Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Thursday 11th June 2020
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 11/06/20
Read also
ISWAP Abducts International Aid Workers In North-East Nigeria
ISWAP Soldiers
Three aid workers working with some international humanitarian organisations were abducted alongside several others whose identities and affiliations are yet to be determined along the Maiduguri-Monguno Road in Borno State, Nigeria.
Information about the date and circumstances around the incident remain sketchy.
A source told HumAngle that the abduction occurred less than 48 hours after an earlier one on June 1, in which three staff of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency and a soldier providing security for them were abducted by terrorists.
Another account however, said that the international aid workers were abducted this week.
FILE PHOTO: ISWAP
Dozens of humanitarian workers continue to thread on dangerous terrain in the course of their official duties in the North-East of Nigeria.
Several of them have been abducted in the past by ISWAP.
Among the abducted, they have suffered different fates with some getting released or being slain or being kept interminably in captivity.
Alice Ngaddah, a nurse with the UNICEF and Grace Taku, working for the ACF have been kept in captivity since March 2018 and July 2019 respectively.
The Maiduguri-Monguno and the Maiduguri-Gubio highways have constituted an easy trap for travellers in the territory.
Steadily, the insurgents have operated on the highways routinely without any challenge from state actors.
Eyewitnesses report that the terrorists routinely mount checkpoints to screen travellers on those routes.
Some motorists, who escaped the regular fate of other abductees recounted that they were thoroughly screened to identify their professional or religious affiliations.
Those identified as affiliated with the government, Western institutions or of Christian religious faith faced more daunting fate.
A driver, who was allowed to go after some passengers in his commercial vehicle were abducted told HumAngle that the terrorists looked exactly like the military.
“They were well kitted with gun trucks and empty vehicles to accommodate those they plan to abduct,” he reported.
“Only those that were seen as mere villagers, traders who are Muslims are allowed to go free,” said the driver who uses the Maiduguri-Monguno highway regularly.
On Wednesday, June 9, Boko Haram fighters ambushed travellers along the Maiduguri-Damboa highway reopened by the state for public use last January.
The terrorists reportedly killed scores of the passengers.
Attempts by HumAngle to speak with state officials on the incidents proved abortive. However, an official with one of the humanitarian organisations in Maiduguri told HumAngle that they were still assessing the situation.
The officer, who did not want his name mentioned, warned that with the lockdown measures being relaxed the region was likely to witness a surge in abductions.
SOURCE
Developing News: ISWAP Abducts International Aid Workers In Northeast Nigeria
Terrorism
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
HumAngle
Disable advertisements
:
Edo/Ondo: INEC Threatens Not To Declare Results Where Elections Are Disrupted
INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, has threatened not to declare results at polling booth where elections will be disrupted in the forthcoming Edo and Ondo states governorship elections.
Yakubu warned political parties and politicians to shun violence or risk forfeiting poll results when he spoke at a virtual event on Democracy and Elections in West Africa organised by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Washington DC, United States, in collaboration with the Centre for Democracy and Development.
The INEC Chairman said where an election is disrupted; the commission will not make declaration on the outcome due to lack of adherence to guiding rules of election.
INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu
SaharaReporters Media
Prof Yakubu stated there would be no point making a declaration in such situation as the commission will not endorse fraud or function outside the minimum standard set for the conduct of credible elections.
Prof Yakubu said, “Where the election is disrupted and the commission cannot vouch for the integrity of the process, we will not go ahead to make any declaration.
“You (political parties, politicians and voters) either behave for the elections to be concluded in a free and fair manner or we do what the law says.
“While elections are disrupted, we should look far beyond the electoral commission.
“I think you put your fingers on the problem, on the political class and the security challenges and that is why we have been engaging with them.”
Addressing challenges the commission might face in conducting an election in a Coronavirus pandemic period, Yakubu, said Nigeria with 10 bye-elections and over 6.2 million voters is determined to ensure democracy is not truncated.
He said proper measures have been put in place to contain the possible spread of COVID-19 among voters and officials.
Listing some of the measures, the INEC Chairman said, machines used for voter authentication will be disinfected, the use of face masks and a two-meter (6 feet) physical distance between voters will be enforced while infrared thermometers will be provided in voting and collation areas.
Prof Yakubu added that adequate security would be put in place during the election while officials participating in the conduct of the election will be properly trained in line with advisories and guideline listed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
According to him, INEC will continue to relate with political parties across the country to ensure a free, credible and fair respective of the pandemic
“Nigeria is one of the most litigated against public institutions in the country. In the last one and the half years over the conduct of the general elections and party primaries, we have been dragged to court over 2000 times and it is counting,” Prof Yakubu said.
