THE Edo State Police Command says it has rescued six of the passengers abducted during the attack on Tom Ikimi Train Station in the Igueben Local Government Area of the state.
Scores of passengers waiting to board a train to Warri, Delta State, were abducted in the January 7 attack. An unspecified number of the travellers were also injured in the incident.
Police Public Relations Officer, Chidi Nwabuzor, in a telephone chat with The ICIR on Monday, January 9, said the Command has rescued six of the victims. He added that the Command is on the trail of the kidnappers.
“The Police is on top of the matter. We have rescued six of the victims and investigation is ongoing. Yes, they were rescued by the Police ,” he said.
The ICIRreportedthat many passengers were abducted and others sustained bullet wounds in the attack, said to have been carried out by suspected herdsmen.
In an earlier statement released on the attack, Edo State Police spokesman Nwabuzor said the abductors, armed with AK 47, invaded the train station and shot sporadically into the air before abducting scores of intending travellers.
He also said security operatives were on the trail of the abductors.
Among those kidnapped were the train station manager, Godwin Okpe, the Head of Security, Ikhayere, an Igueben community resident, Victor Osarobho and the station ticket clerk, identified as Akhere.
Addressing a press conference on Sunday afternoon, Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Osa Nehikhare, described the incident as the most trying period for the state government.
The incident occurred almost one year after an Abuja-Kaduna train wasattacked on March 28, 2022, resulting in the death of about 14 passengers. About 63 passengers were abducted and later released after several months.
THE East-West Center is inviting registrations for its webinar on the topic, “China: The Next Phase of the Global COVID Pandemic”, scheduled for January 12.
The webinar is part of the Center’s China Seminar series.
In the virtual seminar, Dr. Tim Brown, senior fellow in the Research Program at the East-West Center, will review the current approach to COVID being taken in China and explore how it differs from the approaches taken in other countries.
THE management of African Independent Television (AIT) has announced the release of the founder of the company Raymond Dokpesi, after he was detained at Heathrow Airport in London on Sunday.
According to the privately owned television broadcaster, Dokpesi arrived London via Frankfurt from Abuja on a Lufthansa Airlines flight and was invited off the plane, before other passengers disembarked.
He was delayed at the airport for some hours before his passport was stamped and he was cleared by British Immigration officials for entry into the country.
“Chief Dokpesi wishes to thank all for their outpour of love, prayers and support following the news of the incident and to reassure that he is hale and hearty,” the media organisation stated.
The media founder is the Deputy Director-General, Technical and Systems of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council.
His visit to the United Kingdom is not unconnected to the invitation of the PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar by Chatham House, London’s Royal Institute of International Affairs, to share perspectives on issues around the 2023 presidential elections.
THE Abuja Electricity Distribution Plc (AEDC) on Sunday, January 8, expressed concerns over the frequent attacks on its electrical assets and installations across its franchise area.
The Chief Marketing Officer of the company, Donald Etim, who disclosed this in a statement, pointed out that such attacks had impeded the efforts to deliver stable and reliable power supply to its customers.
Etim explained that the attacks on its facilities were further dragging down its ability to deliver on some key projects that it commenced last year, geared towards improving power supply in its franchise areas.
According to the statement, some elements of these various projects involved the procurement and installation of various electrical equipment worth millions of naira.
“Unfortunately, many of these installations are currently being vandalized across the network, causing very painful power supply disruptions, untold hardship and losses to its customers, and huge financial and reputation losses to the company.
“The surge in cases of vandalism within our franchise area has become quite worrisome, especially so because these vandals lately, increasingly utilize unfathomable methods to perpetrate their criminal acts,” the statement said.
The AEDC regretted that 185 meters of XLPE underground cable were carted away at the Central Business Area, Abuja FCT, valued at over N5 million at just one location out of several others that had been similarly affected across our franchise.
A multiplier effect of these damages, the company stated, ran into billions of naira.
Etim noted that the company would not relent on its efforts to ensure it provides adequate uninterrupted power supply, adding that “the company has continued investments in network upgrades, refurbishment of faulty transformers and procurement of new transformers, as well as the construction of new feeders and lines to relieve existing ones.”
Commenting on metering, he noted that the company had gone mobile with its metering drive by physically taking meters to customer cluster locations and getting them metered within 24 hours.
