Politics, World News

Monmouth poll: Biden leads by 7 points in Pennsylvania.

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A new poll finds Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden leading President Trump by 7 points among likely voters in Pennsylvania, a state viewed by many as the tipping point in the battle for 270 Electoral College votes. 

The final Monmouth University survey finds Biden at 51 percent and Trump at 44 percent among likely voters in a high-turnout scenario. That’s down from Biden’s 11-point lead in the same poll from last month. 

In a low-turnout scenario, Biden’s lead shrinks to 5 points, 50 to 45. The September poll found Biden leading by 8 points in the low turnout scenario among likely voters. The previous poll was conducted shortly after the first presidential debate. 

Both Biden and Trump will campaign in Pennsylvania on Monday. For Trump, Pennsylvania represents his best shot at holding on to one of the former “blue wall” states he flipped in 2016, as polls show Biden with comfortable leads in Wisconsin and Michigan.

Biden leads by 4.8 points in the FiveThirtyEight average of Pennsylvania, down from 7.3 points in mid-October. 

“All eyes have been on the Keystone State from the start,” said Monmouth pollster Patrick Murray. “Pennsylvania voters may have responded more than most to key events, such as the conventions and the debates. This potential for movement is one reason why both campaigns have spent so much time there.”

Biden leads by 40 points in the counties Hillary Clinton carried by about 35 points in 2016. Trump leads by 20 points in the counties he won easily in 2016, down from his 34-point margin that year. 

In the 10 swing counties that were closest in 2016, Trump leads 49 to 45. That’s a big swing in Trump’s favor, as Biden led in those counties by 11 points only one month ago. 

“Northeast Pennsylvania and other swing areas of the state are as hotly contested as they were four years ago,” Murray said. “Even without an advantage in this region, Biden is able to hold a statewide lead on the back of strong support in core blue areas along with his ability to nibble away at Trump’s margins in deep red areas.”

Biden leads by 16 points among whites with a college degree, while Trump leads by 21 points among non-college educated whites. 

Biden leads by 22 points among voters under the age of 50, while Trump leads by 14 points among voters aged 50 to 64.

The candidates are tied among the oldest subset of voters. Biden led by 10 points among seniors in the prior Monmouth survey. Trump carried seniors by 10 points in 2016.

“The senior vote is up for grabs in Pennsylvania given the margin of error, but could end up decisively in either candidate’s camp on Tuesday,” Murray said. “However, the trend in this poll is in line with recent Monmouth polls in Florida and Georgia last week, suggesting that Trump may be clawing back a little bit of the senior vote in the campaign’s final days while Biden is strengthening his position among younger voters and people of color.”

The Monmouth poll of 502 registered voters in Pennsylvania was conducted from Oct. 28 to Nov. 1 and has a 4.4 percentage point margin of error.

Politics

Lekki ‘massacre’: Mother of fake news

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SIR: It was already late in the evening when I got a very short notice to be a guest on AriseTV to discuss the #EndSARS uprising from the northern perspective especially since agitations has begun to tend towards #EndInsecurityNow.

I had already stepped in front of camera with microphone already clipped to my shirt when the news of the alleged Lekki massacre broke. The general mood in the studio suddenly translated into individual inner rage and furry. From my distance, I watched as the program anchor grit her teeth and clench her fist in fury anytime she took a break off-camera, while I struggled to comprehend the “why?” and contend with my own share of the anger at the Nigerian military’s action, at the same time.

What followed was a deliberately orchestrated barrage of misinformation and fake news, occasioned by outrage and condemnation from local and international quarters. For the first time, local organizations, the international community, celebrities and the media were sold a dummy in which they fell for, hook line and sinker, qualifying this digital warfare as the mother of all fake news in Nigeria.

As the outrage began to ease and critical minds cared to dig, the reality that we are in the era of alternative facts where provable falsehood can easily be bandied around, dawned on us all.

The Headquarters 81 Division Nigerian Army since released a statement that they were only invited by the Lagos State government to restore normalcy in the wake of erupting violence and their intervention followed all laid down procedures for Internal Security operations and all the soldiers involved acted within the confines of the Rules of Engagement (ROE) for Internal Security Operations. The official Police report also confirmed that six policemen and about four civilians lost their lives in the #EndSARS protest.

