There was a mass protest in Mauritius on Saturday as thousands of citizens stormed the capital Port-Louis, calling for the government to resign over alleged corruption and fraud.
The demonstrators who heeded the calls of opposition parties to call into question the responsibility of those who hold political power, reportedly marched up to the office of Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth, carrying different placards to register their displeasure with the government.
Crimes, drugs that wreak havoc, there is no transparency. We cannot say that we live in a democracy,” one of the leaders of the protest was heard saying.
“I’m here because I want there to be a change. If I stay at home there will be no change,” another echoed.
All these parties that have governed us have ruined our lives, If we are in this current situation, it is because of these political parties which have governed us for the last 50 years. So my presence here is to be in solidarity with the whole Mauritian Nation, to say “NO” to these mafia systems,” another protester said.
The government is also facing criticism over its lack of transparency, and mismanagement of a massive oil spill involving a Panamanian-flagged MV Wakashio ship which ran aground in July, spilling 1,000 tonnes of fuel near two environmentally protected marine ecosystems and the Blue Bay Marine Park reserve.
The protesters, according to reports, numbered about 25,000, the largest major rally that the small island African nation had seen in over 40 years.
Mauritius is currently on the European Union’s blacklist of third world countries that pose a risk to the bloc due to its anti-money laundering deficiencies.
The island nation is also under pressure with the coronavirus pandemic and its effect on tourism.
Our Man Crush Monday(MCM) is Richard Eyimofe Evans Mofe-Damijo popularly known as RMD. He is a stylish Nigerian actor, writer, producer, and lawyer.
RMD was born on July 6th in Aladja, Delta State. He studied Theatre Arts at University of Benin and later returned to the prestigious University of Lagos to study law.
Richard Mofe-Damijo(MCM)
Richard initially worked as a reporter with Concord Newspapers and Metro Magazines before taking part in a television soap opera in the late 80’s called ‘Ripples’. In 2005, at the maiden edition of the African Movie Academy Awards, he won the award for Best Actor in a Leading Role and he also received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 12th edition of the same awards in 2016. He was formerly a Special Adviser of Culture and Tourism and Commissioner for Culture and Tourism to the Governor of Delta State between 2008 and 2015.
Following the death of his first wife in 1996, Richard Mofe-Damijo married Jumobi Adegbesan and they are blessed with lovely children.
The O’odua Peoples Congress (OPC) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde to investigate last Friday’s clash between Yoruba and Hausa in Shasha community in Akinyele Local Government Area of the state.
Daily Trust reports that the clash led to the loss of lives and massive destruction of properties and goods in the market. This prompted the state governor to declare a curfew in Ibadan.
OPC in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Barrister Yinka Oguntimehin, expressed concern that a minor misunderstanding between a pregnant woman and a Hausa man later degenerated into tribal crisis leading to death and destruction of properties in the community.
The OPC publicity scribe said such crisis could have been avoided, saying the Yoruba are very peaceful and accommodating people.
He said, “It is unfortunate that a short misunderstanding between two traders eventually led to killing and destruction. Yoruba are every where in Nigeria, especially, in the North, mostly in Kano and Kaduna, however, it is on record that no Yoruba native has ever instigated any crisis in the north.
“Therefore, I am using this opportunity to call on President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate the circumstances surrounding the ugly incident, so as to bring the culprits to book and also forestall further crisis” he said.
Condemns shooting of Amotekun operative by police personnel
Oguntimehin also condemned the report that a Divisional Police officer (DPO) in charge of Ile-Igbon Division, Surulere Local Government Area of Ogbomoso in Oyo State, Adepoju Ayodeji shot an operative of Amotekun for arresting Fulani herdsmen that allegedly destroyed a cassava farm.
“The police officer should be made to face the music for shooting an Amotekun corp. No matter who was involved and the circumstances surrounding the incident, the police boss should be professional enough to know when to pull the trigger.”
“It is a grave error of judgment for such a senior officer of the police to shoot an Amotekun corp knowing full well that the south west security outfit was backed by the law.
