The English Football Association has commissioned an independent review into what it terms “disgraceful scenes” at Wembley Stadium during the Euro 2020 final.
The match between England – playing in front of a home crowd and in their first major final for 55 years – and Italy was marred by ticketless supporters who gained entry to the stadium, clashing with stewards, police and fellow fans in the process.
The Metropolitan Police have issued an appeal for help identifying 10 men who they believe were involved with violence and disorder at England’s national stadium.
UEFA also opened a disciplinary investigation into events surrounding the match The FA was hit with four charges by UEFA relating to the invasion of the field by a spectator, throwing of objects by supporters, disturbances during the Italian anthem and the lighting of fireworks.
The FA has now confirmed a review will take place. On Monday July 19, an FA spokesperson said: “We are determined to fully understand what happened outside and then inside Wembley Stadium at the UEFA EURO 2020 Final on Sunday 11 July 2021.
“We informed DCMS at the weekend that an independent review led by Baroness Casey of Blackstock has been commissioned to report on the facts and circumstances involved. It will speak to all parties concerned and include external experts.
“A key emphasis of the findings will be to ensure that lessons are learned and such disgraceful scenes are never able to be repeated. We continue to work with the relevant authorities in support of their efforts to identify those responsible and hold them to account.”
Last week, Julian Knight MP, the chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, wrote to Mark Bullingham, the FA’s CEO, to demand an explanation for the “shocking” scenes at Wembley.
In a letter to Bullingham Knight wrote: “The scenes witnessed at Wembley Stadium during the Euro 2020 final were shocking.
“The sheer number of ticketless people breaching the temporary, and arguably insufficient, barriers and physically attacking stewards and police to force their way into the match was appalling.
“Reports across social media of unsafe numbers in the stalls and terrified children being intimidated by the intruders did not line up with the stadium’s statement that a small number of people had successfully entered the stadium without a ticket.
“In the FA’s statement on the matter, it stated that ‘security and stewarding numbers for the Euro 2020 final exceeded the requirements for the match and were greater than any other previous event’ at the venue. Clearly the numbers were still insufficient.”
Gunmen suspected to be bandits have killed 13 mobile policemen and two residents of Kurar Mota village in the Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara state.
A source told SaharaReporters that the police officers were ambushed by the gunmen, when they went to the village in their patrol vehicles.
The gunmen were said to have opened fire on the officers, killing 13 of the them while injuring others.
“Bandits killed 13 visiting mobile police who were on special duty, in Kurar Mota village, Magami district, Gusau Local Government Area. Two villagers were also killed.
“There corpses have been taken to a mortuary in Yariman Bakura Special Hospital, Gusau,” the source told SaharaReporters.
Deadly attacks have raged across Zamfara state where bandits have thrived.
Farming and herding communities in the state have long been terrorised by gangs who raid villages, stealing cattle and kidnap residents for ransom.
In 2019, the state government entered a peace agreement with the gunmen. About 15 brand new Hilux vehicles and cash gifts were also given to leaders of different ‘repentant’ gangs of bandits by the governor in 2020.
Despite all these, communities in the state are still being attacked and residents kidnapped and/or killed.
Godwin in a trending video seen by SaharaReporters said he was employed on the 28th of August, 2020.
A man who identified himself as a former pastor of the Living Faith Church International, popularly known as Winners Chapel, Peter Godwin, says he was sacked by the church for not generating enough money in his branch.
Godwin in a trending video seen by SaharaReporters said he was employed on the 28th of August, 2020.
He claimed he was invited with about forty of his colleagues by the state pastor on July 1, 2021, and were all sacked over low income in their branches.
Godwin, however, failed to mention the name of the state.
He said, “Actually, by the special grace of God, our father in this great assembly, Living Faith Church received a mandate from the Lord to plant 10,000 churches in Nigeria and by the special grace of God, I was privileged to be one of the pastors that were employed on the 28th of August, 2020, that was last year.
