A Nigerian lady, Glory Okolie has regained her freedom months after being arrested over alleged links to proscribed the Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB)
The 21-year-old was arrested and detained in 2021 by the IGP Intelligence Response Team, IRT headed then by suspended DCP Abba Kyari.
She was charged for allegedly being a terrorist and a member of the secessionist group, IPOB.
Human rights activist, Harrison Gwamnishu shared the good news of Glory’s release via Instagram on Wednesday, March 23, 2022.
He posted photos of the young lady after her release and said; “Freedom at last. More than four months in custody, Glory Okolie has been released from prison custody.
Glory okolie was accused of terrorism and being member of IPOB by IGP IRT headed then by Abba Kyari. Congratulations to us.”
The Taliban regime in Afghanistan has backtracked on its earlier promise of allowing girls return to schools, after it announced that all girls’ high schools in the country will be closed, hours after they reopened for the first time in nearly seven months.
The backtracking by the Taliban administration means that female students above the sixth grade will not be able to attend school.
A notice by the Ministry of Education on Wednesday stated that schools for girls would remain closed until a plan was drawn up in accordance with Islamic law and Afghan culture, according to a government news outlet, the Bakhtar News Agency
“We inform all girls high schools and those schools that are having female students above class six that they are off until the next order,” the notice said.
Taliban spokesman, Inamullah Samangani, who confirmed the closure of the schools to journalists, said the girls had been ordered to remain at home for the time being.
“Yes, it’s true. The girls have been ordered to remain at home till a plan is drawn up according to Islamic law,” he said.
Before the sudden closure, the Ministry of Education had announced last week that schools for all students, including girls, would open around the country on Wednesday – the first day of Afghanistan’s new school year – after months of restrictions on education for high school-aged girls.
On Tuesday evening, a ministry spokesman released a video congratulating all students on their return to class, but their enthusiasm was dampened a few hours later with the administration’s announcement of the closure.
The last time the Taliban ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, the regime had banned female education and most female employment. But after returning to power in August last year, they had promised a reform and opportunities for girls’ education and employment.
But so far, the Taliban have imposed a slew of restrictions on women, effectively banning them from many government jobs, policing what they wear and preventing them from travelling outside of their cities alone.
One of the two Black Boxes of the Chinese Eastern aircraft which crashed on Monday with 132 people on board, has been recovered, according to Chinese aviation officials.
The Black Box was found on Wednesday with its casing severely damaged, two days after the flight crashed in the country’s south coast, with no survivor, the officials added.
There was however confusion over which of the two boxes had been located. “The exterior is so damaged that investigators were not able to tell whether it was the flight data recorder or the cockpit voice recorder,” said Mao Yanfeng, the director of the accident investigation division of the Civil Aviation Authority of China.
Mao also gave no information about the condition of the recording device inside the Black Box, but said an all-out effort is being made to find the other box.
“Recovering the black boxes will be the key to determining and key to figuring out what caused the crash.” Mao said.
The search for clues into why the jetliner dove suddenly and crashed into a mountain in southern China was temporarily suspended earlier Wednesday as rain slickened the debris field and filled the red-dirt gash formed by the plane’s fiery impact.
However, searchers had been using hand tools, drones and sniffer dogs under rainy conditions to comb the heavily forested slopes for the recorders as well as human remains while crews also worked to pump water from the pit created when the plane hit the ground, but their efforts were suspended around midmorning because small landslides were possible on the steep, slick slopes.
Mao and other officials at a news conference said members of the air crew were healthy, the aircraft had a clean maintenance record, the weather had been good during the flight and the crew had been in regular communication with air traffic controllers prior to going into a dive.
Relatives of passengers began arriving Wednesday at the gate to Lu village just outside the crash zone, where they, along with reporters on the scene, were stopped by police and officials who used opened umbrellas to block the view beyond.