These facts have since been established by credible media platforms.  Days after the alleged massacre, neither a single bullet-ridden body has been sighted nor any family of victims has reported the death of their relations during the incident. In fact, credible fact-checking sites have debunked footages purported to be from the alleged massacre. Leading the pack in debunking fake images from the EndSARS protests is the world’s oldest news agency, Agence France-Presse (AFP) which describes bodies recovered from Lekki Toll Shooting in Nigeria as FALSE (https://cutt.ly/lekkiafp)

Many of the people reported to have been killed have since come out to debunk such reports. For instance, a photo of a young corps member shot in the stomach which went viral on social media claiming that he died as a result of the shooting was debunked by the young man himself who said that the picture was taken on a movie set earlier in the year.

While many such similar cases paraded as victims such as a certain Steve Abbey and Nollywood movie star Eniola Badmus have all come out to deny claims, weighing the available fact versus allegations, the truth of the Lekki matter will not be far from a rational thinker.

But that is exactly what fake news is meant to serve – confusion. Reportedly invented by Adolf Hitler in 1930, fake news was used against his antagonist to help the rise of fascism that led to the destruction that we talk about today.

Fake news creates a post-truth society where it becomes difficult to determine what is true and what is fake, allowing people to stick to what they believe in instead of taking an informed stance simply because it is difficult to interpret reality since people are unable to engage in critical thinking and cannot understand complexities. Such a condition makes it easy for totalitarianism to permeate. That exactly what is happening in our social media space today.

As citizens, we are glad that the international community has proven time and again that they will stand on the side of our people when the need arises. I like their swift reaction in standing for what is right; but apologizing when one is wrong, is also the right thing to do. So, would they now apologize?

Politics

Rescue of American in Nigeria, proof of Buhari’s incompetence – PDP

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THE Peoples Democratic Party has said the military operation by United State troops, which led to the rescue of an American citizen, who was captured in Niger Republic and was being held on Nigerian soil, was further proof of the incompetence of Nigeria’s President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, said this in a statement titled, ‘US rescue operation again confirms Buhari’s incompetence, says PDP’, in Abuja on Sunday.

The statement read in part, “It is indeed grossly disconcerting that under our Commander-in-Chief, a general, who had consistently promised to lead from the front, it took a foreign country to come on our soil to rescue their citizen, while hordes of our citizens are reportedly being held, tortured and killed in various kidnappers and insurgents’ dens in various parts of our nation.”

It also recalled that not too long ago, the Chadian President, Idriss Derby, led his troops into Nigerian territory to secure victory over Boko Haram.

In response, the APC in a statement titled, ‘The world remembers PDP government’s negligence in Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction – APC’, signed by the Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, said, “The PDP again chooses to play politics with our national security in its tired, baseless and dull attacks of the President Muhammadu Buhari government.

“To refresh the PDP’s memory, former British prime minister, David Cameron in his book, ‘For the Record’, said the Goodluck Jonathan PDP government was sleeping on the wheel when the schoolgirls were abducted.”

Politics

Stolen staff: Ruling house wants Oba of Lagos palace cleansed.

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The Akinsemoyin Ruling House of Lagos State has called for the cleansing of the palace of Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, following its invasion on October 21 by rampaging youths, who carted away the royal staff of authority.

The palace and the monarch were attacked amid the mayhem that broke out following the shooting of #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki tollgate in Lagos by soldiers on the evening of October 20.

In a statement on Sunday, the ruling house described the invasion of the palace and the removal of the royal staff of authority as a sacrilege.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CG22bPwDB2M/?igshid=1pyv2ri8k9cvj

The statement, titled, ‘#EndSARS protest: Akinsemonyin ruling house condemns attacks on Oba’s palace,’ was co-signed by the Olori Ebi Akinsemoyin Ruling House of Lagos, Chief Musliu Anibaba; Prince Saminu Akinsemoyin; Prince lbrahim Adekunle; and the Chairman of Egbe Omo Eko Nimi Lagos Forum, Prince Ademola Akinsemoyin.

Members of the ruling house said they watched with shock rioters’ “forceful entering, ransacking, looting and desecration of lga ldunganran (Oba Ado Palace) which is the Palace of Oba of Lagos.”

Politics, World News

Obama shooting three pointer while campaigning for Biden goes viral.

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Former President Barack Obama went viral on Saturday after shooting a three-pointer while on the campaign trail for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.

Obama made the shot just before leaving a gymnasium in Flint, Mich. While he walks out the door, he appears to tell campaign staff “That’s what I do!”

