Colombia is to give protected status to almost one million undocumented Venezuelan migrants resident in the country, President Ivan Duque said.
The protection will last 10 years and will allow them to “normalise” into life in Colombia, Mr Duque added.
The United Nations says more than five million people have fled Venezuela since 2015, with Colombia taking in the greatest share.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi praised the decision.
At a joint news conference on Monday, he described it as a “historic gesture” and “emblematic for the region, even for the whole world”.
Some 1.7m Venezuelans are thought to have arrived in Colombia but more than half are without legal status.
The changes mean they will be now able to apply for temporary protected status – making it easier for them to work, seek permanent residency and get access to health services.
“We hope that other countries follow our example,” Mr Duque said at the news conference.
The announcement came days after he appealed for better international support with the situation, after reversing a policy which said undocumented Venezuelans would be excluded from Colombia’s upcoming vaccination drive.
Colombia, a nation of 50m, has recorded over 2m virus cases and almost 56,000 deaths so far.
The UN has warned the Covid-19 pandemic has compounded the situation for Venezuelan refugees and migrants living throughout the region, including border closures leaving them vulnerable to dangerous exploitation from traffickers.
Millions have fled Venezuela in recent years because of spiralling economic and political instability that has led to shortages of essentials like food, medicine and fuel.
The Kano State Government said it has prosecuted no fewer than 200 residents for violating the COVID-19 safety protocols. The State Commissioner for Information, Muhammad Garba, made the disclosure in a statement in Kano on Monday.
Mr Garba said the violators were arrested and prosecuted by the mobile courts attached to the joint team of security agencies and COVID-19 marshals established to ensure compliance. He said 102 of the violators were fined N5, 000 each, while 25 others had been remanded in prison by the 21 mobile courts set up to deal with non-compliance to safety protocols.
Mr Garba explained that compliance to the protocols had been a huge challenge in Kano and it hindered the efforts of the government in curbing the spread of the virus. The commissioner said the enforcement measure became necessary to preserve public safety and ensure full compliance with the Coronavirus prevention protocols, particularly the use of face masks.
According to him, the enforcement, led by the state Road Traffic Agency (KAROTA), included personnel of the Nigeria Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Department of State Security Service and the COVID-19 marshals. The joint teams, he said, were spread at strategic locations where violators were arrested and instantly prosecuted by the mobile courts.
The commissioner, however, pointed out that the decision was in response to the new variant of the virus, which called for caution and adherence to safety measures.
Two of the victims of the marauding kidnappers, who spoke with SaharaReporters, recalled their horrendous experiences in the hands of the assailants, noting that it was” “a journey of life-and-death.”
Residents of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, have expressed worries over the rising spate of kidnapping in the country’s capital, saying the menace calls for urgent action by the security agencies and the government.
Two of the victims of the marauding kidnappers, who spoke with SaharaReporters, recalled their horrendous experiences in the hands of the assailants, noting that it was” “a journey of life-and-death.”
SaharaReporters had recently reported the case of a Punch newspaper journalist, Victor Nnodim, who was kidnapped alongside two of his neighbours by gunmen in his house at Kubwa, Abuja.
On Sunday, barely days after, gunmen also abducted one person and shot at three others in Abuja’s Pegi community when the victims were returning home from work.
This was the same period that a retired Assistant Comptroller of Immigration, Alhaji Abdulahi Idris Rakieu, was kidnapped in Abuja alongside his wife, another family member and one Olushola Agun.
Location of F.C.T
In a chat with SaharaReporters, one of the freed victims, who did not want to be identified for security reasons, stated that the kidnappers refused to feed him for the days he spent with them.” “They tied my hands backwards and also my two legs. At that point, it was more difficult for me to breathe or to walk. For days, I was asked to lie on the dusty ground. I was abducted from my house. There is no food in the forests and no sounds. Just cold, darkness and all the terrible things any mortal can imagine.” “My kidnappers were beating me all over the back. As I cried, they put me on the phone so that my family members could hear my agony and they also could have heartbreaks.
