A man in Gombe state has threatened to commit suicide by falling from a telecommunications mast if a woman is not married to him by his parent.
The man was said to have climbed the telecommunications mast in the central area of Gombe city in the early hours of Sunday, in protest at living as a bachelor despite being an adult.
An eyewitness said the young man may have been suffering from depression.
He said in Hausa, "For over three hours now, the young man has been up there insisting that he would commit suicide except his father takes a bride for him.
"Right now I can confirm that operatives from the Fire Service, the police, and Civil Defence Corps have been appealing to him to come down.
"As you may see from the video clip, a man has climbed up to plead with him and from all indications, there's hope that he is likely to comply.
"We're told by someone who claims to be from the same neighborhood with him that he's suffering from depression.
"He said the young man got digressed when his father died a few years ago."
Asked whether operatives provided cushioning materials for the young man to land safely in case he falls, the narrator said there was nothing to suggest such was provided.
SaharaReporters can, however, confirm that at the time of filing this report, the young man had yet to abandon his attempt to commit suicide.
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A man in Gombe state has threatened to commit suicide by falling from a telecommunications mast if a woman is not married to him by his parent.
The man was said to have climbed the telecommunications mast in the central area of Gombe city in the early hours of Sunday, in protest at living as a bachelor despite being an adult.
An eyewitness said the young man may have been suffering from depression.
He said in Hausa, "For over three hours now, the young man has been up there insisting that he would commit suicide except his father takes a bride for him.
"Right now I can confirm that operatives from the Fire Service, the police, and Civil Defence Corps have been appealing to him to come down.
"As you may see from the video clip, a man has climbed up to plead with him and from all indications, there's hope that he is likely to comply.
"We're told by someone who claims to be from the same neighborhood with him that he's suffering from depression.
"He said the young man got digressed when his father died a few years ago."
Asked whether operatives provided cushioning materials for the young man to land safely in case he falls, the narrator said there was nothing to suggest such was provided.
SaharaReporters can, however, confirm that at the time of filing this report, the young man had yet to abandon his attempt to commit suicide.
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Human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, has explained the kind of pressure that pushed his younger brother, Olajide Sowore to be out early when he was shot dead along the Lagos-Benin Expressway on Saturday.
In an interview session on Zoom with Toyin Falola on Sunday, Sowore said Olajide was under pressure to provide for the needs of the huge family which was what prompted the deceased to be on the road as early as 6 am.
Omoyele SoworeSaharaReporters Media/Dotun Olawoye
Sowore stated that he is from a family of 19 and since the death of their father, he (Sowore) had been the one taking care of his younger siblings.
He, however, said his incarceration by the Nigerian government pushed the pressure to the shoulders of Olajide, who was brutally murdered on Saturday.
Sowore stated this while reacting to the heart-felt condolence messages expressed by participants at the Zoom life session.
He said: “Thank you very much to everyone who reached out. At this stage, the crime has two suspects, the first murderer is the primary murderer, the state and we know them. The second murderers are those we have not found, but we know they work on behalf of the state.
”I also want to make something known today that I am the first son with 16 siblings and I used to be the shield over everyone but since I was held up here in Abuja after the kidnap from Lagos on August 12, 2019, and eventually kept in open prison here in Abuja, the pressure on my brother to cater for the younger ones led him to be driving around twice between the school and his businesses on that very dangerous road.
”Otherwise, I don't think my brother would be on the road at 6am had it not been that he was under pressure to cater for our younger ones and the needs of the family.
“He automatically became the breadwinner of our huge family and he discharged his duties creditably well.”
Some of the condolence messages sent to Sowore are included below:
Tola Oshunuga, a member of the Coalition for Revolution said: “It should be noted that Jide was himself a gentleman but also a fighter in his own right. That he went back to school to start afresh a Pharmacy degree at age 47 after establishing a thriving business and a foundation.