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CHBkBUYghFd/?igshid=6d1l3v5stpx6

Celebrities and social media users quickly shared the clip, with some hoping that the shot it a “good omen” for the former vice president ahead of the Tuesday election.

NBA star Lebron James, who has previously partnered with Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama on voter initiatives, tweeted “Now you just showing out now my friend!! That’s what you do huh??”

The clip was taken in the gymnasium of Flint’s Northwestern High School, Yahoo! Sports reported.Obama and Biden campaign together in Flint on Saturday at a drive-in rally, where the former president blasted President Trump’s “reality show” style of politics.

“He hasn’t shown any interest in doing the work or helping anybody but himself or his friends or treating the presidency as anything more than a reality show to give him the attention that he craves,” Obama said. “But unfortunately, the rest of us have to live with the consequences.”

Politics, World News

Femi Gbajabiamila calls for the improvement of federal character laws

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The speaker of the house of representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila has stated that federal character should also include age, religion, gender and not just ethnicity.

Speaking at the Young Parliamentarians Forum (YPF) strategy meeting in Abuja on Saturday October 31, Gbajabiamila called for a legal framework that will change the federal character principle for appointments in the country’s constitution.

He said that the idea of making such appointments based on religion or the state of origin has not helped in the development of the country.

“I think we should consider an amendment in the constitution to the definition of federal character, because when we talk about federal character within the context of appointments, infrastructure and the rest of it in the constitution, federal character, as it is, is limited to where you are from, like your ethnicity.

“In other words, the constitution says that appointments and all those other things shall be based on federal character, and federal character as we know it now, we have the Igbo, we have the Hausa, the Yoruba. There should be a geographical spread.t

Gbajabiamila said that educating the youth should be the centre point for the development of the country.

“I do intend to reconvene the house to consider a couple of very important things that will affect Nigerians, like the electoral law, the PIB and more importantly, the bills that are already in the system concerning the development of the youth.

“I will speak with the clerk of the national assembly to quickly figure out how we can get a secretariat for young parliamentarians where they can sit and put heads together beyond the chambers of the house of representatives.” Gbajabiamila said.

Politics, World News

Despite Evidence, IGP Denies Amnesty International Report, Says Police Officers Never Used Force On #EndSARS Protesters.

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Mohammed Adamu, Inspector-General of Police, has said that his officers did not use force on peaceful #EndSARS protesters, rejecting a report from Amnesty International that over the issue.He made the denial in a statement on Friday.

Adamu said, “During the protests, officers of the Force used legitimate means to ensure that the protests were carried out in a peaceful manner and in most cases, physically protected and walked side-by-side with the protesters.

“Even when the protests turned violent in some parts of the country, the officers still maintained utmost restraint and did not use excessive force in managing the situations.

“Available Reports show that 22 police personnel were extra-judicially killed by some rampaging protesters and scores injured during the protests. Many of the injured personnel are in life-threatening conditions at the hospitals.

“205 police stations and formations including other critical private and public infrastructure were also damaged by a section of the protesters.

“Despite these unprovoked attacks, our police officers never resorted to use of unlawful force or shooting at the protesters as alleged in the report.

“It is also beggars imagination that Amnesty International failed to mention or pay tribute to Police officers who were gruesomely murdered during the protests while serving their fatherland.

“The Force decries the discriminatory tendencies exhibited by Amnesty International as seen in the report. One wonders if in the estimation of Amnesty International, police officers are not also human beings equally entitled to the protection of their fundamental rights to life and dignity of human person.”

Politics

We have to make a choice; Do we remain tools, risk our lives or settle for long term benefits?

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If we say Better Days Ahead , Better Days is not unconnected with Better People. People who fit into this dispensation; dispensation of relevant technology and mind blowing innovations.

We still have people in this dispensation who think about short term benefits and not long term benefits, we need to think as smart as those leading us. Truth be told, our leaders are quite clever but the citizens ought to be smarter already.


During my basic education, we were taught elementary things we needed to know about Human Rights and Basic Amenities we are to enjoy as citizens. Basic amenities which are; electricity, pipe borne water, good infrastructures, free education and good standard of living. However today in Nigeria what do we have?

We have high level of unemployment, poor health facilities , dystopian educational standard , high cost of living, poor infrastructures and a lagging development of the economy as a whole.


Now education provided by the government isn’t free anymore. At the primary and secondary school levels, they still pay some thousands , yet most of these children still learn in the most inconducive environment you can imagine. The levy paid isn’t used to accomplish an improved environment to aid teaching and good assimilation. This is as a result of the corruption that is deeply rooted in this system.

