War in the Niger Delta will be Disastrous - Col. Umar

A Former Military Governor of Kaduna State, Col. Abubakar Umar(retd), has warned President Muhammadu Buhari to shelve all plans of deploying troops and military hardware to the Niger Delta, adding that dialogue remains the best option.

The former governor in a statement entitled, ‘War in the Niger Delta: A most dangerous option,’ opined that the militants could not be treated like Boko Haram terrorists.

“I am really frightened by the sudden escalation in the Niger Delta Region from where there are some reports of skirmishes between our security forces and the Niger Delta militants. This is happening after the President was quoted as vowing to deal with the militants as he did to Boko Haram.
“All factors considered, the use of military force in an attempt to resolve the lingering crisis is not a good option and must therefore be discarded.

“As a retired general, Mr. President is well aware of the serious and daunting challenges any military will face in its operations in the most difficult and densely populated Niger Delta region.

“The creeks are so heavily polluted with oil, rendering them highly inflammable. It will take the firing of a few high explosive shells to set the whole area on fire, resulting in the inestimable collateral damage among innocent civilians.

“It is also difficult to see how an armed conflict can secure our oil and gas assets in the region. Instead, it will aid the destructive activities of the militants and lead to the total shutdown of all oil and gas operations in the area.”

“Besides, the Niger Delta militants cannot be said to be terrorists in the real sense of the word. I believe they are amenable to meaningful dialogue.

“I need not to remind the President that a war in the Niger Delta will be opposed by most objective Nigerians and the international community as unjust and merely aimed at the control and exploitation of the region’s oil and gas resources.

“I therefore beseech you, Mr. President, in the name of all that is good, to continue to explore peaceful means of resolving the Niger Delta crisis as painful as you may find this. May God direct and guide you on the path of justice.”

Anambra community cries out to FG, Obiano, World Bank due to "Erosion, flood menace"

The members of Ihuaku kindred in Ebenato Okpala community, Amichi in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State have been sacked by flood and erosion, which destroyed their economic trees, farm lands, as well as killing their domestic animals.
Members of the community who are already relocating to other safe neighbourhoods raised the alarm with an appeal to Anambra State and Federal governments to come to their rescue before the ecological problem removes them from the map of the state.
Heavy rains this year, according to the residents, continued to aggravate the situation to the extent that all the roads leading to the community are now waterlogged, making it impossible for people to pass even on foot.
Lamenting on the deplorable condition of the community’s environment, Chairman of the Ihuaku kindred, Ebenato, Mr Chinedu Muonago, said the community had spent millions of naira on their own to check the menace to no avail.
He explained that the more the community made efforts to stop the surging erosion caused by flood, the more the situation became worse.
He regretted that whatever materials used to wage the flood were always swept away by the uncontrollable heavy flooding that gather from the adjoining communities, including Igbo-Ukwu, Isuofia and some other parts of Aguata Local Government Area.
Muonago told Oriental News that his community had in the past appealed to individuals and corporate organizations for help, but could not get any hence the decision to run to governments and international agencies to intervene in order to save their souls.
He said that children from the community could not go to school each time it rained, adding that “even adults are always incapacitated in terms of movement whenever there is a rainfall.
“Efforts have been made on several occasions to see if we can control it and members of the community have tasked themselves heavily, contributing huge amounts of money.
“But we can now see that the size of the problem is beyond our control. We have been battling this flood and erosion menace here for the past 10 years. If we can articulate our losses since then, it runs into millions of naira even though no life has been lost. And that is why we are crying before it degenerates to loss of lives which we fear will soon happen, if nothing is done urgently.”
Also the Secretary to the community’s town union, Chief Michael Obiekezie said the ecological problem could only be solved, if the floods from neighbourhoods could be properly channelled so that the erosion there would not continue to deepen.
He said that since the community members could not do it by themselves because of the level the menace had reached, an international agency like the World Bank in addition to Federal and State governments could please respond to their distress call to avert imminent loss of lives and property in the community.
He said that from the look of things, many houses in the community would soon be eroded by the flood and others swallowed by erosion.