“I was also happy to hear (Obadiah) Mailafia (former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria) requesting an independent investigation. This shows the critical situation of security in our country.
“Let's all prevail on the government that Sowore be allowed to go home and stand in place for the burial. We urge you all to call on government and ensure this."
Ola Olukanmi said: “Olajide Sowore is speaking to us right now not to relent in ensuring an end comes to these incessant killings. I'm calling on all Nigerians to please stand up, let's put an end to these killings. Our legislators are there doing nothing.
“They see these things happening day and night, we need to remove this terrorist-in-chief from office so people can move freely in the country."
Ogunleye Lawrence stated: “I was scared this incident could cause discouragement, the urge to quit the struggle.
“Your message, ideology, and what you're doing is getting to the minds of people. This is not the time to quit. This is a sad incident."
Professor Oyeniyi Bukola said: ”Hold fast that which you believe, remember that young man, what he had in mind, please hold fast. I know you right from NANS. I salute your courage, please hold fast."
Ugo Nwokeji said: “I was sad but... when something like this happens, we suspect the worst. My heart goes out to your family. The fact that you're here today with us on this forum, shows that you are unbreakable and that gives us more hope, encourages us, and even shows the enemy that you are unbreakable.
“This is very good to have you here today. This calls for reflection. How long is it going to continue? The people who killed your brother have been killing people but they have now been referred to as government militia.
“If this is something deliberate, what the rest of us will be asking is why should this happen. Even if it's an assassination, it's troublesome... or even Fulani herdsmen killing, this is the time for reflection.
“We have to begin to think more clearly that this is coming home, no one is safe."
Akwasi Aidoo, a popular Ghanaian poet said: “I just want to share with you the concept of humanity among the Akan people of Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire
“According to the Akan people, we as humans have three parts, the body given to us by our parents which is why we often look like them (one of them).
“The second part is the soul and it is given by the Almighty God and that never dies, it goes back to him. The third part is the legacy of the person and that is a divine social contract we sign with the Almighty.
“The legacy never dies, it is what is left behind. I think from what has been said today, clearly, your brother has left behind a huge unforgettable legacy, let's keep going, let's keep the legacy alive."
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Human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, has explained the kind of pressure that pushed his younger brother, Olajide Sowore to be out early when he was shot dead along the Lagos-Benin Expressway on Saturday.
In an interview session on Zoom with Toyin Falola on Sunday, Sowore said Olajide was under pressure to provide for the needs of the huge family which was what prompted the deceased to be on the road as early as 6 am.
Omoyele SoworeSaharaReporters Media/Dotun Olawoye
Sowore stated that he is from a family of 19 and since the death of their father, he (Sowore) had been the one taking care of his younger siblings.
He, however, said his incarceration by the Nigerian government pushed the pressure to the shoulders of Olajide, who was brutally murdered on Saturday.
Sowore stated this while reacting to the heart-felt condolence messages expressed by participants at the Zoom life session.
He said: “Thank you very much to everyone who reached out. At this stage, the crime has two suspects, the first murderer is the primary murderer, the state and we know them. The second murderers are those we have not found, but we know they work on behalf of the state.
”I also want to make something known today that I am the first son with 16 siblings and I used to be the shield over everyone but since I was held up here in Abuja after the kidnap from Lagos on August 12, 2019, and eventually kept in open prison here in Abuja, the pressure on my brother to cater for the younger ones led him to be driving around twice between the school and his businesses on that very dangerous road.
”Otherwise, I don't think my brother would be on the road at 6am had it not been that he was under pressure to cater for our younger ones and the needs of the family.
“He automatically became the breadwinner of our huge family and he discharged his duties creditably well.”
Some of the condolence messages sent to Sowore are included below:
Tola Oshunuga, a member of the Coalition for Revolution said: “It should be noted that Jide was himself a gentleman but also a fighter in his own right. That he went back to school to start afresh a Pharmacy degree at age 47 after establishing a thriving business and a foundation.