Youths graduate from the tertiary institutions every year and in the course of searching for jobs, they are expected to have certain years of experience in order to be absorbed. Where exactly do they get these experience from if they have never been offered employment after successfully completing the compulsory service year?


We face many challenges as a nation, most roads are bad, it is so difficult for most people to have good meals, people who have little money or none can’t enjoy good health facility, the economy is bad.

Talking about politicIal sycophants and supporters , for how long will they keep giving support to leaders who treat civil servants like beggars, leaders who have no prepared plan for the youths and have used their policies to wreck the Nigerian currency.

ASUU (Academic Staff Union Of Universities) is currently on strike and despite elections being near, the government does not seem bothered. This level of confidence on the government part is alarming. Despite all these ,our politicians have been engaged in campaigns and making futile promises to the citizens as they have always been doing in the past.

Despite all these, sycophants and poverty stricken citizens still turn out to support these politicians because of the short term benefit. They get paid for a day, spend the money the same day or following day and then, suffer for the following years. I understand they have a lot to deal with, poverty and depression is real. Campaigns aren’t done everyday but during periods of elections.

So the question is, how have these people been surviving? We have to make a choice, do we keep making ourselves tools in the hands of these politicians , risking our lives while campaigning for them or refuse to be used by them and settle for long term benefits?

Why can’t they offer our children scholarships , provide shelter with little interest, provide incentives and secure a better future for us? They only make these promises during campaigns but never fufill them. Shouldn’t they do these things while in power? No, they won’t . They refuse to do these things and while poverty keeps plunging into our society, they come back as saviour, pretending to be doing us a favour and taking advantage of the poor by giving them stipends.

The poor need to be wise already because when a bad government is elected, they are the first set of people to feel the heat of the difficulty in the nation. How do they survive when the economy is bad and the cost of living is high? Yet, they haven’t understood.

Politics

BREAKING: Lagos Government Reopens Public, Private Schools

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The Lagos State Government has reopened private and public schools.

Folashade Adefisayo, Commissioner for Education in the state, in a statement on Thursday said schools can reopen from Monday, November 2, 2020.

The statement reads in part, “The Lagos State Government has approved the reopening of schools for all classes in public and private schools across the state beginning from Monday, 2nd of November, 2020 while boarders in public schools are to resume on Sunday, 1st of the same month.”

Politics

Senate rejects budget proposal as agency sites 20 projects in minister’s LGA

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The budget defence of the Senate Committee on Power and Rural Electrification Agency (REA) deadlocked on Wednesday, as the Committee uncovered that the Minister of Power, Alhaji Mamman Saleh has cited 20 projects in Lau Local Government Area of Taraba State, where he hails from.

The projects, which were in the range of N52 million each in the proposed 2021 budget, were uncovered while being scrutinized by the Committee members.

Expressing their dissatisfaction with the budget proposals of the Rural Electrification Agency, the Committee insisted that the REA budget proposal would not be approved, particularly on notice that the entire South-South geopolitical zone has only one power project to be constructed in 2021.

The Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency, Ahmad Salijo after explaining the 2020 budget performance, sought Senate’s approval of 2021 budget proposals.

Meanwhile, Senator Yusuf Yusuf drew attention of his colleagues to the lopsidedness in the distribution of projects, insisting that the proposal shouldn’t be approved.

Yusuf, who represents Taraba Central Senatorial district, maintained that the lopsidedness showed that all the mini-grid projects were lumped in the local government of the Minister in Taraba State.

“It is not just the N52m, but if you look at from number 85, N30m, N20m, N40m and they are all concentrated in one Local Government Area.

“That is the minister’s LGA. Twenty projects are in the Lau Local Government Area. I am not challenging him, but I am sure,” he said.

A member of the Committee, Senator Bala Ibn’Nallah accused the Minister of Power of violating his oath of office.

He added that the minister was making Buhari look like he is a president of one geopolitical zone.

He said: “Those who elected us to these offices expected us to ensure that the constitution which they have made for themselves and given to us will be executed to the letter.

“The President wants to be the president of every citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Therefore, he would want loyalty and cooperation from every citizen of the country. If we sit down here and agree that a budget that pleases a minister, can come, the Minister is not doing himself good because he has sworn to do justice to all manner of the people and not to allow his personal interest to affect his official conduct and decision.