“So after that, I started working, engaging myself in the work of the Lord. I tried my possible best to make sure I win souls for Christ but unfortunately, on the 1st of July, I received a call that the state pastor wants to see me, so I thought I was the only one. I was surprised, so I went to his office.
“When I got there, I saw other pastors too, over 40 of them, so I joined them. A few minutes later, we were issued a letter. I opened the content of the letter to see what was there and I saw that it was a sack letter.
“The content of the letter says ‘Consequent upon the recent performance review which revealed that your church growth index falls below expectation. Please be informed that your service as the pastor in charge is no longer required in this commission with immediate effect. You are to vacate your official accommodation and hand over all properties including the official ID card to the area pastor before departure.
“So I called the management the next day to know what happened since I wasn’t involved in any dubious activity or evil act. I was told by the management was that the church doesn’t operate at a loss, they also told me the total income that is being generated from my station should be able to cater for my welfare and accommodation, so as a result of low income, I’m hereby dismissed.”
Dwayne Douglas Johnson was born in Hayward, California on May 2, 1972, the son of Ata Johnson (née Maivia; born 1948) and former professional wrestler Rocky Johnson (born Wayde Douglas Bowles; 1944–2020). Growing up, Johnson lived briefly in Grey Lynn in New Zealand with his mother’s family, where he played rugby and attended Richmond Road Primary School before returning to the U.S.
He attended Montclaire Elementary School in Charlotte, North Carolina, before moving to Hamden, Connecticut, where he spent a couple of years at Shepherd Glen Elementary School and Hamden Middle School. He attended President William McKinley High School in Honolulu, Hawaii, then Glencliff High School and McGavock High School in Nashville, Tennessee, and finally Freedom High School in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Before the age of 17, he struggled, being arrested multiple times for fighting, theft, and check fraud. A gifted athlete, he was on his high schools’ gridiron football, track and field, and wrestling teams.
Johnson’s father was a Black Nova Scotian, with a small amount of Irish ancestry. His mother is Samoan. His father was part of the first black tag team champions in WWE history, along with Tony Atlas. His mother is the adopted daughter of Peter Maivia, who was also a pro wrestler, and his wife. Maivia’s wife, Lia, was the first female pro wrestling promoter, taking over Polynesian Pacific Pro Wrestling after her husband’s death in 1982, and managing it until 1988. Through his grandfather Maivia, Johnson is considered a non-blood relative to the Anoa’i wrestling family. In 2008, Johnson inducted his father and grandfather into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Johnson was a college football player at the University of Miami, with whom he won a national championship in 1991. He aspired to have a professional career in football and entered the 1995 NFL Draft, but went undrafted. He signed with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL), but was cut from the team in his first season. Shortly after, he began training as a professional wrestler.
An honorary member of the Anoa’i family, and the son of wrestler Rocky Johnson and grandson of Peter Maivia, Johnson secured a contract with the WWF in 1996. He rose to prominence after developing the gimmick of a charismatic, boastful, trash-talker. He won his first WWF Championship in 1998, becoming the promotion’s first world champion of African-American descent. Johnson helped usher in the Attitude Era, an industry boom period in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
In 2004, he left the WWE to pursue an acting career. He returned in 2011 as a part-time performer until 2013, and made sporadic appearances until retiring in 2019. Johnson headlined the most-bought professional wrestling pay-per-view (WrestleMania XXVIII) and was featured among the most watched episodes of WWE’s two flagship television shows (Raw and SmackDown). He is a 10-time world champion, a two-time Intercontinental Champion, a five-time Tag Team Champion, the 2000 Royal Rumble winner, and WWE’s sixth Triple Crown champion.
