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Gambia Joins African Queue To Leave ICC

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Gambia Joins African Queue To Leave ICC
President of The Gambia, Yahya
President of The Gambia, Yahya Jammeh

The Gambia says it will pull off the International Criminal Court, ICC, after accusing the tribunal of persecuting and humiliating Africans.

The small West African nation joins South Africa and Burundi in withdrawing from the court.

The ICC was set up to try the world’s worst crimes but has been accused of unfairly targeting African leaders.

Gambian Information Minister, Sheriff Bojang, said the court had ignored Western war crimes.

He said the ICC, for example, had failed to indict former British Prime Minister Tony Blair over the Iraq war.

Speaking on state television, Bojang said the ICC was “an International Caucasian Court for the persecution and humiliation of people of colour, especially Africans”.

The ICC’s chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, is a former Gambian justice minister.

President Yahya Jammeh has ruled The Gambia since taking power in a coup in 1994.

Elections are due in December, but opposition leader Ousainou Darboe and 18 others were jailed for three years earlier this year over an unauthorised protest.

The country has been unsuccessfully trying to have the European Union indicted by the court over the deaths of thousands of African migrants trying to reach the continent by boat.

South Africa said last week that it had formally begun the process of withdrawing from the ICC because it did not want to execute arrest warrants which would lead to “regime change”.

Last year, a South African court criticised the government for refusing to arrest Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted by the court.

Burundi has also said it will leave the court, while other Africa countries like Kenya and Namibia have said they might.

All but one of the ICC’s 10 investigations have been Africa-based.

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Lagos Is Africa’s Fifth Largest Economy

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Lagos Is Africa’s Fifth Largest Economy

 

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (middle), in a group photograph with the Executive Council of the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (middle), in a group photograph with the Executive Council of the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce

Governor Akinwumi Ambode has expressed delight at the emergence of Lagos state as the fifth largest economy in Africa.

The governor said his administration is in the process of setting up an Economic Management Team made up of distinguished individuals from the private sector and the public sector to manage and scale up the successes recorded in that direction.

Ambode was speaking when he received a delegation from the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce who were on a courtesy visit to the Lagos House, Ikeja.

“Very soon we would be setting up what we would refer to as an Economic Management Team to drive the fifth largest economy,” he said.

“That’s the way we need to envision ourself, and this Economic Management Team will involve nominees from the Chambers and other people in the private sector, so that we can collaborate because majorly this economy is driven by the private sector.

“Our duty is to create an enabling environment and fuse all that together, I think that synergy can just catapult Lagos into that global city state that we want it to be,” Ambode added.

The Governor noted that his decision to create the Office of Overseas Affairs and Investment, otherwise known as Lagos Global, was to encourage investment in Lagos both from within and outside, among many other initiatives of the present administration.

He said: “I think it is very instructive to clearly state that the economy of Lagos is in the hands of the private sector and beyond the fact that Lagos is now the fifth largest economy in Africa, the drive to take Nigeria out of recession actually resides in the private sector and willingness on the part of the public sector.

“Because our economy is in the hands of the private sector and we are willing to allow them drive it, that is why we have decided to formulate policies and decisions that will make the private sector to thrive in this State and that is why in the last 18 months, we have been running this administration on a tripod of security, job opportunities and infrastructure development.”

Leader of the delegation, Dapo Adelegan, congratulated Governor Ambode on the emergence of Lagos as the fifth largest economy in Africa, adding that with the development, it was now important to globalize the economy of Lagos.

He said the Chamber would be willing to partner with the Lagos State Government not only to globalize the economy of the State, but also in the area of policy formulation, among other critical sectors.

Adelegan also announced the decision of the Chamber to inaugurate Governor Ambode as one of the patrons of the Chamber.

Defence Chief Urges International Collaboration Against Terrorism

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Defence Chief Urges International Collaboration Against Terrorism
Chief of Defence Staff, Abayomi Olonisakin
Chief of Defence Staff, Gabriel Olonisakin

Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, Gabriel Olonisakin has called on world military leaders to unite and pull their resources in the fight against terrorism which he described as a common enemy that is threatening the very existence of humanity.

A statement issued by the acting Director of Defence Information, Rabe Abubakar, quoted the CDS as making the remarks during a meeting of the Committee of World Chiefs of Defence Staff in Washington DC recently.

