Home Blog Page 1943

#Lekki Shootings: Group threatens Amnesty International, gives organisation seven-day notice to leave Nigeria

Seun DUROJAIYE
-
0
#Lekki Shootings: Group threatens Amnesty International, gives organisation seven-day notice to leave Nigeria

THE Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights (CALSER), a non-governmental organisation has given Amnesty International, a global rights group, a seven-day ultimatum to leave Nigeria.

CALSER, led by a woman who identified herself as Princess Ajibola, proclaims itself as a body ‘devoted to the restoration of human dignity, honour and safety on earth.”

The group threatened to visit Amnesty International and its staff with weighty consequences if the organisation fails to heed its warning.

“For Nigeria to rebuild, Amnesty must be out of the way and out of the way for good. Failure to leave Nigeria will attract civil disobedience at its offices based in Abuja and in Lagos on a scale that would make the campaign of looting and arson it facilitated appear like child’s play.

“Amnesty International’s offices and those of all its affiliated organisations and known supporters in Nigeria will be set upon the same way that its agents destroyed critical assets of the country.

“Its staffers will be treated the same way that innocent policemen and our children lynched by mobs were treated. The countdown for the seven-day ultimatum begins now,” Ajibola said at an impassioned press briefing in Abuja.

The group’s threat is coming on the heels of Amnesty International releasing a new investigative timeline, in which it details the events of October 20, when #EndSARS protesters were gunned down by men of the Nigerian Army at the Lekki toll gate plaza.

“The timeline – available here – collates photographs and video footage to confirm that Nigerian Army vehicles left Bonny Camp, a military base approximately a seven-minute drive from the toll gate, at 6.29 pm local time on 20 October.”

“Footage then tracks the vehicles to the toll gate. At approximately 6.45pm, the Nigerian military opened fire on the #EndSars protesters who were peacefully calling for an end to police brutality,” the group revealed.

Osai Ojigho, Country Director of Amnesty International said, “What happened at Lekki toll gate has all the traits of the Nigerian authorities’ pattern of a cover-up whenever their defence and security forces commit unlawful killings.”

Amnesty International has operated in Nigeria since June 1967, expanding its mission of fighting human rights violation and injustice in the country.

Governors express concern over disappearance of police from streets

Vincent Ufuoma
-
0
Governors express concern over disappearance of police from streets

AS the dust that trailed the #ENDSARS protest is gradually settling, some state governors in the country have expressed concerns over the continued absence of policemen on major streets in their various states.

Last week, Rotimi Akeredolu, the governor of Ondo State, in a statement signed by Donald Ojogo, his Commissioner of Information, raised an alarm over the absence of police officers on the streets of the state.

He pleaded with the police command in the state on the need to return to the streets for the security of all citizens.

“The general observation across the state shows a very low level of policing which is risky to society”, he said. “Of note, policing is key and can only thrive on a note of mutual trust and respect. We can all, only strive for a better society and brace up to take maximum advantage of lessons learnt from the unfortunate incidents of the last two weeks,” parts of the statement read.

“Saddening as the events appear, there is no doubt that a fresh orientation, perception of self-appraisal as well as an encouraging mood of sober reflection pervades the nation.”

His counterpart, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, on Wednesday, appealed to officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force in the state to return to their duty posts.

Ugwuanyi made the appeal when he visited the command to commiserate with the force over the loss of lives, injuries sustained and destruction of property during the #EndSARS protests hijacked by hoodlums.

A statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant, Louis Amoke, said the governor described the mayhem unleashed by miscreants and hoodlums as “an unusual and challenging period for the Police Force”.

“The self-evident low morale of the Police Force occasioned by the fallout of the #EndSARS protests have, in our judgment, increased the likelihood of crime in the state.

“I, therefore, passionately implore you to fully renew your commitment to the provision of security of lives and property in the state, as was the case before the protests.

“The good people of Enugu State had, before now, enjoyed your excellent policing service and wish that you come fully on stream and return to all the security posts in the state,” he said.

He added, “In our sensitivity to the mood and pains of the society under our watch, the state government has set up an Administrative Panel of Inquiry to determine the loss of lives and other damages.

“We have also taken time to inspect the various degrees and nature of damage arising from the hijacked protests.”

Ugwuanyi added that his administration earnestly awaited the recommendations of the panel, reiterating its commitment to implementing the same with a view to soothing the pains of security personnel and civilians who were victims of the mayhem.

