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SSS Arrest Ozekhome’s Kidnapper

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By Jefferson Ibiwale

Reports just reaching www.icirnigeria.org indicate that the State Security Service, SSS, has arrested the man believed to have masterminded the kidnap of human rights lawyer, Mike Ozhekome.

Reliable security sources said that the kidnap kingpin, whose name was given as Kelvin Oburuvbe, is the leader of a kidnap ring that operates in Edo and Delta states.

He was reportedly kidnapped in Benin on Wednesday by security operatives who had been on his trail, after a tip off.

The source could, however, not say if any other suspect was arrested along with Oburuvbe who is being interrogated at the SSS headquarters in Benin.

It will be recalled that Ozhekome and his driver were abducted on August 24 along Benin Auchi road and held for three weeks before being released after an unspecified ransom was paid by his family to the kidnappers.

After his release, the lawyer had advocated the granting of amnesty to kidnappers, adding that his abductors were young educated men frustrated by the Nigerian society.

 

The PDP Has Capacity To Resolve Its Differences – Gov. Aliyu

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The PDP Has Capacity To Resolve Its Differences – Gov. Aliyu

By Nma Shekwolo

Governor of Niger state, Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu on Wednesday warned external forces working to aggravate the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to steer clear, insisting that the party has the capacity to solve its problems.

The governor stated this while receiving the Brigade Commander 31 Field Artillery Brigade Nigerian Army, Hassan Abayomi Salihu, a Majo General, in Minna.

Aliyu, an outspoken member of the Abubakar Baraje-led faction alleged
they were external forces striving to worsen the crisis and make the differences among members irreconcilable.

“The PDP has the capacity to resolve whatever differences we have, we must not allow people who are outside the party to get so enmeshed in the problem that is not their own and in the process kill that which we want to build,” he said.

He said he had seen a lot of articles in the media which prove these party haters are out to create more animosity and anarchy within the party.

“What is happening is an internal affair of the PDP because I am beginning to see a sign as if some people don’t want reconciliation to take place through the type of articles they are planting in newspapers,” he noted.

Aliyu stressed that the G7 Governors involved in the crisis were matured enough to know when to hold on and when to let go, adding that the essence of the crisis plaguing the ruling party is to strengthen democracy in the country by building a democratic culture in politicians “to the extent that their words will always be their bond”.

He commended the Military for their discipline and stressed the need for military training for all adult civilians in order to create a disciplined society.

The governor reiterated the call for an extension of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, programme from the present 12 months to 18 months, with the last 6 months devoted to military training of members.

Earlier, the Commander had commended the cordial relationship between the military and civil population in Niger state and the support given to security agencies in the state by the government.

Salihu said the Brigade is currently training its officers and men on how to tackle insurgency across the country using communication.

Benin High Court Awards Oshiomhole N25 Million In Libel Suit

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Benin High Court Awards Oshiomhole N25 Million In Libel Suit

By Jefferson Ibiwale/Benin

A High Court in Benin City has awarded the sum of N25million as damages to the Edo state Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, in deciding a libel suit against Docklands Communication and one Loye Amzat, publishers and Editor of the News of the People Magazine.

In the suit, Oshiomhole had dragged the soft sell weekly magazine to court demanding for N250m as damages over a report with the headline, “Oshiomhole’s Sex Power Exposed: Impregnates Young Girl Six Months After Death of Wife”.

Governor Oshiomhole who personally appeared in court as witness said the publication libelled his person and that the defendant, among other things, falsely wrote that he bought the said girl a jeep including interfering in the academic activities of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, on behalf of the girl.

Oshiomhole also said the magazine alleged that he used sexual enhancement drugs and that he had done traditional marriage with the purported girl, just as he added that the edition, which was widely circulated, coincided with the preparations of one of his daughter’s wedding.

He told the court that he demanded damages because the said the publication caused him and his children psychological trauma just six months after the death of his wife.

Justice Efe Ikponmwen in his judgment also ordered the defendant to publish a well-worded retraction and apology in a similarly conspicuous manner in an edition of the magazine.

The trial Judge held that the governor’s evidence proved that the magazine publication was libellous.

Justice Ikponmwen noted that even though the public has a right to know about a public officer, such information should be in line with the law.

Senate Mandates Committee To Probe Apo Killings

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Senate Mandates Committee To Probe Apo Killings

The Nigerian Senate has ordered investigation into the recent shootout at an uncompleted building in the Apo District of Abuja, apparently not satisfied with the Department of State Security Services, SSS claims that the persons killed were members of the Boko Haram Sect who were using the building as a hide out.