12 injured in U.S plane emergency landing

At least 12 people, including three children, have been injured on a transatlantic flight after it encountered “severe and unexpected turbulence.”

The incident prompted the United Airlines flight to make an emergency landing in the Republic of Ireland, the BBC reports.

10 passengers and two crew members were taken to hospital from Shannon Airport shortly before 06:00 BST.

All have now been discharged with the exception of one flight attendant.

The United Airlines flight was travelling from Houston, Texas, to London Heathrow when it diverted to the airport in County Clare.

The injured were taken to University Hospital, Limerick, with cuts, bruises and minor head injuries.

“As of 10:30, one patient was still being assessed and the remaining 11 were discharged,” said the hospital.

Buhari signs N241.5b FCT budget

President Muhammadu Buhari has signed the 2016 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja Appropriation Act, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang, has said.

Enang said President Buhari assented to N241.5 billion 2016 FCT budget as passed by the National Assembly.

A statement issued by the presidential aide did not however say when the fiscal document was signed.

Enang said “The legal implantation of the budget, therefore comes into effect, which will result in employment in the formal sectors and informal sectors through projects implementation and employment there from arising.”

On budget of statutory corporations and agencies, Enang said some Nigerians have asked questions on the legal and legislative grounds for laying of the budget of statutory corporations before the National Assembly for consideration and passage.

As Ogun APC swims in muddy waters

In this piece, SAMUEL AWOYINFA, writes on the various intrigues that may shape moves by the Ogun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress to produce Governor Ibukunle Amosun’s successor in 2019

When the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and some other leaders of the party visited the former governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba, in his Ikoyi, Lagos home, on Sunday April 3, 2016, not many knew that it was a sort of political calculation toward the 2019 governorship election in Ogun State.

Shortly before the 2015 general elections, Osoba had dumped the APC and founded another party, the Social Democratic Party.

The prelude to this could be traced to a split in the Ogun State chapter of the APC.

 A faction of the party then had Governor Ibikunle Amosun and his supporters, while the second faction was led by Osoba.

 Some of the sympathisers of Osoba then accused Amosun of running a one-man government.  They alleged that their principal, Osoba, was sidelined in the scheme of things. They said that members who worked for the enthronement of the party in 2011 were not taken care of by the governor.

These politicians also argued that some sections of the state were more favoured in appointive positions than others.

One of the party supporters and a former deputy governor in the state, Chief Adegbenga Kaka, had painted the grouse of Osoba’s camp against Amosun thus, “While some of the local government areas then were having two or three commissioners in the state executive council, some did not have one.”

But Amosun’s supporters believed that the governor had not done anything wrong. According to them, Amosun has not overreached his brief.

The Publicity Secretary of the APC in the state, Sola Lawal, had risen stoutly in defence of the appointments. He had said that “merit and qualifications were considered in the appointments and definitely it is not possible to appoint all those who worked for the party during the 2011 elections.”

The face-off between Amosun and Osoba dragged on till the March 2015 general elections. Osoba pulled out of the APC with his team of supporters to the SDP, while Amosun and his men remained in the APC.

Amosun, however, won his re-election for a second term against the SDP’s candidate and that of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Many of the APC’s candidates also won the state’s and National Assembly’s seats.

The SDP did not have any good showing in the general elections, as none of its candidates won any elective positions at both levels.

Though the return of Osoba was well publicised, has that rapprochement move settled the problems of division in the party in Ogun State?

Only the players themselves could answer this question. Observers of unfolding events have concluded that though Osoba is back in the APC, the gulf between him and the governor still subsists.

But some others have equally replied those nursing such a thought as existing only in their imagination and that there is no division of any kind or camps in the party.

Many people have said that the rapprochement may not be sustained till the 2019 general elections. They argued that the Yewa factor or what is called the Ogun West factor may come to play.

 The Yewa/Awori section of Ogun State has not had any of their people elected as governor since the state was created on February 3, 1976.

Both camps had realised this, but would they reach a common stand on a single candidacy?

