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BREAKING NEWS!!!!!!!!1
President Buhari attends Extra Ordinary ECOWAS Summit on Counter Terrorism in Ouagadougou Burkina Faso on 14th Sep 2019.
President Buhari was received by President Roch Kabore of Burkina Faso upon his arrival at the Ouagadougou International airport.
Burkina Faso 10: President Buhari with R-L: President of Sierra Leone Julius Maada Bio, President of Ghana Nana Akufo Addo, President of Senegal Macky Sall and Chairperson AU Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat during the Extra Ordinary ECOWAS Summit on Counter Terrorism in Ouagadougou Burkina Faso on 14th Sep 2019
The special-one day summit by ECOWAS leaders and leaders from Chad, Cameroon and Mauritania is expected to adopt an action plan to address the spread of terrorism and violent extremism in the region.
The Nigerian leader is expected to address the Summit where he will renew his call for West African leaders “to strive to provide the necessary resources and tools” for regional initiatives such as Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) and the G5 Sahel Joint Force, to lead the war on terrorism, violent extremism and trans-border crimes across the region.
Three Suspects Arrested For Kidnapping, Torturing Migrants
A 27-year old man from Guinea and two Egyptians, aged 24 and 26, were taken into custody in a detention centre in Messina, Sicily, after police gathered testimony against them from other migrants.
The arrested men had crossed the Mediterranean themselves, landing in Lampedusa before being transferred to Sicily.
Witnesses said the three ran a prisoners’ camp in a former military base in Zawyia in Libya, where those ready to attempt the perilous sea crossing were forcibly held until they could pay a ransom.
Those interviewed said they had been “beaten with sticks, rifle butts, rubber pipes, whipped or given electric shocks”, and had seen other prisoners die, police said.
They had also been refused water or medical attention for their wounds or for diseases contracted in the camp, they said.
Anyone unable to pay up was passed on to other traffickers “for sexual and/or work exploitation”, or was killed.
The testimonies were gathered from migrants spread in reception centres across Sicily and on the island of Lampedusa.
“All the women who were with us… were systematically and repeatedly raped,” one witness was quoted as saying.
“They gave us seawater to drink and, sometimes, hard bread to eat. We men were beaten to get our relatives to pay sums of money in exchange for our release,” he said.
“I saw the organizers shoot two migrants who had tried to escape”.
‘Shot for bread’
Another said he was “whipped by electrical wires. Other times I was beaten, even around the head”.
One survivor described how the electric shocks “made you fall to the ground unconscious”, adding that he had “personally witnessed many murders by electric shock”.
Some migrants died of hunger, according to another cited witness, who described seeing a jailer “shoot a Nigerian in the legs for having taken a piece of bread”.
Libya, despite being wracked by chaos and conflict since the 2011 uprising that killed the dictator Moamer Kadhafi, has remained a major transit route for migrants, especially from sub-Saharan Africa.
According to figures from the International Organization for Migration in July, at least 5,200 people are currently trapped in official detention centres in Libya, often in appalling conditions.
There are no figures for the number of people held in illegal centres run by human traffickers, who brutally torture them to try to extort money from their families.
Italy’s tough line on migrants arriving from North Africa, and European Union cooperation with the Libyan coastguard, has seen some of those attempting the crossing picked up at sea and returned to the chaos-wracked country.
The UN and aid groups have warned those returned face rampant human rights abuses in both official and illegal centers
Reposted from @instablog9ja (@get_regrann) – Nigerian lady in tears after becoming the first Muslim elected to Nashville office
A U.S-based Nigerian lady, Zulfat Suara, has become the first Muslim elected to a Metro seat in Nashville history
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The certified public accountant faced Islamophobic comments and threats on the campaign trail, but she also built a broad coalition of support.
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She burst into tears as she received a hug from her daughter, Safiyah, before her speech at her watch party, on Thursday, in Nashville, Tennessee.
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He path started in Nigeria and led to Tennessee in 1993 when her husband was offered a fellowship at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. .
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It quickly became her home, with Zulfat founding an accounting firm in 1998 which worked with several counties.
With a full-time job, a daughter and a husband, Suara had a full plate, but she decided she wanted to run for one of the at-large seats because not only is her expertise right for the gig, she knows the city well and wants to serve. 📷: Wade Payne/TheTennessean
3 suspects arrested in kano
Operatives of the operation ”Puff Adder” have intercepted over one thousand cattle suspected to have been rustled with three suspects arrested.
Confirming the incident, the state commissioner of police, Ahmed Iliyasu told journalists that the rustlers were traced from Falgore forest and intercepted at Kwanar Dan Gora while trying to change route.
The suspects confessed to have been involved in cattle rustling, armed robbery, kidnapping and other forms of criminal activities within Kano and neighbouring states.
