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Post Date : December 27, 2020

Interpol, UNODC Intercept Nigeria’s Gasoline Meant For Al-Qaeda

The INTERPOL has burst a syndicate terrorist supply of gasoline in the West Africa and Sahel regions of Africa, according to the United Nations Report The terrorist operation which was disrupted by the International Security Network— INTERPOL, was done in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) transactional operation. TheNigeriaLawyers gathered that part of the item recovered from the operation includes a large quantity of gasoline believed to has originated from Nigeria and meant for the Al-Qaeda terrorist group, were seized at both Niger and Mali. It is equally noteworthy that sometime in early December, 2020, both agencies had seized multiple illegal firearms, ammunition, and explosives during one of its operation, codename KAFO II, carried out in Burkina Faso, Côte d’ivoire, Mali and Niger, although the origin of those items have not yet been confirmed. Other successes the KAFO II operation recorded was the distrusting of firearm trafficking network in the region. The KAFO II operation which focuses included the disruption of the flow of illicit goods meant for terrorist financing and criminality in the region, saw the operation conducting an inspection of over twelve thousand (12,000) persons, vehicles, containers as well as cargos, in the criminal database of the agency. The operation Also conducted field research on the aforementioned in other to determine if the travel pass or vehicles used by those investigated were authentic or stolen for the purpose of encouraging illegality and criminality in the region. “Among the new trends observed during this second edition of Operation KAFO is the seizure of contraband gasoline in large quantities in Niger and Mali. It would appear that the gasoline originated in Nigeria and was trafficked to finance and supply the Al Qaeda terrorist group and its affiliates,” “In addition to the arrest of a number of suspected terrorists, police seized firearms and a host of illicit goods such as 50 firearms, 40,593 sticks of dynamite, 28 detonator cords, 6,162 rounds of ammunition, 1,473 kilos of drugs (cannabis and khat), 2,263 boxes of contraband drugs and 60,000 litres of contraband fuel,” “In addition to the arrest of a number of suspected terrorists, police seized firearms and a host of illicit goods such as 50 firearms, 40,593 sticks of dynamite, 28 detonator cords, 6,162 rounds of ammunition, 1,473 kilos of drugs (cannabis and khat), 2,263 boxes of contraband drugs and 60,000 litres of contraband fuel,” the report from the Agency noted. It’s noteworthy that due to the rise of criminality and international terrorism in the region, trafficking in firearms have become a lucrative business in the region. A successful trafficking of firearms has the propensity to fuel and finance other forms of illegality and criminality. According to the Secretary-General of INTERPOL, Jürgen Stock , “The fight against the illicit trafficking of firearms requires strong international and inter-agency cooperation, in order to identify the source of these weapons and bring the perpetrators to justice,” said Ghada Waly, the Executive Director of UNODC. “In addition, more than 40,000 sticks of dynamite and detonators were seized in several locations, all intended for illegal gold mining which constitutes a new source of funding, and even a recruiting ground, for armed terrorist groups in the Sahel.” [As quoted in an article titled “UN and Interpol tackle arms trafficking in West Africa and the Sahel”.]

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Post Date : December 27, 2020