“So for a police officer to have shot such a corp is not only a disgrace to the police hierarchy, but a sad reminder of the systemic failure of an institution that is supposed to protect the citizens, maintain law and order, now becoming the law breaker and a threat to the peace of the society,” Oguntimehin said.
Boris Johnson has insisted US democracy remains “strong”, despite the “kerfuffle” over former President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial.
The Senate acquitted Mr Trump of incitement to insurrection following the storming of Congress on 6 January.
Mr Johnson told US broadcaster CBS his relationship with new President Joe Biden was “excellent”.
And he promised the American and UK governments would work well together on issues like climate change and defence.
Mr Biden, who was inaugurated on 20 January, has never met the prime minister in person, but this is set to change later this year, with the UK hosting the G7 summit in the summer and the COP26 climate change gathering in the autumn.
During his interview for CBS’s Face the Nation show, Mr Johnson was keen to stress that their two countries were “coming together” on the environment, ways of dealing with Iran and the future of Nato.
These were all issues on which Mr Trump took a different line to the UK government, but the prime minister called recent statements by Mr Biden “incredibly encouraging”.
Having previously condemned the violence inside Washington’s Capitol building last month, he was asked about the impeachment trial of Mr Trump, in which prosecutors failed to get the two-thirds majority in the Senate needed to convict the ex-president.
“I think the clear message that we get from the proceedings in America is that, after all the toings and froings and all the kerfuffle, American democracy is strong,” he said.
“And the American constitution is strong and robust. And we’re delighted now, I’m very delighted, to have a good relationship with the White House, which is an important part of any UK prime minister’s mission.
“I’ve had some good conversations already with President Biden, fantastic conversations about the way he sees things.”
image captionJoe Biden said the substance of the charge against Donald Trump was not in dispute
Five people died in the violence in Washington on 6 January.
Earlier on Sunday, Mr Biden described democracy – in contrast to Mr Johnson – as “fragile” in the face of “violence and extremism”.
He said of Mr Trump’s trial: “While the final vote did not lead to a conviction, the substance of the charge is not in dispute.”
But Mr Trump welcomed his acquittal, calling his impeachment a “witch hunt”.
In his first telephone call to the prime minister last month, Mr Biden said he wanted to “strengthen the special relationship” between the US and UK.
US President Joe Biden has said his predecessor Donald Trump’s acquittal for inciting mob violence is a reminder that “democracy is fragile”.
Seven Republicans joined Democrats in voting to convict, falling short of the two-thirds majority needed to do so.
Mr Biden said the charge, relating to Mr Trump’s role in the Capitol riot last month, was “not in dispute”, while seeking to move on from the process.
Mr Trump has welcomed his acquittal, calling his impeachment a “witch hunt”.
In the Senate on Saturday, the trial ended with a 57-43 vote in favour of conviction.
The vote split largely along party lines, with the seven Republicans joining the Senate’s 48 Democrats and two independents in voting to convict.
Mr Trump faced a single charge of incitement to insurrection after pro-Trump supporters stormed Congress on 6 January. Five people died.
Democratic prosecutors argued he stoked the mob with false claims the election was stolen. Mr Trump’s lawyers denied his words amounted to incitement, and said the Senate should not try a former president.
Impeachments of US presidents are rare. Only two other presidents have been impeached, while Trump is the only man to face the process twice.
‘A sad chapter’ – Biden
Responding to the acquittal, President Biden said: “While the final vote did not lead to a conviction, the substance of the charge is not in dispute.
“This sad chapter in our history has reminded us that democracy is fragile. That it must always be defended. That we must be ever vigilant. That violence and extremism has no place in America. And that each of us has a duty and responsibility as Americans, and especially as leaders, to defend the truth and to defeat the lies.”
Mr Biden has kept his distance from the impeachment process, not watching the trial live. Aides were reportedly worried that it would distract from his early plans for office.
In his reaction, Mr Trump called the trial “yet another phase of the greatest witch hunt in the history of our nation”.