The Boeing 737-800 has been flying since 1998 and had a well-established safety record. It is an earlier model than the 737 Max, which was grounded worldwide for nearly two years after deadly crashes in 2018 and 2019.
Monday’s crash was China’s worst in more than a decade. In August 2010, an Embraer ERJ 190-100 operated by Henan Airlines hit the ground short of the runway in the northeastern city of Yichun and caught fire with 96 people on board, killing 44 of them.
American adult film actress Stormy Daniels has been ordered by a federal court to pay US former president, Donald Trump the sum of $300,000 in attorney fees after it rejected her appeal to another court ruling in her defamation case against Trump.
The ruling by the US Circuit Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit followed an earlier ruling by a lower court that rejected Daniels’ defamation suit against Trump after he refuted her claims that they had s3x in 2006.
Daniels had claimed Trump cheated on his wife, Melania with her in 2006 and then paid her off to try and secure his 2016 election victory.
Cohen, Trump’s personal lawyer for ten years, was sentenced to three years in prison in 2018 for, among other offenses, paying Daniels $130,000 to keep quiet about her alleged affair with Trump.
The payment to keep Daniels quiet was made shortly before the 2016 president election, and it violated campaign finance laws.
In a statement issued on Monday night, March 21, Trump said that “all I have to do is wait for all of the money she owes me.
“The lawsuit was a purely political stunt that never should have started, or allowed to happen, and I am pleased that my lawyers were able to bring it to a successful conclusion after the court fully rejected her appeal”, Trump said, according to CNBC.
The Ninth Circuit US court of appeals ruled on Monday that it had no jurisdiction over Daniel’s appeal as she missed a 30-day deadline to appeal after a lower court first ordered her to pay the attorney fees to Trump.
Daniels, real name Stephanie Clifford, has since written a book about Trump and embarked on nationwide stripping tours.
After an initial tough and uncompromising stance following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia,
President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has made a passionate appeal to Russians and the Kremlin to consider humanity and a sense of justice, and call off the invasion of his country which has led to several deaths on both sides, and cities destroyed.
This appeal is coming after Zelenskyy had earlier refused appeals to seek the path of peace with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but following a sustained Russian bombardment of Ukrainian towns and key facilities, leading to the death of hundreds of innocent people on both sides, the Ukrainian strongman has been forced to appeal to the invading armies and its people to consider the people.
In an address early on Sunday morning, Zelenskyy, speaking in Russian, his first language, claimed 14,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in the invasion, which began February 24, and has now entered its 25th day.
This is 14,000 mothers,” Zelenskyy said. “This is 14,000 fathers. These are wives, these are children, relatives and friends. And you don’t notice it? But there will only be more victims. As long as this war continues. Your war is against us, Russia against Ukraine. On our land.”
Zelenskyy added that the Ukrainian nation doesn’t want to kill the Russians despite the killings of its people including children and women.
“Ukraine has always sought a peaceful solution. Even more, we are interested in peace now. Because we count everyone who is killed. Because it means something to us, every ruined family, every ruined house. Because we are Ukrainians, and for us a person is priceless.”
An Iraqi-Kurdish man has been arrested for killing his 15-year-old daughter in an ‘Honour Killing’ on Friday in Soran district in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan, police officials said.
The man “used a Kalashnikov rifle to shoot six bullets into his 15-year-old daughter’s body in Soran,” according to the spokesperson of the district’s directorate of combating violence against women.
“The reason for killing his daughter was that she went out with two people he did not approve of,” the spokesperson said, adding that the police have launched an investigation into the murder.
“The father has been arrested and two other suspects turned themselves in to police in connection with the killing,” the police said.
In Iraqi Kurdistan, gender-based violence, including sexual violence, domestic violence, honor killings, child marriages, and female genital mutilation (FGM) is common and endemic, despite the Kurdish administration, which called itself a Kurdistan Regional Government KRG, promises over the past decades to address the issue. Kurdish women often commit suicide to escape domestic violence or forced marriages, a gender based group in the country wrote on its website.