“It was a terrible moment in my life. I paid a ransom of N5million before I was released. The attackers had demanded N10million from my poor family” one of the victims said.
Speaking with SaharaReporters on Monday, some Abuja residents noted that it was true that kidnapping was now rampant but added that the abductions could not extend to the city centre, where a respondent claimed” “is very safe.”
The FCT is segregated into three partitions – satellite towns, City Centre and neighbouring cities. Chima Obi, a resident, thinks the kidnap occurrence happens in the neighbouring towns close to the highways already notorious for harbouring bandits.
“I have not heard of kidnapping in the city centre and the satellite towns. The much I have heard of kidnapping are people travelling from Abuja down to Kaduna or any of these neighbouring Northern states. These are the places the abductions take place.
“Within the city centre, there are no many incidents of kidnapping. Almost every political office holder in Nigeria lives in Abuja,so that makes the city centre very safe because they don’t play with security” he opined.
Another resident of Abuja, Chinedu, said he is more concerned than scared about the situation. He believes the rise in kidnap incidents in the FCT should make anyone concerned as no one knows who the next victim might be.
He said,” “As a resident, I am concerned about the incident but not so scared because this used to be one of the safest places in the country.”
Chioma Ruphina buttressedChinedu’ss view, saying kidnapping is more common on the highways linking Abuja to some Northern states.
President Joe Biden has rekindled the United States’ interest in promoting LGBTQ rights on the global stage, particularly in countries perceived as intolerant to sexual minorities. Scaling up a presidential memorandum ratified by the Obama administration in 2011, which had sought to advance the rights of the queer community, Mr. Biden in a new memo last week directed all U.S. embassies and executive departments to “promote and protect the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons everywhere.”
The newly inaugurated U.S. leader explicitly instructed the country’s foreign agencies to combat the criminalisation of LGBTQI+ status or conduct abroad. “Specifically, I direct the following actions, consistent with applicable law:
“Section 1. Combating Criminalization of LGBTQI+ Status or Conduct Abroad. Agencies engaged abroad are directed to strengthen existing efforts to combat the criminalization by foreign governments of LGBTQI+ status or conduct and expand efforts to combat discrimination, homophobia, transphobia, and intolerance on the basis of LGBTQI+ status or conduct,” Mr. Biden’s memo seen by Peoples Gazette directed.
President Joe Biden
Nigeria’s anti-gay laws have been increasingly censured by global rights groups, which have categorised the country as overtly homophobic. Amidst international pressure, ex-President Goodluck Jonathan signed the Same-Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act in January 2014, prescribing between 10 to 14 years in prison for cohabitation between same-sex sexual partners, public show of same-sex relationship, registration, operation or participation in gay clubs, societies and organisation, amongst others.
A former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, is reportedly set to rejoin the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) six years after he left for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
This was after meeting with the Chairman, Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee and Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, and Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello at a Guest House in Abuja.
Chief Femi Fani-Kayode
The closed-door meeting, which lasted for about an hour, may not be unconnected with the alleged plans for the return of the former Minister to APC.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, has denied media reports that he paid N2 billion for his tenure extension.
He gave the denial in a statement, signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, on Monday in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
Mohammed Adamu
According to Mba, the media reports are untrue, unfounded, defamatory and libelous, adding that the fake news will not stop the police boss from going after criminal elements in the country.
Lawyers for Donald Trump have responded to his impeachment charges, saying supporters of the former US president stormed Congress in Washington DC on 6 January of their own accord.
Mr Trump’s trial in the Senate is due to begin on Tuesday after he was impeached for the second time by the House of Representatives last month.
He is charged with “inciting insurrection” in a speech to supporters ahead of the deadly riot.
Mr Trump says he will not testify.
Five people, including a police officer, died when a mob of Trump supporters attacked the Capitol building, forcing politicians and staff to hide in offices.
Mr Trump is the only US president in history to have been impeached twice and one of only three to have been impeached at all.