Johnson’s first leading film role was as the titular character in The Scorpion King (2002), having previously briefly portrayed the character in The Mummy Returns (2001). He has since starred in many successful films, including The Game Plan (2007), Tooth Fairy (2010), Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012), G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013), Hercules (2014), San Andreas (2015), Central Intelligence (2016), Moana (2016), Rampage and Skyscraper (both 2018). His role as Luke Hobbs in the Fast & Furious films, beginning with Fast Five (2011), helped it become one of the highest-grossing film franchises. Johnson also stars in the Jumanji films, appearing in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) and Jumanji: The Next Level (2019).
Johnson produced and starred in the HBO series Ballers (2015–2019), which ran for five seasons and was ranked as HBO’s most-watched comedy in six years. He also stars and produces the autobiographical series Young Rock (2021). In 2000, Johnson released the autobiography The Rock Says, a New York Times bestseller. In 2012, he founded the entertainment production company Seven Bucks Productions.
In 2016 and 2019, Johnson made the Time 100 Most Influential People in the World list. He is the co-owner of the American football league, the XFL.
Johnson married Dany Garcia on May 3, 1997. She is a businesswoman, IFBB professional bodybuilder, and producer. Their daughter, Simone, was born on August 14, 2001. They announced they were separating amicably on June 1, 2007, and their divorce was finalized in May 2008.
Johnson subsequently began dating Lauren Hashian, the daughter of Boston drummer Sib Hashian. They first met in 2006 while Johnson was filming The Game Plan. They were married on August 18, 2019, in Hawaii. The couple have two daughters: Jasmine (born December 17, 2015) and Tiana (born April 17, 2018). The family reside in Los Angeles, having also a farm in Virginia and a second home in Southwest Ranches, Florida.
In recognition of his service to the Samoan people, and because he is a descendant of Samoan chiefs, Johnson was given the noble title of Seiuli by Malietoa Tanumafili II during his visit there in July 2004. In 2009, he gained Canadian citizenship through his father’s birth and citizenship there.
He received a partial Samoan pe’a tattoo on his left side in 2003. In 2017, he had the small “Brahma bull” tattoo on his right arm covered with a larger half-sleeve tattoo of a bull’s skull.
DWAYNE JOHNSON
In February 2020, the WWE announced that Johnson’s daughter Simone began training at the WWE Performance Center, making her the first fourth-generation WWE wrestler. On May 16, Johnson announced she had signed a contract with WWE.
In September 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Johnson revealed that he, his wife, and their two young daughters had all tested positive for (and since recovered from) COVID-19. He said they contracted the disease after contact with family friends.
Nigerian socialite and nightlife aficionado, Obi Cubana laid his mother to rest in Oba, Anambra State on Friday, July 16.
A-list Nigerian celebrities, such as D’Banj, Davido, Kcee and other noblemen of the nation attended the much-publicized funeral ceremony.
The well-attended funeral ceremony was dubbed the ‘burial ceremony of the year’ as it was attended by toasts of the society. Also, the funeral ceremony turned into a mini concert when Nigerian music superstars, Davido, Phyno, D’Banj and Kcee took to the stage to entertain the mammoth crowd.
Aside from the entertainers who enthralled the fans with jams and classic hits, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari was one of the dignitaries who attended the funeral ceremony.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police was seen posing with Obi Iyiegbu, better known as Obi Cubana, and others at the venue of the funeral.
Equally, an impressive echelon of dignitaries and affluent Nigerians were also present at the burial ceremony to honour Cubana’s late mother.
Paul Usoro, former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has been acquitted of the money laundering charges filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Usoro who was accused of laundering N1.4bn belonging to his home state Akwa Ibom, was initially arraigned on a 10-count charge before a court of appeal struck out four of the counts in which Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom was mentioned.
While the EFCC called two witnesses and tendered some documents to prove the charges which Usoro pleaded “not guilty” to, Usoro’s legal team which is headed by Effiong Effiong filed a no-case submission, contending that the EFCC failed to establish a prima facie case against him to warrant him to put in any defence.