Gunmen kill PDP Leader, seven others, abduct his three daughters in Niger

A People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Ward Leader in Kampala Village, Bosso Local Government Area of Niger State, identified as Ahmodu Mohammed, has been murdered in cold blood by gunmen suspected to be armed bandits who also abducted his three daughters. Also allegedly killed were some seven persons in Kusasu in the Shiroro Local Government Area of the state last Friday late in the evening, just as scores of houses of those who were said to have escaped the attacks were burnt down by the fleeing bandits . Tribune Online gathered that the victims who were killed in Kusasu included four men and two women. It was further learnt that the victims were said to have fled the attack and hid in the bush but were pursued by the bandits and allegedly shot at close range. Insider sources in one of the communities told our reporter that a man said to be the driver to the bandits was allegedly nabbed by men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Shiroro last Friday. But in Kampala, the killing of the PDP ward leader, last Thursday, came after three attempts on his life by the bandits who had terrorised some other villages before coming to Kampala. A family member of the deceased told our reporter in an interview on telephone that Mohammed was killed after several hours of intense battle gun duels with the bandits. “This was the third time the bandits had attacked him. They didn’t succeed in the first two attempts against the backdrops that the deceased politician was very powerful,” said the source. However, condemnations have continued to trail the continued onslaught by bandits across the state, especially on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. An erstwhile PDP Chairman in Niger State, Barrister Tanko Beji, described Mohammed’s killing as very unfortunate, adding that people were no longer safe in their private homes in parts of the state. Beji added that neither the government nor security agencies were doing enough to curb the attacks. Also, the Senator representing Niger East senatorial district, Senator Mohammed Sani Musa, noted that the attacks were declarations of war against the harmless residents. ‌According to him, “the horrible event in the last one week in Niger State, and particularly in Niger East Senatorial District, has raised tension and uncertainties in my mind and the minds of our people more than ever before. “A number of people have been killed and over 30 persons have been abducted since the latest attacks, and no fewer than 5,000 persons have been rendered homeless from the over 15 communities in Niger east senatorial district alone. “What happened in the last one week could be described as hell on earth for the people of Niger East who can no longer sleep both day and night for fear of the unknown. They have been rendered helpless, even as they continue to starve due to the destruction of their property and inability to engage in what they know how to do best – farming.” Musa, however, warned that a lasting solution must be proffered immediately, saying that “those who are tasked with the responsibility of protecting the lives and property of the citizenry must rise to the occasion.”

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Post Date : December 27, 2020

ASUU strikes helping to actualise Boko Haram’s ideology – DG PGF

…says union has spent over 4 out of last 21 years on strike Director-General of the Progressive Governors’ Forum PGF, Salihu Moh. Lukman has called for a more determined approach to resolve the lingering crisis in the nation’s tertiary education sector and halt the occasional resort to strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU. Lukman in a statement on Sunday in Abuja lamented how the series of industrial actions by ASUU has continued to help actualise the Boko Haram ideology of destroying the education sector. According to him, in the last 21 years, ASUU has spent over four years embarking on strike. In the statement titled, “ASUU and Indeterminate Power Struggle – The Boko Haram Logic”, Lukman said many respected Nigerian academics have publicly celebrated the point that ASUU has never lost any struggle against the Nigerian government, whether military or civilian. “These are being said without any remorse or acknowledgement of the damage ASUU strikes have done to the Nigerian educational system. That we are even thinking that closure of universities and our schools can produce any form of victory with reference to any form of outcome demonstrates our nasty state of mind, which brings us closer to the Hobbesian reality that civilisation would have long resolved. “How can anyone with a child whose dream and aspiration should include being educated, celebrate in any form the closure of schools? What difference is such a logic from the Boko Haram objective of abolishing western education? “It is very sad that it is common knowledge now that in the last twenty-one years, ASUU was on strike for a record period of more than four years. Worse still is the fact that we have people who claim to be public intellectuals that present such a reprehensible scorecard and by any standard a scandalous credential as achievement is sickening. “At this rate, we may as well accept that Boko Haram terrorists are also public intellectuals. In any event, who is a public intellectual? Aren’t Boko Haram terrorists engaged in critical thinking, research and reflections? If their mission is to abolish western education, how farther away from that mission is the activity of any group that causes closure of our universities for nine months in one academic calendar? If our universities are closed for nine months, what does that mean to the remainder of the education system? Assuming that secondary students are able to pass their exams, will they gain admission into universities? Where will the space come from when existing students have not graduated?”, He queried. Lukman added that unless both ASUU and FG are able to produce a clearly outlined sources of mobilising the funds to implement the provisions of the December 23, 2020 agreement, it is safer to assume that the agreement is already in breach. “With reference to funding, there are issues that are beyond ASUU and therefore any agreement with ASUU may likely be a source of dispute with other sections of the university community and educational sector, including students. Already, from the agreement with ASUU, this is implied given that part of the N40 billion disbursed for earned academic allowances is to be shared with non-academic staff. After exhausting the N40 billion, what next? Should we assume that it will be the end of allowances in Nigerian public universities? Certainly not. If there are new earned academic allowances, how will the resources be generated? “This is where we must get our government to urgently come up with a new framework of negotiating these issues outside the scope of labour relations. This may perhaps require that, as the governing party, APC would need to expedite the process of ‘diversifying the economy and expanding our tax base to increase non-oil revenues and prioritising public spending away from bureaucracy towards investments in infrastructure and improved frontline services’ as provided in the APC manifesto”, he stated.

