Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Tuesday 26th October 2021
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 26/10/21
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E2%80%93-national-adviser Anambra Election: Security Agents Ready To Deal With Violent Groups, Individuals – National Adviser, Monguno
Babagana Monguno
President Muhammadu Buhari’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno, says the security agencies are going to do everything within their power to ensure that the people of Anambra State undergo the election exercise without any incident.There has been tension that the November 6 election may be affected by the sit-at-home order issued by the pro-Biafra group, the Indigenous People Of Biafra.
Babagana Monguno
Monguno noted that those with the intention to disrupt the Anambra governorship election must have a rethink.This was made known at the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) meeting organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday in Abuja.He explained that while security agencies have been charged to act professionally, they would not sit idle and allow anyone to disrupt the election.“I want to reassure the general public that the security agencies are going to do everything within their power to ensure that the people of Anambra State undergo this exercise without any incident.“In the same vein, I want to offer a word of brotherly advice to our brothers and sisters in Anambra State who may want to use means, methods that are unorthodox and that are unusual to destabilise an already delicate situation, to please, think again.“We are all eager to achieve results in this election that will be acceptable to everybody.“I don’t think it will be helpful for anyone to go out and ignite something that might cause pain for the good people of Anambra State, under whatever disguise. Please think again.“The law enforcement agencies, in as much as they have agreed to operate in accordance with the requirements of their profession, will not sit by idle.“We will not allow people to start looting, destroying public property, and resorting to not just intimidation, terrorising people, possibly arson and even homicide.“This will not be accepted. The law enforcement agencies have been asked to watch out for such elements,” Monguno said.Monguno, a retired major-general, also advised the security personnel not to engage in any act that would tarnish the image of the security agencies or harm the electoral process.
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Amnesty International Condemns Mass Detention, Deportation Of Africans By UAE Authorities
Global rights’ group, Amnesty International, has lambasted the United Arab Emirates authorities for breaking into the homes of hundreds of migrant workers as they slept, targeting Black Africans in racially motivated arrests.The workers were also reported to be detained them for weeks in al-Wathba prison and subsequently deported without due process by the UAE government.AI in a statement on Monday said at no stage did UAE authorities afford those deported any form of due process or the opportunity to challenge their detention or deportation order.
The AI statement read, “On the night of 24-25 June 2021, police in Abu Dhabi broke into the homes of hundreds of migrant workers as they slept, targeting Black Africans in racially motivated arrests, detained them for weeks in al-Wathba prison and subsequently deported them without due process. While in detention, the authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) subjected them to inhuman and degrading treatment and stripped them of nearly all their belongings.“Amnesty International spoke to 18 victims of these raids and deportations, (11 Cameroonians, five Nigerians, one Ugandan, and one Ghanaian, in total eight women and ten men) in September 2021. All 18 deportees said that the raids had targeted Black Africans in that the hundreds taken from their flats and held in al-Wathba with them were almost exclusively Black, and that the few Asian nationals arrested with them were taken because they happened to be living in the same flats as Africans.“The arrests and subsequent interrogations presented a consistent pattern of racially motivated, arbitrary arrests followed by incommunicado detention for weeks on end in inhumane, overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, followed by arbitrary deportation. At no stage did Emirati authorities afford them any form of due process or the opportunity to challenge their detention or deportation order.”