“He has by this clearly shown that he has allowed his personal interest to affect his official conduct and decision, and that is a very serious matter.

“Governance is a very serious issue. I think you (MD) must take this observation seriously and convey it to the minister. Tell him that the committee is not in agreement with him.”

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Gabriel Suswam, after his remark, adjourned till Monday next week.

Politics, World News

Nobody should believe the military because it has a history of lies, fraud and deception- Femi Falana

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Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), says the families of #EndSARS protesters killed by soldiers at the Lekki toll gate are afraid to speak out because they “understand the environment under which we operate”.

Falana spoke on Wednesday at an ‘#EndSARS Zoom Meeting Global’ hosted by Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore.

At the virtual meeting , Falana urged Nigerians and the international community not to believe the explanations offered by the Nigerian Army on the Lekki shootings.

The Nigerian Army, after an initial denial, yesterday, admitted that its operatives were at the Lekki toll gate on Tuesday, October 20, 2020.

The military authorities also claimed they were invited by the Lagos State Government, noting that they acted within the rules of engagement.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria, however, said the army has “a history of lies, fraud and deception” while making reference to the Shiites incident of December 2015.

Falana said, “Nobody should believe the military because it has a history of lies, fraud and deception.

Femi Falana (SAN)

“Just in December 2015, the same Chief of Army Staff, General (Tukur) Buratai claimed that there was a traffic jam in Zaria and the big man wanted to move and because of that traffic, he got soldiers from the first division in Kaduna to mow down Shiites.

“And what was the explanation? That the Shiites wanted to assassinate the Chief of Army Staff…and about six or seven persons died.

“But in the Commission of Inquiry set up by the Kaduna State Government, we were told that indeed 347 Nigerians were killed by the military. No autopsy, no postmortem, nothing was done. Their bodies were taken away in the dead of the night and given a mass burial.

“And people will ask you, if anybody lost his child in Lekki, why have they not come up? Who has come up in the case of Zaria? Because you must understand the environment under which we operate.

“By the way, some of those injured in Lekki had to forcefully discharge themselves because they were told in the hospital that they were going to be held liable for the riot in town. And so, everybody had to move.

“But as of today, the governor of Lagos State has admitted that two people lost their lives. The circumstances would have to be explained later but those two were among those shot by the soldiers.”

Falana also stressed that the military has no business enforcing curfew under the Nigerian laws.

“We are involved in the investigation and we are going to unravel the entire mystery surrounding the attack in Lagos,” he insisted.

The Lekki attack has been condemned by both local and global civil rights personalities and organisations including Amnesty International which claimed at least 10 protesters were killed by the Nigerian forces at the Lekki toll gate.

Politics

Eid-el-Maulud: President Buhari preaches love, honesty

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President Muhammadu Buhari has urged all Nigerians to seize the opportunity of this year’s Eid-el-Maulud to reflect on the virtues of the Holy Prophet by showing love and understanding for fellow citizens.

He also urged Nigerians to avert second wave of COVID-19 in Nigeria, saying the nation’s economy cannot bear another round of lockdown.

Buhari’s position was contained in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, titled “President Buhari welcomes Maulud, urges love and understanding among citizens.”

The statement read, “As Muslims in Nigeria join others all over the world to mark the Eid-el-Maulud, President Muhammadu Buhari has urged all citizens to use the occasion to reflect on the virtues of the Holy Prophet by showing love and understanding for fellow citizens while exhibiting patience, honesty, sincerity, kindness, and generosity in all their undertakings.

“In a message to Muslims commemorating the birthday of Prophet Mohammed (SAW) which is being marked as public holiday, the President urged all citizens, and the youths in particular, to shun all negative tendencies as manifested in the recent hijacking of peaceful protests to loot and destroy public and private property.

“He also reiterated his earlier promise to bring police officers responsible for misconduct as well as the looters to justice.”

Shehu also said on the COVID-19 pandemic, Buhari noted that the country has so far managed the problem successfully by keeping the numbers as low as possible.

He said the President however cautioned that Nigerians must not stretch their luck too far.

“Looking at the trends in the other countries, we must do all we can to avert the second wave of the pandemic. We must make sure that our cases, which have gone down, do not rise again. Our economy is too fragile to bear another round of lockdown,” he quoted the President as saying.

He said Buhari, therefore, advised all citizens to continue to observe the COVID-19 protocols of social distancing, wearing of face masks and washing of hands.

Politics

Osun #Endsars protesters accuse government of hijacking judicial panel.

