Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Friday 13th December 2019
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 13/12/19
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US Senator, Chris Coons, Calls For Sowore’s Immediate Release
Chris Coons
Chris Coons
A member of the United States Senate from Delaware, Chris Coons, has condemned the rearrest of pro-democracy campaigner and journalist, Omoyele Sowore, by the Department of State Services at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday less than 24 hours after being released on bail by the agency.
Sowore was standing trial in a case brought against him by the government on Friday morning when DSS operatives invaded the court and forcefully took him away.
According to Coons, the situation leaves him deeply concerned.
In a post on Twitter on Tuesday, the lawmaker said, “I’m deeply concerned by the harassment and repeated detainment of Nigerian activist, journalist, and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore.
“I urge Nigerian security services to respect due process and the rule of law, release Sowore per his bail terms, and launch an investigation into his rearrest.
“I’m concerned that this case is representative of closing of political and media space in Nigeria.
“Civil society leaders and human rights defenders should be celebrated, not persecuted, in Nigeria and around the world.”
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JUST IN: DSS Arrests, Detains Popular Akure Pastor Over Missing Child In Church
Alfa Babatunde
Alfa Babatunde
The Department of State Services has arrested the Founder of Sotitobire Miracle Centre, Akure, Ondo State, Alfa Babatunde, following a petition against him about a missing child in his church.
Babatunde was arrested on Tuesday afternoon after the DSS invited him for interrogation at their office in Akure, the state capital.
Eniola Kolawole was declared missing at the popular church during a special service.
The church is located at the Oshinle Quarters of Akure.
A source at the DSS office, who spoke with our correspondent, confirmed the arrest of Babatunde.
“Pastor Babatunde was invited this afternoon to our office for interrogation after we got a petition about a missing child in his church.
“We had earlier contacted him through his lawyer but both of them were not cooperating with us.
“Fortunately, he showed up this afternoon after intense pressure, so we had to quickly swing into action by taking him to his house for a search.
“We also searched his church thoroughly.
“His case is being moved to Abuja for further investigation.”
Mrs Modupe Kolawole, the distraught mother of the missing child had accused Babatunde of being behind the sudden disappearance of her son.
Recall that the one-year-old child was dropped at the creche section of the church by his mother during a service but went missing shortly before the end of the program. The Department of State Services has arrested the Founder of Sotitobire Miracle Centre, Akure, Ondo State, Alfa Babatunde, following a petition against him about a missing child in his church.
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Group Drags Nigerian Correctional Service To Court Over Death Of Inmates In Ikoyi Prison
The Prisoners’ Rights Advocacy Initiative has instituted a legal action against the Nigerian Correctional Service over the electrocution of five inmates leading to their death at the Ikoyi Prison in Lagos.
The electrocution was caused by overcrowding, according to the Controller-General of the NCS, Ja’afaru Ahmed, who also said that the facility had a capacity of 35 but accommodated 140 persons.
Apart from those killed in the incident, at least 10 others sustained injuries.
Joined in the suit are the Federal Government of Nigeria, Attorney-General of the Federation, Minister of Interior, Controller-General of the NCS, Lagos State Controller of Correctional Service, Attorney-General of Lagos State.
The group is praying the court to grant an order that the service begins the decongestion of the court and also release those who did not go through proper trial.
Some of their prayers are that, “A declaration that the overcrowding of the Ikoyi Medium Security Custodial Centre, which was originally built in 1955 to accommodate 800 inmates, but now holding about 3,113 inmates as at December 3, 2019 was unconstitutional and violates the inmates’ fundamental right of freedom from degrading treatment and respect for dignity of their persons under Section 34(1) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
“A declaration that the arrest and continued remand without proper arraignment and trial in a court of competent jurisdiction of all inmates as of the day of judgment in this application, who have been in custody for period in excess of two months in case of those not entitled to bail, and three months in case of the those entitled to bail, was unlawful and unconstitutional and a violation of their fundamental right to personal liberty and freedom of movement as guaranteed by Sections 35(4) and 41 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and Article 6 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act CAP A9 LFN 2004.