“Ricky” from Cameroon, deported 30 July 2021, said, “We want to make the world aware of such a barbaric act. We need justice. That is our cry.”After news was published about these deportations, the UAE’s Ministry of Interior issued a statement on 3 September reading that the arrests “involving 376 women and men were carried out as part of legal procedures to address crimes related to human trafficking” and that “Those arrested were found to be involved in these crimes, as the UAE was proactive in enacting a comprehensive law to combat human trafficking and preserve the rights of all groups of society in a way that protects victims and punishes violators of their rights while deterring those who commit such crimes.” The Ministry further called on the media “not to circulate or disseminate any information not published by the relevant authorities.”Amnesty International added, “However, the fact that these deportations were conducted en masse amounts to collective expulsion, a violation of international law. This also carries the risk of forcibly returning individuals to a country where they face the risk of serious human rights violations, in other words, there is an additional risk of serious human rights violation.“Amnesty International calls on the UAE to immediately halt racially motivated detentions and deportations and to urgently provide restitution to the hundreds of African nationals detained and deported in the operation launched on the morning of 25 June 2021. “All 18 deportees interviewed reported that police forces raided their buildings around the hours of 2-4am on the night of 24-25 June 2021. Four of those interviewed said that they were able to identify some officers as being from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which is part of Abu Dhabi General Police Headquarters.“The federal Emirati Ministry of Interior “manages security and police forces” for the country overall. All but one of the migrants whom Amnesty International spoke to had documents with valid legal status in the UAE when they were apprehended. The one exception, René Ngang from Cameroon, deported 22 August, said he also had valid legal status and was within days of having his renewed residency card delivered to him, but was unable to provide written proof because police had stripped him of all his documents and deported him without even his passport.“Kabirat Olokunde from Nigeria, an assistant at an international school, deported 22 August, who was living in the Lagym building, said that the police had not allowed her to dress and handcuffed her despite the fact that she was in her sleeping shorts. She said, ‘I was asking them, ‘Why am I here? I’m not a criminal. I have my papers. Why are you bringing me here?’ And they told me, ‘Emirates give, Emirates take.’“All those interviewed described the same pattern of racial targeting in the apprehensions. Deported residents of Lagym building said that there were people of various Asian and African nationalities living there, but that security forces had targeted the African residents, and that the handful of South and Southeast Asian residents detained were picked out because they were living with Africans.”
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E2%80%99s-transfer-forfeited-assets-attorney-general Senators Oppose Anti-graft Agency, EFCC’s Transfer Of Forfeited Assets To Attorney-General, Malami’s Office
The Senate has kicked against the transfer of forfeited assets to the Office of Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).The EFCC’s Director of Operations, Abdulkarim Chukkol, had, while appearing before the committee during the budget defence session on Monday, said all forfeited assets were transferred to the AGF’s office in line with the policy directive issued in 2019 for proper management.
Members of the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption faulted the directive, while they expressed displeasure over meagre allocations to anti-graft agencies.Senator Abba Moro (PDP, Benue) who faulted the rationale for the transfer of forfeited assets to AGF, said the assets needed to be disposed off for government to raise money to finance the budget.“I don’t see management acumen in AGF that is not available in EFCC,” he saidMeanwhile, the chairman of the committee, Senator Suleiman Kwari, said the proceeds of crime bill currently before the Senate would address the issue.Senator Yusuf Yusuf (APC, Taraba) wondered how N31billion could be enough to fight corruption in a country of over 200 million people.There was the need for the EFCC to have offices in all the sensorial districts across the country, Senator Smart Adeyemi (APC, Kogi), said.He noted that this would make it easier for the anti-graft agency to get first-hand information.Earlier, the EFCC’s Director of Finance, Mohammed Joda, said N31.3billion was proposed for the agency in 2022, of which N25.8billion was earmarked for personnel cost, N3.6billion for overhead and N1.8billion for capital expenditure, Daily Trust reports.The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), headed by Mr Tukur Modibo, lamented the N350million capital fund allocated to his agency in the 2022 budget.Modibo appealed to the Senate for an upward review of the allocation to enable the agency to carry out its mandate without any hindrance.The agency got N4billion for personnel cost and N1billion for overhead.Also, the chairman of Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Professor Bolaji Owasanoye (SAN), said N12.9billion was allocated to his agency in 2022.