Justice Rilwan Aikawa of the federal high court in Lagos who ruled on the case, agreed with the defendant’s argument and discharged him.
Nigeria’s senior women’s football team, the Super Falcons, will camp in Austria without their star player and captain, Asisat Oshoala.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has released a 26-woman list for camping in Austria ahead of a tournament in Lagos, Nigeria and the Barcelona star Oshoala was exempted from the list.
Ghana’s Black Queens, Cameroon’s Indomitable Lionesses, Banyana Banyana of South Africa, Morocco and Mali will compete against Nigeria in the tournament.
The camp in Austria is the third gathering that the NFF has arranged for the Super Falcons this year, following an interesting three-wins-out-three account at the Turkish Women’s Cup in Antalya in February and the Summer Series in the USA last month.
The 26-year-old Oshoala won a historic treble with Barcelona’s women’s side and also played for Nigeria in an invitational tournament in the United States in June. It is reported that she is nursing an injury.
Meanwhile former captain, Desire Oparanozie has been invited back to the team. Oparanozie was initially leftout of the Super Falcons for the role she played in the team’s sit-in protest over unpaid allowances at the 2019 World Cup.
Two prominent Bonny sons, Amaopusenibo Dennis Bob Ezekiel-Hart and Akwe Maclean Adote, have regained five days after they were abducted by gunmen from an event centre in Rivers state.
The gunmen were said to have stormed the event centre in Abalamabie community, Bonny Local Government Area of the state on Sunday, July 11, shot indiscriminately before whisking the two men away.
It was learnt that scores of residents and fun seekers took to their heels when the gunmen struck.
Larry Pepple, the former Executive Director of Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency, RSSDA, who confirmed the latest development on Friday afternoon, July 16, said the victims are unhurt and well.
The police has arrested one Robert Mede for reportedly beating his pregnant wife to death.
The suspect who is being detained at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Police headquarters in Yola, is said to come from Bodere village in Ribadu District of Fufore Local Government Area of the state.
Recounting how the incident occurred, he told Daily Trust that he had on July 4 told his friend, Mustapha to help him convince his wife to come back home after she went to her parents’ house over an issue they had.
According to Mede, while waiting for his friend to plead on his behalf around 8:00pm, his late wife came out, held his neck and accused him of cheating on her. He claimed that after his wife dragged him into their house and forced him to the ground, he rose up and hit her with a stick on her waist.
The beating affected her condition and she was rushed to a hospital. She was reportedly expected to undergo blood transfusion, but her health deteriorated and she died on the 9th of July, 2021.
Mede told the publication that he regrets his actions. The state police spokesperson, Sulaiman Yahaya Nguroje confirmed the incident, saying the accused will soon be charged to court.
The NCC was called upon by the House to offer explanations following the controversies that erupted during the consideration of the Bill
Following the stalemate in the consideration of the Electoral Amendment Act by the House of Representatives, the Nigerian Communications Commission has said Nigeria does not have adequate network coverage in its 119,000 polling units to enable the electronic transmission of election results.
Speaking on behalf of the NCC team while appearing before the House of Representatives on Friday to provide insights into the possibility of transmitting election results via electronic means, the Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Engineer Ubale Maska, said that in all the polling units studied in 2018, only about 50 per cent had 2G and 3G networks.
He added that the 4G network, which is higher, only exists in areas where there is already a 3G network, therefore making the coverage inadequate.
The NCC was called upon by the House to offer explanations following the controversies that erupted during the consideration of the Bill, which forced the House to adjourn proceedings to Friday.
The Jigawa State Consumer Protection Committee says it has destroyed adulterated commodities worth over N6 million.
Chairman of the Committee, Alhaji Farouk Abdallah Malam Madori disclosed this yesterday to newsmen in his office.
He said the committee has succeeded in destroying adulterated food items and other commodities worth millions of naira from 2015 to date.