However, many names have started appearing on the horizon, which are bandied about by their supporters.

Some say the governor has started looking at some names as his possible successors, while the Osoba camp too has its own candidates.

Again, some political watchers in the state had discountenanced this, saying the party would produce an acceptable and credible candidate through the primary.

However, names that have started appearing as possible governor’s successor include the current Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Suraj Adekunbi; the current Chairman of Local Government Service Commission in the state, Rotimi Rahmon; the current Commissioners for Forestry and Agriculture, Kolawole Lawal; the current Senator representing Ogun West Senatorial District, Gbolahan Dada; and Mrs. Kemi Shokefun.

Amosun is believed to be considering many options and not putting all his eggs in one basket.

Unconfirmed reports claimed that he might even be looking to get his successor from Ogun-East Senatorial District. The choices still being toyed with are the current Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, Senator Lekan Mustapha and even the governorship candidate of the Unity Party of Nigeria in the 2015 governorship election, Prince Rotimi Paseda.

However, topmost on Osoba’s list is Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi. Yayi is currently representing Lagos-West Senatorial District. He had wanted to contest in the Ogun West Senatorial District during t2015 general elections, but Amosun’s camp had the upper hand.

Some still see this as being in the realm of conjectures, as it is rather too early to start such political permutations, as party supremacy may play up when the time comes.

However, the state publicity secretary of the party, Sola Lawal, has said contrary to insinuations or belief that the APC in the state is polarised into two camps, the party is one indivisible entity.

Lawal said, “The APC in Ogun State remains intact such that there are no camps or factions.

“Any thinking about camps or factions only exists in the imagination of the thinker. As far as the APC is concerned, we accommodate all views.”

Talking about names being thrown up as possible successors to the governor and that of Senator Adeola on the other hand, Lawal said the more the merrier for the party.

He noted that there are over 20 aspirants for the APC governorship seat in Ondo State and only one would finally emerge as the candidate, describing the development as the beauty of democracy.

 Lawal said, “The APC is popular and accommodates all political thinking and diverse opinions. When it comes to aspirations, there is usually multiplicity of interests; the party will accommodate as many aspirants as possible.

“For example in Ondo APC, over 20 aspirants are vying for the governorship ticket, and at the end of the day, only one candidate will emerge.

“So, there could be 20 or 30 aspirants for 2019 governorship slot in Ogun State; they will all be welcomed.”

A foundation member of the APC and an opinion leader in the state, who pleaded anonymity, said it was too early to begin to talk about 2019 general elections.

He said that the National Executive Council of the party had yet to convene national congress.

This party leader however argued that it is expected that every incumbent governor may have an “anointed” person, but that party supremacy should also be considered.

He, however, added that so far, the incumbent had yet to anoint any candidate.

He said, “There are different permutations on ground. While it is true that there is party supremacy; governors will normally have their anointed candidates. But it is better for the party to allow all aspirants for the governorship ticket in the state to go for the primary.”

Meanwhile, both camps are not leaving things to chances, as they have continued to oil their political machinery.

The governor is said to have the ears of President Muhammadu Buhari, having been instrumental to the appointments of some ministers from the South-West, most especially the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun.

The President and the governor were said to have a relationship that dates back to their days as members of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party.

Both parties are said to be mustering all their political influences in getting the upper hand.

As Sola Lawal said, do we agree there are no two camps but one fold in Ogun APC? Or if at all the two camps exist, would they resolve their differences and come together before the 2019 general elections?

glean: Punch

Mike and Dave needs wedding date hits the big screen

In an age of experimental movies ruling the roost, the romantic comedy, ‘Mike and Dave Needs Wedding Date’ is another mild one to the list. Written by Andrew J. Cohen and Brendan O’Brien, the movie is produced by Jake Szymanski. The Hollywood, the block-buster, is a take on the two brothers — Mike and Dave — who were alcohol salesmen, but went all the way to publish an advert online all because they needed a date for their little sister’s wedding in Hawaii, which was fast approaching.