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E2%80%99ve-identified-lady-others-last-seen-missing-vanguard-reporter-%E2%80%93-police-give-update We’ve Identified Lady, Others Last Seen With Missing Vanguard Reporter – Police Give Update As Journalists Protest
The Inspector-General of Police (IG), Usman Alkali, has assured the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the general public that the police are making progress in its efforts to unravel the sudden disappearance of a Vanguard Newspaper reporter, Tordue Henry Salem.He gave the assurance while addressing members of the NUJ, FCT Council, who carried out a peaceful march to his office on Monday in Abuja registering their grievance over the silence of the police on the matter, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
Alkali, who was represented by Frank Mba, the Force Public Relations Officer, disclosed that Salem’s case was already with the police.He noted that the case was officially reported to the National Assembly Police Station on October 15.
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BREAKING: Nigerian Journalists Protest At Police Force Headquarters Over Missing Colleague
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He said investigations carried out by the police revealed that Salem slept at his sister’s house somewhere around Life Camp on October 12, and by the following morning, the missing journalist took a Bolt Taxi to National Assembly, where he worked for Vanguard.“After the close of work, he was last seen at the National Assembly between 4pm and 5pm on October 13, and thereafter his colleagues never saw him again.“On October 15, the matter was formally reported at the National Assembly’s Police Station. The attention of the FCT Commissioner of Police and IG were drawn to the case. The IGP gave a firm instruction that all materials and human resources should be deployed at locating and understanding the rationale behind Salem’s disappearance.“As I speak to you, we have made significant process in the investigation.“However, I am glad that the Chairman of NUJ, FCT Council, understood the significance of confidential briefing and because of that request, I would rather do more of confidential briefing.“But, we were able to trace when he left the National Assembly. We were able to interact with a young lady who spent time with him that night.“We have the recordings of the last call he made. Also, we were able to speak with six different persons he spoke to that night. So, there are a lot of efforts behind the scene taking place. The police intentionally kept quiet on the case.“We call it ‘Technical Silence’, because, we want to get to a comfortable altitude before we talk to the public,” Alkali said.He, however said, the police had kept quiet because the suspects or whoever had a hand in the issue were still out there, adding that the police would not want to provide too much for the suspects to know how much or how far the police had gone.“So, I just want to give a strong assurance that everything, humanly and operationally possible, would be done to solve this case. We see the media as an integral part of what we do. We appreciate Journalists’ collaboration and support.”Meanwhile, the Chairman of NUJ, FCT Council, Emmanuel Ogbeche, submitted a petition to Alkali signed by himself and the Secretary of Council, Ochiaka Ugwu.The petition is titled “Demand to expedite action for the locating of Mr Tordue Henry Salem, Journalist and Correspondent with the Vanguard Newspaper Who Has Been Missing for 12 Days”.Ogbeche said the FCT Council was optimistic that with adequate funding, up-to-date deployment of technology, well-motivated personnel and proper synergy, the Nigeria Police Force would be positioned to rise to the task of securing our country alongside other security agencies.
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E2%80%99-results-national-youth-service-after University Of Abuja Releases Final-Year Students’ Results For National Youth Service After SaharaReporters’ Story
The management of University of Abuja has finally released the statement of results of some final year students which were initially withheld over the claim that the receipts of N4,500 acceptance fee submitted by the students were fake.SaharaReporters had on Friday, October 22, reported how the aggrieved final-year students from various departments protested in front of the Senate building in the school to mount pressure on the management to release their results after they had been cleared and mobilised for the National Youths Service Corps, Batch C 2021.
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Final-year Students Of University Of Abuja Protest As Results’ Delay Threatens Deployment For National Service
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The students were supposed to have reported in the camp on Wednesday October 20, 2021, for the compulsory one year service but could not when the authorities refused to release their results.But the school management in the process released the results of some students few days before the scheduled date for the commencement of orientation camps and withheld many others.The school had also claimed that the affected students had outstanding payments such as change of course after the Joint Admission Matriculation Board examination.It was also alleged that some students had “cloned some of the receipts which were later detected at the Academic Planning Unit where the students’ records were kept.” The development had forced those students with genuine documents and receipts to stage the protest while insisting on participating in the NYSC scheme.SaharaReporters learnt that the school management on Monday rescinded its decision and issued the statement of results for those with genuine complaints to enable them participate in the National Youth Service Corps commenced since October 20.Some of the students, who spoke to SaharaReporters on condition of anonymity, described the delay and mix up as unfortunate and ridiculous, stating that the school ought to have done its due diligence before accusing them of using fake receipts.