In a motion at the resumption of Plenary on Tuesday, Sahabi Ya’u, a lawmaker from Zamfara State, noted with dismay, the shootings which he observed left nine people, mostly tri-cycle operators, dead, most of whom he said were indigenes of Zamfara, Katsina and Kano States.

About sixteen others had various degrees of serious injuries.

“The eye witness further claimed that the mid-night operation went horribly wrong when eight of the squatters were shot dead by the combined team of SSS operatives and the Army in an orgy of unrestrained shootings”, the Senator told the House.

The motion caused a debate among the lawmakers as some of them argued that it was too hasty and that the security operatives were on top of the situation.

Another legislator, Nkechi Nworgu from Abia State in the South East, argued that the Boko Haram Sect had unleashed mayhem on innocent Nigerians, even at worship centers and called for caution in dealing with the issue.

“We must not be hasty in condemning the killings and must allow thorough investigation into the matter”, she said.

However, her colleague Sadiq Yar’Adua from Katsina State, said the rights of citizens were being trampled upon and opposed the killing of innocent citizens by security operatives.

“It is important for us to establish the truth because times without number, our rights are violated”, he maintained.

The Senate Majority Leader, Victor Ndoma Egba, from Cross River State, likened the incident in Apo on Friday to international terrorist activities which have been threatening global peace.

“The Apo killings took place on Friday, on Saturday, the Westgate Shopping Mall in Nairobi, Kenya was invaded by Al Shabaab and on Sunday there was an attack by Al-Qaeda in Pakistan,” he said.

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The Senate Leader expressed the belief that there was a link between what happened in Abuja and other parts of the world.

In his comments, the Senate President, David Mark, condemned terrorism and extra judicial killings, saying that details on the matter must be obtained before further actions are taken on the matter.

The Senate therefore, mandated its joint committee on National Security and Intelligence, Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to investigate the circumstances that led to the killings and report back in a week.

Group Threatens Nationwide Action If ASUU Strike Persists After 14 Days

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Group Threatens Nationwide Action If ASUU Strike Persists After 14 Days

A group known as the Alpha Liberation Organisation has threatened a repeat of the 2012 nationwide subsidy protest if the Federal Government and the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, failed to negotiate and call off the lingering strike at the end of a 14-day ultimatum it issued.

Abuoma Chuka, the National President of the group, told newsmen in Onitsha, Anambra State, that the ultimatum takes effect on Tuesday.

He said that his organisation was already negotiating with coalitions of civil society groups nationwide and students’ bodies to stage a nationwide protest after the expiration of the ultimatum.

Chuka noted that the strike, which made thousands of students to roam the streets, would enter its 100th day at the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum.

“If the Federal Government fails to do everything to call off the strike, we will stage a protest. In fact, exactly what happened during the fuel subsidy days will happen again; and no force can take us back. We are into negotiations with all civil society groups; we will also mobilise the youth; we will jump into the streets,” he said.

Chuka, who lauded the listening posture of the Federal Government, however, blamed it for entering into an agreement which it could not honour.

He noted that since the onset of the strike, there had been more than 11 negotiations between the Federal Government and the union.

“It is a very good development and the government has been able to offer N130 billion to appease ASUU. So, we appreciate that; But then, the Federal Government entered into a MoU with ASUU, which it has not kept up till now. The government is not faithful to the agreement,” he said.

The group leader recalled that the 2009 agreement stated that all federal universities would require N1.5 trillion between 2009 and 2011 to address the decay in university education.

He also noted that in the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed between ASUU and the government in 2012, the Federal Government decided to extend the arrangement to include both federal and state universities.

Chuka called on the government to make concerted efforts to resolve the lingering crisis and by so doing stem academic brain drain and students’ migration to foreign universities.

 

Interior Ministry Denies Demanding Bribe From Applicants

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Interior Ministry Denies Demanding Bribe From Applicants

The Ministry of Interior has denied charging fees from applicants seeking recruitment into the Nigeria Immigration Service.

Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Fatima Bamidele, said in a statement on Tuesday that the ministry did not collect N1,000 as processing fee from applicants as speculated.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Ministry of Interior and the Nigeria Immigration Service do not charge and will not accept money for jobs,” she said.

The permanent secretary explained that the current recruitment was in continuation of an earlier effort by the ministry to recruit officers manually into the Nigeria Immigration Service which was marred by controversies until it was discontinued.

“Consequently, a new ICT-based recruitment exercise had to be adopted for the purpose of fairness, transparency and accountability in line with the transformation agenda of the government,” she said.

According to the statement, a consultant was engaged to provide an Internet platform to enable applicants access the application forms that will enable the ministry process the applications.

