's inauguration as the 46th President of the United States.
Trump's policies and actions have been hugely criticised by Americans and other world leaders with the Capitol'sCapitol's invasion being the straw that broke the camel's back.
The Democrat challenger, who scored 306 electoral college votes, had defeated Trump who polled 232 college votes but the Republican incumbent claimed the election was fraudulent and didn't concede defeat even as his attempts to turn votes at the courts proved futile.
Trump had allegedly incited his followers to march to the Capitol on January 6, 2021, to stop Congress from certifying Biden'sBiden's electoral victory in the November 3, 2020, presidential elections.
Political leaders across all continents have condemned Trump's action, with many accusing him of dragging one of the world's most respected and resilient democracy in the mud.
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A traditional ruler in Ondo State, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye, has said the seven-day ultimatum given to herdsmen by the state government to vacate forest reserves is justified.
The state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, had earlier ordered Fulani herdsmen to vacate all forest reserves in the state within seven days.
Akeredolu, in a statement released on Monday, also banned the movement of cattle within cities and highways, as well as night grazing.
On Tuesday, Ogunoye, who is the Olowo of Owo, said the order would rid the state of criminals and make it safe for the people to live in.
In a statement by his media aide, Sam Adewale, the traditional ruler described the order as 'most appropriate and long overdue'.
The statement partly read, "The governor has done well in this regard.
“As the Chief Security Officer of the state, the governor could not sit, watch and fold his arms while the citizens are being kidnapped at will by bandits.
“The security of lives and property of the people of the state are important to the government, therefore all efforts of the government in this regard must be supported by all."
A Nigerian man, Ifeanyichukwu Pius, who swallowed 12 pellets of cocaine when he was arrested by the officials of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in Mumbai, India, has purged the drugs at a hospital on Monday.
Pius was arrested from outside a prominent five-star hotel in Mumbai's Juhu area based on a tip-off received during the interrogation of another suspect.
File photo used to illustrate story.Google
According to a report in Free Press Journal, Pius swallowed the capsules containing 12 grammes of cocaine he had kept in his mouth as NCB officials started frisking him.
He was rushed to the JJ hospital where a CT scan and X-ray was conducted to confirm the presence of the contraband.
Doctors at the JJ Hospital initiated the process of purging the pellets without wasting time since the bursting of contraband could prove fatal for Pius.
Officials with the NCB had to stand guard for the five days it took doctors to retrieve 12 capsules or pellets containing a gramme of cocaine each from Pius’ body.
In a statement issued by the NCB Zonal Director, Samee Wankhede, on Monday, he said further investigations were ongoing to nab Pius' associates and suppliers.
It read, “This is the first kind of case where a peddler is carrying drugs in his mouth and distributing them.
“He was roaming around a five-star hotel at Juhu for the delivery of cocaine as per an input received by us. When the NCB team approached the Nigerian national to nab him with contraband, the peddler swallowed the cocaine pellets.
"The said cocaine was concealed in plastic pellets weighing approximately 1 gramme each. The team immediately nabbed the peddler and took him for X-ray and CT Scan at Sir JJ Hospital. The medical examination confirmed the existence of such pellets in his abdominal area. Immediately, he was placed under medical supervision and he subsequently purged 12 capsules/pallets. He was discharged from the hospital on Monday.
"Further investigation is in progress to identify other associates and suppliers of Pius."
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The Ondo State Government has vowed not to rescind the ultimatum it issued to herdsmen to vacate its forest reserves within seven days.
The Special Adviser to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu on Security Matters, Alhaji Jimoh Dojumo, stated this, adding that the state government was determined to put an end to cases of kidnapping and killing in the state.
Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu
Speaking with Vanguard, Dojumo insisted that “those perpetrating the heinous act are using the forest to cover their crimes,” saying there was a need to flush out the criminals from the forest reserves.
While he declined to give details of how his government would enforce the directive, the Special Adviser said, “This is a security matter and it is not for public consumption but I want to advise those operating within the forest legally to register with the state government.