The police authority in a statement on Friday rejecting reports by Amnesty International, that police officers shot at #EndSARS protesters, disclosed that 22 police personnel were extra-judicially killed during the protest while 205 police stations and formations including other critical private and public infrastructure were also damaged by hoodlums.

The developments were said to have weakened the morale of some men of the force who said they would not resume until the government addressed the killing of their colleagues during the protests.

Mohammed Adamu, Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police, is currently on a tour to the nations police commands to boost the morale of his men and to assess the level of damages caused to police facilities across the country.

Kidnapped Zamfara judges secure freedom after paying N2 million ransom

Amos ABBA
-
0
Kidnapped Zamfara judges secure freedom after paying N2 million ransom

TWO Zamfara State Sharia court judges who were kidnapped by bandits about two months ago have been released after paying N1 million ransom each.

The judges, Sabiu Abdullahi and Shafi’i Jangebe were abducted on their way back to Zamfara after a trip to the Niger Republic, though, it is unclear where exactly the judges were abducted by the bandits.

Initially, the abductors had asked the relatives of the judges to pay N10 million each, but the money was not available.

When the bandits realized that, the judges could not produce the amount after several days in captivity, they finally called their relations and asked them to bring whatever they could afford.

According to a report, a brother to one of the released judges, Hassan Samaru, said the bandits negotiated with him.

“When the bandits realized that we could not meet their demand for N20 million, they finally called us and told us to bring whatever we have.

“We paid two million for the two judges and they were released,” he said.

Speaking to The ICIR, Mohammed Shehu, Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, in Zamfara State did not reveal where the judges were kidnapped when asked why there was no police intervention to secure their release.

“The judges were not kidnapped under the jurisdiction of the police in Zamfara state but what I can tell you is that they have been released,” he said.

Zamfara has faced problems with armed bandits stealing cattle, kidnapping for ransom and attacking communities, which has prompted some residents to form vigilante gangs.

According to a report from the West Africa Network of Peacebuilding, WANEP, from January to December 2019, armed bandits were responsible for more than 1,000 civilian deaths in the Northwest.

The report says this number is greater than civilians killed by Boko Haram over the same period but less than the total number of casualties which includes soldiers and Boko Haram members.

ICC Prosecutor meets with Nigerian journalists

Olayinka SHEHU
-
0
ICC Prosecutor meets with Nigerian journalists

FATOU Bensouda, prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Tuesday met with a select group of Nigerian journalists on issues related to the global’s court relevance to the country.

Bensouda whose tenure ends in 2021, is the first woman to assume the position.

The meeting with the elite Nigerian journalists is geared towards having an open dialogue with the participants to discuss the current challenges and successes of the Court, address misperceptions, and answer journalists’ questions from a continent where the Court is currently active in many countries

The prosecutors also used the opportunity to explain the work of her office especially in line with human rights situation in various countries.

Recall that the ICC prosecutor two days after Nigerian soldiers shooting of peaceful #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Tollgate protest ground had disclosed that her office has received reports of crimes committed during the #EndSars protests and the Court is keeping a close watch on the developments.

“My office has been closely following the events around the current protests in Nigeria and the reaction of Nigeria’s law enforcement and security agencies,” the ICC tweeted.

Bensouda also acknowledged the reported reactions of the Nigerian security operatives during the peaceful demonstration.

“Any loss of life and injury is concerning. We have received information alleging crimes and are keeping a close eye on developments, in case violence escalates and any indications arise that Rome Statute crimes may have been committed.”

She, however, called for restraint from government authorities against the peaceful demonstrators.

Again, FG meeting with ASUU ends in deadlock

Vincent Ufuoma
-
0
Again, FG meeting with ASUU ends in deadlock

THE ongoing effort by the federal government to resolve the strike by the  Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has again ended in a deadlock.

ASUU had in March this year embarked on an industrial action to demand the implementation of agreements and resolutions reached in 2009 and subsequent memoranda of understanding signed in 2013 and 2017.

The union opposed the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) in the payment of its members’ salaries and presented its University Transparency Account System (UTAS) to the government as an alternative.

Though the government has agreed to adopt its UTAS after subjecting it to an integrity test, it however said it does not have the N110 billion revitalisation fund being demanded by ASUU.