In a pre-trial brief released on Monday, the former president’s lawyers said that FBI documents had shown that the riot was planned days in advance, meaning that Mr Trump cannot have encouraged the violence.
They also insist the trial is unconstitutional because Mr Trump has left office and is now a private citizen.https://emp.bbc.com/emp/SMPj/2.39.15/iframe.htmlmedia captionDonald Trump’s second impeachment trial opens on Tuesday – but what’s it all about?
They hit out at the nine “impeachment managers” – Democrats from the House of Representatives who will lay out the case for prosecution – accusing them of “intellectual dishonesty and factual vacuity” in the way they portrayed Mr Trump’s address to his supporters.
The lawyers described the trial as “political theatre” and a “brazen political act” by Democrats that was intended to “silence a political opponent and a minority party”.
“This impeachment proceeding was never about seeking justice,” they wrote.
“Instead, this was only ever a selfish attempt by Democratic leadership in the House to prey upon the feelings of horror and confusion that fell upon all Americans across the entire political spectrum upon seeing the destruction at the Capitol on January 6 by a few hundred people.”
Democrats say Mr Trump’s repeated refusal to concede last November’s presidential election to Joe Biden – as well as the fiery rhetoric he used in his address to supporters on 6 January – encouraged the riot.
His lawyers argue that Mr Trump was simply exercising his First Amendment rights to freedom of speech.
“His incitement of insurrection against the United States government – which disrupted the peaceful transfer of power – is the most grievous constitutional crime ever committed by a president,” their statement said.
The trial is expected to begin with a four-hour debate and then a vote on whether the proceedings are unconstitutional.
If it proceeds – as it is expected to – opening debates will begin on Wednesday afternoon with both sides allowed up to 16 hours each for presentations.
However, for the Senate to convict Mr Trump a two-thirds majority is required meaning 17 Republicans would need to join the chamber’s 50 Democrats in the vote.
On 26 January, a bid to dismiss the case as unconstitutional was backed by 45 of the Senate’s 50 Republicans.
image captionThe storming of the US Capitol shocked the nation
The former president is accused of “incitement of insurrection against the Republic he swore to protect” – namely the storming of the Capitol by his supporters as Congress met to confirm the result of the 3 November election.
Mr Trump’s “statements turned his ‘wild’ rally on 6 January into a powder keg waiting to blow”, Democrats said in a pre-trial briefing.
They are expected to put before the Senate Mr Trump’s words – and footage from the riot – to show that “the furious crowd” was “primed (and prepared) for violence if he lit a spark”.
“The evidence is clear,” they wrote. “When other attempts to overturn the presidential election failed, former President Trump incited an attack on the Capitol.”
They argue that although he is no longer in office, “a president must answer comprehensively for his conduct in office from his first day in office through his last”.
They call for him to be disqualified from ever running for office again.
Following the approval to reopen Lekki Tollgate by Judicial Panel of Inquiry set up by the Lagos State government to investigate the October 2020 Lekki shooting incident, many Nigerians have taken to Twitter to protest that those who carried out the alleged shooting of innocent citizens must face the law before Lekk tollgate can be reopened.
The #OccupyLekkiTollGate which is another wave of protest against injustice and government’s silence over the Lekki shootings is scheduled to kick off on 13th February 2021, according to Twitter sources.
The nine-man panel returned the control of the tollgate to the Lekki Concession Company, the operators, on Saturday.
The company, through its counsel, had been praying the panel to allow it to take over the plaza for repair and insurance claims since December 2020.
Over the last four months, an outpouring of support for Nigerian protesters has played out on Twitter, with various hashtags, but predominantly #EndSARS.
Lt Gen Tukur Buratai (Rtd), the immediate past Chief of Army Staff (COAS), has boasted of the incredible job he did while he was at head of the Nigerian Army in the past five years.
Buratai who retired from the Nigerian Army on January 26, before being nominated as a non-career Ambassador by President Muhammadu Buhari on February 4, alongside other Service Chiefs who also resigned, was speaking with journalists after a special gala night organised in his honour by members of the 29th Regular Course Association of the Nigerian Defense Academy in Abuja at the weekend.
