United ask Nigerian Government to do everything possible to ensure the safe return of Chibok girls

 United ask Nigerian Government to do everything possible to ensure the safe return of Chibok girls

The United States has urged the Federal Government to do everything possible to ensure the safe return of the more than 200 Chibok girls that were abducted in April 2014.
 
The US acting Consul General, Dehab Ghebreab, who spoke at the red-carpet première of the Hollywood crime-drama thriller, ‘Captive’, in Lagos State on Thursday said the US government would stand against anyone and/or groups, who persecute, discriminate and kill people based on their religion.

She said:“Nigeria has its share of humanitarian problems with Internally Displaced People due to the vicious atrocities of Boko Haram. In 2014, the United States provided about $11 million for humanitarian assistance to Nigeria and we continue to support Nigeria to crush Boko Haram. On this day, the Chibok girls have been missing for 535 days. Everything humanly possible must be done to ‘Bring Back the Girls

Ex-minister Diezani Arrested in London

Ex-minister Diezani Arrested in London

Deizani Alison-Madueke, was on Friday arrested in London by the United Kingdom National Crime Agency.
Investigations revealed that the UK Police picked up Alison-Madueke on Friday in connection with offences bordering on fraud and bribery.

The Spokesman for the UK High Commission in Abuja, Joe Abuku, confirmed to our correspondent that five persons were arrested by the agency.

He, however, did not disclose their identities.

It was gathered that the Seizure Organised Crime Agency within the National Crimes Agency of the UK arrested Deziani and are probing the allegations against her.

It was further learnt that Diezani was picked up by operatives of the SOCA at the instance of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission which has been discretely probing her.

British Billionaire Richard Branson Condemns Indonesia for Executing Nigerians, Others

British Billionaire Richard Branson Condemns Indonesia for Executing Nigerians, Others


British billionaire Richard Branson has taken to his blog to denounce the execution of the Bali Nine by firing squad.

According to him, the action is “needless” and “brutal”. He also warned the Indonesian government that the decision will severely “hamper the country’s chances to secure clemency for Indonesians facing the death penalty abroad”.

“Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso was granted a last-minute reprieve. But Rodrigo Gularte, Martin Anderson (aka Belo), Raheem Agbaje Salami, Sylvester Obiekwe Nwolise, Okwudili Oyatanze, Zainal Abidin bin Mgs Mahmud Badarudin, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran lost their lives brutally and needlessly.

“Brutally, because the death penalty is always cruel, barbaric and inhumane. It has no place in a civilised society.

“Needlessly, because these executions will not do anything to deter drug trafficking in Indonesia or reduce supply and demand. There is plenty of evidence that prohibition and strict law enforcement have little to no effect on the drug trade. If Indonesia wants to tackle its drug problems effectively, it needs to return to evidence-based policies that place public health over criminal law enforcement.”

He went on to discuss the tales of prisoners’ rehabilitation, particularly of Andrew and Myuran, who he heralded as “shining examples of people working through their mistakes and becoming productive members of society”.

Branson concluded that the death of the eight prisoners in Bali will have a “significant negative impact on Indonesia’s standing in the world”.

“I hope some good will come out of these tragic events, as more and more people realise inhumane death penalty laws must end globally, now,” he said. “As people unite behind the #IStandForMercy hashtag, public disgust for the death penalty grows and hope increases that an end to the death penalty is in sight.”

“To paraphrase Oscar Wilde: ‘The only difference between saints and sinners is that every saint has a past while every sinner (should have) a future.’

“Everyone deserves a second chance. Let’s do away with the death penalty once and for all.”

Update on Military Operation in Sambisa Forest by Chris Olukolade

Update on Military Operation in Sambisa Forest by Chris Olukolade

-Rescued Women Undergoing Thorough Profiling

-True Identities of some Freed Victims Yet to be ascertained

-Terrorist Field Commanders Killed -Notorious Training Camps Destroyed

-Nigerians being held captives are being freed by Gallant Troops

-hope for the recovery of more hostage of the terrorists

A Press Briefing by Director Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade at Defence Headquarters, Abuja on April 30, 2015

Gentlemen of the press, As you already know, troops have commenced operations deep into the Sambisa forest after sustained aerial bombardments by the Nigerian Air Force. The main objective as you know is to decimate and clear the terrorists from the forest which is their last bastion.

Several field commanders and foot soldiers of the terrorist group have lost their lives, some armoured personnel carriers, Bufallo vehicles mounted with Anti-Aircraft guns, a truck and several Hilux vehicles were destroyed by troops. Also recovered from the fleeing terrorists are a number of Anti-Aircraft guns, General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG), Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG) and several AK 47 rifles.