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Post Date : December 27, 2020

Ikpeazu Debunks Defection Rumours

Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has debunked rumours making the rounds that he plans to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Speaking on a radio programme monitored in Umuahia, Governor Ikpeazu said he has not seen any reason why he should leave the PDP for any other party. Reacting to a question on the matter, the Governor said pointedly, “I do not see any reason why I should leave the PDP for any other political party. The music of politics as it plays differs from one State to another. Here in Abia, the people are comfortable with the PDP and I think the aspirations of Ndi Abia will be met and achieved under the platform of the PDP”. Continuing, the Governor emphasised that “nobody has been able to convince me that there is a better party for us here in Abia than the PDP. I am a strong member of the PDP and a leader in the party. In fact, I am the Deputy Chairman of the PDP Governor’s Forum”, adding that “I will rather be a conductor in a moving vehicle than be the driver of a stationary vehicle”.

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Post Date : December 27, 2020

FREDERICK NWABUFO: Social media could end marriage as we know it

Chioma is having troubles with her mother-in-law. I know because she made it headline news on her social media page. She does not share her concerns with the other party in the nuptial contract or with a trained counsellor, but with aliens on social media who are sweating on the treadmill of their own problems and who have no understanding of the situational context. Chioma wrote:‘’It has been uncomfortable living with my mother-in-law. She insists I do my husband’s laundry which I never did even while we were dating and in our first few years of marriage. My husband’s laundry has always been done by dry-cleaners. Beyond this, I feel policed in my own house; like I am working on egg shells. I do not know how to talk to my husband about it. Please I will appreciate your advice on how to deal with this problem. I will be reading comments.’’ Social media could end marriage as we know it. It has become the stranger in the bed of matrimony. It is the third wheel on which some spouses unload their marital problems, but which most times complicates them. A husband goes on a philippic on social media on how women are unfaithful because he suspects his partner is cheating, and a wife flies ‘the men are scum’ trope because she suspects her spouse has a side chick – to the entertainment of strangers who do not give a hoot. I recall the case of a certain man who went on a social media joyride, revealing lewd details of his wife. The marriage ended in divorce. I think marital differences become irreconcilable when social media is invited to bed. The internet never forgets. Really, we live in a society where marriage counsellors are mostly pastors without training and who lack competence to advise anyone on marriage. Biblical prescriptions often counselled by pastors – of ‘’wife submit to your husband and husband love your wife’’ – are flawed and vacant of real-life solutions. So, most people turn to social media to vent about their marital challenges and seek answers from strangers – without vicarious experience. But every marriage experience is unique. As faces are different, so are the problems. It is not one size-fits-all. The prescriptions for marriage A could be lethal for marriage B. I believe every marriage must work out its own salvation, and in the event peace becomes the Holy Grail in the union, there is the exit door which is as wide as the entry door. Marriage should not be a life sentence with hard labour. But fundamentally, salvaging it should be primary. SOCIAL MEDIA AND MARRIAGE STATISTICS Here is what Perspectives of Troy Counselling Centre, a counselling and mental health centre in the US, says on social media and marriage statistics. ‘’A recent study from Boston University revealed that non-social network users were 11.4% happier in their marriages than couples who frequently used social media. Heavy users were 32% more likely to contemplate leaving their spouse. The study also suggested a possible correlation between the number of Facebook users in a state and the divorce rates for the area. States with a higher increase of Facebook users showed similar increase in divorce rates. Another study in Great Britain showed that close to 25% of married couples argued at least once a week because of social media use, and 17% fought daily over something they found about their spouse online. 20% of respondents reported that they fought with their spouses on Facebook, and nearly half said they secretly logged into their spouse’s accounts.’’ As a matter of fact, social media removes from a union exclusivity – a key ingredient for a congenial relationship — when spouses elect to communicate their problems to amused aliens online instead of thrashing out issues with their partners. I read on Twitter on Saturday of a certain lady who was regaling her followers with details of incidents in her marriage to which she admitted her husband was absolutely unaware of. Communication is the lifeblood of marriage. But when primary communication is relocated outside a relationship, the union becomes eviscerated of emotion. Why should your spouse become aware of your challenge on social media – and it is not that you ever communicated it to him/her in any way before? I spoke briefly to Marriage Matters International on social media use and marriage, and here is what the counselling centre says: ‘’I would advise couples not air their dirty linen in public, it is very unhealthy; it complicates the situation, rather they should share testimonies to encourage other couples. Couples should seek professional help if they are having challenges in their marriage.’’ Keep your marital business off social media. A wrecking marriage is salvageable with social media uninvited. *Fredrick Nwabufo is a writer and journalist. Follow on Twitter @FredrickNwabufo