“Many other Kurdish women face forced and underage marriage, domestic violence or polygamy issues.
“On March 7, a young Kurdish woman activist Mari was murdered in Iraqi Kurdistan capital Erbil.
“On February 20, a man set fire to his 21-year-old wife in Sulaimani city after betting her and pouring kerosene oil on her due to a domestic dispute.
On February 17, Maryam Yacoob, 40, was shot dead by her husband in Sulaimani, apparently after she asked for a divorce and on February 9, a 26-year-old Kurdish woman was shot dead by 10 bullets in the town of Koya in Erbil governorate by an unknown assailant.
“And on January 31, a young Kurdish transgender woman, Doski Azad, was killed by her brother in Duhok governorate,” the group recalled.
The Oyo State Police Command has debunked the claim that a policeman shot at the car driven by a member of the National Youth Service Corps in Ibadan.
The Police Public Relations Officer for Oyo State Police Command, Adewale Osifeso, said in a statement on Friday that no single bullet was fired by the police at the scene of the alleged shooting.
He said rather, a corps member who drove a Toyota Camry recklessly knocked down one policeman, Bright Agbadahun, while he was stopped by a team of policemen on stop and search duty. He said the corps member refused to stop and in his bid to escape, he veered to his lane to face oncoming vehicles where he ran into a tricycle before the police caught up with him.He described the alleged shooting of the corps members as mischievous but added that investigations were still ongoing and updates would be provided in due course.
The police statement read, “The Oyo State Police Command wishes to dispel rumors making the rounds about a shooting incident involving a police officer and a National Youth Service Corps member as mischievous and a fictitious imagination of mischief agents.
“Preliminary investigations/independent witness accounts revealed that a reckless driving corps member in the company of his colleagues while returning from their Community Development Service (CDS) in a white tinted Toyota Camry with Reg No ABY 237 JR was flagged down by operatives on legitimate stop and search duties along with Black Horse Area, New Garage, Off Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode Road.
“However, he drove directly towards the direction of the officers, thereby knocking down, one Sgt Agbadahun Bright.
A video showing the moment Mrs. Ebele Obiano left her seat to confront Bianca Ojukwu during the inauguration ceremony of Professor Charles Soludo as the governor of Anambra state, has surfaced online.
From the video, it appears Bianca Ojukwu was the first to dish out the slap to the former first lady who then retaliated. Watch the video below.
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has finally been reunited with her family after six years in jail in Iran.
The British-Iranian mother met her husband Richard Ratcliffe and her seven-year-old daughter Gabriella in the UK early this morning, March 17.
Video footage shows the aid worker breaking down in tears as she embraces her family, just moments after touching down at RAF Brize Norton just after 1am.
Gabby shouted “Mummy” before running towards her as she entered the building before her husband joined her for their reunion.
Gabby was just 1-year-old when her mother was arrested and jailed in Iran after she was accused of plotting to overthrow the Iranian government, which she denied.
In a message posted online, the Ratcliffe family said: “No place like home. Thank you to everyone who made this possible, to all of the care and campaigning, and diplomatic efforts. You have made us whole.”
Mr Richard Ratcliffe has been a prominent campaigner in the battle to secure his wife’s release and went on hunger strike in late last year for 21 days.
He said earlier that he was deeply grateful for her release and that he and Gabriella were “looking forward to a new life”.
David de Gea says there have been “too many years without trophies” after Manchester United’s Champions League defeat by Atletico Madrid extended their silverware drought to five years.
David de Gea played for Atletico Madrid for two seasons before joining Manchester United
United have not won a trophy since Jose Mourinho guided them to the Europa League in 2016-17.
“Of course it’s not good enough,” said United keeper De Gea.
“There are too many years without any trophies, even without fighting for trophies.
“We need to be clear we want to achieve good things and fight for trophies. We don’t just want to play for the top four and get out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals.
