Tuesday, November 10, 2026

CBN e-valuation: Clearing Agents Insist On Strike Despite Customs Intervention

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EFFORTS by the management of the Nigeria Customs Service, to get striking clearing agents back to work seem to have failed as the meeting between the two parties has ended in a deadlock.

The freight forwarders operating at both the Tin-Can Island as well as the Ports & Terminal Multipurpose Limited commands of the Customs had last week begun an indefinite strike following the expiration of a 72-hour ultimatum given to the Federal Government to review the electronic valuation system for imported vehicles and cargoes.

The government through the Central Bank of Nigeria had recently introduced e-valuation and e-invoicing policy for imported goods, using what is called Vehicle Identification Number for the valuation system.

At the stakeholders meeting organised by the NCS with the clearing agents in attendance in Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday, the striking agents vowed not to restore their services until their demands are met by the government.

Addressing journalists after the meeting, the Controller General of Customs, Hammed Ali, who was represented at the event by the Assistant Controller General of Customs in charge of Zone A, Modupe Aremu, explained that Customs was going to modify the complaints of the clearing agents to arrive at a conclusive arrangement for the VIN initiative.

She said, “We are going to modify their complaints going forward. The modification will take care of the complaints of the clearing agents as regards VIN”
She also said that the meeting was more of a family meeting with the clearing agent.
“We talked and rubbed minds on a solution to this ongoing strike at the ports. The agents have actually been trained ahead of the implementation of the VIN valuation.

That was why we were not expecting this kind of response from them when we began the VIN implementation”
Meanwhile reacting to the development, the Deputy National Secretary of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, Segun Musa, insisted the strike would remain until their demands were met.

He said, “What is on the ground is that we are waiting for the Customs. They have given us a time frame till Friday. So, on Friday we will be in a better position to say if the strike continues or not but as of today the status quo remains. So we are still waiting for Customs till Friday but for now, the strike action is still on”
“They (Customs) will go back and adjust their system to meet with our demands. We are not expecting anything less than that from the Customs.

If our expectations are not met, we are not going to back down on the strike.”

© PUNCH.

Court frees final-year student detained for four years over defilement

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An Ikeja High Court in Lagos State has discharged and acquitted a man, Anisere Sulaimon, of the charges of defilement and sexual assault after he spent four years in detention.

Sulaimon was a final-year student of the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education at the time of his arrest in 2018. He was also a part-time Arabic teacher.

He had denied the allegation of defiling a four-year-old child at the Mahadu Ridwanullah Arabic and Islamic School, Opeki, Abesan Estate, Ipaja.

The trial commenced on November 8, 2021.
His counsel, Mr Ahmed Adetola-Kazeem, filed a no-case submission on February 14, 2022, which the court upheld.
Justice R. A. Oshodi agreed with his counsel that apart from Sulaimon denying the charges, the prosecution’s lone witness, Mercy Oluranti, also testified that it was a relation of the victim that had carnal knowledge of her.

Oluranti told the High Court that one Kehinde, an uncle to the child, confessed to defiling her.
The judge said, “The prosecution has not made a sufficient case to warrant the defendant being directed to put up a defence to count 1. I uphold the no-case submission in relation to this count and, therefore, accordingly discharge and acquit the defendant on this count.
“Count 2 relates to the same victim, but this time, the penetration of her private parts in a sexual manner by the defendant.”

The court observed that the witness did not witness the alleged offence, adding that like count one, “the evidence of PWI does not raise a prima facie case and there is no ground for proceeding with defence.

I hold that the no-case submission succeeds. The defendant, Anisere Sulaiman, is accordingly discharged and acquitted.”
On June 5, 2018, Sulaimon was brought before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court on the allegation of defilement and sexual assault and remanded at the Kirikiri Custodial Centre.

The Magistrate, Mrs B.O. Osunsanmi, ordered that he be kept behind bars pending advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Mr Ezekiel Ayorinde, alleged that Sulaimon committed the offence in 2017 at his mosque and the case was adjourned until July 9, 2018.

Following the DPP’s report, the case was moved to the High Court and Sulaimon was arraigned on October 9, 2019, before Justice Sybil Nwaka.

He pleaded not guilty to an amended two-count charge.
But the case was transferred to another court when Justice Nwaka was elevated to the Court of Appeal.

Sulaimon was then re-arraigned before Justice R. A. Oshodi on July 27, 2021.
He was again accused of defilement and sexual assault by penetration and both offences were contained in an amended charge dated October 8, 2019.

© PUNCH.

MTN Becomes First African Company To Invest In Metaverse

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MTN has become the first African company to enter the metaverse by purchasing land in Africarare.

MTN made this known in a statement on its website titled, ‘MTN Group becomes the first African company to enter the metaverse with land ownership on Africarare’.

“This investment demonstrates MTN’s commitment to supporting African innovation as it is the first company on the continent to support an initiative of this kind. Through its presence in the metaverse, MTN intends to increase its customer attractiveness through a series of experiences merged with consumer passion points, like gaming and music.

“Africarare which made its debut in South Africa in October 2021, is the first African Virtual Reality metaverse featuring digital land. This purchase will see MTN owning 144 plots of virtual land with an overall area of 12x12m,” part of the statement read.

MTN’s Group Executive for Marketing, Bernice Samuels, said, “This is an exciting moment for us as we lead businesses on the continent to enter the metaverse marketplace.

This is exactly what our Ambition 2025 strategy is premised on – leveraging trends that amplify consumer’s digital experiences and engagement.

“We have always been at the forefront of technological and digital changes and we remain alive to the exciting opportunities the metaverse presents for us and our customers’’.

© PUNCH.

Ukraine: 18 Latest Development After Peace Talk

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Russia-Ukraine war: 18 latest developments after peace talks
On Monday, Russian and Ukrainian delegations met at the Belarusian-Ukrainian border for the first talks since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops to invade Ukraine last Thursday.

After the talks, both countries agreed to consult and meet again on a yet-to-be-announced date.
However, the Ukrainian presidency had demanded an immediate Russian ceasefire and troop withdrawal ahead of the talks.
Here are the 18 latest developments in Russia’s war in Ukraine after Monday’s peace talks:
– Kyiv braces –
Satellite images show a vast military column amassing just north of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, where residents are braced for a Russian assault.
The Russian army tells them they can “freely leave” on one highway going south as it hints of attacks on civilian areas.
– Kharkiv assault –
Russian forces shell Ukraine’s second city Kharkiv, killing at least 11 civilians in residential areas, its mayor says.
AFP reports that a school was destroyed, Russian armoured vehicles burnt and corpses of Russian soldiers after earlier fighting were seen.

– Russians reach Kherson –
Russian forces reach the southern city of Kherson near Moscow-controlled Crimea, setting up checkpoints on its outskirts, its mayor says. Moscow claimed to have besieged the city two days ago.
– ‘352 civilians killed’ –
Kyiv says 352 civilians have been killed, including 14 children, since the invasion began last Thursday.

– Half a million refugees –
Nearly 520,000 people have fled Ukraine in the last five days, the UN’s refugee agency says, with tens of thousands more displaced inside the country.
– War crimes –
International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan says he is investigating the “situation in Ukraine”, saying there is a “reasonable basis” to believe “war crimes and crimes against humanity have been committed” since 2014.
– Turkey blocks warships –
Turkey blocks warships from the Bosphorus and Dardanelles strait, limiting the movement of Russian and other naval assets by invoking a 1936 treaty.
– Talks to continue –
Negotiators from Ukraine and Russia end a first round of talks with no breakthrough. Both sides agree to conduct a second round “soon”.
– Putin’s demands –
In a call with French President Emmanuel Macron, Russian leader Vladimir Putin demands the “demilitarisation and denazification” of Ukraine and that the West recognise his annexation of Crimea.