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Post Date : December 27, 2020

Hundreds of fleeing residents return after Boko Haram attacks in Borno communities

Hundreds of fleeing residents of Shindifu, Kirbutu, Debiro, Shaffa, Tashan Alade communities and Azare the headquarters of Hawul local government area in Southern Borno Senatorial District have started returning back home to count their losses following a deadly armed Boko Haram invasion on Saturday evening. These coordinated and simultaneous attacks come barely 48 hours after insurgents attacked a nearby community of Garkida town in Adamawa state, precisely on Christmas eve. Sources told our correspondent that an unspecified number of civilians were killed and injured including a 90 -year old man name withheld who was killed with his house set ablaze in Shaffa town. Another source revealed that scores of the insurgents were also killed as military airstrike engaged the insurgents, unfortunately, quite a number of Churches, shops, telecommunications masts and other private and public structures were razed down in the affected communities. Hawul is predominantly a Christian community and about 200km drive from Maiduguri the state capital without having any military formation in the entire Council area since the emergence of Boko Haram. Narrating his ordeal, Mallam James Ishaya, a resident of Shaffa town said, the insurgents had operated for more than 10 hours without any ground troops to repel the deadly attack, only for an airstrike and efforts from some hunters/vigilantes who were later overwhelmed by the superior power of the insurgents that invaded in large number with guntrucks, arms and ammunitions. He regretted that most of them ran and slept in the Bush and mountains with their kits and kins only to return home this Sunday morning counting their losses. Unconfirmed reports also have it that some policemen were among the casualties including civilians. All efforts to get confirmation from the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Edet Okon proved abortive at press time.

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Post Date : December 27, 2020

Police Arrest Village Head,10 Others Over Alleged Banditry In Niger State

Police Command in Niger State has arrested the village head of Tungan-Iliya and 10 other persons over alleged banditry in Mashegu Local Government Area of the state. Police spokesman in the state, ASP Wasiu Abiodun, said in a statement on Sunday in Minna that following intelligence report received on Dec. 25, a police team went on a clearance operation of suspected bandits’ hideouts in Tunga-iliya forest. “The team engaged the suspected bandits in a gun duel and arrested eleven of them while five others were fatally wounded “Among the suspects arrested were the village head of Tunga-iliya and one Summaya Bello who harbours and gives information to bandits,’’ he stated. Abiodun said the police had started further investigation into the matter and that the suspects would be charged in court later. He added that also on Dec. 25, the police received information that gunmen invaded Unguwan Gambo community in in Rafi Local Government Area where they kidnapped four persons. One of the victims was rescued unhurt while efforts to rescue the others and arrest the hoodlums were in progress, he stated. (NAN)

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Post Date : December 27, 2020

Drunk Soldier Shoots Two Colleagues In Mali

A French soldier deployed to Mali as part of the Barkhane force fighting jihadist insurgents has wounded two comrades with a pistol while drunk, the army headquarters said Saturday. The confrontation under the influence happened overnight from December 24 to 25 at a base in Gao in eastern Mali. “Two soldiers from the same unit were getting on each other’s nerves. One soldier wounded two of his comrades with his service weapon,” an automatic pistol, army spokesman Frederic Barbry told AFP. One of the two men was wounded very lightly, while the other’s injury was more serious although not life-threatening. Both were flown out following the shooting and brought to the hospital in France. Military police are investigating the incident and “once the probe is finished, (the shooter) will be flown home,” Barbry said. France’s Barkhane force numbers 5,100 troops spread across the arid Sahel region and has been fighting jihadist groups alongside soldiers from Mauritania, Chad, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, who together make up the G5 Sahel group. Paris is weighing cuts in the number of soldiers deployed in the region ahead of a summit planned for mid-February.