Malam-Madori explained some of the items include millet, maize, beans, sesame and zobo that were all adulterated and taken to different markets across the state.
He said part of the committee’s responsibilities was to ensure that the state was safe from all forms of adulterated foods, drugs and medical facilities.
Alhaji Farouk said the mobile court of the committee has collected more than N4 million fine.
He commended the state government for supporting the committee’s efforts.
Justice Peter Kekemeke of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has sentenced a 29-year-old pastor, Stephen Kalu, to life imprisonment for raping a 17-year-old girl.
Kalu of the Adoration Ministry, Karshi, Abuja, was arraigned before the court on two counts bordering on rape. He was charged with having sexual intercourse with the girl at his residence without her consent, thereby contravening Section 31 (1) of the Child’s Right Act and punishable under Section 31 (2) of the same Act.
Delivering judgment in the case on Thursday, July 15, Justice Kekemeke said the convict admitted to sleeping with the girl several times, which resulted in a pregnancy and the birth of a girl child. The court held that although Kalu promised to marry the victim, an offense was committed and the law must take its course.
“Our society, especially this division of the court, has seen several cases of rape. It is a pathetic situation; the system must be expunged of rapists; our children need protection from our courts.
The law is already there; the same defendant committed a similar offence of rape, while on bail during the period of this case. He is a danger to our children; the defendant is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment.”the judge ruled.
Talent manager, Kara, has questioned the rationale behind having over 200 cows for a party or burial.
This comes after videos went viral of over 200 cows available for businessman, Obi Cubana’s mother’s funeral. Some of the cows were gifts from friends.
As at last count, the businessman, whose real name is Obinna Iyiegbu, already has 346 cows, 72 goats and 20 rams available for his mother’s burial ceremony.
Kara lamented how this “hush puppy type of display” would affect the mentality of young men. She said she hopes it won’t push them to keep up via crime.
A woman has been arrested for allegedly locking up and assaulting her nephew, 5, for 6 months.
Sharon Williams, 43, had 5-year-old Micheal Ibiyome living with her in Gberigbe, Ikorodu, Lagos, and allegedly subjected him to abuse a number of times.
She also allegedly denied him an education, food, and, love, and freedom to move around.
In the latest development, the suspect allegedly used a cutlass to inflict injuries on the back of Ibiyome’s head and a neighbour reported the matter to the Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs, which transferred the case to the state Ministry of Youths, Sports and Social Development, Punch reports.
The suspect was arrested at her residence around 8pm on Wednesday, July 14.
The Lagos State Deputy Coordinator for Child Protection, Lateef Akinborode, said it took about five hours for the suspect to surrender herself for arrest after security agencies tried to gain access into her apartment.
When Sharon Williams eventually opened the door, she was arrested and taken to the Ijede Police Station.
The boy was found behind a fridge in the sitting room with a very deep cut on his head and several injuries on his body. His hands were stiff from being tied up for too long. He was rescued and is currently receiving treatment at the Ijede General Hospital.
Armed bandits have killed Major General Hassan Ahmed, a former Provost Marshal of the Nigerian Army.
A statement released by the Nigerian Army this morning says Ahmed was murdered along the Lokoja-Abuja road on Thursday, July 15. Family sources say he was returning from Okene when the gunmen opened fire on his car.
A statement released by Army spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu, says the deceased will be buried according to Islamic rites today July 16. It reads;
”With a heavy heart, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya, and Soldiers of the Nigerian Army regret to announce the passing on of Maj Gen Hassan Ahmed, a former Provost Marshall of the Nigerian Army.
The sad incident occurred when the senior officer’s vehicle was attacked by gunmen while transiting along Lokoja – Abuja road yesterday 15 July 2021.
A delegation from the Army Headquarters led by the Chief of Policy and Plans (Army) Maj Gen Anthony Omozoje has visited the widow and other members of the bereaved family. Members of the Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association (NAOWA) led by the Deputy National President, Mrs Stella Omozoje have also visited the family to condole with them.