Elections
Politics
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
Saharareporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Bauchi Constituents Commence Recall Process Of APC Senator, Bulkachuwa, Over Poor Representation
A youth group in Bauchi North Senatorial District, Katagum Focus Frontiers, has initiated moves to recall Adamu Muhammed Bulkachuwa, Senator representing the zone in the National Assembly.
The group in a letter to the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, accused Bulkachuwa of abandoning his zone and failing to keep in touch with his constituents.
According to the letter dated June 10, 2020, and signed by the group’s Chairman, Sa’idu Ibrahim Chinade, the Senator was said to have deserted his constituency for over seven months with no presence or project from him.
The letter reads, “We are living in unprecedented times as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. Trust this finds you safe and well. The Katagum Focus Frontiers wish to inform you that we are extremely displeased with the poor representation of Senator Adamu Muhammed Bulkachuwa, his recall process has begun.
“The good people of Bauchi North Senatorial District always look to have a reliable, dedicated and competent legislature to represent their affairs. Unfortunately this is not the case as Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa has shown incompetence and poor representation. He has disappeared into thin air, evidently deserted his constituency for over seven months with no iconic presence or project from him.
“In view of the unending complaints, grievances registered by members of Bauchi North and efforts to call him to order being abortive. APC leaders from Kafin Kuka Ward in Katagum Local Government Area suspended him on 9th June, 2020.
“Under the Nigerian Constitution, Senator May have their services ended priority the normal expiration of their constitutionally established terms of office or by their resignation or death, or by recall processes as stated in section 69 of the 1999 constitution which provides steps on how a senator can be recalled from the Senate.
“It is of vital importance that the welfare of the electorates is prioritized, however, Senator Adamu Muhammad Bulkachuwa has failed woefully in this regard. We are resolute in his recall and hope you will understand.”
Politics
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
Saharareporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Gunmen Kill Popular Kogi Shop Owner, Nicholas Ofodile, Three Others, Abduct Many Passengers In State
A popular grocery shop owner in Lokoja, Kogi State, Mr Nicholas Ofodile, and three others have been shot dead by yet to be identified persons while several passengers in a commerical bus were kidnapped along Lokoja-Abuja Expressway.
The incident occurred at about 7:00am on Wednesday between Acheni and Gegu villages in the state.
Ofodile was travelling to Abuja from Lokoja in his Lexus SUV with registration number LKJ 658 PU when he ran into a road block mounted by the gunmen at Gegu.
The attackers were said to have opened fire on his vehicle, killing him in the process.
SaharaReporters gathered that no fewer than eight vehicles were caught up in the shooting while several passengers escaped with gunshot injuries.
Spokesperson for the police in the state, DSP William Aya, however said that only two persons were killed in the attack.
CRIME
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
Saharareporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
23 Bodies Recovered After Communal Clash In Adamawa State
The remains of 23 persons have so far been recovered after a deadly communal clash in Adamawa State.
Earlier on Wednesday, SaharaReporters had reported that many were feared dead in a violent conflict involving ‘Lunguda’ and ‘Waja’ tribes in Lafiya under Lamurde Local Government Area of the state.
A resident of Zakawon, one of the villages torched in the violence, Adel Rara, who managed to escape to Yola, the state capital, told SaharaReporters that 23 dead bodies had so far been recovered.
Rara added that more fatalities were expected as many people were unaccounted for as at 7:00pm on Wednesday.
He said, “I personally counted 16 bodies in Zakawon and around the Lowcost area.
“I was also informed that six more bodies were recovered at Mamsirmi and Tarakra villages.”
See Also
Breaking News
BREAKING: Many Feared Killed In Adamawa Communal Clash
0 Comments
8 Hours Ago
However, spokesperson for the police in the state, Suleiman Nguroje, could not confirm the fatalities.
He said, “Detectives have not returned from the area, so I cannot confirm any fatality.
“But I can confirm that we have so far arrested 32 people in connection with the violence.”
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
Saharareporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
How Dare You Pretend To Be A Victim! By Idowu Ohioze
Idowu Ohioze
I hear you too have taken to the streets
draped in flags of solidarity hoping to hide your ills.
I see you holding placards pretending to speak truth to
power.
The same power you misuse against your own kith?!
Yes, you who are:
the corrupters of your cultures
the defilers of your traditions
the stealers of your people’s patrimony
the traducers of your kind
the unpunished killers of your brothers,
the unjailed rapists of your sisters
the jailer who is also the accuser and the judge!
It is to you I speak.
You think your ills will be washed away by pointing the finger
at the white man?
Who was it that sold your kin as spoils of war for mere mirrors and gun powder?
The same mirror in which, when you dare to look, you see only your enemies’ reflection.