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University Of Abuja Victimises Final-Year Students Who Exposed Delay In Release Of Results For National Youth Service
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Falana Petitions Anglican Church Over Defamation, Libel In Social Media Post
Femi Falana (SAN)
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has petitioned the Anglican Church on the Peninsula in Lagos State over a statement by a church member describing him as deceitful and fake.The lawyer in his petition quoted one Uche Obiajulu as saying in the Men’s Fellowship Whatsapp platform of the Anglican Church on the Peninsula, Royal Garden Estate, Ajiwe, Ajah, Lagos State, on October 17 that “90% of the so-called social critics including Falana are fake and deceitful. It’s only NGO human rights donations they are chasing for.”
Femi Falana (SAN)
The member alleged that Falana demanded 50 per cent of “demand promises” in a case between councillors in Anambra State and Governor Willie Obiano when the case was settled out of court.The member further claimed that from the meagre money given to the councillors, Falana collected the percentage of it and calculated what he termed administrative charges, while also threatening to go to court.Falana, through his lawyer, Malachy Ugwummadu, said the social media post against him was malicious and libellous.The lawyer demanded a retraction of the publication, an apology, as well as N50million compensation.“You know or ought reasonably to know that the content of the said story already published about our client is false yet, you maliciously caused same to be published with the sole aim of bringing our client to disrepute.“By your publication, you falsely, maliciously, intentionally, unconscionably stated and was understood to mean that our client is fake and of dubious character in your choice of words when you stated: “It’s only NGO human right donations that they are chasing for.”“By your said publication, you persevered in your falsehood insisting that our client fleeced the Anambra State Councilors when he demanded and collected 50% of settlement out of court blackmailing and threatened them with a court action,” the petition partly reads.Falana’s lawyer said the publication had “lowered his image in the eyes of the numerous readers of the unfortunate story both on the church platform and other platforms where the story was forwarded to within Nigeria and overseas.”He added that the publication, which suggested that Falana was dishonest, fraudulent, dishonourable, untrustworthy and corrupt, was not only a “deliberately contrived falsehood but a wicked contraption” that exists in the writer’s imagination.“As a result of your said publication, our client has been gravely damaged in his reputation and standing as he has been bombarded with a deluge of telephone calls, letters, messages, personal calls of friends, family members, well-wishers demanding to ascertain the authenticity of the said publication,” the petition reads.
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Residents Lament As Bandits Kidnap 10 Persons In Niger State Community
File photo used to illustrate story.
No fewer than 10 persons have been kidnapped by bandits who invaded Bassa community in the Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State on Monday.SaharaReporters learnt that the bandits stormed the community in the early hours of today and carried out the abductions.
File photo used to illustrate story.
In a letter by the spokesperson of the Coalition of Shiroro Associations (COSA), Salis Sabo, which was obtained by SaharaReporters, and titled, “Insecurity Update in Shiroro Local Government”, the residents revealed that the bandits had yet to demand for any ransom.It was also disclosed that the terrorists were recruiting residents of Kurebe community into their fold.The letter partly reads, “Report reaching us has it that terrorists invaded Bassa community in Shiroro LGA in the early hours of today (Monday). No fewer than 10 persons have been kidnapped. As of the time of this report, no call has been received from the bandits to demand for ransom or tell the whereabout of their victims.”Similar report has it that the terrorists have started making a massive recruitment of the locals in Kurebe Community into their fold. The report shows that more women are being recruited as compared to the males.”Sabo said further in the letter that, “Presently, Yakila village which borders Shiroro Local Government to Wushishi is presently under attack. Your prayers are fervently needed.”
