Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Friday 18th December 2020
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 18/12/20
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Buhari Reacts To Release Of Kidnapped Schoolboys
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday celebrated the release of the abducted students of the Government Science Secondary School, Kankara.
Buhari, in a statement signed by Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, described their safe return as a big relief to their families, the entire country and the international community.
The President assured Nigerians of the determination of his administration to rescue all citizens held against their will by either terrorists or bandits.
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BREAKING: Abducted Katsina Schoolboys Released
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The statement read, “President Muhammadu Buhari has welcomed the release of kidnapped students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State, describing their safe return as a big relief to their families, the entire country and international community.
“In a short remark shortly after their release was announced, President Buhari expressed the nation’s appreciation for the steps taken by all involved to make their freedom possible.
“President Buhari specifically cited what he called the ‘spirit of partnership and the collaborative efforts of the government of Katsina, Zamfara and military leading to the release.’“He commended the nation’s intelligence agencies, the military and police force for providing the environment for the safe release of the hostages. On the issue of detainees held elsewhere in the country by either terrorists or bandits, the President gave assurances that his administration is aware of its responsibility to protect the life and property of the Nigerians.“President Buhari urged the citizens to be patient and fair to the administration as it deals with the problems of security, economy and corruption. He noted that the administration was fully aware that it was elected to resolve challenges.“When we came, we made efforts that yielded the return of the Chibok Girls. When a similar incident of school abduction happened at Dapchi, we successfully returned all but one of the more than one hundred abductees. When this latest incident happened, we put in our efforts, and today we have this result to show.“The President pointed to the successes of the administration in dealing with security in the South-South and North East. He said the North West now presents a challenge which his administration is determined to deal with.“He prayed for the full recovery of the students, whom he said had endured significant hardships in the course of their six-day ordeal. The President assured of the determination of his administration to return to safety all citizens held against their will.”
PHOTONEWS: Kidnapped Kankara Students On Their Way To Katsina After Release | Sahara Reporters pic.twitter.com/zaCoXe4Y4V— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) December 17, 2020
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BREAKING: Abducted Katsina Schoolboys Released
Gunmen suspected to be bandits have released all students abducted from Government Science Secondary School in the Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State, SaharaReporters has gathered.
The students had been in the kidnappers’ den for six days. They are currently on their way to Katsina, sources told SaharaReporters.
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Gunmen, who came on motorbikes had last Friday, invaded the school’s premises around 11 pm shooting indiscriminately to scare residents. The operation led to the disappearance of over 300 students.
Boko Haram had on Tuesday claimed responsibility for the attack.
“Katsina Abduction Was Done To Discourage Western Education” – Boko Haram Claims Responsibility For Abduction Of School Pupils In New AudioLISTEN TO FULL AUDIO: pic.twitter.com/SB1XVV91pj— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) December 16, 2020
“They are on their way to Katsina, the military finalised the negotiations with them, they will be received by the governor anytime from now,” the source said.
When contacted, Abdu Labaran, Director General of Media to Governor Masari said, “I can’t say yes or no, but we have gone beyond discussions with the bandits for now. We are expecting the governor to address a world press conference soon.”
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E2%80%93-apc One North-West Governor Behind Banditry, Killings – APC
Yekini Nabena
The ruling All Progressives Congress has accused a governor from one of the six North-West states as allegedly responsible for the intense upsurge of banditry and killings in the region.
Mr Yekini Nabena, the APC acting National Publicity Secretary on Thursday, challenged “security agencies to investigate an intelligence report linking” the governor to the heightened cases of banditry, abductions and other violent crimes in the zone.
Yekini Nabena
Nabena, who did not name the governor because of the “security nature of the issue,” said the increased spate of banditry in the North-west was politically-motivated and not unconnected to the unnamed governor’s alleged sponsorship of banditry and other violent crimes in the zone.
“Our security agencies have intelligence reports linking one of the Northwest governors of colluding and sponsoring the violent and criminal activities of bandits in the zone.
“I won’t give details because of the sensitive nature of the issue. However, relevant security agencies must, as a matter of urgency, investigate the report and determine its veracity. Human life is not what we should play political chess games with.
“We must shun enemies of the country including the Peoples Democratic Party who seek political gains from issues of insecurity.
“Our security agencies must also be alert to plots to destabilise the North-west region further and frustrate the quick and safe release of students abducted from Government Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State,” the party said in a statement.
The party also warned the opposition PDP from politicising the abduction of schoolboys in Katsina state, accusing it of seeking political gains from issues of insecurity.
APC stated this while reacting to a protest organised by the PDP and its women wing at its campaign headquarters in Abuja.
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Plateau Governor Lalong Tests Positive For COVID-19
Simon Lalong
Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State has tested positive for COVID-19 after a test carried on him and members of his family.
The governor’s Director of Press and Public, Makut Macham, confirmed the development in a statement on Thursday.
Simon Lalong
According to him, the governor’s test result returned positive, while all members of his family tested negative.