“So we need much more from everyone because this club is too big for where we are now. We are far from the fighting places for the Premier League, for the Champions League, so we need much more from everyone.”
United have now been knocked out in six of their past eight Champions League knockout-stage ties.
They face a significant contest to qualify for next season’s competition – as they are fifth in the Premier League, one point below Arsenal, who have three games in hand.
De Gea added that there was frustration with United’s overall performance.
He said: “This is where we are at the moment. It’s a difficult situation. We have to keep fighting. I feel very sad. But we were not good enough.
“We are really disappointed with the result. It’s difficult to put into words how we feel now at the moment. We did not enough in both games to win it. It’s a very disappointing day for us.”
Defeat raised the question of whether Tuesday’s match will prove to be Cristiano Ronaldo’s last appearance in the Champions League.
Ronaldo, 37, is the tournament’s all-time top scorer and has lifted the trophy five times, first doing so with United in 2007-08 before winning it four times with Real Madrid.
He failed to have a shot during Tuesday’s defeat.
Former England winger Chris Waddle, a BBC Radio 5 Live pundit at Old Trafford, said: “I did not get Cristiano Ronaldo’s role tonight, coming into midfield. I didn’t get that. There was nothing in the box so if you do cross it, there is nobody there.”
United’s interim boss Ralf Rangnick bemoaned Atletico’s tactics in the second half and also questioned the officials, feeling there was a foul on Anthony Elanga in the build-up to the game’s only goal.
“Against a team like Atletico, it is highly important you score the first goal yourself,” said Rangnick. “If you don’t do that, it is even more important not to concede a goal.
“One minute before half-time, we conceded that goal in a transitional moment.
“I believe there was a foul on Anthony Elanga before that but the linesman and referee did not see it that way – I think we shouldn’t have been 1-0 down at half time, I think we were the better team in the first half.”
Rangnick added: “In the second half, I don’t know if the game was played for more than two minutes without somebody lying on the floor.
“I think there were some curious refereeing decisions. I wouldn’t necessarily say they were decisive, maybe the one before they scored, but I think the referee made it pretty easy for Atletico to do their time-wasting antics and that didn’t make it any easier for us.
“It was frustrating and difficult for us in the second half. From normal play, we didn’t produce that many chances.”
Atletico coach Simeone was, however, full of praise for his team’s commitment.
“This team will dive into a swimming pool whether there is water in it or not,” he said. “When the team works as a team like this, it excites me. We were competitive.
“The goal gave us the advantage and in the second half there was brilliant collective work, one of the best this season, which leaves me happy.”
‘Man Utd need cleaning out’
Waddle says the club needs “cleaning out” and have a lot of rebuilding to do.
“Thomas Tuchel has been mentioned as the potential next manager of Manchester United, because of the state Chelsea are in, but will he look at it and think ‘wow, this is a massive job, where do we start?’,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“It needs cleaning out. They need a scouting system, they need a youth system again. It is basically starting from scratch. They have let themselves run and thought money would bail them out, and it hasn’t.
“They need to start from the beginning, get the right personnel in and you are talking years before they will be able to compete with Manchester City.
“Manchester United have got a lot of rebuilding to do. They have got to put their focus on getting into the top four and make sure of Champions League football next season.”
Four people have been killed while an unspecified number have been declared missing after a “massive” landslide triggered by “unusual” heavy rains buried their homes in a township outside the Malaysian capital, a senior rescue official said Friday.
Malaysia has been experiencing heavy rains over the past few weeks, which officials and environmentalists say is unusual at this time of year and could be the result of climate change.
Norazam Khamis, the emergency services chief of Selangor state, said the landslide happened in the suburb of Ampang on Thursday night.
Khamis said torrential rains lasting 30 minutes caused a nearby hill to erode, sending tonnes of soil mixed with water crashing down on a row of houses below.
It happened so fast. The victims were found buried under about two metres of mud and they could not escape in time,” Khamis said”
“The mudflow completely destroyed two houses and damaged almost a dozen other homes. Ten vehicles were also damaged,” he added.