It’s an honourable retirement and also an honourable appointment.
“As the COAS, I did very well.
“I am happy that in July last year, my officers at the Army headquarters compiled a compendium of my achievements.
“In fact, I can’t even remember all the projects that we have executed. Is it in terms of infrastructure? Is it in terms of capacity building? Is it in terms of training?
“Since I was appointed, there was never a dull moment in terms of training.
Remember the various exercises. These are training exercises from ‘Python Dance’, ‘Crocodile Smile’, and even the latest one ‘Exercise Sahel Sanity’.
“Is it in the area of medical? In terms of education of our children and wards, the Nigerian Army University are all great achievements.
“I think you can write volumes and volumes of books in terms of the achievements depending on the perspectives you want to take.
It feels great to be celebrated by my colleagues at this point in time.
“It means a lot to me in terms of respect, in terms of the show of love.
“It’s something of pride that you have been recognised for the service you have rendered to your nation and people.”
A former Caretaker Chairman of the Jibia local government area of Katsina state, Haruna Musa Mato, has been arrested by the state Police Command for alleged links with the bandits who kidnapped 344 students of the Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, in December 2020.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Gambo Isah, who confirmed the arrest of Mato on Sunday, said intelligence gathering and detailed investigations led to the discovery that Mota was aiding and abetting bandits operating in the state.
Isah, who did not disclose when Mato was arrested, added that the former Chairman has already been charged to court over the allegations.
He added that he is currently being remanded in a Katsina correctional centre pending the time the police would complete investigations on the case and when the state Ministry of Justice would issue legal advice on his case.
According to a police source, the arrest of Mota was made possible when an audio interview he allegedly had with some bandits over the December abduction of the Kankara students leaked and the police traced the audio to him.
The said interview, according to the source, was reportedly about the exact figure the bandits got from the government for the release of the boys and that he had been short changed by the abductors.
The price of oil has recovered to its pre-pandemic levels having hit an all-time low last year.
While demand for oil is still lower than normal, there are hopes of a speedier than expected economic recovery as vaccines are rolled out.
Oil prices are often seen as a barometer for economic activity, still struggling with the virus downturn.
“Black gold” has now reached $60 a barrel having risen more than 50% in the last few months.
Brent crude, the major benchmark for oil, has seen strong growth recently. Futures contracts, which are based on the price of future delivery, have jumped 59% since November.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the benchmark for US oil, last week rose above $55 a barrel for the first time in over a year.
“The biggest driver for the latest surge in prices seen through last week was a sharp upturn in expectations for economic and oil demand recovery on signs that the coronavirus may finally be in retreat,” Vandana Hari, founder of Singapore-based oil markets data firm Vanda Insights told the BBC.
Demand has been rising in parts of the world, particularly Asia. “We are quite optimistic about what it is that we are seeing in China,” Royal Dutch Shell chief executive Ben van Beurden said last week.
Other factors have also played their part to push up prices such as efforts by oil-producing nations, particularly Saudi Arabia, to limit output.
Since agreeing to the cut in production last April, producers have held back a cumulative 2.1 billion barrels of oil, leading to decreasing stockpiles.
The coronavirus crisis has been devastating for the petroleum industry, and last year prices slumped below zero with more than one billion surplus barrels.
Demand for fuel from airlines has seen the most dramatic fall as travel curbs remain in place. Air passenger traffic is 70% below year-ago levels, according to the International Air Transport Association.
But demand has picked up in other areas, thanks in part to the shift to working and consuming more from home.
As consumers are buying more online, this has spurred demand for fuel to power delivery trucks and vans, along with cargo ships and and freight trains.
The e-commerce boom has also caused a spike for plastic packaging, which is made using oil products.
However, oil demand is still lower than pre-pandemic levels and a slow economic recovery would delay a full rebound in world energy demand for years to come, the International Energy Agency warned last month.