Noting that Lalong who is asymptomatic has gone into isolation while his close aides are being tested, Macham added that the governor had equally directed his Deputy, Sonny Tyoden, to handle all state matters in his absence.The statement added, “As a result, the governor will henceforth work from home during the period of treatment.“All state matters requiring the governor’s physical presence will be handled by the Deputy Governor.“The governor uses the opportunity to urge all citizens of Plateau State to observe all COVID-19 protocols as the pandemic is still prevalent.“He advises citizens to apply all precautionary measures, especially during the festive period by avoiding large gatherings, using facemasks, washing hands with soap and water and adhering to personal hygiene measures.”Other governors who had tested positive for the virus and recovered include the Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi; Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu; Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed; Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, amongst others.SaharaReporters had earlier reported that Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, also recently tested positive for the infection.
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SaharaReporters Wins Biggest Prizes At 2020 Wole Soyinka Awards For Investigative Journalism
Habib Oladapo (L) and Damilola Banjo (R) on stage
Reporters from SaharaReporters won the biggest prizes at the 2020 Wole Soyinka Awards for Investigative Journalism on December 9 in Lagos.
Damilola Banjo, who reported for SaharaReporters before joining the BBC, won the award for the best investigative reporter of the year with her “Justice For Sale” published by SaharaReporters in March.
Habib Oladapo (L) and Damilola Banjo (R) on stage
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The three-part story highlighted the corruption in the Nigerian criminal justice system. It exposed the collaboration of stakeholders like the police, particularly the anti-cultism squad based in Gbagada-Lagos, the court officials, lawyers and prison officials.
As a result of the story, the Lagos anti-cultism police unit was suspended.
She also won the online category with the same story while Hassan Adebayo of the Premium Times was the runner-up.
Another Saharareporters story, jointly done by Banjo and Habib Oladapo came third in the online category. The duo had published a two-part report titled ‘Inside Lagos School where A1 can be bought’ in July which exposed examination fraud in a prominent private school in Lagos.
In her winning speech, Banjo thanked the Wole Soyinka Centre for its efforts in promoting investigative journalism in Nigeria.She dedicated her awars to Omoyele Sowore, who recognised her potential and allowed her to practice journalism.
Other prize winners include: Samson Folarin of Punch Newspaper who won the print category ahead of Ibrahim Adeyemi of Business Day; Bukola Samuel-Wemimo of TVC won the TV Category; and Victor Asowata of Punch Newspaper and Ikechukwu Ibe of Daily Trust won the cartoon and photography categories respectively.
Lade Bonuola of Thisday Newspapers was honoured with a lifetime award for journalistic excellence while Femi Falana was awarded the human rights defender.
The executive director and CEO of the Whole Soyinka Centre For Investigative Journalism, Motunrayo Alaka, said the awards were instituted to salute the courage and prowess of Nigerian investigative journalists.
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One Killed, Others Injured As Cultists Invade Bayelsa Community
There was a commotion in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, on Wednesday night following the invasion of Tombia community by some suspected cultists who were armed with guns and dangerous weapons.
The invasion led to the death of one person.
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SaharaReporters learnt that the incident, which occurred at about 7 pm on Wednesday, also led to a stampede as many market women and passersby in the area were injured and dispossessed of their valuables.
Some of the victims narrated that the hoodlums shot sporadically into the air and attacked anyone on their path.
“The only resistance came from some vigilante group along the Brass road who prevented the boys from entering the other streets,” one of the eyewitnesses said.
When contacted, Spokesperson for the Bayelsa State Police Command, Asinim Butswat, confirmed the death of one person but said no official report was made about the injured persons.
Reacting, a business owner in the area and former Security Adviser to the state government, Mr Perekeme Kpodoh, lamented that the security situation in the Tombia area and other parts of the state was worrisome and pathetic.
Kpodoh, who expressed disgust at the noticeable laxity in the security architecture of the state, called on the administration of Governor Douye Diri to ensure safety and security before many residents would die from armed attacks.
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Emergency NIN Registration Is Infringement On People’s Rights, Lawyer Says
A South Africa-based Nigerian lawyer, Austin Okeke, has said that the deadline given by the Nigerian government to mobile phone users in the country to synchronise their SIM cards with their National Identification Number is an infringement on their rights.
Okeke, who spoke to SaharaReporters, on Thursday said the directive was a violation of the rights of Nigerians, adding that such pronouncement was ambiguous.
He said, “One, there is an infringement on the rights of people with that policy. There is a whole lot of ambiguity in the policy. It didn’t come out from a well-organised government.
“If you look at the policy, it just came out all of a sudden except if there has been a notice given to the network operators before now. So, it’s just a short notice and not feasible, not even possible for every Nigerian to register within that short time bracket.”
He said the policy failed to address the concerns of Nigerians in Diaspora who still use their Nigeria-created SIMs, as well as foreigners residing in the country without NIN.
Okeke said, “Before we even go to foreigners living in Nigeria without NIN, we have Nigerians abroad, keeping their Nigeria-originated numbers and maintaining them. So, how will they keep their numbers with this government’s policy? Would they have to forfeit them? All of these are just premature decisions from the government to victimise.