Khamis described the rains in Selangor, located outside the capital Kuala Lumpur, as “unusual” during what should be the dry season.
“Two to three years ago, it is usually hot during this period. The climate change could be a contributing factor,” he said.
“With the intensity and frequency of rainfalls we are seeing, we cannot rule out the role climate change is playing,” Meenakshi Raman, president of environmental group Friends of the Earth, said.
Dr Justin Dean has revealed why he and his wife, Korra Obidi are having marital crisis that has forced him to seek a divorce.
In a recent Instagram post, Dean claimed that the mother of his children is unfaithful amongst other issues.
He added that Korra is allegedly narcissistic and she uses his family against him, whenever things do not go her way.
Dean said; “I’m tired of the narcissism, cheating and lack of accountability. I’ve been trying since 2018 to save our marriage and if I don’t do exactly what she says, she divorces me.
I’ve been a prisoner that has his family used against him if she doesn’t get exactly what she wants”.
The United States Military Intelligence estimates that Russia has lost between 2,000 to 4,000 soldiers since the country’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
A senior official of the US intelligence unit said despite the Russians spinning propaganda to project its image, it has lost more soldiers than the Ukrainian army.
Lieutenant General Scott Berrier, the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, who spoke to the House Intelligence Committee on Tuesday, where he addressed the mounting casualties that have reportedly been faced by the Russian forces, also confirmed the high number of casualties on the Russian side as a result of the invasion.
The losses on both the Russian and Ukrainian sides have been difficult to quantify as the invasion of Ukraine continues, but Russia has lost between 2,000 to 4,000,” Berrier said.
He, however, was able to provide statistics on some of the information that had been gathered by US intelligence groups.
Yes, we can say with low confidence, somewhere between 2,000 and 4,000. That number comes from some intelligence sources but also open source, and how we pull that together.
“In terms of casualties, they’ve been far in excess—Russian military casualties, killed and wounded—far in excess of what Putin anticipated.
“Because his military planning and assumptions was premised on a quick, decisive victory, and that has not proven to be the case.”
Berrier also said that the Russian forces were, in all likelihood, unprepared for what they had faced in Ukraine.
The Russian army reformed into this thing we call the ‘new look’ army. They organize themselves into smaller battalion tactical groups, and fundamentally, that is not a bad construct.
“I think they had a bad plan. And I think their logistic support is not what it needs to be to develop the situation that they wanted to do.”
While the Russian military continues its assault on Ukraine, many experts have said that the resistance from the Ukrainian counterforces was likely greater than Russian President Vladimir Putin anticipated.
An 11-year-old Ukrainian boy identified only as Hassan, has become an instant hero after fleeing his war-torn country by himself to Slovakia to meet some relatives.
The young Hassan who had only a plastic bag, a passport and a telephone number written on his hand, traveled roughly 620 miles by train from Zaporizhzhia, the site of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, to Slovakia to meet relatives, according to Slovak officials on Wednesday.
In a video posted on Facebook, Hassan’s mother, Yulia Pisetskaya, who said she is a widow, explained that she was unable to leave Zaporizhzhia because she had to stay with her sick mother, who cannot move on her own.
“I am very grateful that they saved the life of my child. In your small country, there are people with big hearts … Please save our Ukrainian children and give them a safe haven,” she said.
Once Hassan had safely crossed over the border, volunteers and Slovak authorities “kept him warm and provided him with food and water, which they packed for his next trip,” Slovakia’s Interior Minister, Roman Mikulec, said on Facebook.
“Authorities used the telephone number written on the boy’s hand to contact his relatives, and they were reunited,” Mikulec said.
“Little Hassan is only 11 years old, but in his way he has shown huge determination, courage and fearlessness that sometimes adults don’t have.
“I am really very sorry for him and all the other children and their families who have to flee their country because of what is happening in Ukraine.