Your pretend government of the people, by the people and for the people is only a ruse for a government of your friends, the indolent and the incompetent!
You rail against the white man’s government, but you give yours no grief, failing to hold it accountable for its flaws.
Do not pretend to fight this battle
for there wouldn’t have been one were it not for your self-centredness.
There wouldn’t have been a need contending with the white man if you hadn’t frittered away the beauty and blessings of a land we all own: a land which used to flow with milk and honey!
What is the basis of your solidarity marches?
‘White on black’ is racism but what do you call ‘black on black’?
See: he isn’t black who is one only in colour.
Don’t humour me by taking a knee for you do not understand its essence.
Bending the knee represents the fight against racism and police brutality in America.
You whitewash your remembrance of things past forgetting how often your police lock up the innocent for walking the streets, or for owning a type of phone, and for refusing to give a bribe.
In America, some for whom you hold solidarity protests consider your kin beneath them.
They say: “No, you aren’t black. You are from Africa. You have an accent. Go back from where you came!”
Complicated, isn’t it? That’s another talk for another day.
For now, you may take a knee for whatever reason you choose for as long as you want, but don’t make it a fad.
You cannot feel a pain that really isn’t yours
so don’t try to cry more than the bereaved.
…..
Idowu Ohioze is principal lawyer at Andrew Law, Edmonton Canada. He is a graduate of the University of Benin (LLB), the Nigerian Law School and the University of Alberta, Canada (LLM). www.andrewlaw.ca
Idowu Ohioze
Opinion
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
Idowu Ohioze
Disable advertisements
:
Rape: Nigerian Senate Moves To Protect Victims Against Stigmatisation
The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday considered a critical bill seeking to protect victims of rape against any form of stigmatisation in the country.
The bill, which scaled second reading on the floor during plenary, also provides for prosecution and punishment of any person or group of persons, who stigmatise such victims with a view to upholding and protect their Fundamental Right to Dignity and Freedom of Association as provided by the 1999 constitution (as amended).
Leading debate on the bill during plenary, Senator Musa said if passed into law, the bill would among other things encourage victims of rape to testify in court.
The bill, which contains 11 clauses, according to the lawmaker, would also ensure the re-integration of victims of insurgency into the community of their choice.
The lawmaker, who bemoaned the trauma which most victims of rape suffer and are exposed to in the country, blamed the development on what he described as the “ineptitude” of the Nigerian justice system.
He said, “The justice system in Nigeria is incredibly inept and for rape cases, this is even more traumatic.
“A rape victims goes to the police to report and the policeman or woman tells the victim to go and sort it out at home as it is a domestic case. And the consequences of such act is that the victim is left at the mercy of the society without any protection.
“This sort of stigma has prevented many survivors from reporting abuse and seeking justice. Victims of insurgency and other violent acts needs this kind of laws that will not only promote gender equality, the empowerment of women and girls as fundamental to all efforts to prevent and address sexual violence, but also progressively uplift such victims,
“We are all living witnesses to the upsurge of the criminality of rape and the destruction of lives been perpetrated by those coward criminals in our communities, coupled with the fact that our country has an extremely low conviction rate for rape and sexual abuses despite the increase in violence against women in recent years.”
The bill, which received the support of lawmakers was referred by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, to the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for further legislative work.
The committee, which is chaired by Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, is expected to submit its report back to the Senate in four weeks.
S**
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
Saharareporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Nigerian Senate To Consider 2020 Revised Budget On Thursday
The Nigerian Senate will on Thursday consider the revised 2020 budget.
The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, gave the hint on Wednesday during plenary after the Committee on Appropriation laid the report on the 2020 revised budget.
He said, “Tomorrow, we can receive and consider the report to ensure that we don’t delay anything as important as that. So, this is the essence of altering the order paper.”
Recall that the Senate on Tuesday deferred presentation of the report over a delay by Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, to provide details for the sum of N186bn, an amount, which is part of the N500bn COVID-19 intervention fund.
Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Barau Jibrin, on Tuesday had explained to his colleagues that the Finance Ministry was yet to comply with the request of the committee by attaching necessary details for the amount to be captured as part of the 2020 budget amendment bill.
However, the Senate President on Wednesday disclosed that the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning had complied with the request of the Appropriations Committee by providing the relevant details for the outstanding N186bn.
The development, according to him, makes it expedient for the upper chamber to consider the revised 2020 budget on Thursday during plenary.
Politics
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
Saharareporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Borno Governor, Zulum, Visits Faduma Kolomdi Village After Boko Haram Attack, Told 81 Died, Village Head, Six Others Abducted
Borno State governor, Babagana Zulum, on Wednesday visited Faduma Kolomdi village in Gubio Local Government Area to sympathise with families of slain and wounded victims of a Boko Haram attack in the area.