“A declaration that the dearth or lack of functional basic amenities, including state of the art vocational and recreational centres, and health facilities in the Ikoyi Medium Security Correctional Centre is unlawful and violates inmates’ fundamental rights under Section 34(1)(a) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and also a breach of the 1st respondent’s duties under the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for Treatment of Prisoners (as revised in 2015) A/RES/70/175.”
The advocacy organisation also prayed the court to grant an order compelling the 1st and 3rd respondents to keep the Ikoyi Medium Security Custodial Centre in good shape, and also directing the respondents to tender public apology in at least two widely read newspapers for violating the rights of the inmates.
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Obaseki, Oshiomhole In Fresh Intra-party War Over Planned Edo APC Rally
The party leadership tussle between governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, and Adams Oshiomhole, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, took a fresh angle as the party made public plan to hold its state rally.
While Obaseki denied having knowledge of the said rally, the Oshimhole-led faction insisted that the party would be having its rally on Friday.
The rally was to begin sensitisation towards 2020 and also welcome defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party.
Obaseki had said he doesn’t have any knowledge of an APC rally in the state and that the state APC secretariat and the party had not officially announced a rally.
He said, “The issue of public safety is a major concern to us as a government and this being the last security council meeting for the year, we had to put up measures in place to tackle security challenges.”
Meanwhile, factional Chairman of Edo APC, Col David Imuse, who has the backing of Oshiomhole, affirmed that APC would be having a rally in the state on Friday.
He said that the decision had been confirmed by the national body of the party.
He said, “We are not at a press war with anybody. The party leadership took a decision and the national headquarters affirmed that decision.
“So, whatever we do here is subject to ratification by Abuja. The party took a decision here and it was affirmed in Abuja.
“We had a NEC meeting, it was ratified and affirmed.
“We had the South-South leaders MEETING, it was affirmed and in the meeting of all the chairmen of APC nationwide, it was affirmed. I don’t dwell on illegality.”
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E2%80%99s-lawyer-writes-national-assembly-demands-investigation BREAKING: Wanted Nnamdi Kanu’s Lawyer Writes National Assembly, Demands Investigation Into Killings At His Home
Ifeanyi Ejiofor
Ifeanyi Ejiofor
Ifeanyi Ejiofor, lawyer representing Nnamdi Kanu, who was recently declared wanted by the Nigeria Police Force, has written the National Assembly over the killings that occurred at his home during an invasion by the police.
It was reported that a clash in his home in Orafite, Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State, on December 2, 2019, led to the killing of three of his kinmen and two officers of the force.
The Anambra State Police Command subsequently declared him wanted over the incidence.
He has since gone into hiding.
In a letter to the National Assembly seen by SaharaReporters, the lawyer denied any involvement in the matter, urging the lawmakers to intervene in the matter in order to uncover all hidden facts.
He explained in the letter that he was on his way to the state command when he received a call on the attack in his house.
He also denied all allegations against him by the police.
The letter reads partly, “At about 6am, I spoke with the ACP and assured him of my availability between 10am to 11am in his office, the trigger happy officers met these same youths during the first visit and they never bounced on the policemen.
“If they didn’t attack the policemen during the first invasion, why would they attack them during the second? “The shooting at everything in sight started during the second visit because they were convinced I was at home, the style was a clear modus to kill me.”
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Kogi Election: Police Parade Suspected Killer Of PDP Women Leader
Acheju Abuh
Acheju Abuh
The Kogi State Police Command has paraded six persons suspected to be killers of Mrs Salome Abuh, Peoples Democratic Party Women Leader in the state.
Abuh was burnt alive in her house after the announcement of the November 16 governorship election result, with her killers blocking all exits to prevent her from escaping.
The six suspects paraded by the police include Ocholi Edicha, Adamu Haruna, Onu Egbunu, Musa Alidu, Attai Haruna and Attah Ejeh.