A conviction could have seen him barred from elected office. Mr Trump’s statement hinted he would continue to play a role in US politics.
“Our historic, patriotic and beautiful movement to Make America Great Again has only just begun,” he said.
Mitch McConnell blames Trump for riots
After the vote, the senior Republican in Congress, Senator Mitch McConnell, said Mr Trump had been “responsible” for the assault on the Capitol.
This was despite him voting against conviction, arguing it was unconstitutional now that Mr Trump was no longer president. Mr McConnell was instrumental in delaying Mr Trump’s trial until after he left office, on 20 January.
“The abuse of power and betrayal of his oath by President Trump meet the constitutional standard of ‘high crimes and misdemeanours’ and for those reasons I voted to convict Donald J Trump.”
The Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, called Republicans who did not support conviction “cowardly”.
That the bulk of Republicans backed the former president suggests his enduring influence over the party and its voters.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz said the trial “merely satisfied Democrats’ desire to once again vent their hatred of Donald Trump and their contempt for the tens of millions of Americans who voted for him”.
Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu has asked Ibadan residents not to take laws into their hands, following the violence that erupted in Shasha area of Oyo State. Akeredolu in a statement he personally signed Saturday night said the south-west governors “note with deep concern,6 the most unfortunate and avoidable orgy of violence in Shasha, Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital.”
The governor said he is compelled to address all residents of the area, especially the Yoruba speaking people, in his capacity as the Chairman, South-West Governors’ Forum over the recent happenings bordering on security.
“Without doubt, the situation we have found ourselves as a people is most despicable and contends violently against, and abhorrently at variance with the values and hospitality for which our people are known. “We have been known for thoroughness. We have identified with legality over the centuries; and our ethos as a civilised breed of people is such that we do not identify with lawlessness, not even illegality,” Governor Akeredolu added.
He also asked residents to be law-abiding, saying he understands “the height of provocation in the light of recent happenings as regards Shasha, Ibadan, I, alongside my other brother governors in the region are against the willful appropriation of Laws into one’s hands. “We do not support violence and in particular, brigandage, jungle justice and unnecessary self-help. We note with delight, the oyo State who has taken very bold steps to stave off the further escalation of the violence by imposing curfew in the affected areas.
“He deserves every support in his vowed commitment towards peace and security in Oyo State. We shall all survive these times and live peacefully, once again in our lands.”
Following his release from the police custody after joining the #occupylekkitollgate protest, MC Macaroni has released a video. Listen to what he said!
Former President Donald Trump has received enough not guilty votes to be acquitted in his Senate impeachment trial, which requires a two-thirds vote for conviction. Now, he has been acquitted.
The move to the trial’s finishing stages was a final twist after the House managers’ surprise request for witnesses had appeared to extend the trial indefinitely.
The Senate voted 55 to 45 to consider witnesses — with five Republican joining Democrats — after the managers said they wanted to hear from Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, a Washington Republican who had told CNN new details about House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s phone call with Trump.
After several hours of intense negotiations between Senate leaders, the managers and Trump’s legal team, the managers agreed to enter Herrera Beutler’s statement into the trial record as evidence and move forward without hearing from witnesses.
Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq
The Niger state government had received the sum of N1.9 billion from the federal government Conditional Cash Transfer programme since its introduction in 2016, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Farouq has said. Ms. Farouk, who disclosed this at the launch of the federal government’s special cash grant for rural women, in Minna, on Saturday, stressed that the programme was impacting on the lives of 43,611 poor and vulnerable households (PVHHs).
Thirteen local government areas in the state were currently benefiting from the programme in Niger state, she said, while enumerating them to include Wushishi, Chanchaga, Bida, Kontagora, Rafi, Borgu, Agaie, Mashegu, Katcha, Bosso, Munya, Lapai and Lavun.