It said the consultant was authorised to charge a maximum processing fee of N1,000 per applicant to cover the cost of scratch card to gain access to the site.

Bamidele said: “This is intended to save the applicants the cost of travelling to Abuja to submit their applications, as well as avoid other inherent risks including unauthorised middlemen activities and other abuses”

The statement further warned that “Anybody who demands for and accepts money or bribes for jobs into the services under the ministry will be appropriately sanctioned in line with extant regulations guiding discipline in the service.”

 

Egypt’s Police Shuts Down Brotherhood’s Newspaper

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Egypt’s Police Shuts Down Brotherhood’s Newspaper

Egyptian authorities have shut down the headquarters of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice newspaper in Cairo.

It is the latest move aimed at crushing the Islamist movement, the Brotherhood said on Wednesday.

The move follows Monday’s decision by an Egyptian court to suspend the activities of the Muslim Brotherhood and any of its associations.

“We the journalists of the Freedom and Justice newspaper condemn the security forces for closing down the headquarters of the newspaper,” the Brotherhood said in a statement posted on its Facebook page.

Police stormed the building overnight and removed the contents. A source at the Cairo Security Department said the raid followed Monday’s court ruling which banned the Brotherhood and ordered its funds seized.

“A court ruling was issued to do it on charges of inciting violence and terrorism in the recent past,” a security source said, referring to the operation.

Since the uprising following President Mohammed Morsi’s removal by the military on July 3, there has been no agreement on figures for victims of the crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood, but estimates of the detained range from 1,000 to 8,000.

 

Jonathan Appeals For Seat On UN Security Council

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Jonathan Appeals For Seat On UN Security Council

President Goodluck Jonathan has urged the UN assembly to endorse Nigeria’s candidature for a non-permanent seat on the Security Council.

The UN Security Council is the most powerful branch of the UN. It has power to authorize the deployment of UN member states’ militaries, can mandate a cease-fire during conflicts, and can enforce penalties on countries if they do not comply with given mandates.

The council is composed of representatives from 15 countries of which five are permanent members and ten rotating members.

Citing reasons for this request at the UN General Assembly’s high-level debate at its Headquarters in New York on Tuesday, Jonathan said that Nigeria’s election to the UN Security Council will further enhance international peace and security, noting that the country’s performance on previous occasions when it held a non-permanent seat on the council was commendable.

“Our support for the United Nations Security Council in its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security has been total and unwavering. We have, in previous membership of the council, demonstrated both the political will and capacity to engage in key council responsibilities,” he said.

Jonathan also called for faster action toward the democratisation of the UN Security Council, stressing that Nigeria and other developing countries were concerned about the lack of progress in the reformation of the UN.

“I believe that I express the concern of many about the slow pace of effort and apparent lack of progress in the reform of the United Nations, especially the Security Council. We believe, strongly, that the call for democratisation worldwide should not be for states only but also for international organisations, such as the United Nations” he stated.

He noted that the democratisation of the Security Council was desirable for the enthronement of justice, equity, and fairness and also for the promotion of a sense of inclusiveness and balance in the world.

Jonathan also called for a renewed and concerted effort, by the international community, to effectively resolve all issues that currently impeded global peace, stability and progress.

His words: “Our world continues to be confronted by pressing problems and threats. No statement that will be made during this session can exhaust the extent of these problems. The world looks to us, as leaders, to provide hope in the midst of crisis, to provide guidance through difficult socio-political divisions and to ensure that we live in a better world”.

The President further stressed that “the reign of terror anywhere in the world is an assault on our collective humanity”.

Earlier, in a wide-ranging call to action delivered as he opened the General Assembly’s annual debate, UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon urged world leaders to shoulder their responsibilities on peace and security, human rights, arms proliferation and sustainable development, calling for increased global commitment to the United Nations system and the principles on which the Organization was founded.

“Let us empower the United Nations to be more than a first responder or a last resort,” he said, pointing to the ever more entwined fates of Member States and the transformed global landscape in which new ways of governing, partnering and problem-solving had to be found.

Stressing the size of the opportunity before world leaders, he said it was their job to serve their various peoples – “We must prove ourselves fit for purpose,” he emphasized.

Describing the Syria crisis as “the biggest peace and security challenge in the world”, Ki-Moon said it had torn the country apart and left the Middle East dangerously destabilized.

He called on the Syrian government to fully and quickly honour its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention, with the international community bringing to justice those responsible for the “worst chemical weapons attack on civilians in a quarter of a century”.

Turning to development, he noted “remarkable gains” made through the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, but also lagging progress on some targets as well as growing inequality.