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E2%80%93-ooni-ife Buhari Told Me To Warn Sunday Igboho But Our Son Had Wrong Advisers; Abused Monarchs – Ooni Of Ife
Yoruba foremost traditional ruler, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has stated that Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho, was advised to exercise patience before his arrest in Cotonou, Benin Republic.The monarch said if he had listened, he would not have found himself in his current travail.
Oba Ogunwusi noted that Igboho got carried away by the praises of those who were not even solidly behind him.The monarch made the revelation in an interview with BBC Yoruba, while hinting that many people advised Sunday Igboho wrongly.Ooni asserted that those agitating for the Yoruba Nation had their cause within their level of understanding and they gave an option of either dialogue or breaking away.He said they were trying their best to secure his release, stressing that “you have to be smart and use your senses to get your rights from the government, not by shouting.“Like I have always told the government, they should have called the agitators for a dialogue.“God will stay with Sunday Igboho; he grew up in Ife; all that he has become today, started from Ife. Ife and Modakeke all belong to Ife land. He is a son of the soil.“But how he started, he wanted to fight for his kinsmen from where he came from. He stood up and fought for those killed in Oke Ogun. We thank God for preserving his life. He tried his best but when he started receiving different advice from people, it overwhelmed him.“I visited President Buhari on his case and we discussed it. I told him that Igboho is our son; he advised us to warn him to stay calm and exercise patience but Igboho did not listen.“Many people advised him wrongly. He listened to them. He started abusing everyone, including monarchs.“After I left President Buhari’s place, I called on monarchs and elders of Yoruba land for a meeting to advise Igboho to exercise patience but he got carried away by the praises of those who were not even solidly behind him.“He hurled so many bad words but he is still our son. God owns forgiveness. We’ve forgiven him. If he had listened, he wouldn’t have found himself in his current travail.“We are trying our best to secure his release. Who can fight with the government? You’ve to be smart and use your senses to get your rights from the government, not by shouting,” he added.
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University Of Abuja Victimises Final-Year Students Who Exposed Delay In Release Of Results For National Youth Service
In what appears to be victimisation of final-year students who exposed the refusal of the University of Abuja to release their results for the National Youth Service Corps, the university management has claimed the students’ admission letters and receipts of payment were fake.
SaharaReporters had on Friday reported how the aggrieved final-year students from various departments protested at the Senate building in the school to mount pressure on the management to release their statement of results after they had been cleared and mobilised by the NYSC.
The students were supposed to have reported in the camp on Wednesday October 20, 2021, for the compulsory one year service.
SaharaReporters learnt that the school management released the statement of results of some students few days before the scheduled date for the commencement of orientation camps and withheld many others.But few days after the SaharaReporters’ publication, the school authorities allegedly told one of the students that her admission letter was fake and that she was not a student of the school.SaharaReporters learnt that this was in an attempt to victimise and vilify her for talking to the press over the delay in the release of her results.It was also gathered that the female student had been receiving threat calls from unknown persons in the school who said she had audacity.SaharaReporters gathered that many of the students influenced their way through the back door using the office of the Vice Chancellor, Prof Abdul Rasheed Na’Allah, and other principal staff in the school to get their results released.The school had claimed that the results of some of students were still being held because they did not pay the acceptance fee and school fee. The school also claimed that the receipts obtained by some of them for the N4500 acceptance fees were fake.The claim, which the students faulted, stated that it was not possible for them to get admission letters without paying acceptance fees.They wondered why it took the school four years before coming out to inform them that their receipts were fake.They accused the Academic Planning Unit of the school of being economical with the truth and called on relevant authorities and well-meaning Nigerians to intervene and prevail on the Vice Chancellor.The affected students vowed to resist any attempt by the school to disrupt their careers.