The minister said that the objectives of the programme was to improve household consumption, increase in utilisation of health and nutrition services, as well as improve school enrolment and attendance. Other objectives, she added, were to engage beneficiaries attain sustainable livelihood, and that programme beneficiaries had witnessed life-changing experiences since its introduction.
Protesters picked up by the police at the ongoing demonstration at the Lekki Toll Plaza are being denied access to their lawyers, sources are reporting. Scores of marchers turned up Saturday morning at the Lekki Toll Plaza in defiance to government’s threats of dire consequences if they went ahead with civil disobedience against reopening of the thoroughfare that has become a subject of investigation since the fatal shooting of #EndSARS protesters on October 20, 2020. Peoples Gazette had earlier reported that some human rights were moving to secure release of the arrested protesters.
No fewer that 23 persons, including passersby, have been arrested by operatives of the Lagos police, Newswire reported. The outlet cited a lawyer, Tola Onayemi, as saying the police were denying lawyers access to the arrested protesters. A rights activist, Rinu Oduala also claimed that arrested #OccupyLekkTollGate protesters have been denied legal representation by the police authority.
“They are not letting lawyers see the arrested protesters. The Police said they have direct orders from the Lagos State Governor to arrest protesters & known frontliners of the #EndSARS protests & will soon move them to Ikeja. Jide SanwoOlu, are these forces beyond your control?” She tweeted via her handle, @SaavyRinu. The member of the Lagos #EndSARS judicial panel who days ago resigned to protest reopening of the tollgate further tweeted that protesters in police custody were being transferred to another police station within the command.
“They have started transferring protesters from Adeniji Police Station to Ikeja State Command without letting their lawyers see them. Is this a military regime? #EndPoliceBrutality”. Meanwhile, some celebrities have also condemned the government for forcefully arresting peaceful protesters Mr Charles Oputa, alias Charlie’s Boy reacting on his Twitter feed said, “I know these animals have turned Nigeria into a Jungle. But peaceful protest is still our human right. Say no to#lekkitollgate reopening.” Popular singer and lawyer, @falzthebadhdguy also tweeted, “What is this shameful behaviour?! Are these people insane?!? Citizens are peacefully protesting and you are arresting. How is this supposed to solve the problems that they have already caused ?!”
A special police unit, Rapid Response Squad (RRS), funded by Lagos taxpayers have mounted the toll plaza since Friday and has been coordinating arrests of anyone in sight at the area. RRS Commandant Yinka Egbeyemi declined comments when contacted. He asked our reporter to call the police spokesman for information. Efforts to reach the Lagos police spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, were unsuccessful as he refused to pick his calls or reply text messages.
Youths arrested by security operatives on Saturday, for demonstrating against the resumption of operations at the Lekki tollgate, have been granted bail.
The demonstrators had gathered on Saturday morning to protest against the decision of the Lagos judicial panel, which granted approval to the Lekki Concession Company (LCC) to resume operations at the tollgate.
Earlier, more than 100 officers, including personnel of the police force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), had been deployed to the tollgate on Friday evening, in line with the directive by the Lagos police commissioner that no protest would be allowed to hold.
More than 30 youths were arrested at the Lekki tollgate, venue of the protest, and arraigned before a mobile court in Yaba, Lagos.
They were taken away in police trucks and a “Black Maria” van, and escorted by security operatives away from the tollgate.
They were arraigned on charges bordering on flouting the COVID-19 protocol on public gatherings, and “breaking an order not to protest”.
They were granted bail in the sum of N100,000 each, with sureties in like sum.
The arrest of the protesters has generated much criticism across social media platforms, with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) describing it as “a disrespect for the fundamental human rights of unarmed citizens”.
The popular Shasha Market, Ibadan was a ghost of itself Saturday as traders, workers and other stakeholders deserted the once bubbling raw food market for fear of being attacked by irate youths from both Hausa and Yoruba communities.