Below is the full statement from the police in Kano state.
“PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE KANO STATE COMMAND, CP AHMED ILIYASU PSC(+) AT KWANAR DANGORA, KIRU LGA, KANO STATE ON THURSDAY, 12TH SEPTEMBER, 2019
Ladies and gentlemen of the press
ARREST OF THREE NOTORIOUS SUSPECTS FOR CATTLE RUSTLING, KIDNAPPING, ARMED ROBBERY AND RECOVERY OF MORE THAN 1000 COWS AND FIVE (5) FIREARMS AND LARGE QUANTITY OF AMMUNITIONS
I once again welcome you to another conference here at Kwanar Dangora, Kiru LGA, Kano State.
First and foremost, let me use this opportunity to commend the Inspector General of Police IGP Mohammed Abubakar Adamu NPM, mni, most profoundly for his continued encouragement and guidance to officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force in-line with the directives and principles of the veritable Anti-Crime machine of Operation Puff-Adder.
Today, Thursday 12th September, 2019, the command recorded yet another achievement by its Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) team of Operation Puff-Adder in conjunction with members of Miyetti Allah where they carried out operations for seven (7) days inside the notorious Falgore Forest using community policing tools.
More than One Thousand (1000) cows were recovered and three (3) notorious cattle rustlers that specialised in Cattle Rustling, Kidnapping and Armed Robbery were arrested. All suspects confessed to their crimes and led *Puff-Adder Operatives to various locations within the forest were the cows were recovered. The suspects are:-
1. Sa’idu Abdullahi AKA Goda 23 years old of Soba LGA, Kaduna State.
2. Lawan Mohd AKA Boda 25 years old of Damau Village, Kubau LGA. Kaduna.
3. Suleman abdullahi AKA Bros, 30 years old of Damau Village Kubau LGA, Kaduna State.
The following Arms and Ammunition recovered
1. Two (2) AK47 Rifles with 110 rounds of live ammunitions
2. Three (3) Pump Action Rifles with 22 live cartridges.
3. Two (2) Military Camouflage Uniforms.
4. Four (4) Mobile Handsets.
Efforts is in progress to track down and arrest all remnants of this syndicate at large and recover any remaining animals or arms and ammunition in their possession, across the difficult terrain along the axis of Falgore Forest.
I remain grateful to the people of Kano for their synergy in driving Community Policing further to the grassroots, thereby making Kano peaceful and a shining example among others.
Thank you all and God Bless”.
THE SOUTH AFRICANS SHOULD REMEMBER IN CASE THEY HAVE FORGOTTEN THAT:
1.) Nigeria set up the National Committee Against Apartheid (NACAP) in 1960.
2.) The late Sunny Okosun composed a song called “Fire in Soweto” in 1977 to show support for the fight against apartheid
3.) From 1966, Nigeria gave material and financial support to the freedom fighters in South Africa
4.) Then Nigeria’s Prime Minister, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa sent letter to South Africa’s ANC militants on April 4, 1961 showing support for their cause.
5.) Nigeria provided $5 million to the ANC and the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) annually.
6.) In 1976, Nigeria set up the Southern Africa Relief Fund (SAFR) for the purpose of bringing relief materials to the victims of the apartheid.
7.) The military administration of General Obasanjo contributed $3.7 million to the fund and Obasanjo personally donated $3,000 to the fund.
8.) All Nigeria’s civil servants and public officers made a 2% donation from their monthly salary to the SAFR.
9.) Nigerian students skipped their lunch to make donations, and by June 1977, the total contribution to the fund had reached $10.5 million. The donations to the SAFR were widely known in Nigeria as the “Mandela tax”
10.) Between 1973 and 1978, Nigeria contributed $39,040 to the UN Educational and Training Programme for South Africa
11.) Nigeria boycotted the 1976 Olympics and Commonwealth games in 1979 as part of our protest against apartheid in South Africa
12.) From 1960 to 1995, Nigeria spent over $61 billion to support the end of apartheid, more than any other country in the world.
13.) Nigeria refused to sell oil to South Africa in protest against the white minority rule. Nigeria lost approximately $41 billion then. $41billion dollars. Remember this by was our oil boom moment. As long as we fought apartheid, the money meant nothing.
14.) Nigeria was labbelled a frontline State in the War Against Apartheid.
AND WE ASKED, IF XENOPHOBIC ATTACKS IS THE WAY TO PAY NIGERIA BACK?
President Bio holds talks with former president Koroma at State House
A high level meeting was held at State house this morning, Thursday, 12 September 2019, between the leadership of Sierra Leone’s main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) party and president Julius Maada Bio.
