Sahara Reporters Latest News Friday 9th August 2019
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 09/08/19
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target=_blank>IMN Rejects El-Zakzaky Bail Conditions
Ibraheem-El-Zakzaky
Ibraheem-El-Zakzaky
The stringent conditions attached to the bail of leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, by the Kaduna State Government, have been rejected by the group.
In a statement by the organisation’s spokesperson, Abdullahi Musa, shortly after a brief protest by members in Abuja on Thursday, the IMN said that the conditions attached to the bail application was a ploy by Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, to silence El-Zakzaky in detention.
Musa said, “Sequel to the press statement released by Kaduna State Government dated August 7 and signed by Samuel Aruwan stating terms and conditions for the medical leave of Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife, we wish to inform the public that the conditions are not more than a desperate move by el-Rufai to assassinate the Sheikh in detention, and we hereby turn down the conditions.”
The Kaduna State Government, had among other things, asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to verify if truly El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenah, have medical appointments with the Medanta Hospital, India.
It also asked the Federal Government to get the Indian government to commit to an agreement that it would not grant asylum to the IMN leader and his wife under any circumstance.
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target=_blank>Identities Of Policemen Killed By Soldiers In Taraba Revealed
Late Inspector Mark Ediale
Late Sgt. Usman Danzumi
Late Sgt. Dahiru Musa
The identities of the policemen killed by military personnel in Taraba State on Tuesday while taking an arrested kidnap kingpin to the police headquarters in Jalingo, the capital, have been revealed.
The policemen killed in that incident have been named as Inspector Mark-Ediale, Sergeant Dahiru Musa, and Sergeant Usman Danzumi.
The victims were named by the police authorities on Thursday.
A civilian together with the policemen were shot by unidentified soldiers in an incident the Nigerian Army has described as “a case of mistaken identities”.
Following the incident, President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered a probe into the matter to unravel what caused the tragedy.
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target=_blank>Residents Of Ondo Town Recount Horror At The Hands Of Bank Robbers
One of the vehicles brought and abadoned by robbers after a hot chase.
One of the vehicles brought and abadoned by robbers after a hot chase.
Residents of Iju Itaogbolu in Ondo State have recounted their experiences following a bank robbery in the area on Monday.
The locals, who spoke with Sahara Reporters, described the robbery attack as ‘very’ tragic due to the horror it visited on many households.
According to the residents, the hoodlums first robbed some petty traders in the town before heading to the bank to wreak more havoc.
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Update: Security Guard Killed, Two Injured In Ondo Bank Robbery
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One of them, Adewoye Ajeigbe, said, “There was a particular guy out of the six robbers wearing a mask. I suspect that he might be an indigene of the town who knows the nooks and crannies of the bank.
“Maybe that was why he wore a mask to conceal his identity.”
Another resident, Yetunde Adelakun, said, “We saw them as they were entering the town.
“They brought two vehicles. When their operation started, we called the police to quickly swing into action but they didn’t show up immediately.”
One of the vehicles brought and abadoned by robbers after a hot chase.
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One of the vehicles brought and abadoned by robbers after a hot chase.
SaharaReporters Media
One of the soldiers now protecting the town, told Sahara Reporters that the robbers escaped with three bags of money.
He disclosed that those injured during the attack were rushed to a hospital in the town where they have continued to receive treatment.
Efforts to get the identities of victims of the robbery attack didn’t immediately yield a positive result.
Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, Undie Adie, told our correspondent that they are on the trail of the hoodlums.
During Monday’s robbery, the hoodlums gained entry into the financial institution by blowing up the bullet-proof door at the entrance with dynamite.
A female security guard attached to the bank was shot dead by the robbers while three bank staff and a customer were injured during the attack.
The town is yet to fully recover from the horror.
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target=_blank>If Buhari Lifted 5m Out Of Poverty, Why Do 98m Live In Multidimensional Poverty? By Fredrick Nwabufo
Fredrick Nwabufo
Fredrick Nwabufo
Are Nigerians poorer today than they were in 2015? Yes, if we go by data and economic indicators. In June 2018, a report by the World Poverty Clock revealed that Nigeria had overtaken India as the top-tier country with a cosmic community of poor people on the planet.