Chris Ngige, Nigeria’s minister of labour and employment, revealed this on Wednesday shortly after another round of meeting with the striking lecturers. He said the government could only offer ASUU N20 billion due to the dire economic situation in the country.

“There are three issues and these include the revitalisation fund where the government offered ASUU N20 billion, on good faith based on the memorandum of understanding (MoU) entered into in 2013 as a result of the renegotiation with the then government in 2009. This present government is still committed to it, while we are giving them offers of some fund,” Ngige said.

“This government is not against revitalisation but this government says that because of the dire economic situation due to COV1D-19, we cannot really pay in the N110 billion which they are demanding for revitalisation.

“We offered N20 billion as revitalisation fund. On earned academic allowances (EAA), the government offered N30 billion to all the unions in the universities, making it N50 billion altogether.

“ASUU is saying that the N30 billion should be for lecturers alone, irrespective of the fact that there are three other unions. So there is a little problem there. We do not have any money to offer apart from this N30 billion.

“As you know last week, the minister of communication and digital economy has approved that NITDA gets ASUU system (UTAS) and subject it to integrity test. This test should be conducted without fear or favour and as early as possible. So today, they have submitted the document for onward transmission to NITDA.”

While stating that lack of platform was the reason why the government has not paid the striking lecturers, he said the government side will meet on Friday to review the demands of ASUU and would subsequently communicate to the union if there is a need for another meeting.

Students have stayed at home for more than 200 days since the strike began on Monday, March 23.

Corruption constrains health services in Nigeria as COVID-19 frauds are uncovered

Editorial
-
0
Corruption constrains health services in Nigeria as COVID-19 frauds are uncovered

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has been asked to follow through his anti-corruption war with monitoring, investigating and taking punitive actions against public office holders accused of corruption.

The call is coming on the heels of an investigation by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), that indicted MDAs of making inflated payments on Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) and award of COVID-19 contracts without evidence of procurement plans.

ICIR’s reporter, Amos Abba led the call during a radio program, PUBLIC CONSCIENCE produced by the Progressive Impact Organization for Community Development, PRIMORG.

Abba who carried out the investigation accused public servants and MDAs of cashing in on the misfortune brought on the people by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He, however, disclosed that the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, (NPHCDA) inflated prices of infrared thermometers by more than 200 percent.

Expressing his displeasure at NPHCDA’s overblowing of COVID-19 procurements prices, he added that contracts were awarded to contractors who are not even registered at Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC.

“NPHCDA offered lucrative contracts without a fully competitive bidding process to four companies at the tune of N226,167,500 to supply 2,615 infrared thermometers.

“The contracts were worth four times more when compared to retail prices on online retail shops like Jumia and Amazon.

“The contract quoted by the four companies involved showed that the price for a single unit was between eighty to eighty-four thousand naira while in the market you can get it for twenty thousand naira and that is a huge difference,” Abba said.

He bemoaned the continued silence of anti-graft agencies after unearthing corruption in the system while stressing the need for the Federal Government to lead the way in bringing corrupt public officials to account.

On tacking systemic corruption in Nigeria, he had this advice for President Buhari: “Match words with actions and hold people responsible for crimes committed.

“It is not enough to hold press conferences, not enough to say you are fighting corruption. Be deliberate and definite about it and be serious.

“Words without actions will just be a jamboree. That keeps coming every year and we hear the same rhetoric but words are not matched with action,” Abba said.

Similarly, the Convener of Stay Away Corruption Campaign (SACC), Raji Adiba, who also featured on the program asked President Buhari-led administration to invest their energy in monitoring corruption in the public sector and called for more transparency in governance.

According to Adiba, corruption in the health sector at the heat of the pandemic was unacceptable and catastrophic to the wellbeing of the Nigerians, while stressing that bringing corrupt Nigerians to book will send the right signal to others.

A participant on the show identified as Dale towed a similar line. Dale who phoned in during the show expressed frustration that the public officers could endanger the lives of health workers and patients. “The most painful thing is that the perpetrators of this heinous crime will go unpunished,” he lamented.

The syndicated radio program is produced by PRIMORG with support from the MACARTHUR FOUNDATION.

International Criminal Court may open investigation into #EndSARS protest

Vincent Ufuoma
-
0
International Criminal Court may open investigation into #EndSARS protest

THE International Criminal Court (ICC) has indicated interest to open an investigation into the recent #EndSARS protests against police brutality in Nigeria.