Both sides have been at loggerheads since general and presidential elections were won by the Bio-led Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) in March 2018, following protests by the APC leadership about a range of issues, including the sacking of public officials believed to be supporters of the APC, the arrest of over 20 members of the APC at the recent by-election campaigning at Hamilton, and the current delay by the Chief Justice in ensuring that election petitions regarding 12 elected APC members of parliament, filed for hearing at the Supreme Court by the APC are heard.
Last night, the APC National Publicity Secretariat published this statement: “The National Advisory Committee (NAC) of the All Peoples Congress (APC) met this evening to discuss a request by State House for a possible meeting to be held tomorrow, 12th September 2019 at State House, between H.E. President Julius Maada Bio and Former President of Sierra Leone, Chairman and Leader of the APC, Dr Ernest Bai Koroma to address Human Rights Issues, Rule of Law, Good Governance, Democracy, National Cohesion and Peace.”
There have been calls for mediation between the two sides, from various quarters in and outside of Sierra Leone, as political stability and national cohesion came under serious strain, after the security detail of the former president was removed without consultation, the arrest of APC supporters at their party’s headquarters in Freetown, followed by an embarrassing scene at the country’s Lungi International Airport where the former president was denied the use of the VIP lounge.
But today, there is hope across the country for common ground and understanding to be struck at the State House meeting, building trust, engendering political harmony and peace.
Senior government ministers – including vice president Jalloh, chief minister Francis – who is a professor in peace studies, were also present at the meeting with the APC party leadership, which was represented by former present Ernest Bai Koroma – who is the leader and Chairman of the party, the deputy chairman – Minkailu Mansaray, Osman Yansaneh – Secretary General, and Ibrahim B. Kargbo – leader of APC in parliament.
Welcoming the APC leadership, president Bio expressed his commitment to peace and national cohesion, adding that irrespective of political differences, political leaders should have a continuous dialogue on issues of peace and national cohesion.
“This is our home and we owe it to the nation irrespective of our different political parties. Let us begin to chat the way forward so that peace and unity can return to the nation,” president Bio said.
According to State House press secretary and presidential spokesman, “president Julius Maada Bio is expected to hold a series of meetings with leaders of other political parties in future, to enhance the role of political parties in the consolidation of peace. This is to continue the national dialogue on strengthening peace and national cohesion post Bintumani 111 conference.”
Many in Sierra Leone say they welcome president Bio’s new form of ‘rapprochement’, which was seen a couple of days ago when he said these words at an event at State House, in reference to the public humiliation of suspected exam criminals by the ACC:
BREAKING NEWS!!!!!! 9.2 Million Pre-Registered Sim Cards to be Blacklisted – Communications Minister
Following the short term performance target set for the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), by the Honourable Minister of Communications, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami FNCS, FBCS, FIIM to bring to an end the issue of sales of pre-registered and partially-registered sim cards, preliminary investigation have revealed that over 9 Million of such sim cards are in circulation.
It is on this backdrop that the Honourable Minister, Dr Pantami directed the Telecom Regulators, NCC to block the culprits until the users present themselves.
The Minister made this disclosure today while addressing the Executive Councils of both the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN), who paid a courtesy visit to the Ministry’s Headquarters, Abuja.
The Professional Bodies were at the Ministry to Congratulate the Honourable Minister on his appointment and also pledged their 100% support to move Nigeria’s ICT Sector forward.
Pantami also admonished the positive contributions stakeholders in the ICT sector are playing which has resulted in ICT surpassing Oil and Gas in contributions to the Nations Gross Domestics Product (GDP).
“I am here with a clear vision to promote Nigeria’s ICT sector and move her to the Next Level”, he concluded.
PRESS STATEMENT!!! COMMUNICATIONS MINISTER ISSUES DIRECTIVES TO TELECOMS REGULATOR
In line with the directives of the Honourable Minister of Communications Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami FNCS FBCS MCPN on assumption of office to all Agencies and Parastatals under his purview, the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) has submitted its baseline short-term performance targets report.
The report Signed by the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission contained precise figures of improperly registered SIM cards in use around the country. The Commission in its report disclosed that an estimated nine million two hundred thousand (9.2M) SIM cards did not comply with the proper procedures of SIM registration. The investigation which was carried out at the behest of the minister, has exposed for the first time in the Telecomms history of Nigeria, in precise detail, the magnitude of defaulters.
Reacting to the report, the minister expressed concern over the security implication of this discovery and further directed that the Telecomms regulator, should with immediate effect, ensure that all improperly registered numbers are duly reregistered. To ensure maximum compliance, Dr Pantami, has directed NCC to ensure all mobile network operators block all SIM cards that do not meet proper registration standards until users comply with proper reregistration procedures.