– Nuclear fear –
The head of the UN atomic energy watchdog, the IAEA, expresses “grave concern” that invading Russian troops are operating close to Zaporizhzhia, the largest nuclear power station in Ukraine.

– Social media curb –
Twitter and Facebook move to curb the online presence of Russian state-linked news outlets.
– Russia kicked out of World Cup –
Russia is expelled from the 2022 World Cup and its teams suspended from all international football competitions “until further notice”, FIFA and UEFA say.
– Ban Russia from sport: IOC
The International Olympic Committee urges sports federations to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes in protest at the invasion.
– Russians expelled –
The United States moves to expel 12 members of Russia’s UN mission from America for being “intelligence operatives”.
– More sanctions –
The US and Canada ban all transactions with Russia’s central bank in an unprecedented sanction.

The EU adds more Putin allies to its sanctions blacklist, including Kremlin mouthpiece Dmitry Peskov and oligarchs Igor Sechin, Alisher Usmanov, Petr Aven and Mikhail Fridman.

– Ruble crashes –
Putin orders emergency capital controls and forces exporters to buy rubles to prop up the currency, which plunges by a fifth, reaching record lows.

Finland to join NATO? –Lawmakers in traditionally non-aligned Finland — which has a long border with Russia — are to debate NATO membership. It comes after Helsinki took a “historic” decision to supply weapons to Ukraine.
– No Hollywood films –Disney and Sony Pictures stop the release of their films in Russian cinemas because of its invasion of Ukraine.

© PUNCH.

President Buhari Celebrates Adeboye At 80

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The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), Tuesday joined members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, the Christian community, particularly clergymen in Nigeria and abroad, in celebrating with Pastor Enoch Adeboye on the occasion of his 80th birthday, March 2, 2022.

Buhari’s celebratory message is contained in a statement signed on Tuesday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, titled ‘President Buhari rejoices with Pastor E.A. Adeboye on 80th birthday.’

According to Adesina, “President Buhari felicitates with the wife, Pastor Foluke Adeboye, family members, friends, and relations as the General Overseer turns an octogenarian, with clear evidence of walking the path of a righteous man by dedicating his life to the service of God, and humanity.

“The President recalls his private and public meetings with the renowned preacher and teacher of the Bible over many years, most remarkably the visit when he was recuperating in London, 2017, appreciating Pastor Adeboye’s warmth and friendliness, which he also extends to leaders and others from all walks of life.”

On the cleric’s 80th birthday, Buhari said he believes Adeboye’s contributions to the betterment of Nigeria and other countries stand out clearly as testimonies of his divine calling, impacting greatly on education, health, and infrastructural development, which include many urban and rural roads.

The President saluted the focus of the RCCG leader on works of the Kingdom and peace for the nation, praying that his path will be like a shining light, with grace for good health and strength.

© PUNCH.

11 People Die In Kano Auto Crash

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No fewer than 12 persons have been burnt to death in an auto crash that occurred at Tsamawa Town, Garun Malam Local Government Area of Kano State.

This is contained in a press statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the State Fire Service, Alhaji Saminu Abdullahi, on Tuesday in Kano.

“We received a distress call from one Isah Mai-Fetur at about 3:00p.m that a commercial Hiace bus and another J5-bus had collided and instantly burst into flames.

“Upon receiving the information, we quickly sent our rescue team to the scene at about 3:12 p.m. to rescue the victims,’’ the statement said.

He said that the 11 persons in the Hiace bus were coming from Zaria road to Kano, while one person in the J5-bus was also going to Kano from Zaria.

Abdullahi said that all the 12 persons were burnt beyond recognition, just as he attributed the accident to overspeeding.
He also advised motorists to always drive carefully to avoid unforeseen circumstances.
(NAN)

Putin Nuclear Threat Distraction From Ukraine Events —UK PM

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President Vladimir Putin’s decision to put Russia’s nuclear weapons on high alert is a distraction from what is really happening in Ukraine, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Sunday.

“This is an innocent people who are facing a totally unprovoked act of aggression against them, and what’s actually happening is that they are fighting back, perhaps with more effect, with more resistance, than the Kremlin had bargained for,” he said.

When asked about Putin’s decision to put nuclear forces on alert, he said: “That’s a distraction from the reality of what’s going on in Ukraine.”

Johnson also shed doubt on Putin’s sincerity to meet Ukraine for talks, after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was ready to “try” talks.
“There’s nothing I’ve seen so far in his behaviour that leads me to think that he could possibly be sincere,” the UK prime minister said, referring to Putin.

He called Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a “continuing disaster”, but said Moscow would not succeed.
“I’ve got absolutely no doubt in my mind that, in the end… I think Putin will fail.
“He will not succeed in crushing Ukraine and we in the UK will do everything in our power to ensure that outcome,” he added.

Britain has joined Western nations in slapping sanctions on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine on Thursday.
On Sunday, the government announced £40 million ($54 million, 48 million euros) in fresh aid for Ukraine to “help aid agencies respond to the deteriorating humanitarian situation”, Johnson’s office said in a statement.

The aid would create “a lifeline for Ukrainians with access to basic necessities and medical supplies such as medicines, syringes, dressings and wound care packs”, it said.
“UK government humanitarian experts have also deployed to the region to support those fleeing the violence in Ukraine,” it added.
AFP

Russia-Ukraine War: Nigerians Deserve Equal Right To Enter Poland —Presidency

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As the Russia-Ukraine conflict enters its fourth day, the Presidency Sunday in Abuja kicked against the denial of Nigerians and other Africans’ safe passage into neighbouring Poland and other safe territories, saying “all who flee conflict have an equal right to safe passage under UN Convention and the colour of their passport or their skin should make no difference.”
This is as it declared support for all diplomatic efforts required to restore peace and avoid a looming humanitarian crisis.

The Presidency’s position was made known in a statement signed late Sunday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, titled, ‘Statement on Nigerian and citizens of other African countries in Ukraine’.
The Presidency said, “All who flee a conflict situation have the same right to safe passage under UN Convention and the colour of their passport or their skin should make no difference.

“While efforts to begin talks between Russia and Ukraine are underway, paramount on our minds is the safety and human rights of some four thousand Nigerian citizens and many others from friendly African nations today stranded in Ukraine.
“There is a long history dating back to decades of Nigerians and other Africans studying in Ukraine, particularly medicine. The majority of Nigerian citizens in the country today are university-enrolled students.”

Citing video evidence, first-hand reports, and those in contact with their wards and Nigerian consular officials, the Presidency noted that there had been unfortunate reports of Ukrainian police and security personnel refusing to allow Nigerians to board buses and trains heading towards the Ukraine-Poland border.

It said, “In one video widely circulating on social media, a Nigerian mother with her young baby was filmed being physically forced to give up her seat to another person.
“There are also separate reports of Polish officials simply refusing Nigerian citizens’ entry into Poland from Ukraine.

One group of Nigerian students, having been repeatedly refused entry into Poland, have concluded they have no choice but to travel again across Ukraine and attempt to exit the country via the border with Hungary.

“We understand the pain and fear that is confronting all people who find themselves in this terrifying place. We also appreciate that those in official positions in security and border management will, in most cases, be experiencing impossible expectations in a situation they never expected.
“But, for that reason, it is paramount that everyone is treated with dignity and without favour.”
The Presidency expressed confidence in those educated in Kyiv, Kharkiv, other cities and centres of learning who have returned to Nigeria to perform great service for our nation and our people saying, “Without the generosity of spirit of the Ukrainian people that would never have been possible.
“We pray for those directly affected by this conflict.
“Nigeria, with our 200 million people, supports all and every diplomatic effort to bring this war to an end.”

© PUNCH.

Just In: Court Dismisses Suit Against Gov. Umahi Over Defection, For Lack Of Merit

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The State High Court sitting in Abakaliki has dismissed the suit challenging the defection of Governor Umahi of Ebonyi State from People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressives Congress (APC).