The market, which is reputed for cheap raw food brought from northern Nigeria, was embroiled in crisis on Thursday when a cart pushing Hausa man and a Yoruba man who was a cobbler, had an unresolved scuffle. The Yoruba man was said to have been attacked by the Hausa man which later resulted in his death. He was said to have been hit with a deadly charm
In what seemed like a reprisal attack, youths of Yoruba extraction grouped to attack members of the Hausa community in the area but Hausa youths also grouped to repel them.
The moves and counter moves led to the burning of some shops with casualties from both sides.
Despite the deployment of security personnel to the troubled area, a confrontation between the two groups continued overnight on Friday leading to the burning of no fewer than 50 shops the market. Some of the shops were looted.
The shops belong to traders dealing in raw food, groceries, fabrics, groundnut oil and plastics, among others. Some of the wares were also scattered in the market as at press time.
However, security personnel, mainly members of the state’s joint security outfit codenamed Operation Burst, were at the market to quell the riot while policemen manned the main gate of the market.
Members of Operation Burst outfit were mainly soldiers and civil defence corps. All of them were also there to enforce the 6 pm to 7 am curfew imposed by the state government.
The market has been closed down by the government to prevent a breakdown of law and order. Civil defence and soldiers from Operation Burst police manned the main gate. Residents gathered in front of their houses.
When The Nation visited the market Saturday, some residents lamented the crisis, saying it was already taking tolls on them.
One of the victims whose shop was looted and burnt, Kazeem Olona, said he suffered huge losses. He accused the security personnel of preventing Yoruba youth from repelling others who set the shops ablaze. He said no fewer than dour people were killed in the attack.
Abiodun Adeyi, officials of the Oyo State Park Management System (PMS) at Shasa Motor Park, also said that the incident has adversely affected their work because passengers were no longer coming to the motor park since the incident started.
“We are calling for the quick intervention of the government on this issue before it gets out of hand. Governor Makinde should give more power to Amotekun corps for them to perform their duties effectively in protecting lives and property,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state Mr Olugbenga Fadeyi denied that many people died in the attack.
He said: “I don’t have such a report. The report is having with me shows that only one person lost his life during the incident, except if I have another one from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in the area. If anybody is killed, then there should be an official report by the family of the deceased, not just hearsay.”
China refused to hand over key data to the World Health Organization (WHO) team investigating the origins of Covid-19, one of its members has said.
Microbiologist Dominic Dwyer told Reuters, the Wall St Journal and the New York Times the team requested raw patient data from early cases, what he called “standard practice”,
He said they only received a summary.
China has not responded to the allegation but has previously insisted it was transparent with the WHO.
The US has urged China to make available data from the earliest stages of the outbreak, saying it has “deep concerns” about the WHO report.
Wuhan was the first place in the world where the virus was detected, in late 2019. Since then, more than 106 million cases and 2.3 million deaths have been reported worldwide.
Only half of the early cases had been exposed to the seafood market where the virus was initially detected.
“That’s why we’ve persisted to ask for that,” Prof Dwyer said. “Why that doesn’t happen, I couldn’t comment. Whether it’s political or time or it’s difficult… But whether there are any other reasons why the data isn’t available, I don’t know. One would only speculate.”
“Everybody knows how much pressure there is on China to be open to an investigation and also how much blame there might be associated with this,” she said.
Prof Dwyer said the restrictions on data would be mentioned in the WHO team’s final report, which could be released as early as next week.
The team arrived in early January and spent four weeks in China – the first two in hotel quarantine.
What has been the response from the Chinese?
Beijing has insisted it was transparent with the WHO investigators, whose visit began only after months of negotiations. The experts were closely monitored by the Chinese authorities.
The US accused China of hiding the extent of the initial outbreak and criticised the terms of the visit, which restricted the freedom of the WHO team to travel and interview witnesses, including community members, on health grounds.
The investigators told the New York Times that disagreements, including over access to patient records, were so tense that they sometimes erupted into shouting matches.
Last month, an interim report from the WHO criticised China’s initial response, saying that “public health measures could have been applied more forcefully”.
The WHO team has also called for further investigation into the possibility of “cold chain” transmission, referring to the theory the virus could have spread through the transport and trade of frozen food.