The police said Edicha confessed he led the gang to Abuh’s house and also revealed that they had been masterminding series of robberies in the state.
The command assured that all involved in the act will not go unpunished as investigation was ongoing.
The suspects however, denied killing Abuh but admitted being thieves operating in the area.
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Comparing Omoyele Sowore’s #RevolutionNow To Boko Haram Insurgency, A Needless Escalation By Kayode Ogundamisi
Kayode Ogundamisi
Kayode Ogundamisi
I read the statement by the Presidency on the Sowore/Bakare treason trial. This statement is a needless escalation, particularly the comparison with Boko Haram insurgency. If the allegations are completely true, why is the Department of State Services disobeying court orders? One would think the state will be eager to bring its evidence to the open.
If the Presidency and the DSS are confident of Omoyele Sowore’s ability and capabilities to “violently overthrow the government”, why can’t the state simply let the judicial process proceed without interference as seen in the agency’s disobedience of two court orders and the recent show of force by carrying out an arrest when you could have easily invited Sowore or picked him up at his residence in Abuja with a court warrant?
The President Muhammadu Buhari government is making a grave mistake, attracting negative local and international commentaries, a distraction the government does not need at any time, particularly now. Now is the time for the government to stop listening to the voices of chaos and start listening to the voice of reason.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), should review the Sowore and Bakare’s case file and do the needful (drop the treason charges) and if the state is confident of its case, then let the case proceed in a transparent and open manner.
When Sowore committed what was an obvious infraction such as defacing a public property in Lagos, an offence that could get an easy conviction in a Lagos environmental court, the government looked the other way, a sign the state isn’t interested in enforcing our laws but to bring up charges with stringent conditions that can drag on for long and keep alleged offenders in jail awaiting trial for a long period. The treason charges the state is now relying on is unlikely to stand in an open trial, thus the request for a secret trial and anonymous witnesses.
Sowore’s followership on social media run into millions of people who find it easy to ‘comment’ ‘like’ ‘follow’ his broadcasts, but no evidence the millions have translated into a mass movement.
Nigerians are disappointed, angry and have always wanted a change but not reckless enough to follow an unplanned idealistic ‘revolution’ with no road map, even the DSS should have known this. The danger to Nigeria isn’t the Sowore and his group, the government should review how the intelligent agencies arrive at largely fictitious ‘security reports’.
Now it is the Nigerian Government and the DSS that are promoting #RevolutionNow by aiming to kill a fly with a nuclear bomb with attendant negative impact. It is the government now ascribing some imaginary powers to Omoyele Sowore and his armless group, a sign of insecurity on the part of the government.
Each infraction by the government will attract more sympathy. It is the case of David against Goliath. Give this group a designated space to protest and a platform to vent and you will see not all Nigerians agree with some of the solutions being proffered by the group.
Omoyele Sowore and his group are being lionised by the state. Nigeria’s elite security is now acting like a gangster enforcer. The government should review its so-called counter-insurgency strategy and stop applying failed tactics.
The irony is that the government already had half of what it wants legally by securing one of the harshest bail conditions against a suspect. The judge had in a ruling on October 4 granted Sowore bail in the sum of N100m and two sureties in the same amount and barred him from travelling out of Abuja. Why rearrest Sowore when he’s already restricted to Abuja? Is the DSS saying it does not have the capability to mount surveillance on one man in Abuja?
For the record, I am no supporter of #RevolutionNow, I have seen how recklessness can destabilise fragile states but evidence of alleged infractions is better presented in court without the state acting as if it is insecure and desperate to keep a voice in detention by all means, necessary, including bending the law.
Now is the time for the government to stop the disobedience of court orders, no one is above the law including activists and people in government but if you must prosecute Sowore and others then let it be open, free and transparent. Otherwise, thus far the state has made a mess of the case, this is looking more like persecution than prosecution. If the government has a thinking cap on, it will #FreeSoworeNow or at the least let the case in court continue without infractions.