Unfortunately though, we lost one soldier in the course of the operation while 10 others have so far been wounded.

The true identity of some of the rescued women and girls are yet to be ascertained. At the moment, what is upper most and of priority is their movement to a conducive place where they are now undergoing thorough profiling to verify their true identity, where they come from, how they found themselves in the forest, etc. Additional number of persons are still being recovered from the forest.

Until such comprehensive profiling is done, nobody can confirm whether they are among the Chibok girls or not. Whoever they may be, the important thing is that Nigerians held captive under very severe and inhuman condition have been freed by our gallant troops. The joy and sense of hope being expressed by many Nigerians on hearing about the rescue operation is therefore understandable.

We would like to reassure them that the momentum of this operation will be sustained until that sambisa forest is comprehensively cleaned out and all Nigerians held captive within the bowels of the forest are rescued. There is great hope for the recovery of more hostage of the terrorists. Already, the dislodged and disorganized terrorists are in flight on different directions and running helter-skelter in the expansive forest.

There is no longer any respite or sanctuary for them; they will be pursued and tracked down not minding the daunting challenges in the mission including hundreds of land mines and difficult terrain of the Sambisa forest. It should be noted however that the essence of this operation is not to kill everybody in sight. We encourage any of the combatants who is desirous to surrender to come out, as the forest will no more be tenable as a haven for their activities.

In the same vein, innocent civilians among those in flight are also encouraged to report themselves to the troops. We will continue to treat civilians in the most professional and humane way.

We thank all Nigerians for their continued prayers and support and assure them that Never Again shall forces of darkness reign supreme in our country.

Thank you.

CHRIS OLUKOLADE Major General Director Defence Information

 

Governor Ayo Fayose withdraws lawsuit against APC lawmakers

Governor Ayo Fayose withdraws lawsuit against APC lawmakers


Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, yesterday withdrew the suit against the 19 All Progressives Congress (APC) members of the state House of Assembly from impeaching him and his Deputy, Kolapo Olusola.

In the suit, the plaintiffs, including speaker of the House of As­sembly which is oc­cupied by the Peoples Demo­cratic Party (PDP) factional Speaker, Olugbemi Joseph Dele; Ekiti State House of Assembly, Fayose and Olusola through their counsel, Ahmed Raji (SAN), had approached the court seeking to stop im­peachment moves against the governor. The suit however had already been struck out by Justice Ahmed Moham­med.

When the matter was called for hearing yesterday, counsel to the plaintiffs, Raji, informed the court of his client’s inten­tion to withdraw the case. The plaintiff’s counsel did not give any reason for the with­drawal.

S’Africans attacks on foreigners planned – S’African Mayor

S’Africans attacks on foreigners planned – S’African Mayor

Police reinforcements have been rushed to Thabazimbi in Limpopo after shops owned by foreign nationals were looted and vandalised.

About 50 foreign nationals, including women and children, have been accommodated at a local sports centre. Police have arrested 15 suspects, with Thabazimbi mayor, Patricia Mosito, having condemned the incident.

Mosito says one way or another, “this thing was organised because people cannot just wake up and start engaging in this criminal acts.” The mayor has added that “it is criminal to attack foreign nationals. It is not something that we can condone, it’s something criminal.”

Meanwhile, Ethiopian and Somali nationals whose shops were looted at Reogorokgile township in Thabazimbi on Freedom Day say they would like to be reintegrated back into the community.

About 50 of them were rescued from an angry mob and are temporary accommodated at the Thaba Park Sports Centre in the Thabazimbi Central Business District. Five shops were looted.

On Wednesday, Chief Executive Officer of the South African Council for Educators and President of the African Forum of Teacher Regulatory Authorities, Rej Brijraj, condemned the recent spate of xenophobic violence in the country.

Brijraj was briefing the media in Pretoria and said he has confidence in the country’s ability to abolish attacks on foreign nationals.

Xenophobic Attacks: Zuma calls Jonathan, pleads for support

Xenophobic Attacks: Zuma calls Jonathan, pleads for support

President Jacob Zuma has had telephonic discussions with President Goodluck Jonathan of  Nigeria on recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa, according to a statement by the South African presidency.

The two Presidents reaffirmed the warm and cordial relations between South Africa and Nigeria and pledged that the two countries will continue to work together for the good of their peoples and the continent as a whole.

President Jonathan expressed his support for the efforts of South Africa to arrest the attacks on foreign nationals and to ensure the safety and security of all citizens, including foreign nationals and those from the African continent, in particular who bore the brunt of the attacks earlier this month.

President Zuma will attend the inauguration of the President-elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, General Muhammadu Buhari, next month.
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