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Delta Police Command Mourns Death Of Its PPRO

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Delta Police Command Mourns Death Of Its PPRO

The premises of the Delta Police Command in Asaba on Monday wore a mournful look over the sudden death of the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Lucky Uyabeme, an assistant superintendent of Police.

The Commissioner of Police, Ikechukwu Aduba, who was represented by the deputy superindent of Police, Charles Muka, the acting PPRO, told newsmen in Asaba that Uyabeme died in a lone auto-crash at Ogwashi-Uku on Sunday.

“Uyabeme died in his Toyota Highlander Jeep at Ogwashi-Uku on Sunday, December 15, at about 3.30 p.m. on his way to Asaba from Kwale in the state,” Aduba said.

He noted that the Highlander Jeep somersaulted many times, threw out the occupants, caught fire and was completely burnt.

The commissioner said that Uyabeme’s body had been deposited at the Federal Medical Centre Asaba’s morgue, while the other victims were responding to treatment at the same hospital.

“The late PPRO will be remembered for his humility, loyalty, gentle disposition, diligence and dedication to duty,” Aduba said.

Uyabeme assumed the position of PPRO in April this year.

Mandela Goes Home

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Mandela Goes Home

South Africa’s first black President, Nelson Mandela, has been buried in his country home of Qunu, 700 kilometres from south of Johannesburg, in an unprecedentedly grand military style.

It is the first time the country would be burying a former President.

Mandela’s flag-covered coffin was borne by gun carriage and military pallbearers for the short trip from the huge tent at the family’s compound to the grave site restricted to only 450 mourners, with Mandela’s grandson and heir, Mandla, and South African President Jacob Zuma trailing behind.

It was then placed on black and white Nguni cattle skins in front of a crescent of 95 candles, one for each year of Mandela’s life, as a choir sang Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika, the national anthem adopted after the end of apartheid in 1994.

After a brief  ceremony and a flyover by military helicopters, Mandela was lowered into the earth, just as 21-gun salutes were fired into the air.

Over 4,000 family members, friends, heads of state and former heads of state, traditional leaders and foreign dignitaries were present to watch the historic event, including veterans of the military wing of the African National Congress, ANC, the liberation movement that became the dominant political force after the end of apartheid.

Britain’s Prince Charles, Monaco’s Prince Albert II, U.S. Ambassador Patrick Gaspard, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, American civil rights activist, Jesse Jackson, black American TV host, Oprah Winfrey, billionaire businessman, Richard Branson, and former Zimbabwean Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, were also there.

Mandela’s widow, Graca Machel, and his second wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, were dressed in black and sat on either side of President Zuma.

Earlier, Zuma delivered an eulogy in honour of Mandela.

“Today marks the end of an extraordinary journey that began 95 years ago…Your long walk to freedom has ended, our own journey continues. We have to take your legacy forward. We draw lessons from your rich life. We remember you as a man of integrity,” he said.

Continuing, he added: “You offered hope in the place of hopelessness. Gender equality gained seriousness under your presidency. We dare not reverse your achievements in this regard. As your journey ends, ours must continue. SA will continue to rise. Today we undertake to take forward your promotion of an improved material life for all. We pledge to take your vision forward.”

Southern African Development Community chairperson and Malawian president, Joyce Banda, in her speech said she was  amazed with Mandela’s “humility and the great sense of leadership… I was inspired by this great leader who was focused, calm and collected,” adding that his death is an “irreplaceable loss”.

The anti-apartheid activist who was imprisoned alongside Mandela on Robben Island, Ahmed Kathrada, also bade farewell to a man he described as a dear brother, a mentor and a leader.

Mandela’s granddaughter Nandi Mandela said: “Go well Madiba. Go well to the land of our ancestors, you have run your race.”

She added: ‘We will carry lessons you taught us throughout our lives. As South Africans we must stop pointing fingers, but must rather lead by example, as you did.”

Mandela was 95 years old when he died on December 5 from a protracted lung infection.

Abducted Couple Released After Getting Two Fingers Chopped

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Abducted Couple Released After Getting Two Fingers Chopped

From Jessica Tamaradoute, Asaba

A retired army Major, Azum Asoya and his 55-year-old wife, Elizabeth, who were abducted on November 30 in Delta State, were set free Sunday with both having a finger less as proof of the ordeal they suffered.