The security implication of this irregularity is too grave to ignore and the Federal Ministry of Communications will not tolerate any actions or inactions that will compromise the nation’s security.
Signed
Uwa Suleiman (Mrs)
Spokesperson to the Honourable Minister of Communications.
September 12th 2019
Nigerian returnees share their ordeal coming back from SA
The anti-foreigner attack in South Africa has left many foreigners trembling in fear. The xenophobic attack by South African citizens started 2 weeks ago and still continues as South Africans insist that foreigners go back to where they come from else they will keep on executing foreigners until they live their country.
During these attacks foreigners have lost everything they have worked for in the blink of an eyes and nothing was left with them yet they are force to live in fear. When the rescue came they grab the opportunity to run for their lives as South Africa is no longer safe for them. Nigerians being the most targeted and were the most affected in this incident.
On Wednesday evening, Air Peace flight lifted 100s of Nigerians and Thursday another 200 was lifted. more than 600 Nigerians are set to come back home.
I’ll never go back in my life,” says Victor Indiobe.
Victor Indiobe is a 29 year old young technician who left Imo in the southern Nigerian to start in South Africa’s economic capital Johannesburg. He was among the 189 people who landed in Lagos.
Twelve people were killed and hundreds of shops destroyed in and around Johannesburg last week in a spate of attacks against foreigners fueled by soaring unemployment and poverty.
“This is not the first time this has happened. i have witness it 3 times but the recent one was most serious and 3 of my friends were shot dead.” Said Victor
Telling the difference between xenophobic attacks, gang violence and widespread crime is difficult in South Africa. With 58 murders every day, the 57-million strong country has one of the world’s highest homicide rates.
“South Africa is a place where people can shoot you, rob you and police won’t do anything”, Victor said.
Back in Lagos, Nigeria’s government has promised to help those returning from SA.
Speaking to reporters on the tarmac, Nigerian foreign affairs representative Abike Dabiri-Erewa said the government would pay for citizen’s travel expenses to reach their families and enroll them in program to find work or start a business.
But in a country blighted by unrest and poverty – more than 80 million Nigerians live under the extreme poverty line, surviving on less than $1.90 a day – many say they are not hopeful.
For Nicholas Olalekan, who ran a hair salon in Pretoria, his future is “in God’s hands”.
“My customer who I was cutting, they stabbed him, he died. They stabbed me in my nose, look. I could have died.” “I just escaped.” He Said
Gambia, Qatar sign 4 new bilateral agreements
SOURCE: POINT NEWSPAPER
His Excellency, President Adama Barrow and the Emir of the State of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani presided over the signing of four new Memoranda of Understanding and bilateral agreements between the governments of The Gambia and Qatar. The agreements entail mutual cooperation in the sectors of communications, judiciary, customs, and youth and sports. On behalf of The Gambia, the various ministers of Information and Communication, Justice, and Foreign Affairs signed the agreements with their respective Qatari counterparts in the following areas:
Communication: The two governments agreed to operate in each other’s territories in the service areas of satellite communication. Honourable Ebrima Sillah signed the agreement with the Qatari Minister of Transport and Communications, Jasim Saif Al-Sulaiti.
Mutual Administrative Assistance: Both parties have agreed to exchange information between the customs authorities of the two countries. The Qatari Minister of Finance, Ali Sharif Al-Emadi, signed with Minister of Foreign Affairs of The Gambia, Dr. Mamadou Tangara.
Legal Affairs: It involves capacity enhancement of the judicial systems of both countries, through experience sharing. The two countries also agree to cooperate and assist each other in the area of customs law enforcement focusing on two specific areas: “Administrative Assistance for Optional Application of Customs Law” and “the Repression, Investigation and Combating of Customs Violations”. The Minister of Justice, Aboubacarr Tambadou signed for The Gambia while Hon. Essa Saad Jaffal Al- Naimi signed for Qatar.
Youth and Sports: The Gambia and Qatar have agreed to promote friendly exchange of youth camps and football tournaments between the two countries. Minister Tangara and the Sport and Culture Minster of Qatar, Mr. Salah Ghanim Al-Ali signed on behalf of their respective governments.
Other engagements
Amongst the president’s other engagements on day two of the State visit in Qatar include a meeting with the Chief Executive Officer of the Qatar Charity, where they discussed possible a partnership to have the organisation begin operations in The Gambia. The non-governmental organisation covers areas of health, water supply, and education.
President Barrow also visited the Qatar National Museum. He was encouraged by the display of the rich history and visionary leadership that laid the foundation for a modern Qatari state in the 21st Century.
Later in the evening, the president wrapped up the day with separate meetings with the chairman of the Arabiya Trading, Abdulrahman Al Mahmoud, and Muhamad Sultan Al Jabeer of Jabeer Construction.
D5 Creation