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#Endsars protesters in Osun State have accused the Osun state government of influencing and manipulating members of the judicial panel of enquiry to listen to cases of extrajudicial activities of security personnel in the state.

The protesters also accused the government of sponsoring an unknown body to impersonate the protesters and pledge allegiance to the state government.

The protesters in a statement released by its spokesperson, Olawale Bakare (Mandate); Mobilisation Secretary, Olushayo Ogunleye; and Chairperson, Finance/Welfare Committee, Queen Fisayo; said it received with huge shock the announcement of the suspension of the protest.

Describing the judicial panel as “unpopular and controversial egression”, the youth said the panel is vested to defend the government’s interest against the people.

The #ENDSARS protesters therefore demanded that the membership of the panel be reviewed.

They said, “We demand that the membership of this panel be immediately reviewed. Many of the characters being appointed have never been part of the demonstrations so far and their antecedent is loud enough to stand them out of any pro-masses activity.

“The members of the panel such as the members of the ignoble and shady Nigeria Police Force that we are still battling with are present in the panel. The reprobatory and unsavoury member of the Bench is also in that panel; meanwhile none of the active protesters are neither in the panel nor satisfactorily represented.

“These people, we believe, don’t understand the plight of the masses because they have never been on the part of the masses.

“They say he who pays the piper dictates the tune. The fact that the government of Osun pays each panelist N100,000 per sitting is nothing but an attempt to buy their voices and further buttress the heinous agenda to promote the government’s interest against the people.”

The group stated that the impersonators were never part of the protesters neither were they part of the decision makers of the #ENDSARS protest in Osun State.

The group added, “In fact, they were brought from nowhere to misrepresent we the genuine protesters.

“This set of persons were handpicked by the government so they could do their illicit bidding, cause confusion and mislead the public.

“We will like to put this in clear terms, that these set of characters should desist from impersonation as the Movement won’t hesitate to engage in legal actions to prosecute these potential criminals.

“Let it be known that the revolutionary train of EndSARS, Osun State is no respecter of anybody, we are loyal to nothing or nobody but justice and humanity.”

The youth, however, urged the state government to desist from using cheap blackmail and the misrepresentation of the protesters’ position to mislead the public, cause confusion and bury their political misdemeanour.

It advised the government to address the matter raised by the protest rather than resorting to contracting some persons, who parade themselves as #EndSARS protesters to dish out government-sponsored press statements.

Politics

Nigeria: attempt to cover up killing of #EndSars protesters exposed

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Detailed timeline of events leading up to Lekki Toll Gate massacre released

Bodies reportedly removed in apparent attempt to dispose of evidence

 ‘What happened at Lekki Toll Gate has all the traits … of a cover-up’ – Osai Ojigho

 The Nigerian authorities must end their attempts to cover up last week’s Lekki Toll Gate massacre, Amnesty International said, as it released powerful new findings from a fresh investigation into the atrocity a week on.

 In a detailed timeline – available here – Amnesty’s Crisis Response experts have investigated and verified social media videos and photographs that confirm the Nigerian security forces were present at the Lekki Toll Gate when the shootings occurred.

 The evidence confirms that Nigerian Army vehicles left Bonny Camp, a military base approximately a seven-minute drive from the toll gate, at 6.29pm local Lagos time on 20 October. 

 Footage then tracks the vehicles to the toll gate – with four vehicles apparently belonging to the Nigerian military and police seen with flashing lights heading in a convoy heading east along Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue – which changes its name to the Lekki-Epe Expressway – in the direction of the

toll gate. En route, the vehicles passed several international buildings, including the Japanese Embassy and the Australian High Commission.

 Further photographs and footage capture the vehicles arriving at the toll gate, before the peaceful protest is disrupted by men in military uniform, and gunfire is heard at approximately 6.45pm as the soldiers opened fire on #EndSars protesters who were peacefully calling for an end to police brutality.

As night time descended, protesters continued to film and share videos of the shootings. Later in the evening, videos of the victims were also shared on social media

Amnesty is again calling on the Nigerian authorities to bring to justice those behind the shooting and to protect those who are exercising their right to freedom of assembly.

Amnesty is meanwhile still investigating the shooting and the reported removal of bodies of those killed by the military in an attempt to cover up the incident.

Osai Ojigho, Country Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, said:

“What happened at Lekki Toll Gate has all the traits of the Nigerian authorities’ pattern of a cover-up whenever their defence and security forces commit unlawful killings.