It would be recalled that their mean kidnappers had sent two fingers to their family on Friday, after several days of negotiations failed to yield the desired compliance, but the state police had said it doubted the fingers belonged to the couple and was probably from dead people.

The couple was reportedly dropped in Otulu, Aniocha North local government area of the state and are currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital for their chopped of fingers and high blood pressure.

A family source who wants to be anonymous said the couple was severely beaten and their injured hands treated with urine.

The source said the family was able to raise N5 million, which is N4 million short of the negotiated sum, for the freedom of the couple when it became clear that their abductors were heartless and that the Police had no clue to securing their safe release.

The kidnappers initially demanded for N30 million.

The Delta state police command, public relations officer, Lucky Uyabeme, confirmed the release of the pair but said no ransom was paid to the abductors.

Boko Haram Forcefully Recruiting Borno Youths

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Boko Haram Forcefully Recruiting Borno Youths

Musdapha Ilo, Maiduguri

The outlawed Boko Haram sect, apparently reeling from heavy loss of members from offensives launched by the military, has embarked on the forced enlistment of innocent youths in Borno state.

Bringing the development to light, the spokesman of the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maiduguri, Muhammad Dole, a colonel, said the military is doubling efforts to hunt down members of the group and secure the release of those that had been forcefully conscripted.

Dole said Boko Haram had raised some villages in the state, taking away young men who are then force at the rust of death to join the group.

Some women are among those forcefully taken away from the villages, it was gathered.

The military spokesman reasoned that the sect was forcefully enlisting the youths to replace its depleted army following a clampdown by security forces.

“Recently, due to increased offensive operations by ground and air against the terrorists, the attacks resulted in serious decimation of Boko Haram fighters. This forced them (Boko Haram) to embark on forceful conscription of youths and abduction of women from vulnerable villages into their folds,” he said.

Dole said several Boko Haram members were killed Friday in the latest air and ground bombardment launched against the insurgents during the funeral of some of their dead colleagues around Mudube village.

“The Air bombardment of insurgents’ hideouts in Mainok and Mada general areas of Kaga and Konduga Local Government Areas by the Nigerian Air Force claimed the lives of some Boko Haram Terrorists,” he confirmed.

The spokesman said in another operation, troops of 7 Division had an encounter with Boko Haram insurgents along Maiduguri-Bama-Gwoza road for two hours during which eight Boko Haram terrorists were killed and three vehicles and AK 47 rifles were burnt.

According to him, the Division is poised to decimating Boko Haram terrorists wherever they are and will continue to appreciate the continuous support and cooperation of the general public.

The forceful enlistment is not a new strategy for the insurgents. In the past some of the sect’s members arrested by the meeting confessed the they were unwilling recruits.

For example, one youth who sais that he got into the sect through his brother said that he was told he must join or face the risk of being executed.

Police, Youth Clash In Kebbi Claim 2 Lives

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Police, Youth Clash In Kebbi Claim 2 Lives

A violent clash between the police and some youths in Warra, Ngaski local government area of Kebbi has led to the death of two people, while several others were injured.

Police public relations officer in Kebbi, Mohammed Mainagge, a deputy superintendent of police, who confirmed this, told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Birnin Kebbi on Friday that the clash occurred on Wednesday.

He said that two persons died in the clash, which ensued when some youths attempted to burn down the divisional police station in the area.

Mainagge, however, said that normalcy had since been restored in the area, while investigations into the causes of the clash had commenced.

The chief orientation and mobilisation officer, National Orientation Agency, NOA in Ngaski council area, Yusuf Umar, said the clash was triggered by a dispute between one Suleiman Aliyu and a policeman identified as Bala Atto.

He explained that attempts by Atto to arrest Aliyu for assaulting a policeman in uniform were resisted by some youths, who accused the police of victimisation.

He said that Aliyu took the matter to court, while the magistrate referred the matter to the police for investigation.

Umar said the police investigation found that Aliyu had a case to answer and that the court ordered that he should be remanded in prison.

He said that when the court refused to grant bail to the accused, some irate youths, who protested against the court’s verdict, became unruly and violent in their agitation for Aliyu’s bail.

Umar said that in the ensuing fracas, the police attempted to restore calm and fired some shots which led to the death of two persons.

Anti-Amaechi Lawmakers Begin Impeachment Plan

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Anti-Amaechi Lawmakers Begin Impeachment Plan

The minority six lawmakers of the Rivers State House of Assembly, opposed to governor Rotimi Amaechi have commenced moves to impeach him.