Delivering his judgment, the Presiding Judge, His Lordship, Hon Justice Henry Njoku, stated that the plaintiff came by originating summons seeking the Court to hold that the defendant, Governor of Ebonyi State, having defected to APC from the Party through which he was elected ought to vacate the office of the Governor upon defection and that the plaintiff having come second in the 2019 election be sworn in instead.

Though the plaintiff did not come through relevant rules of Court to institute their originating summons, the Court still went ahead in the interest of substantive justice to hear the matter of the propriety of the defection of Governor Umahi from PDP to APC

The plaintiff sought to determine whether Governor Umahi having defected to APC can still continue to be Governor, having regards to the provisions of the constitution and the Electoral Act as relied upon by the plaintiff and that having come second in the Governorship election ought to be sworn in.

The defendant in his argument canvassed that the plaintiff was relying on the pre-election/election qualification issues, arguing that there is no provision in the constitution that provides for defection as one of the grounds for the vacation or removal of a person as Governor or as Deputy Governor. He alluded to judicial authorities of Appellant Courts that have settled the matter.

Considering the submissions of both parties, the Court held that having regard to section 188 (1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, the defendant (Governor Umahi) has not offended any provision of the Constitution or the Electoral Act in his defection to APC.

The Court further held that having regard to section 308 of the Constitution, it is even wrong to institute criminal or civil proceedings against the office of the Governor.

The Court therefore dismissed in its entirety, the suit filed by the plaintiff for lacking in merit and awarded Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500, 000.00) as damages against the plaintiff

World Bank, IMF, EU Sanctions Will Prevent Coups In Africa – Osinbajo

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Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has emphasized the need for greater international collaboration in deterring an unconstitutional change of government in Africa.

He said stricter sanctions from World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and European Union on erring countries would help in promoting democratic governance on the continent against the backdrop of recent coups de’tat in West Africa.

Osinbajo added that regional bodies on the continent aside African Union and others in the global community must also support actions already taken by ECOWAS leaders to prevent coups in Africa.

Osinbajo spoke during a bilateral meeting with Tanzanian Vice President, Dr. Philip Isdor Mpango, ahead of his speech at the formal opening of the 2022 Judicial Year of the African Court for Human and Peoples’ Rights in Arusha, Tanzania.

This was contained in a statement by Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu Akande, titled, Nigeria, Tanzania United on Need for Global Push Against Unconstitutional Change of Govts in West Africa, Just Energy Transition’, on Sunday.

According to Osinbajo, we in ECOWAS have experienced in just under a year, 4 coups de’tats including attempts and it is disturbing because we felt we had put those things behind us, and now they seem to be coming back.

“It is something that we think has to do with more cooperation. AU has been very forthcoming (in condemnation) in saying that we cannot tolerate unconstitutional seizures of power.

But sanctioning these coupists without any proper “teeth” has not been particularly effective.
“There might be a need for us to reach out to some of the regional bodies, development financial institutions such as the World Bank, IMF, and the EU. The EU has been quite responsive but we think that we can do a lot more just in terms of cooperation, so there is an effective deterrent if everyone agrees that undemocratic change of government is unacceptable,” the vice president said.

On Climate Change and the attendant goal of net-zero emissions, Prof. Osinbajo observed that “the major challenge is that the wealthier countries are abandoning fossil fuels and gas and some of them are already defunding gas projects.”
“We in Africa will run into trouble because gas projects are important even for the transition.

It is important for us to come together to oppose any situation where the wealthier countries insist that on account of going towards net-zero emissions in 2050, we should then abandon gas which is one of the major sources of energy for industry and clean cooking.

We think that the wealthier countries are asking us to do what they didn’t do – use renewable energy for industry.”

On his part, Vice President Mpango commended West African leaders for their efforts to halt the menace of coups de’tat in the Sub-region and also agreed that Africa can achieve more working in unison, noting that Climate Change is an example of one area leaders on the continent need to work together to address.
“The apparent wish by developed countries to abandon fossil fuel is worrisome because we are still struggling to provide the basics. Our forests are disappearing because our people are still forced to use firewood for cooking, if we abandon gas energy, where do we go to?”

The Tanzanian vice president thanked Osinbajo for accepting the invitation of the African Court to be the Guest Speaker at the formal opening of the Court’s 2022 Judicial Year holding tomorrow.
Both leaders also agreed that the relationship between their countries has been notable over the years adding however that there is room for much more improvement.

© PUNCH.

Kaigama Tells Buhari To Act Fast On ASUU Strike And Fuel Price

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The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), should listen to the cries of Nigerians and intensify action to resolve the problem of lingering fuel scarcity and the one-month warning strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

This was the challenge thrown to the President the by Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, His Grace Most Revd. Ignatius Kaigama on Sunday during the dedication ceremony of Holy Cross Parish, Gwarinpa in Abuja.
According to him, Nigerian leaders must not ignore the voice of reason.

Kaigama said, “Our nation would achieve greater progress when we truly listen to one another in mutual respect. Government leaders must listen to their citizens, politicians must listen to the people they represent.

“This is the path to enduring peace, greater solidarity and harmony in our society and the best way to resolve problems such as the lingering fuel scarcity in the nation and the ASUU one-month warning strike to press home her demands from the Government.”

He regretted the hypocrisy of some leaders in the country, stating that many who occupied big positions of responsibility lacked the disposition to make such offices function properly.

While referencing the Biblical text of Luke 6:39-45, Kaigama said, “Jesus speaks in the gospel about leaders who should see clearly and have the wisdom to lead others, since a blind man cannot lead a blind man.

“Leaders with the responsibility of governance must remove the log in their eyes so that they can better help others to remove theirs. This means that leaders must look first at themselves and correct their faults before they can see clearly to identify and correct the errors in other people.

“What we find in our society today is sadly the reality of ‘blind guides’. There are some leaders who occupy big positions of responsibility today but lack the disposition to make such offices function properly.

“Some fight and even kill to occupy such offices, but are only guided by their quest for material possessions and could be regarded as “blind guides”. Leaders are challenged to expunge hypocrisy and deception, to bear good fruits.”

The Catholic Archbishop said that following the Russia-Ukraine fiasco, Pope Francis has directed that Christians should make fervent prayers for peace to reign in the world on March 2, 2022.

“The worsening Russia-Ukraine war situation is a failure in human compassion and the consequence of failure to listen to the voice of reason. The Holy Father, Pope Francis, has called for prayers and fasting on March 2, Ash Wednesday”, Kaigama emphasized.

© PUNCH.

Russia Invation: England Won’t Play World Cup And Other Matches Against Russia

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England will not play Russia in World Cup and other football matches at any level “for the foreseeable future”, the FA has confirmed.

The decision has been made “out of solidarity with Ukraine and to wholeheartedly condemn the atrocities being committed by the Russian leadership”, the FA said in a statement.

Poland, Sweden and Czech Republic have all refused to play their World Cup play-offs with Russia in opposition to invasion of Ukraine.

Details later…

BREAKING: Abramovich Hands Chelsea’s Control To Charity Trust

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Chelsea’s Russian owner Roman Abramovich is handing over the “stewardship and care” of the Premier League club to the trustees of its charitable foundation, a statement from the European champions said on Saturday.“During my nearly 20-year ownership of Chelsea FC, I have always viewed my role as a custodian of the club, whose job it is ensuring that we are as successful as we can be today, as well as build for the future, while also playing a positive role in our communities,” the club statement said.
“I have always taken decisions with the club’s best interest at heart. I remain committed to these values. That is why I am today giving trustees of Chelsea’s charitable foundation the stewardship and care of Chelsea FC.”
The move comes with Russia under intense scrutiny following the invasion of Ukraine.AFP

Sane Seals Bayern Win As Bundesliga Shows Solidarity With Ukraine

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Leroy Sane grabbed a late winner as Bayern Munich won 1-0 at Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday to open a nine-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga, while Germany’s top-flight clubs showed solidarity in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Sane came off the bench to score Bayern’s late winner in a game overshadowed by outside events with Frankfurt’s stadium lit in the Ukrainian national colours of blue and yellow.