Also, the report evinced that every minute, six Nigerians become extremely poor. And that in fact, 88 million Nigerians now live in extreme poverty, and with 1.1 million citizens slipping into extreme poverty between June and October, 2018.
In July, a report by the UNDP said that 98 million Nigerians were ‘’multi-dimensionally poor’’. This implies that most citizens are deprived comprehensively; they lack access to good healthcare, live in squalid conditions, endure poor jobs, and are substantially disempowered. And the poverty meter has remained up-sloping since 2007.
Although the report also said only 46 percent of Nigerians are poor when poverty is sized by income, more than 50 percent of citizens are tholing poverty in other dimensions.
In fact, Nigeria, today, contributes 15.7 percent to the global poverty rate; it suffers from serious infrastructure denudation and its debt profile is perilously high. And the inducer of this poverty is the lack of access to basic infrastructure. Fairly over 50 percent of citizens can breathe, but with intermittent gasps, on their income, but most of them are deprived of existential utilities; hence poor in other spheres.
The assertion of President Buhari that his administration has heaved five million Nigerians out of the pits of poverty may not be incorrect. But the basis of this claim is what appears inscrutable.
Speaking through Boss Mustapha (SGF), the president said the social investment programme has created two million direct and indirect jobs.
He said: ‘’One of the key components of the NSIP is the N-Power programme and its sub-components have led to the creation of job opportunities in different sectors of the economy for young people.
‘’For example, in the past three years, the programme has yielded over two million direct and indirect employment opportunities and has lifted over five million Nigerians out of extreme poverty.’’
But how sustainable are these jobs? How was the impact measured? Do the jobs offer only temporary ease, after which there is a return to the status quo?
Really, this is an inchoate premise to hold out as an attestation to the claim of lifting five million Nigerians out poverty. The government is only incubating misery with the social investment programme. A few days ago, the government announced the sack of 2,500 N-Power beneficiaries over absenteeism. And there have been allegations of ‘’misapplication or misdirection’’ of funds hypothecated for NSIP, which Aisha Buhari, first lady corroborated.
Largely, the programme has not been successful as expected because of the ‘’Nigerian factor’’, which the government ought to have envisaged. There you have 2,500 and even more young people on the N-Power scheme, some of whom may not be unemployed, but saw an opportunity to take a bite from the proverbial ‘’national cake’’, and then you have hustlers drilling the till; in the end, resources are not funnelled into the deprived places.
But was the programme primed for success? I have my doubts.
Populist programmes are not a viable mechanism for tackling multidimensional poverty because deprivation is not only in earnings or income, but in other spheres of existence.
Addressing ‘multidimensional poverty’ will take a methodical, planned and sustained approach to accelerate infrastructure development (power and transportation essentially), incentivise and enable business; eliminate asphyxiating tax system and other economic strictures, and make ‘’real’’ investment in healthcare and education.
However, all the administrations since Nigeria’s independence share varying degrees of culpability in the parlous state of things, and not just Buhari’s. The extent of Buhari’s culpability will be well metered at the end of his term.
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target=_blank>Sowore: Ex-UN Diplomat Condemns Court Ruling
A former United Nations diplomat, Babafemi Badejo, has queried the recent judgement by the Federal High Court, Abuja, in granting permission to the Department of State Services to detain activist and convener of RevolutionNow movement, Omoyele Sowore, for a further 45 days.
Reacting to the judgment via his Twitteraccount, Badejo, who is also a lawyer, condemned the development, accusing Justice Taiwo Taiwo, who granted the ex-parte order of doing so in error.
He said, “Is a call for revolution in governance an act of terrorism? Is “may” in a terrorism act “directory” and not “discretionary” as expected especially in an ex-parte ruling?