“I was also happy to hear (Obadiah) Mailafia (former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria) requesting an independent investigation. This shows the critical situation of security in our country.
“Let's all prevail on the government that Sowore be allowed to go home and stand in place for the burial. We urge you all to call on government and ensure this."
Ola Olukanmi said: “Olajide Sowore is speaking to us right now not to relent in ensuring an end comes to these incessant killings. I'm calling on all Nigerians to please stand up, let's put an end to these killings. Our legislators are there doing nothing.
“They see these things happening day and night, we need to remove this terrorist-in-chief from office so people can move freely in the country."
Ogunleye Lawrence stated: “I was scared this incident could cause discouragement, the urge to quit the struggle.
“Your message, ideology, and what you're doing is getting to the minds of people. This is not the time to quit. This is a sad incident."
Professor Oyeniyi Bukola said: ”Hold fast that which you believe, remember that young man, what he had in mind, please hold fast. I know you right from NANS. I salute your courage, please hold fast."
Ugo Nwokeji said: “I was sad but... when something like this happens, we suspect the worst. My heart goes out to your family. The fact that you're here today with us on this forum, shows that you are unbreakable and that gives us more hope, encourages us, and even shows the enemy that you are unbreakable.
“This is very good to have you here today. This calls for reflection. How long is it going to continue? The people who killed your brother have been killing people but they have now been referred to as government militia.
“If this is something deliberate, what the rest of us will be asking is why should this happen. Even if it's an assassination, it's troublesome... or even Fulani herdsmen killing, this is the time for reflection.
“We have to begin to think more clearly that this is coming home, no one is safe."
Akwasi Aidoo, a popular Ghanaian poet said: “I just want to share with you the concept of humanity among the Akan people of Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire
“According to the Akan people, we as humans have three parts, the body given to us by our parents which is why we often look like them (one of them).
“The second part is the soul and it is given by the Almighty God and that never dies, it goes back to him. The third part is the legacy of the person and that is a divine social contract we sign with the Almighty.
“The legacy never dies, it is what is left behind. I think from what has been said today, clearly, your brother has left behind a huge unforgettable legacy, let's keep going, let's keep the legacy alive."
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The Nigerian Government has condemned the coup that ousted the President of Guinea, Alpha Conde, describing it as a violation of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.
The President Muhammadu Buhari-led government therefore called for the immediate and unconditional restoration of constitutional order.
President Buhari
Guinea’s special forces on Sunday said they had captured the president and “dissolved” the country’s institutions.
“The Government of Nigeria strongly condemns and rejects any unconstitutional change of government and therefore calls on those behind this coup to restore constitutional order without delay and protect all lives and property.” the statement read.
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South Africa's former president Jacob Zuma, jailed in July for contempt of court after snubbing graft investigators, was on Sunday granted medical parole, prison authorities announced.
Zuma has been hospitalised since August 6, at a health facility outside the prison where he was incarcerated for ignoring a court order to testify before a judicial panel probing corruption during his nine-year tenure which lasted until 2018, NDTV reports.
Pres. Jacob Zuma
"The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) is able to confirm that Mr Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma has been placed on medical parole," it said in a statement.
The parole is effective Sunday and he will serve out the rest of the 15-month jail sentence outside jail.
"Medical parole placement for Mr Zuma means that he will complete the remainder of the sentence in the system of community corrections, whereby he must comply with specific set of conditions and will be subjected to supervision until his sentence expires," it said.
The decision to accord him parole was compelled "by a medical report" the department received, it said.
The 79-year-old was admitted to hospital for observation on August 6 for an undisclosed condition, and underwent a surgical procedure on August 14.
He remains hospitalised.
His long-running corruption trial over an arms deal dating back more than two decades was last month postponed to September 9, pending a medical report on his fitness to stand trial.
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South Africa's former president Jacob Zuma, jailed in July for contempt of court after snubbing graft investigators, was on Sunday granted medical parole, prison authorities announced.