Dr Peter Daszak, a member of the WHO team, said the focus on where the origins that led to Covid-19 might be, could be shifted to South East Asia.
Mr Macaroni was arrested for protesting at the Lekki toll gate where he demanded that justice be served to the victims of the October 20, 2020, #EndSARS protest at the toll plaza.
A comedian, Debo Adebayo, also known as Mr Macaroni, has been arraigned before a mobile court, The PUNCH has learnt.
A spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command, Muyiwa Adejobi, disclosed this on Saturday evening.
“He (Mr Macaroni) and others have been arraigned before a mobile court. I will release a statement on it shortly,” he said in a phone interview.
On Saturday, Mr Macaroni was arrested for protesting at the Lekki toll gate where he demanded that justice be served to the victims of the October 20, 2020, #EndSARS protest at the toll plaza.
Mr Macaroni
He and 30 other #OccupyLekkiTollgate campaigners were arrested and detained by the Lagos State Police Command’s operatives.
Many civil rights organisations, including Amnesty International, have demanded Mr Macaroni’s release and the other detained protesters.
The Nothern Elders Forum (NEF) and the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) on Friday exchanged hot words over the lingering security challenges posed by criminal herdsmen in the country. NEF, in a statement signed by its director of publicity and advocacy, Dr Hakeem BabaAhmed, accused YCE and other similar southern groups of eroding the security and integrity of Nigeria through what it called unfounded allegations of genocide.
“Allegations of planned or actual genocide are being made with reckless abandon, and even the international community is being lobbied in futile efforts to sell the fiction that some groups are intent on mass extermination of other groups. The latest communication by the Yoruba Council of Elders to the United Nations is an example of lamentable desperation of some groups to erode our security and integrity as a country, and it is more regrettable that it is the handiwork of so-called elders who should forfeit all rights to that honour.”
But the YCE fired back through its secretary general, Dr Kunle Olajide, describing the northern elders as reckless and unfeeling, keeping mum in the face of mass murder in the South West by their children. NEF also said that there were plans by elites and some elected individuals to incite people against one another and cause breakdown of law and order.
NEF said the individuals had gone as far as lobbying the international community in an effort to sell the fiction that some groups were intent on mass extermination of other groups. In a statement signed by its director of publicity and advocacy, Dr Hakeem BabaAhmed, NEF alleged that there were ongoing efforts to create multiple sources of falsehood in videos and other inflammatory materials with the aim of inciting people to act violently against each other. It said “now the nation is facing imminent threats from persons who are bent on pushing all of us nearer to disaster, to help them achieve their nefarious goals.”
On herdsmen, NEF said: “We repeat our demand that Fulani who have broken no laws must be protected from abuse wherever they are. “We ask all governments to identify criminals among the Fulani and subject them to the laws of the land. “Similarly, we demand the cessation of threats and attacks by local ethnic defenders on Fulani communities. “People who have broken the law by attacking and harassing Fulani for just being Fulani must be brought to book. “We encourage all law-abiding herders to stay put and seek protection, and if they cannot be protected, to relocate to safer areas in the country. “We urge northern governors to prepare to receive law-abiding Fulani herders who may be compelled to relocate. We urge all northerners to assure Nigerians from other parts of the country that they are safe and welcome to continue to stay in the north.
“The Forum repeats: it is not a crime to be member of any ethnic group, and no one has the right to attempt to expel any Nigerian from places where they live lawfully.” On the alleged destabilisation plot, the statement said: “The Forum particularly notes that continuing narratives and threats, including comments from seemingly responsible Nigerians and even elected officials who swore to protect the rights of all citizens and the survival of the country, are raising fears and passions that could make it easy to break more laws of the land and pitch citizens against each other.
“There are efforts to create multiple sources of falsehood in videos and other inflammatory materials in the media clearly targeted at inciting people to act violently against each other. “Allegations of planned or actual genocide are being made with reckless abandon, and even the international community is being lobbied in futile efforts to sell the fiction that some groups are intent on mass extermination of other groups. “Northern Elders Forum commits to continue to work to retrieve the country from the dangerous cliff where it has been placed by irresponsible people, many of them in positions of responsibility.”