“Human rights is on trial in Judge Taiwo’s ruling to detain Omoyele Sowore for 45 days,”
Justice Taiwo had on Thursday granted the DSS permission to detain Sowore for another 45 days after being approached by the security agency on Wednesday for the order.
But the judge postponed ruling till Thursday so as to have enough time to go through the evidence tendered by the DSS.
The secret police is accusing Sowore of terrorism after he called on Nigerians to take to the streets and protest against bad governance in the country.
The DSS had a few days to the start of the protest, arrested him in a Lagos hotel in the early hours of Saturday, keeping him in custody ever since despite growing calls for his release.
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target=_blank>Eid-el-Kabir: Traders Double Ram Prices Ahead of Muslim Feast
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Traders in major markets across Lagos, Ogun and Osun states have seized the opportunity of the approaching Eid-el-Kabir to significantly increase prices of ram and goat.
Some Muslims faithful, who spoke with Sahara Reporters, said traders doubled the prices of the animals to squeeze more money out of customers.
At one of the biggest ram markets at Mangoro, Agege, Lagos, a ram goes for an average price of N80,000, our correspondent observed during a visit to the place.
This, according to findings by Sahara Reporters, is twice the price of what ram was sold on a normal day.
A man, who bought ram at the market said, “They (traders) have increased the amount they sell their cows and rams because they always want to make profit especially during the festival period.”
Also at Kara Market, Ogun State, a ram goes for as high as N75,000 instead of the normal price of N30,000.
A Muslim cleric confirmed the hike in price of ram to our correspondent during a chat.
He said, “I bought a ram at the Kara Market for N75,000. This is much higher than the usual price.
“They are merely capitalising on the situation to get more money from people who would be needing ram for the Eid ceremony.”
It was the same story at Ede Market in Osun State where a ram now goes for N70,000 – up from the N30,000 it sold weeks ago.
However, the hike in the prices of rams and cows has not affected demand by Muslim faithful, according to a handful of traders, who spoke with Sahara Reporters.
The businessmen claimed that since demand for ram and cows soared, they have been smiling to the bank on daily basis.
Eid-el-Kabir, which is an annual feast by adherents of Islam to commemorate the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim known as Abraham in the Bible, to sacrifice his only son in obedience to God, will be marked across the world including in Nigeria this year on August 11.
The Federal Government on Wednesday declared August 12 and 13 as public holidays in the country to commemorate the feast.
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target=_blank>Indonesia To Move Capital From Jakarta
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Indonesia is concluding plans to move its capital city from Jakarta to Palangkaraya, the country’s Minister of Planning, Bambang Brodjonegoro, has said.
If it happens, the Asian country will be moving its seat of power from sinking Jakarta, 75 years after the idea was first conceived.
According to Brodjonegoro, Joko Widodo, who has unofficially announced himself as the re-elected President of the country, is open to the idea of building a new capital on the island of Palangkaraya.
The BBC reports that Jakarta is one of the fastest sinking cities in the world, with the northern end of the populated city sinking by eight feet in the last 10 years.
The capital continues to sink at an average of 1-15cm a year with researchers saying that the city of 10 million people will be completely submerged by 2050 – 31 years from now.
Announcing the decision to journalists, Brodjonegoro said the process would take at least 10 years to be completed.
He also added that the feat was possible as several other countries had accomplished same.
He said, “Brazil moved from Rio de Janeiro to Brasilia near the Amazon, and look at Canberra – it is built between Sydney and Melbourne, and Kazakhstan moved their capital closer to the centre of the country and also Myanmar moved to Naypyidaw.”
According to the BBC, residents of Kalimantan, where the island is located, have bitter-sweet feelings about the plan.
“I hope the city will develop and education will become as good as in Jakarta.
“But all the land and forest that’s empty space now will be used. Kalimantan is the lungs of the world, and I am worried, we will lose the forest we have left,” a high school pupil said.
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E2%80%93ozekhome target=_blank>Detention of Sowore for 45 Days, Bad News For Democracy –Ozekhome
Mike Ozekhome
Mike Ozekhome
Human rights lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, has described the order of a Federal High Court in Abuja granting permission to the Department of State Services to further detain activist and convener of RevolutionNow movement, Omoyele Sowore, for 45 days as bad news for ‘genuine’ democracy.