Zuma has been hospitalised since August 6, at a health facility outside the prison where he was incarcerated for ignoring a court order to testify before a judicial panel probing corruption during his nine-year tenure which lasted until 2018, NDTV reports.
Pres. Jacob Zuma
"The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) is able to confirm that Mr Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma has been placed on medical parole," it said in a statement.
The parole is effective Sunday and he will serve out the rest of the 15-month jail sentence outside jail.
"Medical parole placement for Mr Zuma means that he will complete the remainder of the sentence in the system of community corrections, whereby he must comply with specific set of conditions and will be subjected to supervision until his sentence expires," it said.
The decision to accord him parole was compelled "by a medical report" the department received, it said.
The 79-year-old was admitted to hospital for observation on August 6 for an undisclosed condition, and underwent a surgical procedure on August 14.
He remains hospitalised.
His long-running corruption trial over an arms deal dating back more than two decades was last month postponed to September 9, pending a medical report on his fitness to stand trial.
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A woman, Mrs Bukola Oladapo, 45, and two of her daughters have been abducted at Pegi community in the Kuje area council of Abuja, Nigeria's capital city.
Oladapo's abducted daughters were identified as Moyo, 17, and Glory, 14.
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According to a resident identified as Abednego, the incident happened around 1:04 am on Sunday.
He told Daily Trust the kidnappers, armed with AK-47 rifles, scaled the fence of the victims’ house at a resettlement area in the community and forced the doors open.
The chairman of Pegi Community Development Association, (PECDA), Mr Taiwo Aderibigbe, confirmed the abduction of the woman and her daughters to the newspaper on the phone.
“It is quite worrisome that Pegi, Kuje is being targeted by kidnappers and security agencies are not doing much,” he said.
It was learnt that the woman’s husband, Pastor Gabriel Oladapo, was not in Abuja when the gunmen attacked and kidnapped members of his family.
The spokesman for the FCT police command, ASP Daniel Y Ndiparya, confirmed the incident, saying efforts were ongoing to rescue the victims
“Efforts are being made by the command to ensure the victims are rescued,” he said.
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A woman, Mrs Bukola Oladapo, 45, and two of her daughters have been abducted at Pegi community in the Kuje area council of Abuja, Nigeria's capital city.
Oladapo's abducted daughters were identified as Moyo, 17, and Glory, 14.
SaharaReporters Media
According to a resident identified as Abednego, the incident happened around 1:04 am on Sunday.
He told Daily Trust the kidnappers, armed with AK-47 rifles, scaled the fence of the victims’ house at a resettlement area in the community and forced the doors open.
The chairman of Pegi Community Development Association, (PECDA), Mr Taiwo Aderibigbe, confirmed the abduction of the woman and her daughters to the newspaper on the phone.
“It is quite worrisome that Pegi, Kuje is being targeted by kidnappers and security agencies are not doing much,” he said.
It was learnt that the woman’s husband, Pastor Gabriel Oladapo, was not in Abuja when the gunmen attacked and kidnapped members of his family.
The spokesman for the FCT police command, ASP Daniel Y Ndiparya, confirmed the incident, saying efforts were ongoing to rescue the victims
“Efforts are being made by the command to ensure the victims are rescued,” he said.
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A former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr Obadaiah Mailafia has said Nigeria is not fit to be called a nation because of the many actors in control.
The former CBN governor said grace has left Nigeria, reducing the country to the most terrorised and impoverished country in the world.
Mailafia stated this at the Reconciliation House in Akure, Ondo State, during a symposium organised by Forum for Good Governance, of the Towards Revival for All Nations (TRANS 21).
The former CBN governor who spoke on the ‘The Role of the Church in Nation Building’, alleged that there is an ongoing plan to "islamise and Fulanise" Nigeria.
He noted that Boko Haram terrorists now control over half of Niger State, and that Abuja will be easily overrun should they fully take over Niger.