The premiere was a huge blast for the upscale Filmhouse Cinema, Surulere, as so many movie lovers were present at the event including some of Nigerian celebrities, who walked the Red carpet.

Alice and Tatiana who were dates to the brothers joined them to perform a second song, which the family disliked. Tatiana and Mike started a relationship together, while Alice deletes her wedding video before making out with Dave in front of everyone.

The 98 minutes movie ended with a happy note, as the audience, were thrilled when Mike and Dave performed a heartfelt song to apologise for all the problems they caused, which touched their family. The audiences exited the hall with smiles on their faces.

Some guests who spoke with reporter said the movie is a must see for all. According to a lady, who wants her name print, she would watch the movie over and over again because it made her laugh all through.

For Nelson, he never expected the movie to be interesting, adding that he heard about the premiere while he was in the mall and he decided to join his friends who wanted to see the movie.

Jude, another middle age man, also made a positive comment about the movie, saying that it was one of the best he had seen in 2016. According to him, “the storyline is matured unlike what we see in most Nollywood movies. I wouldn’t mind paying to watch the movie over again,” he said.

Justify your appointment, Onigbinde tells Rohr "Eagles vs Tanzania"

Former Super Eagles coach, Adegboye Onigbinde, has said new coach of the national team, Gernot Rohr, must justify his appointment when he leads the team against Tanzania in his first match on September 3.

The match is the last in the qualifiers for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, with both teams out of the competition, after Egypt picked the group’s sole ticket.

Rohr last week invited 23 players for the match against the Taifa Stars, which the Eagles are using as rehearsal for the 2018 World Cup qualifying series. Their first match in the Russia 2018 qualifiers comes up against Zambia in Ndola in October.

The German was named Eagles coach by the Nigeria Football Federation less than a month ago and will be seeking to impress in his first match in charge of the team.

Onigbinde said Rohr’s pedigree notwithstanding, the NFF had chosen him as the team’s coach, adding that the Tanzania match would serve as a test for the German to prove himself.

“The NFF believe that he (Rohr) is the right man for the job and he should prove himself starting with the match against Tanzania,” Onigbinde said.

“It is sad that Nigeria will not be featuring in any continental competition next year and that is the more reason why the coach should do what he has been employed to do.

“Nigerians are waiting to see what he will do when the 2018 World Cup qualifiers begin and that will be another disaster if the Eagles cannot qualify.

“The administrators should ask themselves a lot of questions on why we will not be competing across all levels of competitions next year. The answer they get will really move our football forward. But for now, the coach needs to ensure that he does the work he has to do.”

Also, former Eagles goalkeeper, Joseph Dosu, said Rohr should get his tactics right for the game, adding that the match would be an eye-opener into the German’s plans for the team.

“The first game for Rohr is not one that he will be under pressure to deliver. It is an avenue for him to relate with the players and unveil his plans for the team ahead of the more important 2018 World Cup qualifiers,” the Atlanta 1996 Olympic gold medallist said.

“The players will be the ones under pressure to impress the coach so that he can call them for other matches. The Tanzania match is just an avenue for the new coach to let Nigerians know that he has what it takes to do the job.

“We don’t know whether he will be coming with the German style of football or he will bring another style. The match will afford him the chance to do so.”

PHOTOS: Osinbajo in Delta

Breaking! Enugu Police arrest suspect from Zamfara State over Attakwu community attack (photo)

The Enugu State Police Command in its resolve towards unmasking those behind the dastardly act perpetrated at Ndiagu Attakwu community of Akegbeugwu in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu state in the early hours of 25/8/16 which left one person dead and four others critically injured, have nabbed a suspect identified as one Umaru Isah from Gusau Zamfara state on 25/8/16 over his alleged involvement in the incident. His arrest came through intelligence information gathered.

According to the statement released by the command today, August 25th, the suspect who claimed that he is 20 years old revealed that he came in from Gusau Zamfara state to Enugu recently for the purposes of rearing cattle but has none to rear till now.