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The Secret Connection Between Malami And Extraordinary Rendition, By Aloy Ejimakor
Back in the day when I was in Law School in America, one of my favorite Professors used to repeatedly tell us that there’s a fine line between good legal research and investigative journalism. He told us that one day we would find it useful, as legal practitioners, to remove the garb of a lawyer and adorn that of an investigative journalist. And that it might pay off.
Recently, I remembered the erudite Professor and decided to indulge myself in a little bit of investigative journalism (of the internet kind) and my topic of interest was, you guessed it: Extraordinary Rendition – the abominable legal concept that is currently generating quantum public interest in Nigeria. On a hunch, I zeroed-in on official Nigeria.
In due course, my hunch paid off. In particular, I discovered that Nigeria’s Chief Law Officer – Attorney-General Abubakar Malami (SAN), has long had a secret connection with extraordinary rendition in more ways than one. Below are the details:
In 2016, the ‘United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’ published a scholarly project document in a 691-page colorful compendium, titled ‘Cases and Materials on Extradition in Nigeria’. The highly celebrated publication was accomplished with the assistance of the European Union, the Federal High Court and several lawyers from the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
The highly collaborative project comprised of learned jurists who pivoted on ‘Extradition’ and its garden varieties, including particularly ‘extraordinary rendition’ which the compendium discussed with evident disapproval.
AGF Malami, who had endorsed the project, wrote in the Foreword to the published compendium that: “The compendium consists of constitutional provisions, legislation, subsidiary legislation, judicial pronouncements treaties and other international instruments on extradition as they relate to Nigeria”.
This how Malami’s negative connection with extraordinary rendition started. But this is a tip of the iceberg. The iceberg lies in the Introduction to the compendium, which I shall hereunder reproduce, verbatim. Now, read on:
“It is easy to confuse extradition with rendition. Rendition is a general term for all procedures, including extradition, for returning wanted persons or aliens generally, from a State. Unlawful or irregular forms of returning persons wanted for trial or punishment include abduction and the so called “extraordinary rendition”.
“Extraordinary rendition is a government sponsored arrest, kidnap and abductions of persons wanted, accused or convicted of a criminal offence either to the state who sponsored the arrest, kidnap or abduction or to a willing third party state.
“Extraordinary rendition denies a person of the right to challenge his transfer to the requesting or receiving state. It involves the violation of the principles of international law especially where the persons transferred are subjected to torture or sham criminal charges or trials.
“The ‘Dikko Affair’ of 1984 is an example of an attempt at unlawful rendition. After a coup d’état in 1983, the Federal Military Government of Nigeria requested the British government to surrender Umaru Dikko, a former Minister alleged to have been involved in corrupt practices.
“Before the British government responded to the request, an intelligence officer from the Nigerian security forces with three Israeli nationals abducted Mr. Dikko and attempted to cargo him to Nigeria in a crate. This attempt was foiled by the British security apparatus, the abductors were jailed and the relationship between Nigeria and Britain became strained.
“Even though not successful, it was an attempt by Nigeria to go against the international norms in expressing its political will”.
In concluding his Foreword to the compendium, Malami stated that: “It is a very good resource material on extradition and it is therefore my pleasure to recommend the Cases and Materials on Extradition in Nigeria to all and sundry, for use in identifying the position of extradition law in Nigeria”.
Malami did not stop there. He underscored his abiding commitment to the due process of extradition, as opposed to the illegality and abomination of extraordinary rendition by deploying some of the finest lawyers in the Federal Ministry of Justice (his office) to the project.
Not done, Malami went on to profusely thank the United Nations “for its technical support to the Federal Ministry of Justice for the review of laws, development of policy instruments and capacity building for staff of the Ministry in extradition law related areas”.
And there, dear readers, is how much Attorney-General Malami loved extradition and hated extraordinary rendition until 19th June, 2021.
Think about it.
Aloy Ejimakor, a Lawyer wrote in from Lagos.
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