He said, “There are, at least, 27 such locations currently operational within our franchise today, excluding our formal offices. We have launched multiple payment channels, including USSD short codes, that allow our customers vend power at zero commission.
“We have also launched a verify-staff platform that enables customers, for their safety, to quickly verify AEDC visitors to their premises by simply inputting the said staff’s ID card number into a link connected directly to our website. Detailed information on how these innovations work can be found on our AEDC website.”
Etim also informed that the company had strengthened its collaboration with security agencies such as the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), community leaders, and had even recently set up a civilian JTF component.
“These collaborations have resulted in increased security patrol exercises, aggressive community sensitization, several arrests and successful prosecutions.
“The company is also working towards deploying a remote monitoring system for locations with high incidences of vandalism,” he disclosed.
THE federal government has condemned the abduction of train passengers at a train station in Igueben, Edo State.
The Director of Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Transportation Henshaw Ogubuike described, in a statement on Sunday, the incident as despicable.
Ogubuike reassured members of the public that efforts were being made to secure the release of the abducted passengers.
”The Nigeria Police is on the trail of the criminals and have mobilised with a view to protecting the lives and property of the remaining passengers.
”The government is saddened by this unpleasant development and assures on its prompt response to the ugly situation. Further details will be communicated later,” he noted.
Gunmen attacked the train station on Saturday January 7 and abducted many intending travellers to Warri, Delta state.
A statement released by the Edo state police command disclosed that the abductors, armed with AK-47 guns had invaded the train station, shooting into the air before fleeing with their captives.
Some of the passengers sustained bullet wounds during the attack.
The Nigeria Railway Corporation has (NRC) shut down operations at the station indefinitely.
In March 2022, gunmen had also attacked a train along the Abuja-Kaduna railway, killing about 14 passengers and abducting over 60 others.
The abductees had been released in batches, with the last set regaining freedom seven months after.
WITH few months to the end of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, the first Nigerian female professor of mass communication, Stella Okunna, has said the President would have performed better if his spokespersons had the “courage” to tell him the “truth”.
Okunna was assessing the job done so far by Buhari’s spokespersons, Garba Shehu and Femi Adesina, as well as the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed.
Speaking in an interview with the Punch, she said the spokespersons failed to give the president the needed criticism and guidance to make him “do better”.
She said, “It is a case of the good, the bad and the ugly. I think there is too much propaganda.
“That is the problem with people who speak for the government in Nigeria; too much praise-singing and too little constructive criticism of the leaders. Our duties as journalists are to be watchdogs; even as spokespersons, they are doing the work of a journalist for their principals.”
Okunna, who served as Anambra Commissioner for Information when Peter Obi was governor of the state, said the Buhari administration did not meet the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians who voted him in on the mantra of change in 2015.
“They were saying former president Goodluck Jonathan was weak and incompetent. Did they perform? Isn’t insecurity now worse than when Jonathan was there? Has education not collapsed at all levels? Has the Human Development Index, all the indices therein, not worsened? Has unemployment not escalated? Look at fuel (in terms of subsidy payment and scarcity), look at poverty. We are now the poverty capital of the world,” she said.
Speaking of her stint in politics under Obi, who is now the presidential candidate of the Labour Party for the February election, Okunna said she was guided by the ethics of mass communication which she taught in the university.
“I didn’t know Mr Peter Obi from Adam. The first time I met him was at the swearing-in for commissioners. I was terrified because I knew that as a professor of communication, he could make me information commissioner. I also knew that if he did not do well, I would become a propagandist or a liar, if I didn’t leave.
“I remember I walked up to Peter Obi and I told him, ‘I don’t know who you are, I don’t know whether you will do well. If you don’t do well, my teaching subject in the university is in the ethics of mass communications, I will not lie to you,’ ” she said.
THE Plateau police command has foiled an attempt by gunmen to kidnap the Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly Yakubu Sanda on Friday, January 6.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Alfred Alabo, made this known in a statement on Sunday, January 8, in Jos.
The incident occurred at the Speaker’s residence in Federal low-cost, Jos South Local Government Area of the state, on Friday night, according to the PPRO.
Alabo added that it took the bravery of the security men on guard at the Speaker’s residence and the timely intervention of other policemen from the Rantya Division to foil the attempt.