The dissenting lawmakers include Evans Bipi, Michael Okechukwu Chinda, Kelechi Godspower Nwogu, Martins Amaewhule, Victor Ihunwo and Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani.

The faction which enjoys support from the Police and top players within the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is believed to have sneaked into the Assembly complex with the aid of the Police to commence sitting to oust Ameachi and his deputy, Tele Ikuru.

The All Progressives Congress, APC, had predicted the move but vowed to resist any act of illegality.

“There is no doubt that the six legislators opposed to Gov. Chibuike Amaechi will try to hide under the cover of the judgement to convene the Assembly with the sole purpose of removing the Speaker as a prelude to impeaching the State Governor…any such act will constitute an illegality and trigger a cataclysmic reaction, the end result of which no one can predict,” the party’s interim national publicity secretary, Lai Mohammed said.

It would be recalled that Bipi, the self-acclaimed Speaker of the Rivers Assembly who leads the minority six, had suspended the 26 members loyal to Amaechi.

Speaking with newsmen on a live radio programme on Thursday, Bipi said: “As the Speaker of the Rivers House of Assembly, I have not reconvened the House as the Court Judgment has not been served to the Police and other security agencies. All the so-called Governor Amaechi lawmakers have all been suspended by me and by Peoples Democratic Party. They cannot function until I call them back.”

He added: “Amaechi must recognise me as the authentic Speaker, but we must stop him from using Rivers money to sponsor APC.”

The Deputy Speaker of the Rivers Assembly, Leyii Kwanee, a lawyer, however, said that Amachree remained the Speaker of the Assembly, stressing that illegality, impunity and lawlessness would not be condoned.

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Kwanee assured that the 25 lawmakers would soon sit, but there must be adequate security, to prevent a repeat of July 9 and 10 fracas and confrontation in the Rivers Assembly.

An initial attempt by the majority faction to seat after a court ruling on Thursday was stalled by the police.

The state police commissioner, Joseph Mbu, in defending his men, said that the police prevented lawmakers from holding a session at the Assembly complex because his command had not been served the court ruling.

Supreme Court Upturns Bode George’s Conviction

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Supreme Court Upturns Bode George’s Conviction

Supreme Court Upturns Bode George’s Conviction

A panel of judges at the Supreme Court on Friday absolved Bode George, a Peoples Democratic Party chieftain of the fraud charges levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

George, along with some other members of the board of the Nigerian Ports Authoruty, NPA , was convicted by Justice Olubunmi Oyewole of a Lagos High Court and sentenced to two years in prison.

He served out his two year jail term at the Kirikiri Maximum prison about three years ago but appealed his conviction at the Supreme Court.

In a surprise ruling on Friday, the apex court said the EFCC had no evidence that George committed fraud through “contract splitting” when he was chairman of the NPA board and therefore acquitted the accused.

While delivering the judgement, Justice John Afolabi Fabiyi, ruled that the charges of “contract splitting” on which the EFCC arraigned and secured George’s conviction was unknown to law.

Human Rights Body Wants Perpetrators Of Plateau Killings Prosecuted

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Human Rights Body Wants Perpetrators Of Plateau Killings Prosecuted

The Human Rights Watch, HRW, an international non governmental organisation, NGO, on Thursday urged the federal government to prosecute the persons behind the killings in Plateau and Kaduna states since 2010.

A researcher on Nigeria at HRW, Eric Guttschuss, made the call in Abuja at a joint news conference to launch a new report on inter-communal violence in Plateau and Kaduna.

The report catalogued sectarian violence in the two states since 2010 which is estimated to have left more than 3,000 people dead.

“The Federal Government needs to ensure that individuals who have perpetrated or planned incidents of communal violence and cases of mass murder in Plateau and Kaduna states are investigated and prosecuted according to international fair trial standards,” Guttschuss said.

He added: “We are calling on the Inspector-General of Police to conduct an immediate review of all the investigations that have been carried out and related to the communal violence in these two states and determine why the investigations did not go forward.”

Guttschuss said that there may never be an end to the crisis until the political and judicial will to prosecute those who are involved in the killings no matter their religion is mustered.

The HWR researcher advised the inspector general of police to establish a mass crime unit within the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to strengthen the investigation of cases of mass crimes during inter-communal violence.