According to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), the ICC said it had received information on alleged crimes during the protests, which were organised under the #EndSARS campaign.

The investigation will “assess whether the legal criteria for opening an investigation under the Rome Statute are met.”

In October, thousands of peaceful protesters gathered across major cities in the country to protest against harassment, extortion and extrajudicial killings by police.

The protest which was later hijacked by hoodlums who looted and damaged public and private properties became bloody in Lagos when soldiers fired live ammunition on #EndSARS protesters at Lekki Toll Gate, Lagos, on October 20.

An eye-witnessed report said that about 15 people were killed during the incident and the soldiers took their corpse away.

The Nigerian Army who had earlier denied its personnel were involved in the shootings later said its men were called upon by the Lagos government to enforce a curfew that was earlier imposed by Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos state governor.

Accusing the military of plotting to cover up the killings, Amnesty International said it has proof that the shooting and killing of unarmed protesters were done by state security forces.

However, both the military and police authorities have rejected Amnesty’s report, saying the claim was not true.

The Lagos State Government has set up a panel of enquiry to take complaints from victims of police brutality and also investigate the shooting of protesters at Lekki toll plaza. ICC, however, said it is concerned after following events from the nationwide demonstrations closely.

Fatou Bensouda, Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) had earlier acknowledge the reports of crimes committed during the #EndSars protests, saying the Court is keeping a close watch on the developments.

“My office has been closely following the events around the current protests in Nigeria and the reaction of Nigeria’s law enforcement and security agencies,” she tweeted in October.

Two Nigerian-Americans clinch legislative seats in US elections

Amos ABBA
-
0
Two Nigerian-Americans clinch legislative seats in US elections

OYE Owolewa became the first Nigerian elected as a shadow United States Representative out of the District of Columbia, following the announcement of election results on Wednesday.

This was disclosed on the Twitter handle of ABC 7 News, a US-based news agency after counting of votes in the district of Columbia was concluded.

“Democrat Oye Owolewa will be elected as a shadow US Representative out of the District of Columbia,” the tweet read.

Oye polled 82.65 percent of the votes, which accounts for 135,234 votes against Joyce Robinson-Paul, who had 15,541 votes, and Sohaer Syed with 12,846 votes.

The voters of the District of Columbia elect one shadow representative who is recognized as equivalent to US representatives by the District of Columbia, but the US government does not recognise the individual as an actual member of the house of representatives.

A Ph.D. holder from the Northeastern University, Boston, Owolewa is the first Nigerian-American to be elected to the US congress.

Another Nigerian-American Esther Agbaje won a house of Representatives seat in Minnesota, representing District 59B in the 134 member house on the democratic farmer Labor Party, an affiliate of the Democratic Party.

Esther Agbaje, first Nigerian elected into the Minnesota House of Representatives.                        Credit: estheragbaje.com

She becomes Minnesota’s first Nigerian-American legislator after winning the seat formerly held by long-time state Representative Raymond Dehn.

Agbaje won by a landslide, scoring a total of 17,396 votes, which represents 74.7 percent of the total ballots cast.

Her closest rival, Alan Shilepsky, a nominee for the Republican Party, scored 4,126 votes, which represents 17.7 percent of the total votes cast.

She will represent district 59B in the 134 member house on the platform of the Democratic farmer-labor Party, an affiliate of the Democratic Party.

Agbaje was born in St. Paul, the state capital of Minnesota, to Nigerian immigrant parents and attended George Washington University, DC, with a first degree in political science.

She also holds a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Pennsylvania, and a law degree from Harvard University.

We are losing N19.3million monthly to 362 ghost workers, says Ekiti govt

Lukman ABOLADE
-
0
We are losing N19.3million monthly to 362 ghost workers, says Ekiti govt

THE Ekiti State government has said that it is losing N19.3 million monthly to 362 ghost workers who are civil servants across 16 local governments of the state.

Adio Folayan, the Co-Chairman of a verification Committee and Commissioner for Local Government Affairs disclosed this on Tuesday in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital.

According to Adio, the amount represents salaries and emoluments drawn monthly by the 362 ghost workers discovered in a just-concluded verification exercise.