The remains of the deceased senior officer will be accorded a befitting burial at the Lungi Barracks Cemetery on friday 16 July 2021 by 10.00am.”
The Federal Government has declared Tuesday and Wednesday next week as public holidays to mark this year’s Eid-el-Kabir celebrations.
This was contained in a statement on Thursday by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Shuaib Belgore.
The statement was titled, ‘Eid-El-Kabir: FG Declares, Tuesday, July 20, And Wednesday, July 21, 2021, As Public Holidays’.
According to Belgore, Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, who made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, congratulated all Muslim faithful and Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora on the occasion.
“I call on Muslims to continue to imbibe the spirit of love, peace, kindness and sacrifice, as exemplified by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) and to also use the period to pray for peace, unity, prosperity and the stability of the country, considering the challenges of insecurity we face at the moment. These mainly are bandits in the North West and North Central, insurgents in the North East, kidnappers, armed robbers, ethnic agitators and sundry criminals in other parts of the country,” Aregbesola was quoted as saying.
According to Aregbesola, the government of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), is “committed to the security of lives and property of every Nigerian, empowering the citizens for successful living, the provisions of social investments programmes and adequate security in the schools, especially with the spate of innocent school children being targets of kidnapping.”
The minister advised Nigerians to take responsibility by reporting any suspicious individuals and criminal activities to law enforcement agencies, especially during the festival. He also enjoined Nigerians to observe all COVID-19 protocols, saying, “We must all take responsibility for containment of the pandemic during this year’s festival.”
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has warned against trips that characterise the period, especially in the light of the deadly COVID-19 Delta variant recorded in the country.
The death toll in Germany from the worst flooding in over 200 years rose to at least 21 as dozens of people are still missing, police said Thursday.
This was also confirmed by a BBC report which disclosed that the worst of the flooding has been in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, where a lot of people have been waiting on rooftops to be rescued.
At least 30 people are missing in the hilly Eifel region after several homes collapsed.
Much of the flooding was triggered when the Ahr river, which flows into the Rhine, burst its banks south of Bonn.
Malu Dreyer, chief of the Rhineland-Palatinate state, described the flooding as a “catastrophe”.
There are dead, missing and many people still in danger,” she said. “All of our emergency services are in action round the clock and risking their own lives.”
Dreyer’s comments were echoed by Armin Laschet, premier of North Rhine-Westphalia and the conservative candidate to succeed Chancellor Angela Merkel who toured the crisis-hit region earlier in the day.
Meanwhile, Merkel also expressed shock over the deadly floods in Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia.
“I am shocked by the disaster that so many people have to suffer in the flood areas. My condolences go out to the relatives of the dead and missing. I thank the many tireless helpers and emergency services from the bottom of my heart,” she tweeted.
Police helicopters and the army have been deployed to some areas to help stranded residents.
Some schools have been closed, while rail and road transport links have been severely disrupted around the west of the country.
The Nigerian Army on Wednesday released 1,009 ex-Boko Haram insurgents, who had been in military custody at Giwa Barracks in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
The former terrorists were handed over to the Borno State Government in a secret ceremony that was initially billed to take place at an earlier date but was suspended indefinitely by the military authorities at the wake of the appointment of the Chief of the Army Staff, Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya.
According to sources in the army, the ex-terrorists were handed over to the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zuwaira Gambo, who represented the state government at the event.
Speaking with Punch, an officer said, “The army handed 1,009 Boko Haram insurgents to the state government today (Wednesday). It was done in secret. We were warned not to allow journalists to the venue.”
The military in 2016 launched Operation Safe Corridor, an initiative for the deradicalisation and rehabilitation of ex-Boko Haram members.
Efforts to reach the 7 Division’s Army Public Relations Officer, Operation Hadin Kai, Col. Ado Isa, proved abortive.