According to him, the 146-page report examined government’s inability to hold perpetrators of communal violence accountable, even when their identities are known in the affected communities.

He said: “The last local government election held in Plateau state was in November 2008 and there were more than 700 people killed in post-election violence. After the violence, more than 500 people were arrested, no one was prosecuted and no one was held accountable.”

He, however, acknowledged that the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, prosecuted some suspects from the 2010 violence in Plateau state in Federal courts and secured convictions.

“Following the 2010 violence President Jonathan announced that those who have carried out the violence will be held accountable. For the first time in Plateau state’s history, the Federal Attorney general’s office stepped in and prosecuted some of these cases in Federal courts instead of leaving the cases in state courts,” he said.

He added that since then, several state prosecutors in Plateau have secured several convictions for communal violence.

Also speaking, the African director at HRW, Daniel Bekele, said that while the authorities may have forgotten the killings, the communities have not and that in the absence of justice, residents have resorted to violence to avenge their losses.

Kidnappers Delivers Fingers Of Retired Army Major And Wife To Family

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From Jessica Tamaraduoye, Asaba

The Delta State Police command has stepped up investigations in the kidnap of 80-year-old retired army Major, Azum Asoya and his 55-year-old wife, Elizabeth, after their family claimed they received two parcelled fingers from the abductors.

A close family member who did not want to be named said the family has been negotiating with the kidnappers who initially demanded the sum of N30 million, but later reviewed it down to N9 million which he confessed the family still could not raise.

Upset at the seeming lack of cooperation from the family, the kidnappers had threatened to eliminate the couple and as if to drive fear into family members, decided to send them two parcelled fingers.

Our family source, however, could not confirm whether the fingers belonged to the couple but the state public relations of the force, Lucky Uyabeme, an assistant superintendent of Police. said he doubted the fingers were those of the Asoyas.

Uyabeme said he believed the fingers were those of dead people whom the hoodlums probably dug from the grave and that the abductors may have resorted to such a desperate act to force the family into paying the ransom.

He added that only a medical examination could determine whether or not the fingers belonged to the couple but urged the family not to yield to their demands, assuring that his men would soon close-in on the kidnappers and ensure the safe release of the couple.

Azum and Elizabeth were kidnapped on November 30 at Okpanam while on their way home from a burial ceremony in another part of the town.

Fresh Crisis Erupts In Rivers Assembly

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Fresh Crisis Erupts In Rivers Assembly

The Rivers State Police Thursday barred the 26 members of the state House of Assembly loyal to the state governor, Rotimi Amaechi, from sitting in compliance with a court order.

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday ruled that the state Assembly in not incapable of conducting its affairs, thus preventing the National Assembly from taking over its legislative duties.

But as the 26 members converged to hold a plenary at the State Assembly Complex, the police stormed the place and sealed off the building.

Undeterred, the lawmakers tried to hold their meeting outside, but again the police stopped them by firing gunshots and tear-gas into the air.

Video clips of the event aired by some local tv stations, showed that some persons were injured in the ensuing commotion.

Comfirming the incident, the state commissioner of information, Ibim Semenitari, said it is “an indication of the impunity ravaging the country and a clear indication that the PDP under the present leadership has lost all forms of democratic conduct.”

The state police commissioner, Joseph Mbu, could not be reached for comments at this time.

However, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Rivers State Chapter, has blamed governor Ameachi for Thursday’s crisis and accused him of employing the services of thugs and hooligans to further threaten the peace of the state.

The party alleged that “armed thugs” who are neither members nor staff of the legislative assembly drove into the complex in buses with some legislators loyal to the governor to cause disturbance in the course of a sitting.

Special adviser to the state chairman of the party, Jerry Needam, commended the Police for its role in
“preventing what would have resulted to another face of chaos at the Assembly Complex.”

The PDP also advised the governor to appeal against the Court’s judgment if he feels uncomfortable with it, rather than squandering the wealth of the state on street thugs.

“The Party unequivocally says the action of the Governor is unacceptable and will not sit down and watch the State completely destroyed by him (Amaechi) and those who do not want progress and meaningful development in the State,” Needam said.

The PDP also reiterated that Evans Bipi remains the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, adding that it would not fail to ensure that he resumes proceeding in the House accordingly and as provided by the law.

The Party called on the Police Authorities to continue to ensure that the Assembly is safe for “normal” activities.

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