According to the CDS, terrorism does not only hinder development of nations, but is fast threatening the corporate existence of the human race.

He cited an instance with the cruelty of the Boko Haram terrorists in Nigeria which kill, maim and destroy properties in unimaginable proportion.

Olonisakin condemned in very strong terms the activities of terrorists across the globe, adding that if things could get worse if nothing was done to check the situation, through the instrumentality of joint forces and information sharing, it may snowball into catastrophic dimension.

“Terrorism being an asymmetric warfare requires wider spectrum of cooperation with other nations, since insurgency and terrorism transverse beyond borders,” he said.

Why I’m Committed To Fightng Corruption – Magu

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EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu
EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu

Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, has said that the reason he is committed to the fight against corruption was because he views it as a crime against humanity.

Magu was speaking during a courtesy visit to the National Union of Textile and Garment Workers of Nigeria Head office in Kaduna.

He said: “Corruption affects everybody that is why everyone is a major stakeholder in the fight.

“That is why I have the passion, zeal and the courage to lead the fight against corruption.”

The EFCC boss said that before the coming into power of President Muhammadu Buhari, there appeared no hope for the country, but the President has shown “demonstrable political” will to deal with the menace of corruption.

He called on Nigerians, especially members of the organized labour, to support President Buhari and his Vice, Yemi Osinbajo in the quest to make Nigeria corruption-free.

General Secretary of the union, Issa Aremu, who is also a deputy National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, opined that the EFCC should be empowered to invite anyone living above their means to explain their source of wealth, and if their explanations were no satisfactory, they should be prosecuted.

“If found guilty the person should be made to forfeit entire proceeds from corruption,” Mr. Aremu said.

He also suggested that a special account be designated as Infrastructure Development Fund from recoveries from corruption proceeds.

Aremu commended the Buhari administration for its campaign against corruption, which he said was killing the culture of industry, enterprise and productivity in Nigeria.

“We call on Buhari to revisit the 2014 National Conference Report and implement some measures that would deepen the government’s war against corruption,” he said.

Troops Arrest Army Officers, Police  Suspected Of Aiding Boko Haram

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Troops Arrest Army Officers, Police  Suspected Of Aiding Boko Haram

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Nigerian troops have announced the arrest of nine suspects accused of aiding the Boko Haram terrorists in the Northeast.

This brings the number of suspects arrested in the last two days to 30 as army spokesman, Sani Usman, said 21 other suspects were arrested on Monday.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Usman said the suspects included two officers, two soldiers, two policemen and 26 civilians.

He disclosed that investigation carried out on the 21 suspected collaborators and saboteurs earlier arrested led to the nabbing of the nine.

“Many more suspects would be arrested and prosecuted based on evidences against them and level of culpability,’’ he said.

The army spokesman described the suspects as “unpatriotic elements’’ whose acts were “likely to jeopardise’’ the collective efforts of the Nigerian military to clear the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists.

He advised members of the public to report any known or suspected illegality with regards to Operation Lafiya Dole to security agencies.

 

Senate Okays Reintroduction Of Toll Gates

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Senate Okays Reintroduction Of Toll Gates

senate-okays-reintroduction-of-toll-gates

The Senate has passed a motion seeking to reintroduction of toll gates on all federal roads in the country.

Suleiman Nazif, a senator from Bauchi north, sponsored the motion, describing the state of federal roads in Nigeria as a “national shame and embarrassment”.

He said the reintroduction of toll‎ gates would go a long way in rehabilitating the country’s  dilapidated roads, adding that apart from generating revenue, “the presence of toll gates, which are normally managed by armed security agents, provides a level of safety for road users.”

‎Nazif called on the Senate leadership to “constitute an ad-hoc committee to carefully study the toll-gate policy together with other relevant stakeholders on effective and efficient ways to carry out the policy aimed at producing a holistic package to generate adequate funds for road construction and maintenance, and the money realised should be judiciously utilised in order to restore confidence in the masses”.

After a brief debate on the motion, Ike Ekweremadu, deputy senate president, who presided over the session, called for a voice vote, and the senate voted overwhelmingly for it.