Zoe Saldana was born on June 19, 1978 in Passaic, New Jersey, to Asalia Nazario and Aridio Saldaña. Her father was Dominican and her mother is Pue rto Rican. She was raised in Queens, New York. When she was 10 years old, she and her family moved to the Dominican Republic, where they would live for the next seven years. While living there, Zoe discovered a keen interest in performance dance and began her training at the prestigious ECOS Espacio de Danza Dance Academy where she learned ballet as well as other dance forms. Not only did her training provide an excellent outlet for the enthusiastic and energetic youngster, it would also prove to be a fortunate precursor for the start of her professional acting career. At age 17, Zoe and her family moved back to the United States where her love for dance followed and an interest in theater performance became stronger.
Zoe Saldana
She began performing with the Faces theater troupe which put on plays geared to provide positive messages for teens with themes dealing with issues such as substance abuse and sex. These performances not only gave her valuable experience but also a source of great pride knowing that she was making a difference in the lives of young people like herself. While performing with the Faces troupe and also the New York Youth Theater, Zoe was recruited for a talent agency and her dance training years before coupled with her acting experience greatly helped her land her first big screen role as Eva Rodriguez, the talented and headstrong ballet dancer in the film Center Stage (2000). Since her professional career began several years ago, Zoe’s talent and determination have allowed her to be involved in blockbuster films and act with major actors, actresses and industry insiders at a pace that very few young professionals have experienced.
Zoe has not only held her own in major motion picture productions but gained the respect and praise from industry insiders such as Jerry Bruckheimer and Steven Spielberg and actors/actresses such as Tom Hanks, Bernie Mac, Keira Knightley, Ashton Kutcher, Kirsten Dunst and Orlando Bloom. According to many of her co-stars, producers and directors, the sky is no limit for this young star who has incredible range, intense concentration, and a steely determination to be involved with projects that challenge her professionally with wide-ranging subject matters and characters. Just to ask practically anyone who she has worked for or with about her, glowing comments abound and earned friendships and respect are readily revealed. A star has been born, and growing every day.
A group, American Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID), has written a letter to Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta to find a means of facilitating the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
AVID expressed its displeasure with Kenyatta for abducting Kanu and extraditing him to the Nigerian government for seeking liberation for his Igbo people.
The group, which comprises Igbo men and women that are serving or served in different security agencies in the United States, told the Kenyan leader that a Nigerian former President, late Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe saved his father, Jomo Kenyatta who was involved in similar agitation, from the same fate he was to suffer in the hands of British authorities.
They berated the leader of the East African nation for betraying Kanu, by handing him over to the enemies that want to prosecute him for defending his people. AVID said this in a letter signed by its President, Chief Sylvester Onyia, dated July 10, 2021, which was made available to SaharaReporters.
The American Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID) just received an urgent Intel we need to explore with you bordering on the kidnap/abduction of a political activist globally known as Mazi Nnamdi Kanu – a Biafra/British citizen within your country.
AVID is comprised of Igbo ethnic men and women who honorably served or are currently serving in different Armed branches of the United States Military. Under Title 38 of the U.S. Code, a veteran is defined as a “person who served in the Active Military, Naval, or Air Service, and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable.
Veteran members of AVID are citizens from all the 50 states in the United States, born as Igbo men and women; and successfully served in the following United States Military Branches:
The United States Army
The United States Marine Corp
The United States Navy SEAL – Sea, Air, and Land specialists.
The United States Navy
The United States Airforce
The United States Coast Guard
The United States National Guard
The United States Space Force
U. S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps Officers
The United States Army Guard, Air National Guard, Army Reserve, Navy Reserve
The United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.”
The organization further revealed in the letter how the agitation for Biafra began a few years after Nigerian Independence and what has transpired till now.