Meanwhile investigations have commenced in full scale into his alleged nefarious activities and with a view to unmasking his gang members so that they can be brought to book. The state commissioner of police Emmanuel Ojukwu has vowed to unmask all those involved in the dastardly act and bring them to book.

Photos: New ISIS video shows children executing prisoners, British kids reportedly among them

Islamic State just released a horrible video showing three gruesome execution scenes in Raqqa, Syria. The video shows five ISIS children executing 5 Kurdish prisoners. The children are reportedly from Egypt, Britain, Tunis, Uzbekistan, and a Kurd. One of the prisoner is even a child himself. 

Photo credit: Jenan Moussa

Neglect of male infertility affects reproductive health "says Expert"

A Clinical Biochemist and Molecular Diagnostic, Prof. Oluyemi Akinloye, on Friday decried the neglect of male infertility in the reproductive health system in the country.

Akinloye, Head, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Medicine, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

The expert said that too much attention was being paid to infertility factors in females, than that of their male counterparts.

According to him, In Nigeria, the male factor contribution to infertility is estimated to be about 54 per cent, based on semen analysis.

He also said that globally, the male contribution to infertility among couples has been estimated to be about 33 per cent.

“Often, the male partners are very uncooperative, thereby obstructing the proper diagnosis and management of couples’ infertility.

“Until recently, little attention was being placed on male contribution to infertility, partly because of the widely held erroneous belief that infertility was a female problem, especially in Africa.

“The women continually suffer neglect, especially in developing countries like Nigeria; the scientific and medical communities have paid more attention to female factors than that of their male counterpart.

“About 15 per cent of all couples have fertility issues and in half of those cases, the male partner has semen deficiencies,’’ Akinloye said.

He described infertility as “a disease of the reproductive system, defined by the failure to achieve a clinical pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular, unprotected sexual intercourse’’.

The expert said, “Infertility is a global problem, but was described to be rampant in sub-Saharan Africa.

“Despite the high population growth rate in Africa, infertility remains a major reproductive health problem.

“Hence, infertility still consumes a large percentage of resources available for reproductive health services in Nigeria.’’

He said that the causes of male infertility were multi-factoral.

“It was usually diagnosed on the basis of abnormal semen values observed in conventional semen analysis.

“Hormonal disturbances, environmental factors such as diet and toxic elements, genetic aberrations, improper medical waste disposal by healthcare workers, can lead to infertility,’’ the experts said.

Akinloye, therefore, urged governments at all levels and health workers to work as a team to ensure that waste generated at the health facilities were properly disposed, to reduce human exposure to its dangers.

He said that good human resources, power supply and good policies would improve research into the environment, industries and quality of people’s life.

glean: LUTH

France’s top court suspends burkini ban

France’s highest administrative court on Friday suspended a controversial ban on the burkini by a French Riviera town after it was challenged by rights groups.

In a judgement expected to set a precedent, the State Council ruled that local authorities could only restrict individual liberties if wearing the Islamic swimsuit was a “proven risk” to public order.

The judges said there was no such risk in the case before the court concerning Villeneuve-Loubet, one of around 30 towns to have introduced the bans.

The French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM) hailed the ruling as a “victory for common sense”.

Police have fined Muslim women for wearing burkinis on beaches in several towns, including in the popular tourist resorts of Nice and Cannes, sparking controversy in France and abroad.

The burkini bans have triggered a fierce debate about women’s rights and the French state’s strictly-guarded secularism.

– ‘Line in the sand’ -Amnesty International welcomed the ruling.

“By overturning a discriminatory ban that is fuelled by and is fuelling prejudice and intolerance, today’s decision has drawn an important line in the sand,” Amnesty’s Europe director John Dalhuisen said.

“French authorities must now drop the pretence that these measures do anything to protect the rights of women,” he said.

The CFCM’s secretary general Abdallah Zekri said: “This victory for common sense will help to take the tension out of a situation which has become very tense for our Muslim compatriots, especially women.”

The State Council heard arguments from the Human Rights League and an anti-Islamophobia group.

A court in Nice had upheld the Villeneuve-Loubet ban this week.