“If you now look at the issue of foreigners living in Nigeria without NIN, would the government accommodate them? How would they differentiate those with Nigerians?”
The federal government warned that all mobile phone users that had not registered their SIMs with NIN have till December 30 to do so or risk being barred from using telecommunication services in the country.
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Police Disrupt #BringBackOurBoys Protest In Katsina
The Police on Thursday disrupted the #BringBackOurBoys protest embarked on by members of the Coalition of Northern Groups in Katsina State to force the government to rescue hundreds of students kidnapped from Government Science Secondary School, Kankara in the state
Led by some national leaders of the group, the protesters had called for the unconditional resignation of all the Service Chiefs.
Holding placards with several inscriptions, the protesters were on their way to Katsina airport road when armed police officers, who arrived in about five vans, stopped the demonstration.
“Security operatives are harassing peaceful protesters, but they run or cry when they see Boko Haram or bandits. Where were these policemen when these children were kidnapped? All they know is too clampdown on peaceful protesters,” one of the protesters said.
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BREAKING: Northern Groups Begin Protest In Katsina Over Schoolboys’ Abduction
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SIM Cards Disconnection: Nigerians Abroad, Foreigners Cry Out Over Registration
Nigerians in diaspora and foreigners residing in the country have expressed worries over the new directive on national identification number from the Nigeria Communications Commission.
The NCC had on Monday directed network providers to block all SIM cards without national identification number by December 30.
The development, however, has continued to generate heated controversies.
In Nigeria, many have been calling out the federal government over the N20 service fee required to access their NIN on the phone using the code provided by the National Identity Management Commission.
Nigerians abroad and foreigners who are either resident in the country or hoping to visit Nigeria for business and tourism have continued to lament the potential effect of the directive on them.
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Emergency NIN Registration Will Escalate COVID-19 Second Wave, Nigerians Say
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Some Nigerians in the diaspora have taken to social media to question the status of their SIM cards when they eventually visit the country after the December 30 deadline.Here are their reactions below:David Benice @benice_david who had identified as a foreigner in a Twitter chat,Replying to Dr Joe Abah said, “What happens to those without the NIN?So foreigners can have NIN?”A Nigerian in the diaspora, Feranmi @Feranmicharles quipped “Are there any provisions for Nigerians living in the diaspora whose sim is not linked to his/her NIN?Are there any provisions for foreigners living in Nigeria whose sim is not linked to his/her NiN?If NO, block my Sims…”Canonball @a_nickabugu tweeted, “Another thing is, if NIN is now a pre-condition for registering SIM cards, what about the foreigners in Nigeria? They won’t use phone again?”Baker Anthony A @Plancks said, “Is the NIN registration for Nigerians only or for everyone that is in Nigeria? Are foreigners supposed to register for a Nigerian ID? Cos if SIMS without NIN will be blocked, then everyone with a SIM in Nigerian will register for NIN. I really do not understand @nimc_ng.”Akinsile Falana @AkinSileOla wrote, “It simply means foreigners in Nigeria either on holiday or business can’t buy sim card in Nigeria. Since they can’t have NIN.”MTO @Mofe_TO who seems worried about the foreigners who come into the country for business purposes tweeted, “The daft thing about saying sim cards not linked to NIN should be blocked is that, in practice, it means foreigners visiting Nigeria on a short stay visa cannot have sim cards because they’re not entitled to get NIN. Ease of doing business huh?!”Efforts to reach the Chairman, Nigeria in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri, to comment on the issue, proved abortive.
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E2%80%93-governor Leaders of Herdsmen Killing Benue People Are In Abuja, Federal Government Knows Them – Governor Ortom
The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom on Thursday, said the leaders of the gun-wielding herdsmen carrying out killings and violence in his state were in Abuja and the Federal Government knew them.
Ortom disclosed this while granting an interview with Channels Television on the recent murder of a lawyer and his pregnant wife by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
Recall that gunmen on Wednesday attacked Agbougul Community in Makurdi Council of Benue State, killing a lawyer, Moses Udam; his wife, and a blind septuagenarian, Nyikor Mazugu, in their homes.
The suspected killer herdsmen also destroyed two vehicles of the slain barrister, leaving the two sons of the septuagenarian with gunshot injuries.
Speaking this afternoon, Ortom said that he had just finished a security meeting with the state executive council and the outcome was the creation of strategic security measures to deliver the state from possible attacks.
He, however, revealed that it was unfortunate that the leaders of the herdsmen terrorising the food basket state of the nation were in Abuja and government officials know them.
“I think the federal government knows these people,” Ortom said. “Their leaders are in Abuja. Miyetti Allah is responsible for the killings perpetrated by herdsmen. I have evidence. They (government officials) know their leaders. I think it is high time for the Federal Government to come out and say something on this matter.”
He also revealed that the Fulani herdsmen are killing on a rampage to instil fear in people to take their lands but vowed that he would not succumb to that, and his administration would fight the killers to a standstill.
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