“Let them disobey and we know how to carry it out, it is not when we start speaking on the pages of newspapers before we know what to do and we are not even out for confrontation.
“The truth is that if they still want to remain in the forest, let them come and register, we want to know the people occupying our forest.
“If people want to live in your house, you should know them and identify them, so we want to know those occupying our forest and no illegal occupants.
“lf they are ready to cooperate, no problem, so the order is that they should quit the forest or register with the state government and whoever wants to farm or do any other business within the forest, there must be a means of identification and we must know their origin.”
Meanwhile, Governor Akeredolu has ordered the clearing of bushes on the highways across the 18 local government areas of the state in order to allow a proper view of the highway.
The state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mrs. Lola Fagbemi, who disclosed this said the bushes would be cleared some 30 – 40 metres away from both sides of the roads.
She said, “The bush will be cleared about 30-40 metres away from the road. This will give a proper view while on the highway and we are commencing work from tomorrow.”
The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria had said that the agreement it had with the Ondo State Government was to stop night grazing and use of underage boys for grazing cows, adding that it was not true that herders had been asked to vacate forest reserves in the state.
The Miyetti Allah National Secretary, Baba Usman, had stated that the meeting the cattle breeders had with the state government did not include the vacation of forest reserves in the state.
Governor Akeredolu on Monday reportedly ordered Fulani herdsmen to vacate all forest reserves in the state within seven days.
Akeredolu in a statement released also banned the movement of cattle within cities and highways, as well as night grazing.
Akeredolu’s directive was informed by the killings and kidnappings happening in the state, which have largely been blamed on Fulani herdsmen.
A widow, Adebimpe Sobowale, has alleged that men of the Nigeria Police Force tortured her while she was three months pregnant, over N200 airtime allegedly traced to her phone.
Sobowale, who disclosed this at the Judicial Panel of Enquiry sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Monday, said her husband also died in police detention over the same issue.
She claimed the operatives stormed her residence at night and arrested her over an alleged fraud committed with her SIM card.
She said she was taken to a holding cell in the station where she was detained and tortured with something like electric torch.
Sobowale said this while defending a petition filed against the operatives of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad Zonal Intervention in the state.
She said, “They used the thing, which was plugged to an electric socket to shock me, and asked me to write whatever they dictated to me as a statement. They said I belonged to a gang of fraudsters.
“They said my SIM card was used to collect N200 recharge. They said they tracked it at Zain (Airtel) office and it brought my picture.
“I told them I didn’t know what they were talking about and I refused to implicate myself in the statement. They arrested my husband on February 10 and released me the next day.
“Some days later, I was informed that my husband had died in detention.”
Sobowale said she was picked up by three SARS officers but she could only identify two of them, recalling that one of them was called Inspector Apiah Moses.
She said she was released after spending four days in detention when her husband reported at the police station.
The widow said a few days after the husband was taken into custody in her stead, she received a call that her husband had died in custody.
She had a son before her arrest and the pregnancy had produced another baby boy. She brought both of them before the panel.
A witness in the matter, Ojo Friday, explained his efforts in securing bail for Sobowale at the time of her arrest.
He said, “When I got to the SARS Zonal Intervention Squad (ZIS) three days after she was arrested, I met the Officer-in-Charge, Mr. Megbope, and explained that a woman was being detained here. He expressed surprise. It was then that the IPO came in to brief him.
“I expressed my displeasure to the OC, I said ‘somebody is being locked up here for the past three days and he is not aware’, he was not pleased with my statement and he asked me to go out.”
Friday further explained that the Officer-in-Charge later assured him that the woman would be released once the husband was apprehended.
“The husband showed up on February 10 and the woman was released the next day, while the husband was held in detention. About three or four days after, I heard that the husband had died.”
The case was adjourned till February 4, 2021, while the respondents were asked to produce Inspector Apiah Moses and the woman allegedly defrauded.