President Francois Hollande said Thursday that life in France “supposes that everyone sticks to the rules and that there is neither provocation nor stigmatisation”.

Anger over the issue was further inflamed this week when photographs in the British media showed police surrounding a woman in a headscarf on a beach in Nice as she removed a long-sleeved top.

The office of Nice’s mayor denied that the woman had been forced to remove clothing, telling AFP she was showing police the swimsuit she was wearing under her top, over a pair of leggings, when the picture was taken.

Prime Minister Manuel Valls on Thursday condemned any “stigmatisation” of Muslims, but maintained that the burkini was “a political sign of religious proselytising”.

“We are not at war with Islam… the French republic is welcoming (to Muslims), we are protecting them against discrimination,” he told BFMTV.

But in a sign of the divisions within the Socialist government on the issue, Education Minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem said the “proliferation” of burkini bans “was not a welcome development”.

Vallaud-Belkacem, who is of Moroccan origin, took issue with the wording of the ban in Nice which linked the measure to the jihadist truck attack in the resort last month in which 86 people were killed.

“In my opinion, there is nothing to prove that there is a link between the terrorism of Daesh and what a woman wears on a beach,” she said, using another term for Islamic State.

But Valls contradicted his minister’s claims, saying the bans were necessary to maintain “public order”.

– ‘No legal justification’ -The administrative court in Nice ruled Monday that the Villeneuve-Loubet ban was “necessary” to prevent “public disorder” after the Nice attack and the murder of a Catholic priest by two jihadists in northern France.

But in its ruling, the State Council said: “In the absence of such risks, the emotion and the concerns arising from terrorist attacks, especially the attack in Nice on July 14, are not sufficient to legally justify a ban.”

The so-called burkini bans never actually mention the word burkini, although they are clearly aimed at the garment which covers the hair but leaves the face visible and stretches down to the ankles.

The vague wording of the prohibitions has caused confusion.

Apart from the incident in the photographs in Nice, a 34-year-old mother of two told AFP on Tuesday she had been fined on the beach in the resort of Cannes wearing leggings, a tunic and a headscarf.

France was the first European country to ban the wearing of the Islamic face veil in public in 2010.

glean: AFP

EFCC : We fear nobody except God

Magu throws open detention facilities to journalist By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor Appalled by criticism that a detainee, Desmond Nunugwo, died in its detention, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, yesterday, threw open its holding facilities to journalists for assessment and that the commission fear nobody expect God.