Faduma Kolomdi, a nomadic village, is located 35 kilometres in the North of Gubio, the headquarters of Gubio Local Government Area.
A survivor told Zulum that 81 residents were killed during the attack on Tuesday with 13 persons injured and seven others including the village head abducted.
See Also
Boko Haram
Boko Haram Terrorists Attack Borno Community, Kill 70 Persons
0 Comments
13 Hours Ago
While sympathising with the people over the attack, Governor Zulum urged the Nigerian military to undertake a final onslaught that would put an end to the insurgents in the shore of Lake Chad.
Zulum described the attack as barbaric and unfortunate while evacuating five injured persons in his convoy for treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
He said, “Last year, about the same number of people were killed in Gajiram like it happened again.
“This is barbaric. It is very unfortunate. The only solution to end this massacre is by dislodging the insurgents in the shores of Lake Chad. Doing so will require collaborative regional efforts.” #PessPlay: Boko Haram Terrorists Attack Borno Community On Monday, Kill Scores @HQNigerianArmy WATCH FULL VIDEO: pic.twitter.com/4tlyp3YvTv— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) June 10, 2020
An eyewitness told the governor that the insurgents operated for about six hours and left around 4pm on Tuesday.
He said, “The insurgents in gun trucks and armoured tanks came around 10am yesterday (Tuesday). They operated for about six hours and left around 4pm. They gathered us and said they wanted to deliver a religious sermon to us. They asked us to submit whatever arm we had. Some villagers gave up their Dane guns, bow and arrows.
“The insurgents pretended as if they were not there for any violence. Suddenly, they started shooting at will. Even children and women were not spared, many were shot at close range. Many started running.
“At the end, many persons were killed. We have been burying people from 10:00pm last night to about 6am this morning. We have buried 49 corpses here while another 32 corpses were taken away by families from the villages around us.
“The insurgents abducted seven persons including our village head. They went away with 400 cattle.”
See Also
PHOTONEWS: Boko Haram Terrorists Attack Borno Community On Monday, Kill Scores
11 Hours Ago
Insurgency
Politics
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
Saharareporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Boki: Justice For Victims Of Witch-hunt By Leo Igwe
A protest has been staged in Calabar, Cross River State, to get authorities to take action against those, who attacked and burnt alleged witches in Boki Local Government Area of the state.
The protesters carried placards with the inscription: Justice for Oku-Boki Burnt Women.
Last month, an aide to the state governor led local thugs to attack and set ablaze suspected witches in Oku Community.
The police have yet to arrest Thomas Obi Tawo (aka General Iron) and other alleged perpetrators of this horrific crime.
Victims have yet to receive any support or assistance from the state government.
Meanwhile, the Advocacy for Alleged Witches has received a list of victims of the witch-hunt. Here are their names:
1. Benard Kekong(known as papa Odu Ekpang)
2. Rita Abang (known as Dachi Ochang)
3. Margaret Akan (known as Ada Akan)
4. Edward Kekong
5. John Otu
6. Mama Delia Kubua
7. Rose Obi
8. Patricia Obi
9. Kaka Olum
10. Mary Ada Otu
11. Martina Maurice
12. Serah Kepua Odu
13. Paulina Owan
14. Sussana Bisong
15. Yet to be confirmed
There were 15 victims and the name and identity of the fifteenth person has not been confirmed.
An eyewitness told AfAW that on that fateful day, Thomas Obi Tawo arrived the community with his boys, first, he attacked his mother, Rose Obi, and then Chief Benard Kekong.
General Iron called out names of other suspected witches. His boys dragged them out of their apartments, beat them up, and threw them into the fire. People could not cry out or raise an alarm. Nobody tried to stop or resist them because they feared that they could also be beaten and thrown into the fire.
Three persons, who were set ablaze, have died as a result of their wounds.
They are Benard Kekong, Rita Abang, and Margaret Akan. Other victims are in various hospitals battling for their lives.
Some of the victims, who could not afford the cost of medical treatment are at home.
The buttocks of one of the victims, Serah Kepua Odu, was completely burnt. She cannot sit down.
Another victim, Sussana Bisong, sustained serious injuries. She was unable to go to the hospital because she could not afford the hospital bills.
A local source told AfAW that the wounds started smelling and they had to rush her to a general hospital in Ogoja.
AfAW urges the government of Cross River State to support the medical treatment of those affected by this tragic incident and help rehabilitate victims of witch hunts in Boki LGA.
News
Opinion
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
Leo Igwe
Disable advertisements
:
Read also
You can also check