Electronic signs at the ground read “Stop it, Putin!” in a message to Russian president Vladimir Putin.
There was a minute’s silence, as there were at other grounds around Germany, before kick-off.

The Bayern team wore black armbands for the victims of the conflict while Munich captain Robert Lewandowski wore a yellow and blue armband.

Frankfurt had beaten Bayern in their last tow meetings and this was a hard-fought scrap until Sane intervened.

Just four minutes after Sane came on, Joshua Kimmich’s deft pass through the defence put Bayern’s winger into space to roll his shot past Frankfurt goalkeeper Kevin Trapp.

It was heart-breaking for the hosts who went close with chances by Frankfurt striker Filip Kostic.
At the other end, Eintracht goalkeeper Kevin Trapp kept his side in the game with a string of saves and was poleaxed in the first half when a Kingsley Coman shot smashed into his face.

Borussia Dortmund can trim Bayern’s lead on Sunday away to Augsburg.
Earlier, Japan midfielder Genki Haraguchi finally scored his first goal for Union Berlin in a 3-1 home win over Mainz.

Haraguchi ended his 22-match wait to score when the attacking midfielder cracked in his first goal since joining from second-tier Hanover 96 before the season.
Sheraldo Becker scored Union’s superb second with a long-range chip from outside the box.

Mainz were reduced to ten men when midfielder Dominik Kohr was sent off for a second booking.
Nigeria striker Taiwo Awoniyi tapped in his tenth league goal this season as Union shredded the defence before Dutch striker Delano Burgzorg scored Mainz’s late consolation.

Lucas Alario fired in off the crossbar before Moussa Diaby scored with two crisp finishes as Bayer Leverkusen consolidated third with a 3-0 home win over Arminia Bielefeld.

Italy midfielder Vincenzo Grifo converted an early penalty before forwards Kevin Schade and Lucas Hoeler tapped in late goals in Freiburg’s 3-0 home win over Hertha Berlin.

It was a miserable Bundesliga debut for Marcel Lotka, Hertha’s fourth-choice goalkeeper with Alexander Schwolow out with Covid and his deputies sidelined by injury.

After last Sunday’s 6-0 drubbing by Dortmund, Moenchengladbach earned a point as substitute Breel Embolo scored a late equaliser in their 2-2 draw at Wolfsburg.

The hosts played the last 20 minutes with ten men after Maxence Lacroix was sent off for bringing down Marcus Thuram, who Embolo replaced before heading in the equaliser.

Gladbach defender Matthias Ginter hit the net with a header in stoppage time, but the VAR ruled the goal out.
Bottom side Greuther Fuerth are unbeaten in their last six home games as they held Cologne to a 1-1 draw thanks to an equaliser by Sebastian Griesbeck for the hosts.
AFP

Ukraine: Buhari, Other African Leaders Asked To Sanction Russia

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Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has asked Nigeria’s President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), and other African leaders to sanction Russia.

SERAP also asked the African leaders to call for the protection of Nigerians and other Africans in Ukraine.

The organisation made the request in a tweet on Saturday.

“We urge President Buhari to provide the leadership by immediately calling for extra-ordinary sessions of the African Union and ECOWAS to discuss sanctions against Russia over the invasion of #Ukraine, and to call for protection of Africans caught up in the conflict,” the tweet read.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sparked widespread reaction worldwide.
However, the Russian Ambassador to Nigeria, Alexei Shebarshin, had assured the Federal Government that Nigerians won’t be harmed during the raging conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, who met with the envoy behind closed doors, quoted Shebarshin as saying that Nigeria is a friendly nation to Russia.

Onyeama had said, “He (Shebarshin) said they (Russia) consider Nigeria a friendly country.
“The Russian envoy also said that they would do nothing to harm Nigerians and assured me that their action is targeted at military installations and that they are not about to start attacking civilian areas and so forth.”
On Saturday, Moscow further ordered its troops to advance in Ukraine “from all directions” as the Ukrainian capital Kyiv imposed a blanket curfew after fighting in the city that saw Russian troops pushed back.

Ukrainian officials reported 198 civilian deaths in total, including three children, as explosions reverberated in Kyiv, forcing residents to flee to safety underground.

Moscow said it fired cruise missiles at military targets and would “develop the offensive from all directions” after accusing Ukraine of having “rejected” talks.
But, on day three of Russia’s invasion, defiant Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed his country would never give in to the Kremlin, while Washington said the invading force had a “lack of momentum”.

Ukraine’s army said it held back an assault on the capital – but was fighting Russian “sabotage groups” which had infiltrated the city.

Copyright PUNCH.

Russia-Ukraine Crisis: 20 Latest Developments You Should Know

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Here are the latest developments in Russia’s attack on Ukraine:
Russia orders big push
Russia orders its troops to advance “from all directions” as it pounds the Ukrainian military with cruise missiles.

‘Stiff resistance’
The Pentagon says half of Russia’s invasion force is already inside Ukraine but is being frustrated by unexpectedly stiff Ukrainian resistance, with President Volodymyr Zelensky claiming his troops have “derailed” the Russian masterplan.

Battle for Kyiv
Ukrainian soldiers beat back a Russian attack in the capital Kyiv only hours after Zelensky warns Moscow would attempt to take the city before dawn.

Civilians against tanks
Civilians – some of whom have never held a gun before – hunker down to battle with Russian tanks.
Athens–Greece calls on Russia to stop bombing Ukrainian villages after it blames Moscow for the “murder” of at least 10 ethnic Greek civilians in air strikes near the southern city of Mariupol.

Bodies in the streets
AFP sees a dead civilian lying sprawled on the pavement in central Kyiv as nearby medics help another man whose car was crushed by an armoured vehicle.

Others are feared dead after artillery blasted a five-storey hole in a high-rise apartment block.
198 civilians dead
Ukraine’s health minister says 198 civilians, including three children, have been killed and 1,115 wounded since Russia invaded.

‘I am here’: Zelensky
A defiant Zelensky releases a self-shot video from central Kyiv saying, “I am here… this is our land, our country, our children and we will protect all of this.”

250,000 refugees
Poland says 100,000 refugees have crossed its border from Ukraine since Russia invaded, with the UN estimating a similar number are internally displaced. Some 50,000 have also poured into Hungary and Romania with thousands more crossing into Moldova.

US military aid
The United States says it is providing Ukraine with $350 million in additional military assistance to fight off the Russian invasion.
Europe sending weapons
Germany is sending 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 “Stinger” surface-to-air missiles to help Ukraine. France is also rushing military equipment and fuel there with Prague supplying small arms and ammunition.

Danish reporters shot
Two Danish journalists are shot and wounded when their car comes under fire near the northeastern city of Okhtyrka, some 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the Russian border.

Germany bows to SWIFT ban
Germany says it is working on excluding Russia from the SWIFT interbank system after coming under severe criticism from Poland for resisting EU efforts to impose the sanction that would cripple Moscow’s trade with most of the world.
France intercepts Russian ship
French naval forces intercept a cargo vessel in the Channel loaded with cars heading for Saint Petersburg after the EU slapped sanctions on Moscow.
Kremlin bans ‘war’, ‘invasion’

Russia orders its media to remove reports describing its attack on Ukraine as an “assault, invasion, or declaration of war” or face being blocked and fined.
NATO deploys force
NATO is deploying its 40,000-strong rapid response forces for the first time to bolster defences on its eastern flank.