NEF said it had plans to meet with governors in the North and South to improve collaboration and synergy and it also intends to visit communities where it has influence to lower tensions and provide assurances and comfort. The forum, however, advised President Muhammadu Buhari and governors to consult and explore measures that would lower tensions and assure all Nigerians that they live in a country where laws have meanings, and all citizens have equal rights to live under secure environments. “The fight against armed criminals must be pursued on all fronts and with a lot more seriousness. The criminal must not reap from the suspicions and fears which his activities also generate,” the statement added.
The NEF had, earlier this month, issued a similar advice to Fulani herdsmen asking them to move to northern region if their security could not be guaranteed in their host communities in the South. Northern elders reckless, condone mass murder in S/ West —YCE Dr Olajide of the Yoruba Council of Elders, reacting to the statement by the Northern Elders Forum, said: “The YCE is by far more patriotic and nationalistic than the Northern elders. In the YCE, we believe in a truly federal republic of Nigeria where equity fairness and justice will be available for all citizens of this country and where no citizen of this country will be regarded as inferior and where appointments will be based on merit; where there would be no ethno religious sentiments openly expressed by those in power. “In the last three to four years, it actually started in 2016, the criminal herders have been so brazen in their invasion of Yorubaland, carrying sophisticated weapons, raping our women, kidnapping for ransom and murdering our people, destroying farmlands; the economic means of survival of our farmers. We have been shouting at the rooftops almost on a daily basis and the Federal Government seems to turn deaf ears to these complaints, giving gross insensitivity to the plight of our people here.
“So, we had to appeal to the global community to intervene in restoring normalcy into the Nigerian nation state. it was becoming obvious, especially in the last two years, that this country has been polarised along ethno-religious lines. In fact, we have never been so divided like this. We have made several appeals to Mr. President to speak to Nigerians to reassure us that he stays committed to a truly Federal Republic of Nigeria where justice, equity and fairplay will reign supreme, but not a word from the presidency. The statements coming from the presidential aides, in fact, polarise the nation the more. You hear all sorts of things, like ‘farmers should obtain permission before going to their farms’ when 43 farmers were killed in Borno State. And we don’t know where farmers take permission and who from… so we have such statements that give credence that this government is only for a particular ethnic part of the country and when you get to this particular situation, we have to appeal to the United Nations because virtually all countries in the United Nations have citizens in Nigeria and they must be made aware of the level of insecurity in this country in the interest of the entire world. “So, what YCE did was to call attention of the global body to what appears to be the insensitive nature of the powers that be in Nigeria to the plight of Yoruba farmers, women, children and citizens. It is because we believe that a truly federal, united Nigeria will be the best for every part of the country. It is not because we want to secede. No, we have made too much sacrifice to keep Nigeria one. We are not into wanting to divide it at all because all parts of this country would feel the pain. On NEF’s advice to Fulani to come back to the North if they felt unsafe in the south, Dr Olajide said “there is freedom of movement. Anybody can go anywhere. We have not said Fulanis should leave. We said the criminal ones… we have Aliko Dangote in Lagos for example; nobody has said he should leave. We have some Fulani in the universities here who are contributing and adding value to society. But those ones killing and maiming citizens, raping women and kidnapping for ransom and destroying the means of livelihood of our farmers are the ones we said should vacate our forests.”
“They are in power today and they are in charge of all the security. If the security agencies allow what they call ‘genocide’ to go on, then whose fault is that? They should talk to the commander in chief of the armed forces and the Inspector-General of Police. In fact, if anything, we should accuse them of keeping mum and maintaining silence in the face of genocide and mass murder in the South West.
The ex-head of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, has been sworn-in as Italy’s next prime minister.
Mr Draghi put together a unity government of the main political parties, following the collapse of the previous administration last month.