“One week on, the Nigerian authorities still have many questions to answer: who ordered the use of lethal force on peaceful protesters? Why were CCTV cameras on the scene dismantled in advance? And who ordered electricity to be turned off minutes before the military opened fire on protesters?

“The initial denials of the involvement of soldiers in the shooting was followed by the shameful denial of the loss of lives as a result of the military’s attack against the protests.

“Many people are still missing since the day of the incident, and credible evidence shows that the military prevented ambulances from reaching the severely injured in the aftermath.”

#EndSars protests

Amnesty has been monitoring developments across Nigeria since the #EndSars protest began on 8 October.

Nigerians have been taking to the streets peacefully demanding an end to brutality, extortion and extrajudicial executions by the Special Anti-Robbery

Squad (SARS), a unit of the Nigerian police tasked with fighting violent crimes. 

 At least 56 people have died across the country since the protests began. In multiple cases, the security forces have used excessive force in an attempt to control or stop the protests. 

Politics

Alleged N2bn fraud: Babangida, Nasko face fresh trial

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Former Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu and his former Chief of Staff, Umar Gado Nasko are to face a fresh trial.

On Tuesday, Justice A. B. Aliyu of the Federal High Court, Minna, relisted the fraud case involving the duo.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Aliyu and Nasko (first and second defendants) on three-count amended charge of breach of trust and money laundering to the tune of N2billion.

The case was struck out on June 19, 2020.

On October 13, prosecution counsel, Faruk Abdalla, filed a motion to set aside the ruling, as well as an order for the relisting of the charge.

The lawyer supported the application with 21-paragraph affidavit, deposed to by Samuel Chime.

“We rely on all the paragraphs; we also file a written address in support, we adopt the written address as our oral submission and we pray the court to grant our prayers in the motion papers”, it read.

Mamman Mike Osman (SAN), counsel to Nasko represented by Iloh Bekeme Asuelemeh, prayed the court to overrule the application.

Asuelemeh noted that the defence had filed a 33 paragraph counter-affidavit, deposed to by John Kyrian Etuk, and documented as exhibit QJ1-QJ6.

He said the references had been adopted as the written address of the defence.

Justice Aliyu reinstated the bail granted to the defendants and adjourned the matter until November 23 and 24, 2020.

Politics

Presidency expresses worry over Police absence on Nigerian roads

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The Presidency has expressed worry over the absence of policemen on the streets despite violence taking over most parts of the country.

POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, had on Saturday ordered policemen to immediately stop the violence, killings, looting and destruction of public and private property in the country.

Adamu, in a statement, also directed police commanders to reclaim the public space from hoodlums and miscreants masquerading as protesters in some parts of the country.

However, days after the IGP’s order, some police officers have failed to comply with the directive. This has allowed hoodlums to take advantage of the lack of security to extort and rob members of the public of their valuables.

In some parts of the country, hoodlums took to the streets, brandishing weapons and attacking people. They were also seen barricading roads, and disturbing the peace of the area.

But a Presidency source expressed concern over the continuous looting of warehouses, public and private properties, NYSC Camp in Abuja, and in different parts of the country. He said the Inspector-General of Police was the right person to explain why there is still escalating insecurity in the country.

The source said the police boss should tell Nigerians the reason his men failed to comply with his order and why they have not been carrying out their duty of protecting lives and properties.

Politics

Buhari told to take full responsibility for Lekki toll gate shooting

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The Pan Niger Delta Forum has told President Muhammadu Buhari to take full responsibility for the shootings of peaceful #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki toll gate on October 20.

The forum, in a statement by its spokesman, Mr. Ken Robinson, on Tuesday called on Buhari to order an immediate commencement of actions that would bring the perpetrators of the dastardly act to book.

PANDEF backed the calls made by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria for a thorough investigation into the tragic incident.

“PANDEF calls on President Muhammadu Buhari to, as Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation, take full responsibility for the horrible occurrence at the Lekki Tollgate on Tuesday, 20th October 2020 and direct the immediate commencement of actions to bring to book those behind that incident.

“The ramifications of the Lekki Tollgate incident go beyond portraying Nigeria to the world in a bad light; it is a threat to the nation’s democracy if it is true that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had no foreknowledge of the incident.

“It raises further questions on the viability of the nation’s security architecture and its configuration vis-a-vis the need for a holistic overhaul.