“There could be more setbacks in the spread of the virus or the vaccinations, causing a pullback in prices, though short of another crisis,” added Ms Hari.
Australian journalist Cheng Lei, after months of detention in China, has been formally arrested on charges of supplying state secrets overseas.
Prior to her detention, the Chinese-born Australian had been a TV presenter for Chinese state media outlet CGTN.
Chinese authorities confirmed her arrest on Monday, adding that her legal rights would be guaranteed.
Ms Cheng was detained in August and charged last Friday, Australian officials had earlier said.
At a press briefing on Monday, Chinese ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said he hoped Australia would “not interfere with China’s handling of this case”, according to news agency Reuters.
Canberra has repeatedly raised concerns with Beijing over Ms Cheng’s detention.
“We expect basic standards of justice, procedural fairness and humane treatment to be met, in accordance with international norms,” said Australia’s foreign affairs minister, Marise Payne.
“Our thoughts are with Ms Cheng and her family during this difficult period.”
Ms Cheng had worked in Beijing for the last few years. Many of her family, including her two young children, live in Australia.
In August, she suddenly disappeared from television and couldn’t be contacted by friends or relatives. Her employer, CGTN – the English-language channel of the state broadcaster – also wiped its websites of Ms Cheng’s profile page and work.
China eventually announced she was being held on national security grounds under “residential surveillance” in an unknown location.
Her family said they had no idea why she had been detained.
“We don’t know if she’s just been caught up in something that she herself didn’t realise.”
Her family said Ms Cheng had been interrogated on several occasions and was being kept in a cell. Her health had deteriorated, they added.
Australia said its representatives had been able to visit her once a month – in line with the bilateral consular agreement with China.
Relations between Australia and China have deteriorated in recent years, leading to diplomatic and trade ructions.
Analysts say this has made it harder for Australian authorities to negotiate with Beijing over their citizens’ release.
Beijing has arrested or expelled a number of journalists in recent times. Shortly after Ms Cheng’s arrest last year, the last two Australian media correspondents in China fled the country following consular advice.
ABC reporter Bill Birtles said that prior to his departure, Chinese police had turned up to his apartment and questioned him about Ms Cheng, but also asked him questions on a wide range of topics.
US President Joe Biden says he will not lift economic sanctions against Iran until it complies with the terms agreed under a 2015 nuclear deal.
Mr Biden was speaking in a CBS News interview aired on Sunday.
But Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Tehran would only return to compliance if the US first lifted all economic sanctions.
The 2015 deal sought to limit Iran’s nuclear programme, with sanctions eased in return.
Former President Donald Trump, however, withdrew the US from the deal in 2018 and re-imposed sanctions, leading Iran to roll back on a number of its commitments.
Iran, which says its nuclear programme is peaceful, has been increasing its stockpile of enriched uranium. Enriched uranium can be used to make reactor fuel, but also nuclear bombs.
Under the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal – an agreement reached between Iran, the US, China, France, Germany, Russia and the UK – Tehran agreed to limit its uranium enrichment and allow international inspectors to access sites and facilities.
In return, sanctions imposed on Tehran were lifted.
But Mr Trump withdrew the US from the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in an effort to force Iran to negotiate a new accord, and reinstated economic sanctions.
Mr Trump wanted to place indefinite curbs on Tehran’s nuclear programme and also halt its development of ballistic missiles.
Iran refused. In July 2019, it breached the 3.67% cap on uranium enrichment and in January this year announced it had resumed enriching uranium to 20% purity. Weapons-grade uranium is 90% purity.
In a short clip of the interview published before the full broadcast at 16:00 EST (21:00 GMT) on Sunday, Mr Biden was asked if he would halt economic sanctions to bring Tehran back to the negotiating table, and he replied: “No.”
Meanwhile, Ali Khamenei said that for Iran to return to its commitments under the deal, the US must first “abolish all sanctions”, Iranian state TV reported on Sunday.