Buhari Pledges To End Violence Against Children by 2030

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Buhari Pledges To End Violence Against Children by 2030

buhari-pledges-to-end-violence-against-children-by-20301

President Muhammadu Buhari has launched what has been described as an ambitious campaign to end violence against children by 2030.

The event took place at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, on Tuesday

Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal, president Buhari pledged to protect every Nigerian Child from abuse and violence.

“I say to children in Nigeria – on this historic day, we make a pledge. We commit to protecting each and every one of you from violence,” he said.

The campaign, which is being supported by the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF and the United States Agency for International Development, USAID, is aimed at building and expanding on the success of just-ended Year of Action to End Violence Against Children, which was launched by the President in September 2015.

UNICEF’s chief of communication in Nigeria, Doune Porter, in a statement shortly after the launch, explained that during the just concluded Year of Action to End Violence Against Children, “Lagos, Cross River, Benue and Plateau States all heeded the President’s call to launch their own State campaigns; Bayelsa became the 23rd State in Nigeria to domesticate the Child’s Rights Act and nine States joined hands to develop a model child protection system to put the Child’s Rights Act into practice.”

Porter noted that millions of children suffer some form of physical, emotional or sexual violence every year in Nigeria.

“A survey carried out last year by the National Population Commission, with support from UNICEF and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that approximately 6 out of 10 Nigerian children experience one of these forms of violence before they reach 18,” he stated.

President Buhari, in his speech acknowledged that “the Year of Action has created a wonderful momentum to end violence against children.”

“We have a clear moral, legal and economic imperative and a global obligation to take action to end the suffering of children who live under the shadow of violence,” he added.

Also speaking at the event, Manuel Fontaine, UNICEF’s West and Central Africa Regional Director, reiterated that “Ending violence against children is everybody’s business.”

“With this campaign, Nigeria has shown it is determined to mobilize political will and resources to tackle all forms of violence against children wherever it happens”.

The Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs – which was accented to by all members of the United Nations, including Nigeria – require every country of the world to formulate policies aimed at ending all forms of violence against children by 2030.

To achieve this goal, the federal ministry of women affairs and social development announced that it will convene representatives from key Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, as well as Civil Society and Faith Based Organisations to develop a National Plan of Action.

Dozens Killed At Pakistani Police College

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Dozens Killed At Pakistani Police College

dozens-killed-at-pakistani-police-college

At least 59 cadets and guards have been killed in an attack by militants on a police college in the Pakistani city of Quetta between Monday night and Tuesday morning.

Officials say three militants wearing suicide vests entered the college in the middle of the night and opened fire on the cadets who were fast asleep.

The Pakistani military forces later responded and after a major security operation that lasted for hours, one of the attackers was shot dead, while the two others were said to have blown themselves up.

So-called Islamic State, IS, claimed responsibility for the attack, although officials have blamed another militant group, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.

Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, has seen similar attacks by both separatists and various Islamist militant factions in recent years.

Hundreds of trainees were evacuated from Balochistan Police College as troops arrived to repel the militants. Local media reported at least three explosions at the scene.

“I saw three men in camouflage whose faces were hidden carrying Kalashnikovs,” one cadet said according to newsmen.

“They started firing and entered the dormitory but I managed to escape over a wall.”

The exact sequence of events is unclear but there was intermittent exchange of fire between the attackers and security forces for several hours, according to some reports.

There were also reports of a hostage situation.

More than 100 people, mostly trainees, were injured.

Pakistani media highlighted the nation’s poor security situation after the attack, with leading TV channels changing their logos to black in a mark of respect for the victims.

Officials blamed a faction of the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi militant group and said the attackers “were in communication with operatives in Afghanistan”.

However, IS said on its Amaq news agency that its fighters had carried out the attack, releasing an image purported to be of the three gunmen.

IS formed a branch for Afghanistan and Pakistan in January 2015 under Hafiz Saeed Khan, who was killed in a US drone strike in July this year.

The first suspected IS attack in Pakistan was in April 2015, when three soldiers were killed.

ISIS also claimed an attack on a bus in Karachi that killed 45 people, although the Pakistani Taliban splinter group Jundullah also said it was responsible.