“PANDEF has backed the call by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria for a thorough investigation into the shooting of peaceful #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Tollgate, Lagos, on Tuesday, last week.

“We are supporting the Catholic Bishops’ resolution, and similar expressions by patriotic individuals and groups in the country, as well as, the International Community, for an immediate and transparent probe of the incident, whereby persons in Army uniform indiscriminately shot at young Nigerians that were peacefully protesting against police brutality.

“Whoever ordered the barbaric action, and those who carried it out, should be identified and made to face the consequences. The government must ensure that justice is served. While the Federal Government had said it would investigate the incident, the seemingly delay is unbecoming,” the statement read in part.

Politics

Lawyer sues President Buhari, General Buratai, others over Lekki toll gate shootings.

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A lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje, has filed a N10bn fundamental rights suit against President Muhammadu Buhari, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, and 10 others over last Tuesday night shootings at #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos.

In the suit before the Federal High Court in Lagos, Ogungbeje is urging the court to declare that “the brutal shooting and killing and use of brute force against unarmed, defenceless and peaceful protesters/Nigerian citizens engaging in the #ENDSARS peaceful protest on October 20, 2020, at the Lekki tollgate was illegal, unlawful, undemocratic, oppressive, wicked and unconstitutional.”

Ogungbeje wants the court to compel the defendants to “immediately pay N10bn compensation to all the victims of the mindless shooting and brutal killing at Lekki tollgate.”

According to him, the unleashing of brutal force and shooting at the peaceful protesters were a violation of the protesters’ constitutional “right to life, fair hearing, right to peaceful assembly and association guaranteed under sections 33, 36, 38, 39 and 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.”

Ogungbeje is urging the court to make an order “compelling the immediate prosecution of all the culpable security agents, soldiers and persons directly or indirectly or remotely involved in the dastardly shooting and killing of unarmed, defenceless and peaceful protesters/victims of the #ENDSARS peaceful protests at the Lekki Tollgate on the 20th of October 2020.”

Apart from Buhari and Buratai, also joined as defendants in the suit are the Federal Government, the Nigerian Army, Chief of Defence Staff, Inspector-General of Police; Nigeria Police Force; State Security Service; Director-General, SSS; Lagos State Government; Attorney General of Lagos State; and the Attorney General of the Federation.

Politics

Lagos governor approves full reopening of markets.

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The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has approved the full reopening of markets in the state.The Lagos Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Dr Wale Ahmed, made this known in a statement on Tuesday.

The statement made available by the governor’s Senior Special Assistant on New Media, Gawat Jubril, noted that both food markets and non-food markets can reopen every day of the week.

The statement read in part;

“The Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has approved the full resumption of operations of both food markets and non-food markets.”

“They are now to open daily. Mr Governor took the decision to further enhance trade and commerce and mitigate the hardship of recent times and ensure that Lagosians can recover fast.”

“Mr Governor also advised the continued observance of all safety protocols. He noted that traders and their customers must adhere strictly to the covid 19 protocols for their safety and the citizenry at large.”

Politics, World News

BON: NBC sanctions on TV stations did not follow due process.

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The Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) has asked the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to withdraw its sanctions against three TV stations for their coverage of the #EndSARS crisis, saying the regulator took action

BON is the main association of public and private broadcasters in the country.The chairman of the association, Sa’a Ibrahim says in a statement published today that the organisation believes NBC must follow due process before taking action.

“BON wishes to call on the NBC to issue a formal query to each of the stations involved and give [them a] stipulated period to formally respond before taking the application of sanction laws,” the statement says.

“Therefore, we kindly request that the sanctions on AIT, Channels TV and Arise TV be withdrawn immediately pending formal responses by stations.”

NBC fined AIT, Channels TV and Arise TV N3 million each yesterday. The regulator said the TV stations contravened the Nigeria Broadcasting Code pertaining to ‘editorial responsibility’.

“Channels TV, Arise TV and AIT especially continued to transmit [footage] from unverified and unauthenticated social media sources,” said NBC.

The regulator said the footage shown by the three stations ‘stimulated anger’ and ‘heightened the violence’ but activists point to the freedom of the press and say the regulator’s descriptions threaten that freedom.

Activists at SERAP yesterday told NBC to cancel the sanctions or the nonprofit will challenge the sanctions in court.

Ariyo-Dare Atoye of the Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy also told newsmen that the public “must see the latest action of the NBC, done at the command of the Minister for Information and the federal government, as a threat to free press, free speech and democratic governance.”

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