“We will assess, and if we see that they have acted faithfully in this regard, we will return to our commitment,” he said, adding: “It is the irreversible and final decision and all Iranian officials have consensus over it.”
The president also talked about the US relationship with China.
He said there was no reason for Washington to be drawn into direct conflict with Beijing, but that both sides would engage in what he called “extreme competition” on the global economic stage.
Mr Biden said he had not spoken to his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, since becoming president last month, and that he had not changed his stance towards Beijing.
“He’s very bright, he’s very tough,” Mr Biden said of Mr Xi, adding: “He doesn’t have a democratic – small ‘d’ – bone in his body.”
The Anambra State government has ordered the closure of the Agbaedo Nnewi New Motor Spare Parts Market for one week due to non-compliance of set COVID-19 guidelines.
This was contained in a statement issued on Saturday by the State Commissioner for Trade and Commerce, Mr Uchenna Okafor, who said that the order was issued due to the disregard for the COVID-19 safety protocol by both traders and customers in the market.
In the statement, the state government also ordered officials of the market to appear before the commissioner for health, Dr Vincent Okpala for retraining and recertification, within the period of the closure.
The statement reads thus in part; “Following the non-compliance to the COVID-19 safety protocols by the Agbaedo new motor spare parts market, Nnewi, His Excellency the executive governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano has ordered for the closure of the market.”
The order came days after the state government introduced an intervention strategy for early intervention and handling of patients who have contracted COVID-19 to ensure low death rate arising from the virus.
The government of Abia State has banned cultural festivals till further notice, and also warned that it would hold responsible the Traditional Ruler of any community that contravenes the standing order.
This was contained in a press release issued on Saturday and made available to newsmen by the Secretary to the Abia State Government and Chairman Inter Ministerial Committee on COVID-19, Barrister Chris Ezem.
The statement also revealed that the state government has placed a five thousand naira (N5,000) fine on any resident of the state caught in public without wearing a nosemask or face shield.
It also directed that all hotels and hospitality places paste a “No face mask No entry” banner at their entrances and maintain all COVID-19 protocols adding that any contravention will attract N100,000.00 fine including sealing off of the premises.
The statement added that; “All churches are now to operate on a 50-person basis per stream and must conclude all religious activities by 2pm on Sundays and Saturdays whichever is applicable. All weekly activities must be limited to 2 activities only; whilst night vigils and crusades are totally banned. All religious places of worship must paste at its entrances “No facemask No entry.
“All eateries are now to operate on a take away basis and must maintain all covid-19 protocols at their premises. They must place at their entrance “No facemask No entry” sign. They must ensure the availability of running water and sanitizers at their premises. Any contravention will attract a fine of N100, 000.00 and the premises will be sealed off.
“All COVID-19 market Committees are to be revived and must ensure total compliance with all COVID-19 protocols at all markets failing which the Government will not hesitate to shut down such a market and proscribe its Union.
All burials and weddings must be limited to 50 persons only and maintain all COVID-19 protocols. Traditional rulers of communities must liaise with the Local Government Chairman of the relevant Local Government and set up an enforcement Committee made up of people of integrity to ensure compliance. The enforcement Committee is at liberty to stop any burial or wedding in contravention.
“All public places, ministries and parastatals must paste at their entrances “No facemask No entry” sign. All schools, private and public, must observe all COVID-19 protocols.
“Community testing and sample collection is ongoing in all the 17 LGA’s. The State medical protocol teams are in place and our molecular lab is 24 hours in operation to run samples,” the statement concluded.
Cannabis worth N1.4 billion has been seized by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Edo State after its officials stormed Ukpuje Forest, in the Owan West Local Government Area of the State
A statement on Saturday by the Edo State Commander of the agency, Buba Wakama also revealed that seven suspects were arrested in connection with cannabis weighing 233,778 kilograms.
The cannabis found in four warehouses include 2,249kg dried weeds while cannabis weighing 231,529kg was destroyed on the farm.