However, after a breakdown of the N19.3 million the government is allegedly losing to the 362 ghost workers, it shows an unlikely salary and emolument payment of N533, 000 every month. It is inconceivable that a local government in Nigeria pays that much as monthly wages

The state government had earlier in the year set up an 11-member committee and seven-member subcommittee to investigate the issue of ghost workers in a bid to block financial loopholes in the Local Government System

Adio said it was discovered that the 362 absent workers are on the payroll of the local government service after ‘thorough screening and verification’.

He added that the committee recommended that all illegal salaries earned by the affected workers should be deducted from their pension and gratuity and subsequently prosecuted for fraud with their accomplices.

The Commissioner also directed the councils’ Heads of Department to enforce discipline while the practice of giving schedules of duties to their officers should be adopted so that errant officers would be punished for any infraction.

Speaking on the findings and recommendations of the Committee, Kayode Fayemi, the Governor of Ekiti state said the money recovered into the state coffer from the ghost workers would be used to attend to other government obligations to workers in the State.

“This is a matter we need to look into, you can’t sit in Lagos and be earning salaries in Ekiti for work you have not done. But it is our duty to stop that from happening, it is not the duty of the person that is cheating the system.

“The resources available to us is limited, we all know this, some pretend not to know but anyone that has a limited knowledge of government finances will know that already we spent a bulk of what comes to this state on emolument and we have many people who are not public servants or political appointees, yet they too expect that government will touch their lives,” Fayemi said.

He added that the only way to touch the lives of residents who are neither civil servants nor public officials is to provide them with basic amenities.

“The only way we can touch their lives is to fix the road in their community, improve on their schools and their health facilities and that would provide empowerment for them in their community if we can’t find money to do that,” Fayemi added.

 

Wike redeems N200m pledge to families of security operatives killed by IPOB

Vincent Ufuoma
-
0
Wike redeems N200m pledge to families of security operatives killed by IPOB

NYESOM Wike, governor of Rivers State, has redeemed his pledge of N20 Million to each family of the ten security personnel killed by members of proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), in Oyigbo local government area.

Wike had on Wednesday last week during a condolence visit to  Joseph Mukan, the Rivers State commissioner of police, announced the donation of 20 million naira to each family of the four policemen and six soldiers killed by IPOB members in Oyigbo.

Joseph Mukan and Tammy Wennike Danagogo.

According to Kelvin Ebiri, special assistant on media to the governor, cheques were presented to the bereaved widows at the state police command and 6 Division, Nigerian Army, in Port Harcourt, respectively on Tuesday.

Speaking on behalf the governor Tammy Wennike Danagogo, Secretary to the State Government, reiterated that the gesture is in fulfilment of his earlier promise to alleviate the plight of the widows and their children.

Danagogo, while describing the murder of the security personnel by IPOB members as unacceptable and should be condemned by every right-thinking Nigerian, said the state government will not tolerate any terrorist group like IPOB in the state or allow them to kill any innocent citizen, particularly policemen and soldiers who are defending and protecting citizens of the state.

“As a Governor who matches his words with action, he has sent us to come and redeem that promise and to present the cheques of 20 million each to the widows of the four police officers killed by IPOB.”

Governor Wike assured the state commissioner of police that the state will always stand with the police to fight crime.

In his response,  Mr.  Mukan, on behalf of the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu thanked Governor Wike for fulfilling his promise.

He said the police have recovered some arms and arrested some persons who have made confessional statements. According to him, 22 persons have been charged to court.

Similarly, at the 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, the governor commiserated with the Nigerian Army, the widows and families of the 6 soldiers killed by IPOB.

He said Rivers State government will ensure that the criminal elements who killed the soldiers and cart away their arms and ammunition are arrested and prosecuted.

“The governor made a pronouncement that he will give a token sum of 20 Million to each of the widows of the slain soldiers. So, we are here to fulfil that promise to give cheques to the widows so that they can be able to survive in the absence of their breadwinners” he said

Orlu Irefin, the General Officer Commanding 6 Division, Nigerian Army, in his remarks, expressed the gratitude on behalf of the chief of army staff, Tukur Yusuf Buratai and the entire Nigerian Army to the Rivers State governor for the kind gesture to the widows of the slain soldiers.

He dispelled the rumour on social media on the activities of the Army in Oyigbo, emphasizing that action of the army in the area is within the ambit of the law and rules of engagement

Danagogo was accompanied by Pastor Paulinus Nsirim, the state commissioner for information and communications, and Inime Aguma, commissioner for social welfare.

1...1,9421,9431,944...3,440Page 1,943 of 3,440