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Kayode Ogundamisi
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Trump Could Face Senate Trial In January
President of the United States, Donald Trump, may face trial at the Senate in January.
This follows the Democrat-dominated House of Reps announcing two formal charges – ‘Articles of Impeachment’ against him on Wednesday.
Reuters reports that Trump is accused of withholding aid to Ukraine, a vulnerable ally to get its President, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, to carry out an investigation of Democrat Presidential hopeful, Joe Biden.
The entirety of Congress are expected to vote on the charges brought by the judicial committee next week.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman, Jerrold Nadler, informed reporters that Trump had endangered the US constitution, undermined the integrity of the 2020 election and jeopardised national security.
“No one, not even the President, is above the law,” Nadler is quoted as saying.
Speaker of the House of Representative, Nancy Pelosi, had turned her back on several attempts to impeach Trump, asking her fellow Democrats to wait for a full-proof case to emerge.
Following leaked transcripts of a telephone conversation Trump had with Zelenskiy, the lower chamber saw their opportunity and swung into action on September 24.
Since Trump came into power, he had been dogged with a series of allegations, which blossomed with alleged Russian intervention in the 2016 polls that brought him to office.
It has since turned into other weighty issues such as the separation of migrant families trying to seek refuge in the country.
Trump will be the third President to get impeached by the American congress if it eventually happens.
He will however not get convicted and removed from office by a jury, which would be made up of Republican Senators.
It is expected that Democrats in the lower chamber will vote overwhelmingly for his impeachment, which would then lead to the trial in the upper chamber in January.
The Republicans believe the Democrats are on a ‘witch hunt’ to revise the 2016 election outcome.
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E2%80%93unicef 464 Child Soldiers Released To Borno Government –UNICEF
The United Nations Children Education Fund on Tuesday said a total of 464 children associated with Civilian Joint Task Force militias have so far been released to the Borno State Government.
UNICEF’s Chief Operations Officer in Borno State, Geoffrey Ijumba, disclosed this during the official handing over of the children in Maiduguri on Tuesday.
He said, “The United Nations Country Task Force on Monitoring and Reporting commends the Government of Borno for committing to end the recruitment of children through signing the action plan whose implementation we witnessed today.
“The action plan is a commitment that has allowed the United Nations to support the Civilian Joint Task Force, end and prevent the recruitment and use of children, as well as other grave violations.
“As of today, a total of 3,737 children associated with the Civilian Joint Task Force have been identified within the city of Maiduguri and 20 other local government areas.
“They have all been assessed on the level of association with the Civilian Joint Task Force.
“A total of 1,727 children have so far been released and have accessed reintegration services aimed at giving them not only skills to cope with life but also hope for a better tomorrow.
“We have made progress but a lot remains to be done and UNICEF stands ready and committed to supporting these children and young people to realise their dreams and will work with state authorities and our implementing partners to provide them with the necessary support.”
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Algeria Jails Two Former Prime Ministers For Corruption
Al Jazeera
An Algerian court has sentenced two former prime ministers of the country to long jail terms amid a huge corruption investigation.
Ahmed Ouyahia was sentenced to 15 years in prison and Abdelmalek Sellal to 12 years, the BBC reports.
They were accused of abusing authority in a car manufacturing embezzlement scandal.
It was the first time since Algeria’s independence from France in 1962 that ex-prime ministers were put on trial.
The two were allies of long-time President, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who resigned amid mass protests in April.
Ouyahia and Sellal were among 19 defendants tried on charges of money laundering, abuse of office, and granting undue privileges in the vehicle assembly industry.
One serving cabinet minister, Abdesalem Bouchoureb, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in absentia.
An international arrest warrant has been issued for him amid reports that he is abroad.
Defence lawyers boycotted the trial, alleging that the proceedings were “politicised” and aimed at “settling scores”, AFP reports.
The convicted men however, have 10 days to appeal against the sentence.
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