Apparently to prove its innocence in the death of Nunugwu, the Chairman of the commission, Ibrahim Magu, flanked by some of his media managers, conducted journalist round the facilities located in its ‘Idiagbon House’ by is headquarters in Wuse 2, Abuja. Facilities shown to journalists were the interrogation room, medical and toilet facilities as well as the cells where detainees are kept pending investigations and prosecution. Magu boasted that EFCC’s detention facility was among the best in the country and asked journalists to take a tour of other holding facilities in the country and compare with those of the commission so as to determine his claim. “Without boasting, we can say that we have one of the best detention facilities in the country and we do so with purpose because those being kept in our custody are merely being temporarily kept pending interrogation and prosecution. “We have no intention to keep any detainee under an inhuman condition. That is why we have provided everything that is necessary to provide comfort for those kept in our facilities,” Magu said. Magu, who defended the actions of the commission so far, said that every of its action was done in the overall interest of the nation and not to boost any individual’s ego. “Let me make it very clear that we are driven by nothing but national interest in all that we do and we will continue to work for the interest of this country. We will continue to investigate and prosecute those who commit financial and economic crimes against this country. We fear nobody except God in the discharge of our national assignment,” the chairman said. The invitation of journalists to view the detention rooms, the first of its kind in the history of the EFCC, revealed the conditions under which the detainees are kept and how they conduct their lives while in solitude. All of the detainees are provided by 8 inches mattresses strewn on the floor with some of them being paired in a room while as many as four are kept in larger spaces. Findings also show that all the males share about 6 toilets and similar bathrooms while the female also share their facilities. A small room serves as a mosque for Muslims. The Head of the EFCC Medical Department, Dr. Haliru, who also conducted journalists round its medical facilities, said that relevant drugs are administered to inmates based on the medical reports of each person being brought into detention. “We first of all take the vital statistics and conduct relevant tests to determine the medical needs of each detainee before assigning them to their cells. We also provide free of charge the prescribed drugs to the detainees so that they don’t suffer any deprivation as a result of being detained. “We encourage them to come with their prescribed drugs and if they run out of them, we secure for them. We give them free medical attention,”Haliru said. The death of the protocol officer in EFCC cell has sparked outrage within and outside Nigeria, prompting adverse media commentary, which the EFCC has strongly objected to. Nunugwo, a former Chief Protocol Officer with the Ministry of Defence, was arrested by some officers of the Intelligence and Special Operations Section (ISOS) of the EFCC on June 9 at about 5.30pm for defrauding one Oleh Nnana Kalu of N63.6 million. His untimely has death triggered accusations and petitions to the Attorney-General of the Federation, the National Assembly and Amnesty International calling for probe. The wife of the deceased, Susanne, suspects a foul play in her husband’s death and has already petitioned the National Human Rights Commission, the Nigeria Police Force, Amnesty International and other civil society groups to probe the death. However the EFCC has said that the man died naturally barely two hours after being taken into detention over fraud related petition. “The EFCC in the early hours of June 10, 2016 released an official statement through its spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, announcing the tragic incident, while also informing that the matter had been formally reported to the Nigeria Police which is the relevant agency to investigate matters such as the unfortunate death of Citizen Nunugwo. “While the nation awaits the outcome of the Police investigation which should include the autopsy report, the family of the deceased suspect appears to have lost their patience with the Police investigation and is pre-empting its outcome with all manner of insinuations.


glean: vanguard

FIDEI Poly Protest: 2 Students Killed, 1 Injured

Two students of the FIDEI Polytechnic, Gboko, Benue State were on Wednesday killed which resulted in the institution’s shutdown by the management.

The Polytechnic owned by by Rev. Fr. Chris Utov of the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi was shutdown on account of the killing of two students and two policemen by a suspected group of thugs identified as ‘SHAWA’.

During the crisis which broke out on Tuesday and lasted till Wednesday, a total of two students were recorded dead and another hospitalized after sustaining injuries.

The crisis also led to the destruction of the institution’s properties.

Speaking on the crisis, an eye witness, Terfa Guum confirmed that the affected properties include the bakery, bursary, the ranch and pen house.

According to reports, the group of thugs known as SHAWA allegedly invaded the institution to tackle a group of students who were protesting their exemption from the school’s second semester examination. According to the eye witness, the protest was led by the final year students who were owing the institution tuition fee and thus were not allowed to write the examination.

Guum said: “This made the students to stage a peaceful protest.”

He further disclosed that Policemen as soon as the protest started stormed the venue armed with tear gases and shooting sporadically

“In the process, a student was hit on the chest and died instantly, while another died in the hospital.”

Speaking on the protest, the Police Public Relations officer, ASP Moses Yamu, said: “Miscreants and students overpowered policemen during a peaceful protest in the school, injured two police officers and damaged six vehicles, one belonging to the police.”

He further disclosed that a total of 21 persons have been arrested so far in connection with the protest.

 

 

Human Rights Commission To Probe Kano Police Over Mass Wedding Ban

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has said it would probe the circumstances that led the Kano State Police Command to stop last Saturday’s mass wedding organised by Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso for 100 intending couples in his constituency.

Angwe who commended the aggrieved protesters for towing the path of the rule of law, noted that the right to free association and by extension marriage, is constitutionally-guaranteed.

Sen. Kwankwaso who is sponsoring the mass weddings had earlier on Wednesdaypetitioned the Police Service Commission PSC, asking it to call the Kano police authorities to order.

Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Bem Angwe stated this Thursday in Abuja when some of the intending couples stormed the commission to submit a petition detailing how the police in Kano violated their human rights.