He said, “Nigeria has fallen from the grace to the most terrorised nation in the world. Nigeria cannot be described as a nation because the power is not concentrated in the hands of government alone. There are other blocs that now have power of coersion."
“The kind of Islam that is coming from Sahara is dangerous. They want to take over your land and enslave you. Christians must rise to protect it.
“In the North East alone, more than 3,000 churches have been destroyed, more than 400 priests and pastors have been killed. And there is a pattern that is reserved only for Christians, and that is beheading,” he said.
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Human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, has expressed his gratitude to Nigerians for their condolence messages over the death of his brother, Olajide Sowore.
Olajide was murdered in cold blood by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers on Saturday in the Okada area of Edo State.
Before his death, he was a student of Igbinedion University, Okada, where he was studying Pharmacy.
In an appreciation post, Sowore thanked everyone for their support and solidarity.
He, however, noted that despite the noise from Nigerian government officials promising to bring the perpetrators to justice, the family is not aware of any investigation by security agencies.
He wrote: “Thank you all for reaching out with great love and kind words of consolation, support and solidarity over the tragic but still unexplained death of my dearest brother, Felix Olajide Sowore.
“I send you loads of gratitude from the bottom of my heart and that of my entire family.
"We should report to the public that despite the noise from Nigerian govt officials promising to 'apprehend' my brother’s killers, we are not aware any security agency/ies carrying out rescue operations to free those purportedly abducted or investigating the identity of Jide’s murderers.
"It is not as if we expect anything from the failed system that took our brother’s life, I feel that I owe you all an update on these matters.
“We will keep the public updated with progress regarding funeral arrangements.”
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Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana has urged Nigerians to be wary of politicians using ethnicity and religion to divide the people for their selfish gains.
Falana alongside other prominent Nigerians assured that the country will overcome the challenges bedevilling it because it is a country with wonderful opportunities.
Femi Falana (SAN)
He spoke to journalists during the inauguration ceremony of the Old Seminarians Association of Nigeria (OSAN) in Abuja on Saturday.
He said: “This is a country of wonderful opportunities. We have always been united in our diversity. Right now, our country is sharply divided. Christians against Muslims, one ethnic group against another, and these are all diversionary tactics by the ruling class to keep our people divided.
“Nigeria will not be an Afghanistan; I can assure you of that. That is why all men and women of goodwill must mobilise the people to defend themselves. We need to set up a defence committee in every local government because the security people are overstretched.”
According to Falana, the problems in different parts of the country are the same and fuelled by poverty.
“Notwithstanding that the northern part of the country has produced more rulers, poverty in the North, particularly in the North-West, is higher than other regions. This is why our people must be united, the oppressed must be united. The exploited must be united and we must examine those problems that are being used to divide our people,” he added.
He advised the Nigerian government to collaborate with states on the challenges facing the country in order to put an end to the widespread crises and insecurity.
Earlier, the chairman of the association, who is also the Clerk to the House of Representatives, Chinedu Akabueze, said the values impacted on its members by the Catholic Church had always been a great value in shaping their characters.
“Based on our principles and values, we as old seminarians and Nigerians have confidence that our togetherness will impact on the future style of the Nigerian society positively,” he said.
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Base stations have been shut down by GSM operators in Zamfara following the recent directive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) that all telecom sites in the state should be suspended over rising insecurity.
SaharaReporters had on Friday reported how Umar Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission in a letter to all telecom operators said the action was one of the strategies taken by security operatives in curbing banditry ravaging the state.
File photo used to illustrate story.
In the memo signed by the NCC and directed at the telecos, the suspension of services would last between September 3 through September 17 in the first instance.
The commission had also said the directive was to enable relevant security agencies to carry out required activities towards addressing the security challenge in the state.
The memo partly read, “The pervading security situation in Zamfara State has necessitated an immediate shutting down of all telecommunications service in the state from today September 03, 2021.