“He won everybody’s heart with his smile, fearlessness and determination worthy of a real hero,” Mikulec said after meeting the boy.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has tested Joe Biden’s ability to respond rapidly to events without sending American forces into battle. U.S. President Joe Biden assailed Russian President Vladimir Putin, barred Russian flights from American airspace and led Democratic and Republican lawmakers in a rare display of unity on Tuesday in a State of the Union speech dominated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Let each of us if you’re able to stand, stand and send an unmistakable signal to Ukraine and to the world,” Biden urged Democrats and Republicans Lawmakers who are deeply divided over taxes, voting rights and gun safety stood together to applaud Ukraine, many waving Ukrainian flags and cheering in the chamber of the House of Representatives. Several women members of Congress wore the flag’s colors of yellow and blue.
In a deviation from his prepared remarks, Biden said of Putin: “He has no idea what’s coming.”
Biden was looking to reset his presidency after a first year in office marked by rapid economic growth and trillions of dollars in new programs, but beset by the highest inflation in 40 years and a lingering coronavirus pandemic. The annual speech to Congress gave Biden a platform to highlight his agenda, reassure fretful Americans and seek to boost his sluggish poll numbers amid dire warnings his fellow Democrats could face losses in November congressional elections. The ovation joined by both parties marked a return to tradition for Washington. Two years ago, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was so disgusted with then-President Donald Trump’s claims to be protecting healthcare insurance in his speech that she ripped her copy into pieces behind his back. “The State of the Union is strong — because you, the American people, are strong,” Biden said. “We are stronger today than we were a year ago.”
For the first time in months, members of Congress were not required to wear masks in the chambers to guard against the pandemic, a sight that could provide helpful optics for the president. A CNN snap poll of speech watchers showed 41% reacting very positively, 29% somewhat positively and 29% negatively. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has tested Biden’s ability to respond rapidly to events without sending American forces into battle, and lead the West’s response to the most tense period in relations with Russia since the Cold War ended 30 years ago.
The United States and its allies have launched withering sanctions against Russia’s economy and financial system, Putin himself and his inner circle of oligarchs. Biden announced the United States will join other nations in banning Russian flights from American airspace. The crisis forced Biden, whose chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan last year drew wide criticism, to reshape the speech to focus on uniting Americans around a global effort to punish Moscow and support Kyiv.
He took aim at Putin, saying the Kremlin leader had badly miscalculated how events would unfold and that now “Russia’s economy is reeling and Putin alone is to blame.” “He thought he could roll into Ukraine and the world would roll over. Instead he met a wall of strength he never imagined.
According to Sahara Reporters, the officer identified as Yahaya Abubakar was seen carrying Akanbi’s plate as she went about dishing food.
A video of a police orderly holding a plate of food for his “madam”, Ambassador Nimota Akanbi, at a party has gone viral.
Akanbi is the chairman of the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC). She is also a former Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Netherlands.
The event was said to be a Turbaning ceremony held in Ilorin, Kwara State during the weekend.
In the video, the officer identified as Yahaya Abubakar was seen carrying Akanbi’s plate as she went about dishing food from the array of food provided at the party.
Meanwhile, some Nigerians on social media have expressed disgust at the manner police officers willingly offered themselves to be used by the rich, while remarking that such scenario brings disrespect to the force.
They also faulted the top echelon of the force for prioritising the security of a few wealthy people while the poor masses who are in need of protection from robbers and criminals are left unattended.
Below are some comments
@PoliceNG please try and bring respect back to the uniform. Your men are now gatemen and bag carriers, Umbrella carriers etc this must stop
— Deximal (@greatestskull1) March 2, 2022
The painful part is that Mr. Police may not taste any of those delicacy. Just salivate while others feast.
— Mr. ‘Dipo ð³ð¬ (@edoyakulo) March 2, 2022
Dear @PoliceNG this is what your officers have been reduced to??, lack of security personnel on the streets but carrying food for oga Madam… Shame!!!