Part of the statement read, “On Friday, at about 11:20 p.m. while the Speaker arrived at his residence at Federal Low-cost in Jos-south, three unidentified gunmen operating in an ash-coloured CRV Jeep, trailed him to his residence and attempted to enter his house to kidnap him.
”But their mission was made impossible by the intrepid police officers on guard duty, and the timely response of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Rantya Division, SP Ayuba Iliya and his men, who joined forces with the men on guard duty and repelled the evil act.
”However, the command is making a concerted effort to track down the fleeing suspects and get them arrested.”
The PPRO stressed that the Commissioner of Police in the state Bartholomew Onyeka appreciated members of the public for volunteering timely information on security breaches in their various communities to the police for prompt action.
Onyeka further urged the residents to continue their lawful businesses, assuring that the police would continue to ensure their safety.
THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted drug consignments stacked in a wooden statue and an imported vehicle.
In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, January 8, the agency said it had thwarted attempts by elements of some organised criminal groups to use various disingenuous modes of concealment to import consignments of illicit substances into Nigeria.
The NDLEA said the consignments, which were on their way to the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates, were stopped at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja and the Tincan seaport, both in Lagos.
Ogunsina Damilare Photo credit: NDLEA
“No less than 37.5 kilograms of such illicit consignments were intercepted in the past week, with the arrest of 11 suspects in interdiction operations that led to the seizure of almost four tons of skunk in Kaduna, Kano and Lagos states.
“At the Lagos airport, a freight agent Ogunsina Damilare was arrested on Friday January 6 following a bid to export 1.5 kilograms of skunk hidden in foodstuffs to Dubai, UAE, through the SAHCO export shed of the MMIA, while a similar attempt to ship 11.5kg of the same substance to the United Kingdom was frustrated when the consignment concealed in a giant wooden sculpture was intercepted by NDLEA operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations (DOGI) at a courier company in Lagos,” the agency stated.
Also at the Tincan port in Lagos, the anti-drug agency said a shipment of 24.5kg cannabis indica to Nigeria from Montreal, Canada, was intercepted by operatives, while an N8 million bribe offered NDLEA officers by the importer has been secured in an account for the prosecution of the case.
It added that the importer, Cedrick Maduweke, is still at large, but one of his accomplices, Steve Isioma Adigwe, has been arrested.
Steve Isioma Adigwe Photo credit: NDLEA
“The consignment was hidden in a used Toyota Sienna vehicle that arrived at the port along with three other cars in a container marked MSMU 5082733,” the statement added.
According to the NDLEA, a total of 3,672 kilograms of cannabis sativa was also recovered from two locations, and five suspects were arrested in Kaduna during separate raid operations.
THE Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to reverse the increase in electricity tariff, which took effect in December 2022.
In a letter dated January 7, 2023, Deputy Director, SERAP, Kolawole Oluwadare, noted that the increase in tariff was unlawful and would worsen financial challenges for Nigerians.
Oluwadare stated, “The increase in electricity tariff would exacerbate the extreme poverty across the country, and undermine the ability of millions of Nigerians to satisfy basic human needs.
“The increase in electricity tariff failed to follow due process. It is entirely inconsistent and incompatible with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 [as amended], the Electric Power Sector Reform Act and the country’s international human rights obligations.”
Describing the increase as unjust and unreasonable, the organisation pointed out that millions of Nigerians still live without electricity, despite continuous investment in the power sector.
SERAP, therefore, urged the president to direct the Minister of Power Goddy Jedy-Agba, and Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) James Monoh to reverse the tariff increase and investigate the spending of funds invested by the government into the sector.
The organisation also threatened a legal action within seven days if recommendations in the letter were not considered by the president, adding that access to affordable electricity was paramount to improving the economic challenges plaguing the country.
“The increase is unjustified, especially given the unreliable, inefficient and poor quality of electricity in the country. Rather than providing electricity discounts to poor Nigerians, successive governments continue to give bailouts to electricity companies.
“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal action to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest,” SERAP stated.
Although the NERC and the electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) in Nigeria are yet to release official information regarding the tariff increase, residents across Nigeria have noticed a rise in electricity rates in December.