“This is to enable relevant security agencies to carry out required activities towards addressing the security challenge in the state, in line with the requirement, Globacom is hereby directed to shut down all sites in Zamfara State and any site(s) in neighbouring state that could provide telecommunications service in Zamfara State.
“The site shutdown is for two weeks (September 03 - 17, 2021) in the first instance. Your urgent action in this regard is required,” a copy of the letter sent to Globacom Nigeria reads.
Checks by SaharaReporters showed the directive had been followed by telecom operators as all the sources in state could not be reached on the phone.
A source in the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) confirmed to Punch that all the telcos had complied with the directive.
The source said the operators had no choice but to implement the directive of the NCC, being the regulatory authority for the telecommunications industry.
The source said, “It is the NCC that sent the letter and it is for all of the operators. When the government gives directives or when the regulator gives a directive what do you expect the telcos to do?
“Looking at what it means for the residents, we have to ask ourselves why the telecom infrastructure was shut down in the first place. That is the question the citizens should be asking. It is for their benefit. I cannot comment on how the shutting down order works, because as we are speaking, they are listening to us.”
The development, it was gathered, means residents of Zamfara might be unable to make calls, send text messages or even browse the internet.
“If all the providers shut down their base stations, it means there won’t be any communication in the state again. The base stations speak to one another; they are connected. It is one base station contacting the next one when you make a call and that is why it is mobile. So, if you shut down base stations in a state, that means there would be no communication. They won’t be able to call, send text messages or browse the internet," a source said.
“Although if there is a base station in a border town, and that base station is shut down, it will affect that particular area in the two states, but it is just that area. It won’t affect other states, because their own base stations are active.”
Reacting to the directive, a security management and intelligence specialist, Kabiru Adamu, said the move might not yield the desired result.
He said: “We have seen other places where this was tried and it failed. One of the reasons is that some of these locations are border communities, thus it is easy to use lines that are from neighbouring countries. I doubt if the government has reached out to its counterparts in these countries to also ban the usage of their lines in the state and adjourning communities.
“Second, there are satellite phones; these bandits have money. They can resort to using one. Also, there are digital radios that can go as far as 100km and even more. There are options for them to deploy that to enable them to still communicate. The efficacy of this policy is in doubt.”
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Taliban special forces in camouflage fired their weapons into the air Saturday, bringing an abrupt and frightening end to the latest protest march in the capital by Afghan women demanding equal rights from the new rulers.
Also on Saturday, the chief of Pakistan’s powerful intelligence agency, which has an outsized influence on the Taliban, made a surprise visit to Kabul, AP and FRANCE24 report.
Taliban fighters quickly captured most of Afghanistan last month and celebrated the departure of the last U.S. forces after 20 years of war. The insurgent group must now govern a war-ravaged country that is heavily reliant on international aid.
The women's march — the second in as many days in Kabul — began peacefully. Demonstrators laid a wreath outside Afghanistan's Defense Ministry to honour Afghan soldiers who died fighting the Taliban before marching on to the presidential palace.
“We are here to gain human rights in Afghanistan,” said 20-year-old protester Maryam Naiby. “I love my country. I will always be here.”
As the protesters' shouts grew louder, several Taliban officials waded into the crowd to ask what they wanted to say.
Flanked by fellow demonstrators, Sudaba Kabiri, a 24-year-old university student, told her Taliban interlocutor that Islam's Prophet gave women rights and they wanted theirs. The Taliban official promised women would be given their rights but the women, all in their early 20s, were skeptical.
As the demonstrators reached the presidential palace, a dozen Taliban special forces ran into the crowd, firing in the air and sending demonstrators fleeing. Kabiri, who spoke to The Associated Press, said they also fired tear gas.
The Taliban have promised an inclusive government and a more moderate form of Islamic rule than when they last ruled the country from 1996 to 2001. But many Afghans, especially women, are deeply skeptical and fear a roll back of rights gained over the last two decades.