No details were given on where the forces are being sent.
Worldwide ‘Russia out!’ protests
Pro-Ukraine protests erupt across the world as thousands take to the streets from London to Athens and Argentina to Canada to denounce Russia’s assault on its neighbour.

Meanwhile more than 3,000 Russians have been arrested since Thursday for protesting against the invasion.

UK royals back Ukraine
Britain’s Prince William and his wife Kate tweet a message of support to “all of Ukraine’s people” in a rare geopolitical intervention.
– Abramovich hands over Chelsea –
Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich hands over the English Premier League club to its charitable trust as football fans across Europe turn on Russia with banners such as “Stop it, Putin!” and gestures of solidarity with Ukraine.

– Tennis star joins army –
Ukrainian tennis star Sergiy Stakhovsky says he has joined his country’s military reserves to fight the Russian invasion.
– KLM cancels flights –
Dutch flag carrier KLM cancels all its flights to or travelling through Russia for the next seven days after the European Union slapped sanctions on Moscow, saying they prevented spare parts from being sent to Russia and compromised safety.

Copyright PUNCH.

Russian Invasion: 100,000 Ukrainians Cross Poland Border – Official

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Polish Deputy Interior Minister Pawel Szefernaker on Saturday said 100,000 people have crossed the border into Poland from Ukraine since Russia’s invasion this week.
“From the onset of warfare in Ukraine through today, along the entire border with Ukraine, 100,000 people have crossed the border from Ukraine into Poland,” Szefernaker told reporters in the border village of Medyka, southeastern Poland.

The head of the Polish border guard, Tomasz Praga, added at the press conference that on Friday alone nearly 50,000 people had crossed into Poland from Ukraine.

Poland, which was already home to an estimated 1.5 million Ukrainians before Russia’s invasion and which has expressed steadfast support for Ukraine, has so far seen the bulk of those fleeing Ukraine cross into its territory.
“Latest update is that almost 116,000 have fled to neighbouring countries since 24 Feb — mainly Poland, Hungary, Moldova, Slovakia and Romania,” the UN refugee agency UNHCR tweeted on Saturday.
“Numbers are rising,” it added.

Szefernaker said 90 per cent of the refugees have concrete places to go in Poland, such as the homes of friends or family, but that the remainder are seeking help at nine reception centres set up along the border.

The centres offer meals and medical care, a place to rest as well as any necessary information. Those refugees with nowhere to go are then taken by bus to various accommodation options prepared in advance by Poland.

Separately, its Infrastructure Minister Andrzej Adamczyk announced Saturday that “for the next four weeks, Ukrainian citizens will be able to ride trains operated by (Polish rail service) PKP Intercity free of charge.”

The EU member of 38 million people has also readied an ambulance train in the border city of Przemysl.
Polish government official Michal Dworczyk said that if and when necessary the train will travel to the Ukrainian border city of Mostyska, pick up the wounded and transport them to Warsaw for hospital treatment.
“I hope that we won’t have to use these railroad cars,” he told reporters.
He added that Poland is doing everything it can to help its neighbour under attack.

“Over the last few days we’ve seen an incredible burst of solidarity among Poles,” he said.
“I have yet to come across someone who didn’t want to somehow help.”

Better Stay In Nigeria To Study Than Face War, Racism Overseas – Shehu Sani

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Immediate past Senator representing the Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Shehu Sani, has advised Nigerians to settle for studying in government-owned universities, rather than face war and racism in their quest for education abroad.

He stated via his Twitter page that students “dying to study abroad” should instead “stay at home” and cope with incessant strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

“Those who are dying to study abroad, stay at home and get into federal or state university. It’s better to hustle with ASUU than war and racism,” he tweeted.
Sani’s tweet comes amid the reports of Nigerian students stranded in Ukraine which is facing an ongoing war with Russia.

Reacting to the tweet, one Twitter user, @YarKafanchan, pointed at the state of insecurity in the Senator’s own state. He wrote, “Have you forgotten the students in Kaduna State who have spent and are still spending months in the dens of armed terrorists?”
“This is a country where hundreds of teenage schoolgirls get kidnapped and spend month with their captors and it’s not major news. Nigerians are safer among racists,” @EugenehoCortez tweeted.
@OgSadik stated that, “You should know a nation has failed its youth if the choice is between staying here and facing war/racism.”
“The fact that Nigerians are willing to risk war and racism shows how much politicians like you have failed,” @originalBNV wrote.

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China Vows Cooperation With North Korea Under ‘New Situation’ – Report

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North Korea, officially known as the DPRK, carried out an unprecedented seven weapon tests in January — including its most powerful missile since 2017 — with negotiations with the United States at a standstill.

It paused testing during the Beijing Winter Olympics, with analysts saying the decision could have been made out of deference to China.

Beijing is Pyongyang’s most important ally and economic benefactor, their relationship was forged in the bloodshed of the Korean War in the 1950s.

In his message to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Xi said Beijing was ready to “develop the China-DPRK relations of friendship and cooperation” under a “new situation”, the official Korean Central News Agency reported.

KCNA did not further elaborate on what the “new situation” entailed.
North Korea is reeling economically from a self-imposed coronavirus blockade, and restarted cross-border trade with Beijing last month.

China accounts for more than 90 per cent of the isolated country’s bilateral trade.
Pyongyang is under multiple sets of international sanctions over its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.

But regardless, it has warned it could abandon its self-imposed moratorium and resume testing intercontinental ballistic missiles or nuclear weapons.

Some experts have warned that with the eyes of the world focussed on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, North Korea might take the opportunity to test-fire long-range missiles.

Ukraine: US, UK, 25 Others To Send Weapons, Aid To Ukrainian Forces

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As the Russian-Ukraine war enters its third day, 27 nations, including the United States and United Kingdom, have pledged to send weapons, medical supplies, and other military aid to the Ukrainian forces, Sky News reports.

“The assistance includes lethal aid, like ammunition, anti-tank weapons and anti-air weapons, and non-lethal aid such as medical supplies,” the report says.

This followed a virtual ‘donor conference’ of military aid organised by the UK defence secretary, Ben Wallace, on Friday evening, where the 25 nations, who were on the call, pledged their support. Two other nations, who could not attend the conference, sent in their pledges to support, on Saturday.

Earlier, the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, had said that their partners were sending weapons to support the Ukrainian forces, stressing that “The anti-war coalition is working!”
Sky News reported that the Ukrainian forces have so far put up a strong resistance against the invading troops, even though it is uncertain how long the defence could hold out.

Meanwhile, Russia’s military claimed to have taken over Melitopol, a city in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, but UK armed forces minister, James Heappey, said it is “still in Ukrainian hands,” Sky news reports.

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Poland Refuses To Play 2022 World Cup Play-Off Against Russia

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Poland will not play their 2022 World Cup play-off with Russia in Moscow on March 24 due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine the president of the Polish football federation said on Saturday.

“It is time to act. Due to the escalation of the Russian Federation’s aggression in Ukraine, the Polish team does not envisage playing the play-off against Russia,” wrote Cezary Kulesz, adding it was the “only correct decision”.

He said he would work with the Swedish and Czech federations — the winners of their match would have to play in Russia if the latter beat Poland — to present a unified position to Fifa.
AFP

Ukrainian Marine Blows Himself Up To Hold Off Russian Troops From Invading Their Country

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A defiant Ukrainian marine blew himself up along with a bridge in the Kherson region near Crimea in a heroic act that slowed down Russian troops.

The marine was named by the General Staff of the Armed Forces as Vitaly Shakun. He was manning the Henichesk bridge in the Kherson region when Russians advanced and mined it.

According to a post on the General Staff’s Facebook page, the battalion decided the only way to stop them was to blow up the bridge. Shakun had no time to escape. He told his comrades he was going to detonate, and second, later they heard an explosion.

His efforts and that of the Ukrainian armed forces are significantly slowing down the Russians – one senior defence official cited by CNN said Russian troops are meeting ‘more resistance’ than they anticipated.