FCT Minister Bans Cattle Grazing In Abuja

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FCT Minister Bans Cattle Grazing In Abuja

fct-minister-bans-cattle-grazing-in-abuja

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Muhammad Bello, has announced a total ban on cattle grazing within the Abuja city centre.

A Ministerial Task Force headed by Abdullahi Monjel, was also inaugurated to ensure enforcement of the ban.

This is following series of complaints by residents of the FCT that the animals constitute nuisance and threat to lives.

In a meeting with members of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, FCT Chapter, the minister asked the association to nominate some of its educated young men to be part of the enforcement committee.

He reiterated that herdsmen must move their cattle out of the Federal Capital City because there is no way such animals can co-habit with the residents.

“You have to understand that when Abuja Environmental Protection Board says cattle should not roam the city, it is not because they want to prevent cattle breeders from raring cattle in the FCT. Basically, it is just for safety. It is for safety of your cattle and above all, safety of the citizens,” Bello said.

“In a modern city, it’s not possible for animals and vehicles to move together on the roads because this could cause accidents which in some cases could be fatal, and it is our duty to protect lives and property”.

The FCT minister said that new grazing reserves have been created for herdsmen to conveniently carry out their activities.

He said: “A total of 33,485 hectares have already been earmarked for grazing reserves to cater for about 7 million herds of cattle comprising of Paikon Kore 8,500 hectares; Karshi 6,000 hectares; Kawu in Bwari 9,000 hectares and Rubochi in Kuje which is 9,985 hectares.”

Bello said that his administration will work together with the National Assembly to amicably resolve the issue of compensation for the owners of the grazing reserves.

Chairman of the Cattle Breeders Association, Yahaya Isah, promised that the group will continue to cooperate with the government in order to promote peaceful co-existence.

Afenifere Accuses Cattle Breeders’ Association Of Terrorism

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Afenifere Accuses Cattle Breeders’ Association Of Terrorism

 

afenifere-accuses-cattle-breeders-association-of-corruption

The Yoruba socio-political association, commonly referred to as the ‘Afenifere Renewal Group’, has condemned the statements attributed to the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, over the recently-inaugurated Anti-Grazing Enforcement Marshals in Ekiti State.

In a statement issued by the group’s publicity secretary, Kunle Famoriyo, the Afenifere said the cattle breeders group’s reaction to the creation of the Marshals is an assault on the Yoruba people and “will be treated as a terror threat until an apology is tendered”.

“Such open threat against the people and government that accommodate your business interest is terrorism,” the statement added.

Famoriyo said that the Miyetti Allah association “should be happy for the enactment of such law that will ensure genuine cattle breeders are not stigmatized by these criminals from other countries.”

He added that Governor Fayose, as the chief Executive Officer of Ekiti State, has the responsibility to protect the lives and property of his people, just as any governor in any state of the federation has the same obligation.

He said: “We recall that in 2013, the Hisbah Police in Kano reportedly destroyed more than 20,000 crates of beer bottles.

“Despite the freedom of movement and trade guaranteed by the Constitution, what mattered then was that Kano does not want beer within its jurisdiction – even though it hypocritically shares from the VAT generated from sales of alcohol in other states.”

“Why should governors of northern states have the freewill to protect their people and religious disposition, while their southern counterparts are subjected to intimidation?” Famoriyo asked.

“Nigeria is not a slave camp of any ethnic nationality and MACBAN’s statement is therefore considered an assault on Yoruba people and will be treated as a terror threat until an apology is tendered,” he added.

Recall that Governor Fayose, last week, inaugurated a team that would enforce the new  Anti-Grazing law in Ekiti State.

The law restricts animal grazing to designated ranches within the state and between 7:00 am and 6:00 pm.

But the Miyetti Allah group accused the governor of using the Marshals to harass their members and to seize their cattle.

“We have been reliably alerted (by) an impeccable source in Ado-Ekiti that the Anti-Malu vigilante group (as the Marshalls are referred to in the state) shot five cows and carted away with the meat but the herdsmen (sic) was able to flee with the rest of his cattle,” the group’s spokesan, Othman Ngelzarma, said in a statement.

“We are hereby constrained to implore the federal government through its security agencies to wade into this unprovoked and primitive aggression against our members, before this macabre incident develops into unquenchable inferno involving our members and Ekiti State government,” he threatened.

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