— ONI OLUMUYIWA ⪠(@muyiwhar) March 1, 2022
That’s not a policeman but a domestic staff with police attire.
— à y i t a y ò ðµ (@eyiteeonline) March 2, 2022
@PoliceNG there are terms and conditions that prevents police men being used for demeaning tasks such as this when assigning officers to âVIPâsâ â¦.why is this being allowed to happen?? https://t.co/VxUowEYtBP
— Force Majeure ðº (@G4cHaMp) March 2, 2022
Now you know the police is their errand boys. For learned person enslaving another, this is appalling https://t.co/rI5WTYY8wh
BBNaija star, Omashola, has shared a heartwarming video of his mum massaging and bathing his baby boy, Eyitemi. The video has left many social media users in awe as they watched his mum massage the boy the way most African mums massage new born babies.
Omashola shared the video and wrote
”Seeing my Mom with my son is a combination of emotions I can’t explain. “ Shola do make you marry born make I come South Africa come carry your pikin o” her prayers over the years. . Dreams really do come true 0 ? . My son Eyitemi Daniel Oburoh @life_of_eyitemi World Cup winner ????
The African Union has reacted to reports of Africans being stopped from crossing Ukrainian border following the invasion of the European country by its neighbour, Russia. Macky Sall, chairman of the AU, and Moussa Mahamat, chairperson of the AU Commission, in a statement released on Monday night February 28, said all people irrespective of their racial identity, have the right to flee to safety in times of war.
Countries have been asked by the AU to “respect international law” by showing empathy to all people fleeing the war. According to the union, stopping Africans from fleeing Ukraine is racism and breaches international law.
The statement read; “The current Chair of the African Union and President of the Republic of Senegal, H.E. Macky Sall, and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, are following closely the developments in Ukraine and are particularly disturbed by reports that African citizens on the Ukrainian side of the border are being refused the right to cross the border to safety.
“The two Chairpersons recall that all people have the right to cross international borders during conflict, and as such, should enjoy the same rights to cross to safety from the conflict in Ukraine, notwithstanding their nationality or racial identity.
“Reports that Africans are singled out for unacceptable dissimilar treatment would be shockingly racist and in breach of international law. In this regard, The Chairpersons urge all countries to respect international law and show the same empathy and support to all people fleeing war notwithstanding their racial identity.
“The Chairpersons commend the efforts by African Union Member State countries and their embassies in neighbouring countries to receive and orientate African citizens and their families trying to cross the border from Ukraine to safety.”
The residents have vehemently protested, saying they were denied access to their farmlands.
Cameroonian armed security operatives have encroached and seized farmlands from Nigerians in border communities, SaharaReporters learnt.
Some residents of Kwaja, a border community in Adamawa State, have cried out, urging the Nigerian government to recover their land from the Cameroonian authorities.
The residents have vehemently protested, saying they were denied access to their farmlands.
Their protest message says, ‘Maintain ICJ position’, ‘We agreed to the 1932 Thompson Marchand Declaration’, We request for Protection from Nigerian Government’.
The community alleged that Cameroonian officials on 14 February, 2022 erected demarcation signs in Kwaja, Kinga, Jugrma, Fajawa Girziya villages in the Mubi South Local Government Area, known for the cultivation of Irish potatoes.
The spokesman for the community, Dr Ibrahim Kwaja said a letter requesting the Nigerian government to protect the rights and interest of the people has been addressed to the federal and state governments and Nigeria/Cameroon Mixed Commission on the boundary, stressing that the community was amalgamated as part of Northern protectorate in 1914.
The letter agrees with the Thompson Marchand declaration which the International Court of Justice accepts as the correct instrument defining the boundary in the Kwaja area against the watershed line.
The letter reads in part, “In respect of the ICJ judgement, we stand to argue that our people from generation have never in any case spread beyond Nigerian boundary.
“We would not continue to watch our community tortured by confiscation of our shelter and farmlands.”
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