Midnight Fire Guts Ladipo Market Raized Shops

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A midnight fire on Saturday gutted a shopping plaza in the popular spare parts market in the Ladipo area of Lagos State.
It was gathered that the fire incident occurred early Saturday morning and affected a one-storey building, the Aguiyi Ironsi Plaza, in the market before dawn.
According to an official of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency who spoke with our correspondent, no casualty was recorded.

The official, however, said scores of shops and goods worth millions of naira were burnt in the inferno.

LASEMA officials and other first responders including men of the Lagos State Fire Service and the Lagos State Police Command have been deployed in the incident scene.
Details later…
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Russia-Ukraine War Will Last Long, France’s Macron Warns

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The world must brace for a long war between Russia and Ukraine after Moscow launched an invasion of its pro-Western neighbour, French President Emmanuel Macron warned on Saturday.
“I can tell you one thing this morning it is that this war will last,” Macron’s told France’s annual agriculture fair.

“This crisis will last, this war will last and all the crises that come with it will have lasting consequences,” Macron added, warning: “We must be prepared”.

Macron cut short his visit to the agriculture fair, usually one of the main fixtures on the French political calendar, in order to return to dealing with the crisis triggered by the Russian invasion.

“War has returned to Europe, this was chosen unilaterally by President (Vladimir) Putin, with a tragic humanitarian situation, a (Ukrainian) people who are resisting and a Europe that is there and resisting by the side of the Ukrainian people,” said Macron.

Macron has again called an emergency defence council of top ministers and military security officials to discuss the situation in Ukraine which will take place at 1600 GMT, the Elysee said.
With the war and sanctions against Russia risking damage for specific sectors in France, notably the wine industry, Macron vowed a “plan of resilience” to help them cope.

The French leader was a key figure in efforts to avert conflict, repeatedly speaking to Putin and seeking in vain to broker a summit between the Russian leader and US President Joe Biden.
The war has also broken out as the clock ticks down to France’s presidential elections in April.
Macron, who is expected to seek and win a second term, has left the official declaration of his candidacy to the last minute, although he must make a move next week ahead of a March 4 deadline to register.

Ngor Okpala Bye-Election: INEC Disqualifies APC For Fielding Two Candidates

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By Clement Owuama

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has slammed disqualification on the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, from participating in the Ngor Okpala bye-election slated for today.

A statement by the Commission in Owerri on Saturday noted that the APC has breached extant electoral law by fielding two candidates, namely Blyden Amajirionwu and Lawrence Achinihu.

“The disqualification of the APC from today’s bye-election in Ngor followed a painstaking review of the circumstances surrounding the nomination of Blyden Amajirionwu and Lawrence Achinihu, both of whom have been submitted to the Commission as candidates of the same party for the same bye-election.”

When contacted, the State Chairman of the APC, Macdonald Ebere, said the party has reviewed the decision of the INEC and has ordered all party faithful in Ngor Okpala to immediately boycott the election, as the decision of the INEC will be challenged in court.

Biden Statement On Russia Invation; Only God Can Save Ukraine – Reno Omokri

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After that Biden statement, where he said “our forces are not, and will not be engaged in the conflict with Russia in Ukraine”, only God can save Ukraine.

Biden should not be saying he would not send troops to Ukraine. Not sending in troops now is actually the right thing to do. Please do not get me wrong. It is totally the right thing to do. However, he should have kept quiet.

He should not have revealed his intentions. It will be seen as pacifying Russia and abandoning Ukraine. By saying it, he has demotivated Ukraine, at a time they need inspiration.

This is exactly what Biden did in Afghanistan, which made their elected President, Ashraf Ghani, run away from his country. If Biden had not publicly said he would be leaving Afghanistan completely, Ghani’s troops would have fought on. Leave. Put your own country, America, first. Don’t remain in a war zone and allow your soldiers die for another country.

But while you are leaving, don’t let your intentions be known. Be taciturn. Only publicly say things that will give your allies hope!

#TableShaker

Chidiogo Akunyili-Parr: The Facts Speak For Themselves On Jonathan’s Administration

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I was rather appalled to read comments attributed to Chidiogo Akunyili-Parr, a daughter of Nigeria’s former minister of information, Dr. Dora Akunyili, who in her book, I am because we are’, a biography on her mother, alleged that her late mother described then President Jonathan’s cabinet as a “cabinet of mismatched candidates and portfolios”.

She further said that the Jonathan cabinet “was one of the first signs of the woes that would cripple Goodluck Jonathan’s government.”

Being that I was an offshoot of that cabinet, I am personally defamed by those statements, and would like to set the records straight by examining these particular statements in the light of indisputable facts.

Former President Jonathan’s minister of Finance was Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who got her PhD in regional economics and development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. On Thursday July 19, 2018, Jack Dorsey, the then CEO of Twitter appointed Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to the board of Twitter. She also sat on the boards of Lazard, Gavi and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank after her tenure as Minister of Finance, and Coordinating Minister for the Economy.

On March 1, 2021, Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was appointed as the 7th Director General of the World Trade Organisation, and has been described by Forbes Magazine as the most influential Nigerian alive.

Former President Jonathan’s minister of agriculture was Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, whose has a PhD in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University, and was a fellow of the Rockefeller Foundation.

Until his appointment as Minister in 2010, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina was Vice President of Policy and Partnerships for the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa.

After President Jonathan’s tenure, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina was elected as the 8th President of the African Development Bank.

And on June 27, 2017, Dr. Akinkumi won the prestigious World Food Prize for his work to boost yields and farm incomes during his tenure as Nigeria’s minister of agriculture.

As minister of health, we had Onyebuchi Chukwu, a professor of Orthopaedic Surgery. Professor Chukwu is globally acclaimed for his prowess in combating Ebola in Nigeria by quickly establishing unprecedented contact-tracing mechanisms and other protocols that halted the disease in its track within three months, and made Nigeria the first country to overcome the scourge.

The minister of state for health under former President Jonathan was Muhammad Ali Pate, who was in May of 2019 appointed by the World Bank Group as the Global Director of Health, Nutrition and Population, and Director, Global Financing Facility.

Muhammad Ali Pate was also appointed as Professor of Public Health Leadership in the Department of Global Health and Population of Harvard University.

That administration also had Olusegun Aganga as minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, who before his appointment into the cabinet has been a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs, probably the biggest investment bank on planet Earth.

As planning minister, Dr. Jonathan has Shamsudeen Usman, who holds a PhD from the London School of Economics, and was the pioneer Director General of The Technical Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation, now the Bureau of Public Enterprises.

Former President Jonathan’s minister of Information and Communication Technology was Dr. Omobola Johnson, who is currently Chairperson of the Global Alliance for Affordable Internet.

The education ministry under President Jonathan had a competent and well-experienced ivory tower intellectual as the head. Before her appointment as a minister of education, Mrs Ruquyyatu Rufa’i functioned effectively as a professor of curriculum studies at the Bayero University, Kano.

With such a cabinet of world-class, distinguished, and sterling individuals, it is hard to reconcile President Jonathan’s ministerial picks as “the cabinet of mismatched candidates, with square pegs put in round roles”.

It is however a fact that after her defeat by Chris Ngige, in the April 2011 election for the Anambra Central Senatorial seat, Dr. Dora Akunyili put herself forward to former President Jonathan for consideration as a minister in his administration, and that the then President, in his wisdom, elected not to appoint her into his government.

Dora Akunyili is late, and though I know the reason why she was not appointed into then President Jonathan’s cabinet, in honour of her memory, I will refrain from revealing that reason.

However, being that at the time she put herself forward to be considered for appointment in the Jonathan cabinet, she already knew those being considered, the question is raised as to why she would want to join a cabinet of persons she felt were sub par?