According to Wakama, the seizure was the largest single concentration of cannabis discovered by the command, which he ascribed to the enabling environment created by the new Chief Executive of the Agency, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (retd.).
He said: “We took delivery of two new Hilux operational vehicles presented to the command last week. This is the first assignment of the vehicles and it turned out to be the best for the command. We are grateful to the chairman, and this is a clear warning that there is no room for drug barons in the state.
“The warehouses are located in the heart of the forest, yet we were able to uncover them based on intelligence gathering. The cannabis warehouses were located at Ukpuje Forest
“The community is notorious for cannabis cultivation and trafficking as well as attacks on law enforcement officers, but stood still as a combined team of NDLEA and combatant military personnel overran the drug trafficking syndicates due to our superior fire power.”
Wakama gave the names of the arrested suspects as chairman of vigilantes in Ukpuje, Emmanuel Oki, 62; one Chief Odi Sabato, 42; Bright Edegbe, 53; Gowon Ehimigbai, 53; Enodi Ode, 37; Ayo Oni, 30; and Akhime Benjamin, 43.
“The operation lasted from Thursday night through Friday night February 5, 2021. The suspects will be investigated and charged”, Wakama added.
The Burundi Supreme Court has sentenced those accused of plotting a coup in 2015 to life imprisonment last year, documents made public for the first time by local media on Saturday revealed.
Those sentenced to life imprisonment include former army generals, politicians, journalists and right activists – all sentenced in absentia, with court documents showing that a total of 34 suspects were found guilty in June 2020.
Those found guilty by the court include: Godefroid Niyombare – a general and the alleged leader of the plot, Bernard Busokoza – a former vice-president, Potien Gaciyubwenge – a former defence minister, Onesime Nduwimana – a former communications minister.
Others are; Leonidas Hatungimana – a former presidential spokesman, Marguerite Barankitse – a government critic and Onesime Nduwimana – a former opposition MP.
The court also ordered the accused to pay collective fine 1.5bn Burundi francs ($780,000; £567,000) to victims of the coup, which includes the ruling CNDD-FDD party.
“This is a case of hatred. And a hidden political trial,” Mr Nduwimana one of the suspects told the BBC.
“A group trial that doesn’t show everyone’s role, a trial that no suspect attended, it is only a case of hatred, and political decision paper given to judges to sign on,” he added.
A Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said developments and happenings in the country at the moment do not show that the people are preparing for the Kingdom of God.
Obasanjo, who made the assertion while speaking as the guest of honour during the dedication of the St. Moses Orimolade Holy Land, the cenotaph of the Cherubim and Seraphim (C&S) founder, also revealed how his intervention helped to preserve Orimolade’s tomb in Ojokoro area of Lagos during the construction of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.
Olusegun Obasanjo
Obasanjo, at the occasion, expressed worries that most Nigerians were acting as if everything starts and ends on earth.
The presidency has supported the appointment of the retired service chiefs by President Buhari into new departments. The president’s spokesman Garba Shehu criticized the accusation and dissatisfaction emanating from the People’s Democratic Party.
President Buhari
According to him, he said, “The President is rewarding hard work and exceptional sacrifice by a set of military leaders who gave their best to the nation and will be remembered, sooner than later, for their contributions to the security and survival of Nigeria as one nation”.
Sunday Igboho Blasts Nnamdi Kanu, See What He Said About Nnamdi Kanu In An Interview.
It’s no longer news that a lot of Nigerians have compared Sunday Igboho to Nnamdi Kanu who is the leader of the “indigineous people of Biafra”.
However, Sunday Igboho have replied some Nigerians who compare him to Nnamdi Kanu. Igboho revealed that he can’t be likened to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) because his agenda is different from that of Nnamdi Kanu. He also revealed that he can’t be like Nnamdi Kanu who doesn’t carry his people along. It’s important to know that Sunday Igboho made this statement during an interview conducted by a correspondent with the PUNCH.
Nnamdi kanu
Igboho also disclosed that he wants peace, good governance, justice and harmony within the Yoruba land.
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