The legal practitioner, in statement on Thursday, revealed that that the ex-parte application was made and granted in the absence Sowore, who is the defendant.
Ozekhome accused the government of being mischievous for deliberately reading meaning to the word ‘revolution’ rather than figuratively.
The statement said, “Didn’t Nigerians understand this to mean a peaceful change of government through the ballot box?
“Why are we suddenly stretching it? Didn’t the All Progressives Congress leadership literally shut down Nigeria in January 2012 during massive protests against the attempt by the then Goodluck Jonathan administration to remove the so called oil subsidy?
“Didn’t this government later hike the pump price of petrol from N97 to N145 per litre that it is now? So much for duplicity and double standards.
Speaking further, the legal luminary pointed that there was nothing democratic about the present government with the dictatorial posture to dissenting voices.
He added, “It is a complete farce and total ruse. God help Nigeria, even as the people get set to gird their loins for tougher days ahead.
“Nigerians should protest and demonstrate peacefully on the streets against the harsh and anti-people policies of this government.
“Not to do so, is to cheaply capitulate to coercive intimidation and abdication of their sovereignty to their very elected and selected agents in government.”
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target=_blank>#RevolutionNow: Release Sowore Now, Ohaneze Tells Buhari
Igbo cultural organisation, Ohaneze Ndigbo, has called for the unconditional release of human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, who has been detained by the Department of State Services since Saturday.
Sowore was picked up by the security agency for calling on Nigerians to take to the streets on August 5 to protest against bad governance in the country.
In a statement on Thursday by the national leader of the youth wing of Ndigbo, Arthur Obiorah, the group said Sowore’s detention fell below international standard.
The statement read, “We refute the claims that the group’s intention was to upset the government’s agenda.
“The authorities should read between the lines and decode the true messages behind the nationwide agitations.
“We request an unconditional release of the Presidential candidate of the Africa Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, whose detention by the DSS falls below international standard which allows freedom of association, expression and assemblage of individuals.
“Our country is in dire need of national conference where most of the questions itemised by Sowore are considered for implementation.
“The clamour for #RevolutionNow by Nigerians should be well thought about.
“It is an avenue where Nigerians pour out their minds on the state of the nation and what they feel is not right within the context of the universal coverage.”
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EU Reacts To Sowore’s Arrest, Supports Peaceful Protests
The European Union has said it will continue to stand firm on principles of freedom of speech and rights to peaceful demonstration.
The organisation, which made the statement on Thursday in Abuja through its Ambassador to Nigeria, Ketil Karlsen, was reacting to the continued detention of activist and convener of the RevolutionNow movement, Omoyele Sowore.
The Sahara Reporters publisher was in the early hours of Saturday arrested in Lagos by operatives of the Department of State Security for calling on Nigerians to take to the streets to voice out their anger with bad governance in the country.
In his statement, Karlsen said, “The European Union stands firm on the principles of freedom of speech and our fundamental values. Of course, it is important in any democratic society for people to be able to participate.
“I am not aware of any petition following the latest events in Nigeria but what I can say is that as long as people seek peaceful means to demonstrate and voice their political opinion, this is what we see as a natural part of a thriving democracy.
“Ay democracy or any society in the world must jealously guard and make sure that such pronouncements are always non-violent and that they respect the fundamental rules of the game and democracy at the end of the day and it is for the Nigerian justice system, in the end, to follow up on specific cases and as long as these cases are being dealt with in the Nigerian justice system, it is not for the EU or the EU ambassador to judge what is right or wrong in these occasions.
“But of course, we always follow very carefully when there are dissenting voices in the countries where we operate and we listen very carefully to all of them.”
On Thursday morning, a Federal High Court in Abuja granted an ex-parte order to the DSS to continue to detain Sowore.
The move has been met with heavy backlash with many prominent voices within and outside Nigeria calling for his immediate release.
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