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Post Date : December 27, 2020

Christmas Day tragedy: Teenage boy drowns in Ogun hotel swimming pool

What was meant to be a colourful Christmas celebration went awry on Friday after a 14-year- old boy, Samson Akingbade , drowned in a swimming pool of a hotel in Ijako , Sango-Ota , Ogun State . It was learnt that Akingbade and his friends had gone to the hotel to have fun, playing around the premises . They were said to have extended the fun to the swimming pool section of the hotel, navigating it with glee . Our correspondent gathered that he drowned in the process but his friends did not realise in time . After some hours , his body was said to have floated , resulting in a pandemonium at the facility . A source told Sunday PUNCH that some angry youths blamed Akingbade ’ s death on poor management on the part of the operators, and attempted to vandalise the hotel . He said , “ The boy was swimming in the hotel and drowned. As a result of that , some youths stormed the hotel to foment trouble but the police responded promptly to douse the tension and restore normalcy. “ The boy went to the hotel with his friends . The problem is that the hotel does not have a lifeguard . It was an avoidable death if they had a lifeguard . ” Another source explained that the hotel was abruptly shut down to avert a riot, adding that the boy ’ s corpse was evacuated by the police from Sango Division. He stated , “ I learnt that the boy and his friends came from Sango but I don’ t know their address. It was police intervention that doused the tension. Youths were angry that the hotel failed to provide a lifeguard who could have observed that the boy had drowned and rescued him . ” The police spokesperson in the state, SP Abimbola Oyeyemi , confirmed Akingbade ’ s death , adding that his corpse had been deposited in a mortuary for autopsy . He said , “ One Samson Akingbade , 14, was at the hotel with his friends . They were swimming when he drowned. Some boys wanted to attack the hotel but the police quickly took over the situation and restored normalcy.

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Post Date : December 27, 2020

Gunmen kill Enugu monarch on Boxing day as mob razes houses, cars of suspected indigenes

Unknown gunmen on Saturday shot to death a paramount ruler, Igwe Emmanuel Mba, in Oruku community in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State. Reports from the area said that the alleged criminals invaded the community and moved to where the royal father was presiding over a meeting. The royal father was said to have been shot dead by the armed men who claimed to be policemen from Force Headquarters, Abuja. The ‘policemen’ led by one Inspector Danladi, also took away one Mr. Agozie Ani from the Oruku Townhall where the deceased traditional ruler was addressing a meeting of the natives. The armed men, who invaded the venue of the meeting in an SUV and a Sienna Bus at about 2 pm on Boxing day, according to an eyewitness, moved into the hall and sought to see the royal father. The armed men were reportedly escorted to the townhall by three natives of the Oruku identified as Emmanuel Nwobodo, Onyema Edeh and Sunday Onunze. They came and left with the same vehicles that brought the armed men, the eyewitness said. When the traditional ruler who was presiding over the meeting was identified by the three natives, one of the ‘policemen’ immediately shot him on the thigh and he fell down bleeding. Confusion reigned supreme after the royal father was shot as the natives scattered in different directions amidst sporadic shooting by the armed men, who made attempts to arrest some of them. The bleeding royal father was taken away by the armed men to the Parklane hospital, Enugu but Igwe Mba could not be admitted due to lack of bed space. They were referred to the National Orthopedic hospital, Enugu but on arrival, doctors at the Emergency Unit only confirmed the royal father dead. It was learnt that the royal father who was elected by his community on December 26, 2019 reportedly bled to death before he could get medical attention. The traditional ruler’s corpse was deposited at the National Orthopedic hospital mortuary while the whereabouts of Ani is yet to be known. The FORD Pick-up van driven to the aborted meeting by the deceased royal father also driven away by the team was yet to be found as of the time of filing the report. Checks by some leaders of the community at the state police command headquarters to ascertain the identity and motive of the “invading policemen” proved abortive as they were told that there was no such entry made at any police station to that effect. As a result of the incident, the aggrieved members of Oruku community reportedly regrouped Saturday evening and attacked the homes of some indigenes believed to be behind the murder of the royal father. Four houses including the compound of the father of a retired federal Permanent Secretary, Chief Raymond Okenwa were reportedly burnt down. Some vehicles parked within the affected premises were also set ablaze by the mob. Efforts to get official reaction of the State Police Command proved abortive as the State Police Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ndukwe, did not pick his call.

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