Angwe said: “In 1999, Nigerians freely voted to return to democratic rule. That is to say that Nigerians chose democracy as opposed to military rule. By that token, Nigeria had become a fully democratic natiuon which not only recognises the rights of citizens as enshrined in the constitution but also the rights of citizens of Nigeria to benefit from the provisos of international instruments that prescioribe the norms that are responsible for the promotion and enforcement of rights. The NHRC has the mandate to enforce all the fundamental human rights enshrined in the constitution. One of those rights is the right to free association which includes the liberty of Nigerians to get married”

Promising to investigate the issue, he said, “we will seek to find if there exists any justification known in law for the steps taken by the CP Kano state command. We would give opportunity to the police to defend itself”.

Representative of the intending couples, Khadijat Ibrahim had earlier told journalists that the police, acting in concert with the Kano state government decided to scuttle their wedding just because it was sponsored by Sen. Kwankwaso.

According to her, the beneficiaries only resorted to seeking the support of the Kwankwasiyya Development Association, after the state government rebuffed their pleas to assist them.

She said, “marriage in Islam is seen as important to maintaining the moral fabric of the society and to also stem the tide of drug abuse”, saying having fulfilled all legal requirements for marriage including medical tests and other religious obligations, there was no justification in the action of the state government using the police to stop their marriages.

glean: Leadership Newspaper

LEADERSHIP Journalist Loses Car To Robbers At APC Secretariat

A journalist with the LEADERSHIP Newspapers Group, Mr. Andrew Essien, on Wednesday night lost his car to robbers on at the national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC)  in Abuja with the robbers taking away his Honda Accord car (Academy) 1998 model.

The Army green-coloured car with registration number YAB 722 PG, Chassis number: 1HGCD5650VA03436 and Engine Number:  22B14416805 was stolen around 6:30pm on the fateful day shortly after Mr Essien had closed from reporting the activities of the party which he covers as a beat.

Earlier in the day, a mild drama had ensued at the National Secretariat of ruling APC on Wednesday when youth who claimed they came from Bauchi State stormed the premises in protest for and against the Bauchi State Governor.

The robbers may have used that chaos to capitalize on the vulnerability of the area to see-through their evil intentions leading to the car theft. Encased in the car were his ATMs and other valuables.

Photo: From herdsmen attack in Enugu community

Suspected Fulani herdsmen this morning attacked Atakwu community, in Nkanu West LGA, Enugu state, killing a seminarian of the Catholic Church, a mother and daughter, pregnant woman amongst others. Tochi Precious, an eyewitness at the hospital some of the victims of the attack were brought in, shared a graphic photo and wrote, *viewer discretion advised*

"Fulani is at it again! What a wicked world. I saw it with my two eyes this early morning around 4.am at Emergency Unit ESUT Teaching Hospital Parklane Enugu where two of the victims were rushed to and others were taken to Mother Of Christ Hospital Enugu.

They were attacked in their village by fulanis in d middle of the night at Amagu Attakwu Akegbe Nkanu Local Government Enugu. A seminarian who is among the victims ,just came back from Break yesterday evening only to meet his death in the middle of the night. He was butchered like cow meat and he died immediately.

This lady here and her mother are in the same condition with their intestines out. A pregnant woman was also badly injured on her head and some others who are lying hopelessly in the hospital. What a bad day. Enugu State Government pls where are u ooo.."

Images: Woman survives after bus ploughs into herd of cattle

Evelyn Ify Nwobi survived after the vehicle she was traveling in ploughed into a herd of cattle, killing 7. Fortunately she sustained minor injuries. What she posted on Facebook after the cut...

 "Pls my brethren help me to thank God for His infinite mercy upon my life for saving me from d hands of death Tru accident today,though injuries sustained but grateful to God for the gift of life. 2 herdsmen nd their cows from nowhere entered the middle of d road,our bus on speed bt Nt on high speed now end up hitting nd killing 7 cows Bt none of us died...just minor injuries..if not for God,whr would I have been ND wht would I have become??