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The leader of Uganda's main opposition party, Bobi Wine, has disclosed that he and his wife are stuck with an 18-month-old baby they have been placed under arrest with by the government of President Yoweri Museveni.
Wine tweeted on Tuesday that his family had been stuck with the baby for the days they had been under house arrest.
He tweeted, “Day Six under house arrest and we're still stuck with an 18-month-old baby who had paid a visit to her auntie (my wife) before we were raided & besieged. The Dad has been denied access to her. We have run out of food and milk. No one is allowed to leave or come into our compound.”
Day Six under house arrest and we're still stuck with an 18 months old baby who had paid a visit to her auntie (my wife ) be4 we were raided & besieged. The Dad has been denied access to her. We have run out of food and milk. No one is allowed to leave or come into our compound. pic.twitter.com/KVLDR3IH6y
Wine had earlier told FRANCE 24 that his life and that of his wife were in danger as the government continued to keep them under house arrest.
Wine said troops raided the headquarters of his party, National Unity Platform, on Monday as staff tried to prepare a legal challenge to Museveni's declared victory in last week’s presidential election.
He said, “My wife and I are under house arrest. The military surrounded our house; more than 400 of them have surrounded our house. We are not allowed to leave; nobody is allowed to leave or to come in. We have run out of food. My wife was assaulted yesterday when she was trying to go to the garden to pick food.
“My lawyers are not allowed to see me and party officials are also not allowed to visit me and also all journalists are blocked from coming to see me so we are isolated, myself and my wife. We are in danger because we don’t know the intention of the soldiers, none of them is talking to us. They beat my security guard so bad just because he was asking them what they want, they could not identify themselves. Some of them are in military uniform while others are in plainclothes but are having automatic assault rifles.
“I am afraid for my life. I am afraid for my wife’s life but we must keep going because what we are doing is moral and it is just.”
Speaking about the atrocities being committed by the government, he said, “Just yesterday, four people were shot dead in a city called Masaka and they are keeping me and my wife under house arrest because they don’t want us to address the nation on the way forward, they don’t want us to talk to the press.”
Wine urged the Ugandan public to reject the results announced by the country’s electoral body, saying they did not reflect their wish.
He, however, vowed to challenge the actions of Museveni through “non-violent” and “legal” means.
The Internet was partially restored in Uganda on Monday, almost five days after a near-total blackout was imposed across the country ahead of elections the opposition says were rigged.
Long-term leader, Museveni, was declared the ‘winner’ of the January 14 presidential election marred by allegations of massive rigging and intimidation of opposition members, securing 58.6 percent of the vote and a sixth term after 35 years in power.
Wine has rejected the results, describing the election as a sham.
The headquarters of Wine’s NUP party in Kampala was under police guard Monday in what the opposition leader called a “raid” by security forces.
“Museveni after committing the most vile election fraud in history, has resorted to the most despicable forms of intimidation,” Wine tweeted.
The runup to polling day was marred by bloodshed and a sustained crackdown on government critics and Museveni’s rivals.
At least 54 people were shot dead in November over two days of street protests over Wine’s arrest, and the opposition leader was repeatedly detained and his rallies broken up with tear gas and live rounds.
The United States said it was “deeply troubled” by reports of violence and irregularities in last Thursday’s poll, though Museveni declared it the cleanest in Uganda’s post-independence history.
On Monday, the UN Watch took to its Twitter account to allege that Museveni committed “widespread voter fraud” to win the just-concluded presidential election.
The group tackled the 76-year-old for shutting down the country’s Internet ahead of the election.
The post read, “Congratulations to Uganda President Yoweri Museveni on winning re-election after murdering, imprisoning and silencing opponents, shutting down the Internet, and committing widespread voter fraud."
Wine was the frontrunner of the opposition candidates running against the veteran leader, who has ruled uninterrupted since taking power as a rebel leader in 1986.
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After discovering an "enormous" tumour under his shoulder blade, Luke Grenfell-Shaw has just completed the first part of his round-the-world challenge.