Suffice to say that if indeed Dora Akunyili had made such a judgment to her daughter, it may have been made in the heat of the moment, when she was sensitive and feeling scorned at her failure to make the Jonathan cabinet.

As such, I do not wish to join issues with her or her daughter, except to say that the obvious facts do not support their claims.

Additionally, is is also preposterous for Chidiogo to associate the government of President Jonathan with failure, knowing all he did to grow the economy and deepen development in the country.

In case her memory failed her at the time of writing the book, or perhaps she was overwhelmed by emotions, here is a brief recap of the achievements recorded by the Jonathan administration:

The Jonathan administration on May 29, 2015 left behind a $550 billion economy, (the largest in Africa and 26th in the world) and the third fastest-growing economy in the world (next only to China and Qatar according to CNNMoney), with a stable currency and single-digit inflation.

I also remind Akunyili-Parr that this record remains the best since Nigeria’s return to democracy.

Furthermore, under Jonathan, Nigeria was the top Foreign Direct Investment destination in Africa, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

Nigeria was acknowledged by the International Food Policy Research Institute IFPRI, as having reduced hunger levels by 2013. Their annual Global Hunger Index showed that Nigeria’s index dropped from 16.3 in 2005 to 15 in 2013. This led to Nigeria receiving an Food And Agriculture award from the United Nation for reducing poverty on June 19, 2013.

I also remind her that under Jonathan, in 2014, Nigeria made her best ever improvement on the annual Transparency International Corruption Perception Index, moving from 144 the previous year, to 136, an 8 point improvement.

Former President Jonathan built 165 almajiri schools and 14 new federal universities, with 10 of those in the North. As a result, of the 1,543,683 who took the West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) in 2013, 1,074,065 obtained five credits and above, representing a 70 per cent pass rate.

Finally, when Mrs. Akunyili died, then President Jonathan caused the Federal Executive Council to hold an unprecedented valedictory session in her memory. Professor Dora Akunyili remains the only former deceased cabinet minister to be so honoured.

If anything, former President Jonathan deserves to be commended for this and other recognitions accorded late Akunyili while she was alive, not this futile attempt to revise recent history by a member of the late minister’s family.

Reno Omokri

Electoral Act: INEC Has No Reason To Fail In 2023, Says CUPP

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Collation of United Political Parties on Friday said that the Independent National Electoral Commission had no reason not to deliver a credible election in 2023 with the signing of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law by the President, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.)

The spokesperson for CUPP, Ugochinyere Imo, while addressing journalists in Owerri, Imo state, shortly after the president appended his signature to the bill, said that if INEC delivers on its constitutional mandate in 2023 politicians who rely on rigging elections would be “disgraced.”

He said that Buhari had shown patriotism and defended his oath of office by signing the bill into law after much pressure.

He noted that the signing of the bill had wide implications for the democratic system of the country.

Ugochinyere submitted that the law which provides for electronic accreditation of voters and transmission of election results, would solve previous legal issues that had arisen in that regard.
He identified provision for early release of funds for elections and conclusion of party’s primaries six months before polls as another milestone achieved by the law.
“Granting the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the power to review already declared election results, as well as affirming that number of accredited voters should be used to determine over-voting in an election, are among the provisions of the law.”

He maintained that with such provisions, days are gone when a candidate would do everything to be declared winner by all means, by electoral officers, because the umpire was not permitted to reverse itself.

He however, insisted that Nigerians should not relent in ensuring that the provisions of the law were implemented and that security agencies allow for free and fair polls.

© PUNCH.

We Only Protected Kano Emir’s Image, Not Disrespect Him, Says Air Peace

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The management of Air Peace has denied the claims that the airline disrespected the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero.

A statement signed by the airline’s Chief Operating Officer, Toyin Olajide, said the company protected the emir’s image by delaying a flight which he was meant to be on.

The statement was a response to a complaint written by one of the Emir’s cousins, Prince Isa Bayero.
In the complaint, Prince Bayero had demanded punitive measures from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority against Air Peace over what he termed as “disrespect” to the Emir and people of Kano.

The Emir’s cousin reportedly called the Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, to delay the airline’s morning flight to Kano because a flight from Banjul, the Gambia, which the Emir was on, was delayed preventing them from arriving at the airport on time.
In the statement, Olajide expressed shock over what she called a deliberate falsehood against the airline while insisting that Air Peace held the Emir in the highest regards.

She said, “Rather than disrespect the revered Emir of Kano, Air Peace did everything to protect the name and image of the Emir from ridicule by not succumbing to what Isa Bayero wanted us to do.
“If we had agreed to stop and delay an aircraft, already set to take-off, for another one hour only for the doors to be opened and the Emir to walk in, there would have been a very serious uproar in the media nationwide against both the airline and the Emir.

This we pleaded with Isa Bayero to understand but he refused to accept.
“How could Isa Bayero want the Management of Air Peace to stop and delay a fully boarded plane with doors already shut and aircraft already moving while our respected Emir and eight others in his entourage, including Isa Bayero, were still at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos after arriving from Banjul?”

Olajide revealed that the Emir’s cousin placed a phone call to the Air Peace Chairman at about 5:52am, when he was still sleeping, and called again at 5:59am which woke him up.

She added that Onyema called her as the COO, after his call with Bayero, to find out the status of the morning’s flight, noting the Chairman’s willingness to help.
“On seeing that it was Isa Bayero calling, he took the call. Isa told our Chairman that he and the Emir of Kano had just landed at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport Lagos from Banjul, Gambia and would be proceeding to Kano the same morning.

“He told the Chairman to delay our first flight of the day, the 6:15am Lagos-Kano flight for him and the Emir with another eight persons. It was not true that our Chairman refused flatly. He rather told Mr Isa Bayero to give him a few minutes to call the airport to find out the status of the flight. I was the one he called. To show his desire to help, he called me immediately and intimated me with the request.
“I am the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Air Peace. I quickly called the local airport from where we carry on our day to day domestic flight operations and was told that the aircraft had since finished boarding and was almost taxiing out,” Olajide added.

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Withdraw Your Troops From Ukraine, Nigeria Urges Russia

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The Federal Government has met with envoys of the G7 countries in Nigeria, expressing worries over the Russian-Ukraine conflict with a call for peace to resolve the conflict.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, met with the envoys on Friday in Abuja, saying that the Nigerian government call for peace and the use of diplomacy in resolving all differences.
Onyeama said Nigeria does not condone the approach of aggression by Russia, calling on Russia to pull back.

“Peace and diplomacy to be prioritised by both sides.
“We support every effort being made to stop the aggression and Russian troops to return to Russia,” Onyeama said.

Speaking to journalists after the closed-door meeting, German Ambassador to Nigeria, Birgitt Ory, who is also chair of the G7 Group, appreciated the African Union on its statement on the situation.
Ory, who also commended Nigeria for putting in its weight, said Nigeria is a very important voice that the world needed to hear.

He said that what is also clear is the unanimous condemnation of the attacks by all United Nations member states in the light of Russia’s military action.

Ory said there will be resolutions in the United Nations Security Council, as well as the General Assembly and other United Nations fora such as the Human Rights Council where Nigeria is a very important voice and member.

Also in attendance were; United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard; British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing; Head of the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Samuela Isopi.
Others were the representatives of the Embassies of Japan and Canada.
(NAN)

Ukraine: UK Freezes Putin, Lavrov Assets

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The United Kingdom government on Friday ordered all assets of President Vladimir Putin and his Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov frozen over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Treasury issued a financial sanctions notice against the two men, adding them to a list of Russian oligarchs who have already had their property and bank accounts in the UK frozen.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson earlier told his NATO partners that he was planning “imminent” sanctions against Putin and Lavrov.

Downing Street said Johnson told his counterparts that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a “catastrophe” and the Kremlin chief was “engaging in a revanchist mission to overturn post-Cold War order”.