For much of the past two weeks, Taliban officials have been holding meetings among themselves, amid reports of differences among them emerging.
Early on Saturday, neighbouring Pakistan's powerful intelligence chief Gen. Faiez Hameed made a surprise visit to Kabul. It wasn’t immediately clear what he had to say to the Taliban leadership but the Pakistani intelligence service has a strong influence on the Taliban.
The Taliban leadership had its headquarters in Pakistan and were often said to be in direct contact with the powerful Inter-Services Intelligence agency. Although Pakistan routinely denied providing the Taliban military aid, the accusation was often made by the Afghan government and Washington.
Faiez' visit comes as the world waits to see what kind of government the Taliban will eventually announce, seeking one that is inclusive and ensures protection of women's rights and the country's minorities.
The Taliban have promised a broad-based government and have held talks with former president Hamid Karzai and the former government's negotiation chief Abdullah Abdullah. But the makeup of the new government is uncertain and it was unclear whether hard-line ideologues among the Taliban will win the day — and whether the rollbacks feared by the demonstrating women will occur.
Taliban members whitewashed murals Saturday that promoted health care, warned of the dangers of HIV and even paid homage to some of Afghanistan’s iconic foreign contributors, like anthropologist Nancy Dupree, who singlehandedly chronicled Afghanistan’s rich cultural legacy. It was a worrying sign of attempts to erase reminders of the past 20 years.
The murals were replaced with slogans congratulating Afghans on their victory.
A Taliban cultural commission spokesman, Ahmadullah Muttaqi, tweeted that the
murals were painted over “because they are against our values. They were spoiling the minds of the mujahedeen and instead we wrote slogans that will be useful to everyone.”
Meanwhile, the young women demonstrators said they have had to defy worried families to press ahead with their protests, even sneaking out of their homes to take their demands for equal rights to the new rulers.
Farhat Popalzai, another 24-year-old university student, said she wanted to be the voice of Afghanistan's voiceless women, those too afraid to come out on the street.
“I am the voice of the women who are unable to speak.” she said. “They think this is a man's country but it is not, it is a woman's country too.”
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The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the November 6 governorship poll in Anambra State, Senator Andy Uba, escaped a shooting on Saturday.
The incident happened during a rally at the Ekwulobia Township Stadium in Aguata Local Government Area when a policeman on duty accidentally fired a gunshot, Daily Trust reports.
Andy Uba
According to a cameraman close to the scene, the policeman who accidentally fired the shot was drunk as the smell of alcohol was oozing out of his mouth.
However, it was gathered that a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police who was at the occasion had taken up the matter, with a view to ensuring disciplinary action against the erring policeman.
Uba, who later addressed the crowd, said he was in the governorship race to liberate the state from the shackles of the underdevelopment it had been subjected to over the years by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
He said Anambra became liberated the day President Muhammadu Buhari handed the party flag to him in Aso Rock.
“My first assignment is the Enugu-Onitsha Road; it is impassable. Work will begin on the road immediately. That is the essence of belonging at the centre,” he said.
He urged his supporters to mobilise for the party’s victory at the poll, saying the power to win an election resides with the electorate.
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The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the November 6 governorship poll in Anambra State, Senator Andy Uba, escaped a shooting on Saturday.
The incident happened during a rally at the Ekwulobia Township Stadium in Aguata Local Government Area when a policeman on duty accidentally fired a gunshot, Daily Trust reports.
Andy Uba
According to a cameraman close to the scene, the policeman who accidentally fired the shot was drunk as the smell of alcohol was oozing out of his mouth.
However, it was gathered that a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police who was at the occasion had taken up the matter, with a view to ensuring disciplinary action against the erring policeman.
Uba, who later addressed the crowd, said he was in the governorship race to liberate the state from the shackles of the underdevelopment it had been subjected to over the years by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
He said Anambra became liberated the day President Muhammadu Buhari handed the party flag to him in Aso Rock.