Echoing the Secretary-General’s comments and citing the theme he had chosen for the sixty-eighth session – “The Post-2015 Development Agenda: Setting the Stage” – the Assembly’s President, John Ashe said the new development framework was expected to have poverty eradication as its central and overarching goal, and to address the inseparable link connecting economic growth, equity and social inclusion, and environmental sustainability.

He added that there was an urgent need for tangible results and action by the Assembly, while, on the other hand, high levels of pessimism and cynicism persisted.

“Let us prove the naysayers wrong,” he urged.  “Dogged determination and a commitment to negotiate and work cooperatively would be required to achieve that and to make multilateralism work effectively,” he added.

Ashe also charged participants not to see the annual gathering of world leaders and dignitaries as just “another September routine or tradition”, but as an opportunity for Member States and other stakeholders to recommit to the noble ideals at the Organization’s core.

Anambra: APC Inaugurates 25-Man Campaign Committee

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Anambra: APC Inaugurates 25-Man Campaign Committee

The All Progressives Congress, APC, on Tuesday inaugurated a 25-man campaign committee to ensure victory for its governorship candidate, Chris Ngige, in the Anambra governorship election.

Some of the members of the committee include the publicity secretary of the party, Lai Mohammed, the national women leader, Sharon Ikpeazu and the national organising secretary, Osita Izunaso.

Others are the deputy national youth leader, Uzoma Igbonwa, the South-east vice-chairman of the party, Anyim Nyerere and George Muoghalu.

Inaugurating the committee in Awka, the Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, called on the people of the state to make monetary donations towards the campaign project as a covenant, assuring that Ngige would deliver on his mandate.

He noted that the governorship contest was “between Ngige and others in Abuja”.

“I am here for one reason; that Anambra has been in confusion for too long. The people of the state are tired of being controlled from Abuja,” Okorocha said.

The governor described Ngige as a trustworthy individual who would use the resources of the state for its development.

“He has assured me that he will make education free and change the state for good. Within two years, he brought development to the state. Imagine what would have happened if he had remained as governor for eight years,” Okorocha added.

In a remark, Lai Mohammed said that Ngige was a candidate to beat at the elections, describing the donation towards the campaign as worthy of emulation.

“What happened today only happened in the first republic during the time of Action Group where farmers and artisans contributed to the election of candidates. Okorocha has reminded us of our glorious past. What it means is that we are signing a contract with the people,” he said.

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On his part, Ngige commended party faithfuls for making donations towards his campaign, saying such had never happened since he joined politics in 1998.

“I have never seen where people came for inauguration and drop money. It is a covenant that you have all made with me of which I will fulfil,” he promised.

He also urged supporters to guard their votes at the polling units during the elections scheduled for November 16.

 

Nasarawa To Set Up Peace Committee

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Nasarawa To Set Up Peace Committee

The government of Nasarawa State says it would setup a reconciliatory committee drawn from all sections of the society that will foster peace and unity of citizens in the state.

Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura said this on Tuesday against the backdrop of the recent violent killings resulting form clashes between the Ombatse militia group of Eggon and the Alago ethnic group, while receiving a delegation of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, led by the Bishop of Anglican Diocese and Chairman of the state CAN Miller Meza, at the Government House Lafia.

Against the backdrop of the recent violent killings resulting from clashes between the Ombatse militia group of Eggon and the Alago ethnic groups, the governor stated that the committee will handle the provision of relief materials to those affected as a way of helping to reduce the hardship they face.

Al-Makura expressed appreciation for the visit as well as the efforts of the association towards sustaining peaceful co-existence amongst citizens and urged them to continue the campaign for a violence-free state.

He said further that his administration would continue to seek lasting peace and will ensure that all those responsible for the loss of innocent lives in the clash were brought to book.

About 50 people were said to have been killed in the clash that occurred two Sundays ago and many houses and properties destroyed by fire.

Sources close to the workings within the state said that some members of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly and some members of the National Assembly from the state are working in tandem on how to ensure that President Goodluck Jonathan declares a state of emergency in the event that the spate of violence does not abate.

Meanwhile, troops deployed by the state to ensure peace and security are already yielding positive results, the Information minister, Labaran Maku has said.

Maku assured that government would continue to partner with stakeholders in the state to guard against the recurrence of such violence.

“We will continue to work in concert with all stakeholders in Nasarawa State; with all community leaders to make sure that we rein in all persons and groups that constitute a threat to public peace in our state,” he stated.

The crisis, according to the minister, cuts across the three Senatorial Districts of the state – from Awe to Doma to Ekye to Mararaba Udege to Kokona – and parts of Nasarawa Eggon.

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