It was thrown into chaos amid a row over how to spend EU coronavirus recovery funds.
Italy is still grappling with the pandemic and is also facing its worst economic crisis in decades.
The country has recorded more than 93,000 deaths, the sixth-highest death toll in the world.
After receiving the support of the largest group in parliament, the Five Star Movement, Mr Draghi now has backing across the broad political spectrum.
It means he will have a large enough majority to push through his agenda.
He has already named a cabinet: a senior figure in the Five Star Movement, Luigi Di Maio, will stay on as foreign minister.
Giancarlo Giorgetti, a senior figure in the populist far-right League party, will be industry minister. Andrea Orlando, from the centre-left Democratic Party, will be labour minister.
The government faces a confidence vote next week – a formality given its cross-party backing.
An economist with experience at the highest levels of the European Union and as governor of the Bank of Italy, Mr Draghi is being seen as a safe pair of hands.
The previous prime minister, Giuseppe Conte, resigned in January after his party lost support for its coalition government over plans for spending EU recovery money
The plan to hold #OccupyLekkiTollGate protest started after the controversial ruling of the Lagos Judicial Panel of Inquiry to reopen the Lekki toll gate.
The panel, headed by Doris Okuwobi, a retired judge, on Saturday, ruled in favour of the Lekki Concession Company, LCC, to repossess the toll plaza for repairs and insurance claims.
The ruling was supported by five members out of the nine-man panel, with four other members, including Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and the youth representatives opposing the ruling.
The police have also arrested about 20 other protesters at the toll gate on Saturday.
Operatives of Crack Squad, Enugu State Police Command have arrested one Dr. Chigozie Odum, said to be a senior lecturer at the Archeology Department of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). Daily Post reported that a petition from the family lawyer of the female student led to the arrest of the lecturer. It read; The lecturer was arrested for allegedly impregnating a student identified as Onah Chinyere and threatening her.
“It is our client’s instruction that she has been a student in the Archeology and Tourism Department, Faculty of Arts, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. “According to her instructions, Dr. Odum Chigozie Jude is one of the lecturers in the said department. “Our brief further showed that the said Dr. Odum Jude went and approached our client and demanded to be sleeping with her and threatened our client that if she refuses, she will never graduate from the said department. “He further threatened her that he was a cultist while in school and that up till today he still has a good number of them under his payroll. He, therefore, warned our client to comply with his demands and requests in her own interest. “Our information further showed that he called our client to his house and forcefully had sexual intercourse with her.”
A mechanic whose name had yet to be ascertained has tragically lost one of his legs after a gas explosion occurred. The incident happened at the Anyama Mechanic Village in the Mile 2 area of Portharcourt. According to reports, the mechanic was simply rushing to buy something from a shop nearby when he unfortunately walked past a faulty cylinder which suddenly exploded.
The cylinder was reportedly not in use when it exploded, four persons were injured from the explosion but the mechanic suffered the most injury as the explosion cut off one of his legs from the knee downward and also shattered the phones in his pocket.
Former United States President, Donald Trump, is reportedly not showing any remorse for the riot that broke out at the Capitol Building on January 6.
Trump had allegedly incited his supporters to disrupt Congress sitting to ratify the victory of President Joe Biden on November 3, 2020 election.
At his impeachment trial on Thursday, Senators were told that the ex-President has not expressed any regret over the violent incident and his lack of remorse could influence wavering members.
A congress source reported that Trump was unmoved by the footage while watching the trial from his home in Florida.
Mr. Trump was in a really good mood during the second day of his impeachment trial as shocking footage from the Capitol riots was shown.
“So far, he has not shown any remorse or contrition,” the source said.
Former Vice President, Mike Pence, who was seen in footage being ushered away by the Secret Service with his family as the mob attacked the Capitol, has reportedly still not repaired his relationship with Trump over the incident.
At the resumed sitting on Thursday, prosecutors will conclude their arguments for the impeachment of Trump while a verdict could be out as early as Friday.
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