“My first assignment is the Enugu-Onitsha Road; it is impassable. Work will begin on the road immediately. That is the essence of belonging at the centre,” he said.
He urged his supporters to mobilise for the party’s victory at the poll, saying the power to win an election resides with the electorate.
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Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State on Saturday lost his polling unit to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the local council election held in the state.
The results announced by the state Independent Electoral Commission for Unit 01 Ungwar Sarki, Kaduna North Local Government, showed the PDP getting 86 out of the 159 votes for chairman.
Announced by the Presiding Officer, Muhammad Sani, Mr El-Rufai’s All Progressive Congress (APC) secured 62 votes, while APP had 1, ZLP 5, PRP 4, and 3 abstentions.
The PDP also got 100 votes for the councillorship seat out of 162, while APC scored 53, ZLP 2, PRP 2, NNPP 1, and BP 4.
Earlier, Mr El-Rufai had said the adoption of electronic voting for the local election was to ensure people’s votes count.
“As I said several times, we are not going to behave like other parties or other state governments; we will allow the people of Kaduna State to elect who they want.
“The APC did not have to win everywhere.
We don’t believe in cheating or rigging elections but also we don’t want other parties to cheat us, and that was why we encouraged the Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission to come up with a fool-proof voting process,“ he said.
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Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State on Saturday lost his polling unit to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the local council election held in the state.
The results announced by the state Independent Electoral Commission for Unit 01 Ungwar Sarki, Kaduna North Local Government, showed the PDP getting 86 out of the 159 votes for chairman.
Announced by the Presiding Officer, Muhammad Sani, Mr El-Rufai’s All Progressive Congress (APC) secured 62 votes, while APP had 1, ZLP 5, PRP 4, and 3 abstentions.
The PDP also got 100 votes for the councillorship seat out of 162, while APC scored 53, ZLP 2, PRP 2, NNPP 1, and BP 4.
Earlier, Mr El-Rufai had said the adoption of electronic voting for the local election was to ensure people’s votes count.
“As I said several times, we are not going to behave like other parties or other state governments; we will allow the people of Kaduna State to elect who they want.
“The APC did not have to win everywhere.
We don’t believe in cheating or rigging elections but also we don’t want other parties to cheat us, and that was why we encouraged the Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission to come up with a fool-proof voting process,“ he said.
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Islamic group, the Muslim Rights Concern, has joined other Nigerians and groups to condemn the killing of Felix Olajide Sowore, younger brother to human rights’ activist, Omoyele Sowore, who was killed during an attack by suspected kidnappers in Edo State.
MURIC described the killing of the Pharmacy student of the Igbinedion University, Edo State, as one which depicted that young brains in the country were being wasted in a heartless and inexplicable manner. Felix Olajide Sowore
MURIC director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, while expressing his heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased, therefore, charged police operatives to carry out an immediate investigation to reveal the identities of the killers.
He noted that the assailants, who also abducted five other persons in the process, were currently at large but should be unveiled and the long arms of the law must catch up on them.
In a statement on Saturday, MURIC said, “We of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) hereby strongly condemn the killing of Felix Olajide Sowore. What is the crime of this student? Why must our young brains be wasted in this manner? This is one killing too many. We call on the Edo Police Command to find his killers without delay.
“This kind of tragedy should not be happening around this time. We are not unaware of the travails of the victim’s senior brother in the hands of security agencies. It saddens our hearts to learn of this heart-breaking calamity around this time. The police must therefore go all out for Felix’s assailants.
“This killing must be condemned by all right-thinking Nigerians. It is a heinous crime. It is wicked, heartless and inexplicable. The killers can run but they cannot hide. The long arms of the law must catch them.
“Our hearts bleed for the Sowore family at this time. We pray that Almighty God will give them the fortitude to bear the loss. We console the indefatigable activist, Omoyele Sowore. We salute his doggedness and ask him to take heart. It is not over until it is over. May the killers of Felix never find peace.”
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