The Head of Corporate Communications, Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) Emeka Ezeh said the organisation had effected a 13 per cent review on tariffs, following an approval by the NERC.
THE impact of information disorder has begun to play out in the build-up to Nigeria’s general election, holding in February and March this year.
The social media is filled with several forms of information disorder emanating from politicians and their supporters, with many simply aimed at misleading the electorate.
Information disorder is a threat to Journalism and by extension, Nigeria’s fragile democracy. A recent report by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) warns that information disorder, if not tamed, could mar the coming election.
In recent times, The FactCheckHub has fact-checked several claims from Nigerian politicians; mostly presidential candidates and their supporters online.
In this explainer, we highlight a few steps you can take to protect yourself and your community against false and misleading information ahead of the election.
Understand election guidelines
When it comes to elections, knowing basic facts about the voting guidelines can be the best way to avoid falling victim to misinformation and disinformation.
The regulations and guidelines cover elections and arrangements for their conduct, accreditation and voting procedures at elections, and collation of election results and making returns.
As an eligible voter, you must read these pieces of information and understand the election procedures.
Verify before you share
The need for verification of information has become more paramount than ever due to the forthcoming elections which have been overwhelmed by false information from politicians and their supporters.
The FactCheckHub had earlier put together basic steps you can follow to spot fake news online. This ranges from checking the credibility of the source and originality of the domain plus seeking confirmation from fact-checking platforms to verify the authenticity of the information.
Source news from credible platforms
There is always an increase in misinformation and disinformation sources during election season as many fake news platforms camouflage as information-sharing platforms to lure the electorate and feed them with false information to promote an agenda.
This is the reason why it’s important to ensure that the information you are consuming is either from the official websites or verified social media platforms of the INEC or credible media organisations with a track record of accurate reporting.
Understand basic verification tools
During election season, fake news purveyors manipulate images and videos or take them out of context to portray their opposition candidates in a bad light.
For instance, visuals showing some packaged rice have surfaced online with a claim that it shows bags of rice branded with the People Democratic Party’s (PDP) logo and image of Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate for this year’s general election in Nigeria.
When TheFactCheckHub checked the claim, findings revealed that the image seen on the branded bags of rice is that of Hilary Obioma Igbebulem, the principal secretary to the Delta State governor who reportedly sponsored or bought the items and not Peter Obi as claimed in the viral social media posts.
This is one of several instances where visuals were weaponised to discredit some candidates.
In addition, when you are skeptical about the images and videos shared with you or seen online, you can use a few basic tools to verify them. Using tools like Google Reverse Image Search to check the source or earlier versions of the image. If it has been uploaded online before, it would enable you to know its actual context.
InVid fake news debunker can also help you to break videos into frames and subject it to reverse image searches to understand the original context of it.
This explainer by The FactCheckHub guides you on how to fact-check images online and this guides you on how to identify fake visuals online. While this explainer teaches you how to use Yandex for reverse image search.
Know the candidates
This seems like a digression but it is very imperative due to the fact that notorious fake news purveyors spread incredible information to discredit candidates.
As election day approaches, you are more likely to see online disinformation posts or messages aimed at influencing your vote.
Screenshot of a Google search of Nigeria’s presidential candidates in the 2023 election.
Furthermore, you may do thorough research on each candidate before deciding who to vote for by simply typing their names in the Google search box and clicking the search button. This may give you a better insight into their profiles and enable you to make informed decisions at the polls.
Beware of fake results
In previous Nigerian elections, our researchers had monitored the trend where several election results are shared on various social media platforms during the collation of results often surfaced; and some of them are often not accurate. Some popular social media influencers and notable personalities sometimes go as far as using their social media platforms to announce fake results, which usually gain traction online.
Always ensure that whatever platform you read the election results from are credible sources to avoid being misinformed. Also, don’t share any results you see online until their source is confirmed to be credible and the information contained therein is verified.
It is also important to analyse the political stance of the individual sharing the result by looking at their social media profile and previous posts to know the party they are affiliated with or supporting for context.
Beware of false safety threats
One of the tactics that are usually used to discourage people from going to cast their ballot on election day is fake news about violence which might raise voters’ concerns about their safety or lead to voter apathy.
Merchants of fake news often spread rumours about violence at polling units to instill fear in the minds of voters to create apathy or tension during election.