It also informed Kenyatta of how the Nigerian government sent its security agents to invade Kanu’s house in which people were killed in 2017, but the IPOB leader escaped.
The nation called Nigeria has never known peace since the amalgamation of the north and south by the British in 1914. You might be aware of the historic Biafran war which lasted from 1967-1970.
The war was a quest for self-determination of the Igbo people-an attempted emancipation from Fulani terrorist Muslims. Statistically, 2.5 plus million Igbo children, women, and defenseless men perished in that genocide.
Because of the gruesome rape of young Igbo girls and married women, unprovoked killings, land grabbing, massacre, maiming by the Fulani men with no accountability, Eastern Nigeria men pillaged, slaughtered en mass within their indigenous ancestral land with no consequences and grand plan by Nigeria Fulani Islamic-led Jihadist government to violently eliminate all Igbo Judeo-Christian ethnic people and repopulate our ancestral land with Fulani Muslims.
Nigeria government despicable act of support for Boko haram terrorists and Miyetti Allah Muslim Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN. This association is the leadership of Fulani terrorists’ groups disguising as cattle herders in Nigeria.
A credible Civil Rights Leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu (MNK) established the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and a security outfit called Eastern Security Network (ESN) to protect our people.
Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has been a target for assassination by the Nigerian Government. There has been the deployment of the Army to his home to kill him an operation (coded operation python dance.) His home was riddled with bullets, 25 young men were killed, but he miraculously escaped.
We are therefore upset and saddened by your collusion with Nigerian Terrorist Government to abduct/kidnap an unarmed son and a Liberation Political Activist (LPA) whom you should have protected and celebrated in support of democracy and freedom,” the letter continued.
The group went further to compare the fate of older Kenyatta whom Azikwe saved and how younger Kenyatta decided to hand over Kanu to his enemy.
Historical Underpinning:
A historical journey through memory lane shows that your father President Jomo Kenyatta was found guilty to be hanged by Britain because of his freedom agitation; same as Mazi Nnamdi Kanu whom you betrayed.
Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the premier of Eastern Nigeria, used money from the Eastern regional government, hired local and international lawyers, came to Nairobi Kenya, and pulled out the head of Jomo Kenyatta from the British hangman’s noose. There is a street and market named in honor of your father in Igbo land.
Your father was accused of leading a terrorist organization called Mau-Mau just as Mazi Nnamdi Kanu whom you betrayed. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe delivered your father from death by hanging, and you delivered Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to be killed by a terrorist Nigerian Government. Ironically, your name “Uhuru” means Freedom, but you stand against Freedom by your betrayal of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Do you not know that this Mazi Nnamdi Kanu whom you extradited to the Nigerian hangman is related to Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe who delivered your father from a British hangman?” The letter further said.
While closing, the group ordered the Kenyan President to find to correct his anomalies by making sure the pro-Biafra secessionist leader regain his freedom.American Veterans of Igbo Descent Understanding:
Your government kidnapped a foreign Civil Political Agitator Mazi Nnamdi Kanu (MNK) and handed him over to the Terrorist Nigeria Government who embraces internationally recognized terrorist organization known as Boko Haram.
Your violent abduction and extradition of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu endangered his life for political views he shares with your late father. Your action tantamount to Ad ignorantum because you quickly forgot the help your father received from Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe (brother of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu), and without that help, you may not have been born.
Your government hostile and violent action of MNK’s seizure and abduction within your territory is a slap on the face of all Igbo Ethnic Nationality. MNK’s abduction by your security agents has affirmed the consequence, which violates MNK’s United Nations stipulated Human Rights. How can you justify your dastardly action of kidnap and extraditing MNK to the Nigeria terrorist Fulani Muslim Cabal leadership?
Mazi Nnamdi Kanu did not violate any known Kenya law or international law. You must as a matter of urgency ameliorate this degraded condition within a reasonable time and call for the immediate and unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Thank you in advance for your esteemed response, consideration, and attention to this matter.
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