Warning that Putin “may not stop there” and calling the situation a “Euro-Atlantic crisis with global consequences”, he urged leaders to cut Russia off from the SWIFT international bank transfer system “to inflict maximum pain”.

Johnson’s comments ratchet up British action this week against Russian interests including banks, businesses and billionaires, though some lawmakers and experts have said the UK is not going far enough.

And it will bring Britain more into line with the European Union, which slapped sanctions on Putin and Lavrov on Friday.
– ‘No British troops’ –
Even earlier in the day, Britain and nine other northern European defence allies from the so-called Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) agreed in a call that further sanctions were needed on Russia.

“The leaders agreed that more sanctions were needed, including focusing on President Putin’s inner circle, building on the measures that had already been agreed,” Johnson’s office said after the meeting.

The JEF, set up in 2012, is made up of NATO members Denmark, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom, and non-members Finland and Sweden.

It is focused on security in the “High North” region around the Arctic, the North Atlantic and the Baltic Sea area.
At a meeting of its defence ministers on Tuesday, they announced upcoming manoeuvres in the Baltic Sea to demonstrate “freedom of movement” in the strategic zone.

Johnson pledged “further UK support to Ukraine” in a phone call with President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday morning, as Russian forces closed in on the capital, Kyiv.

Britain has said it is ready to provide Ukraine with additional military support including lethal defensive weapons, but Defence Secretary Ben Wallace ruled out sending troops.

He told BBC television that Britain would “hold the line in NATO”, adding: “I’m not putting British troops directly to fight Russian troops.
“That would trigger a European war because we are a NATO country, and Russia would therefore be attacking NATO.”
Johnson praised “the bravery and heroism of the Ukrainian people in standing up to Russia’s campaign of violence”, according to Downing Street.

“The Prime Minister committed to provide further UK support to Ukraine in the coming days as the people of Ukraine and the world continue to demonstrate that Putin cannot act with impunity,” it added.
AFP

Isa Bayero Seeks Punishment For Air Peace For Refusing To Delay Flight

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Emir Of Kano’s Brother, Bayero Writes Aviation Agency, NCAA, Seeks Punishment For Air Peace For Refusing To Delay Flight For Monarch

Isa Bayero, the uncle of Aminu Ado Bayero, Emir of Kano, is seeking punitive actions against Air Peace over refusal to delay a flight for the monarch.

This was contained in a complaint letter addressed to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on Thursday. Bayero, in the letter, described the Air Peace’s refusal as an act of “disrespect” to the Emir and the people of Kano state.

“We, 10 of us, including His Highness Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, Sarkin Kano and four other business class passengers with additional other five economy class passengers all boarded our return Air Peace flight No. P47776 from Banjul to Lagos,” Cable quoted a part of the letter.

According to Bayero, the airline had delayed their Banjul to Lagos flight by over one hour but refused to allow them to board their connecting flight to Kano because they arrived in Lagos 30 minutes before departure time.

He said, “Our departure from Banjul was scheduled for 00:10hrs (local time) on 24th February 2022, however, we departed Banjul at 01:19hrs and we landed at Lagos at 5:45 am.

“Our connecting flight to Kano on the same Air Peace airline was for 6:15 hrs. This gave us only 30 minutes to make our flight to Kano.”

Bayero said he personally called Allen Onyema, chief executive officer of Air Peace, to inform him of the situation requesting the delay of the departing flight to Kano as a mark of respect to the “revered” Emir of Kano.

“He (Onyema) flatly refused and avowed that he will not do that. I personally took this as an insult and a flagrant show of disrespect to his highness and the Kano people at large,” the letter adds.

Bayero expressed disappointment at Onyema’s response, saying that the delay was the fault of the airline.

He said arriving international flights, departing aircraft – local or international – were often delayed to enable arriving passengers to join.

“Why should that be different with Air Peace Airline?” he asked.

Bayero said despite having to check into a hotel at personal cost, the airline also requested them to pay a “no-show” fee when they wanted to rebook the next available flight of the airline which was by 7 pm.

“This is an extreme case of insensitivity and callousness. In view of the foregoing, I feel strongly aggrieved and demand your kind intervention for restitution and for appropriate measures to be taken to stop this unwholesome development from happening in the future,” he said.

©️ Sahara Reporters

Formula One Cancels Russian GP Over Invasion Of Ukraine

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Formula One has cancelled the Russian Grand Prix, which was scheduled for September 25 2022, in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

In a statement on Friday, the organisers announced that it was impossible to host the racing event after discussions with relevant stakeholders.

The statement read, “On Thursday evening Formula 1, the FIA, and the teams discussed the position of our sport, and the conclusion is, including the view of all relevant stakeholders, that it is impossible to hold the Russian Grand Prix in the current circumstances.”
Formula One becomes the second organisation to cancel a sports event in Russia for the 2022 calendar after the Union of European Football Associations cancelled their biggest club event of the season.

The UEFA Champions League Final had been scheduled for the Gazprom Arena in St. Petersburg, Russia, but was moved to the Stade de France in Paris, France.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has drawn different reactions from the sports world with footballers displaying banners and inscriptions calling for an end to the attacks on Ukraine.
Former international and coach of Ukraine’s national men’s football team, Andriy Shevchenko, also called for an end to the attacks stating that his family and compatriots were under serious attack.
The Russian GP was one of the 23 events for the 2022 F1 season, however, it unclear if the organisers would replace the it with another circuit.

© PUNCH.

Ekweremadu Hails Buhari, Says Journey To Electoral Act Frustrating

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Former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has hailed the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), for signing the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2022 into law.

Ekweremadu, who said he had been part of the nation’s electoral reform for over 10 years, said “the journey to the new Electoral Act was by far the most frustrating.”
He said this in a post on his verified Facebook page titled, ‘The New Electoral Act Is Progress For Our Democracy,’ shared on Friday shortly after the President signed the Bill into law.

Ekweremadu said, “After the major electoral reform of 2010 that also involved amendments to the 1999 Constitution to, among others, open the doors to technology in our electoral system, check some executive excesses, manipulations by political parties, and strengthen the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) through financial and administrative autonomy.

Our expectation after amendments to the Electoral Act in 2015 was that the new administration would support the National Assembly to further straighten our electoral laws and system.

“Unfortunately, four times, the amendments were turned down in the 8th National Assembly, apparently thwarted by narrow, partisan interests and ambitions”

“The efforts in the current National Assembly also faced similar challenges, but it is heart-warming that it has finally materialised with the presidential assent.
“Certainly, we didn’t get all we pushed for in the new law, but it is nevertheless a quantum leap for our electoral system and I congratulate all, who played a part in it, notably the civil society, media, and all Nigerians, who stood up for the nation’s democracy.

“With the electronic transmission of election results, early primary elections, and adequate time for INEC to prepare for elections, among other breakthroughs, our elections will never be the same again and more Nigerians will be encouraged to exercise their franchise, knowing that their votes will count.”

© PUNCH.

Breaking: Court Sentenced Evans, Two Others To Life Imprisonment

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Kidnap kingpin, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike aka Evans, has been convicted alongside two others for conspiracy and kidnapping of a businessman, Donatus Duru.

The other two convicts are are Uche Amadi and Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu.
The three men were found guilty of a two-count charge by the Ikeja High Court in Lagos, presided over by Justice Hakeem Oshodi on Friday.

According to Justice Oshodi, the prosecution succeeded in proving the charge against the three convicts beyond reasonable doubt.

He, however, discharged and acquitted one Ogechi Uchechukw and two former soldiers, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Aduba, saying the evidence against them was not sufficient enough.

Justice Oshodi is, however, yet to sentence the convicts as proceeds are still ongoing.

Evans is facing similar charges before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo and Justice Adedayo Akintoye of the same court.

Uromi Bank Robbery, Ubiaja Youths Recovered Vehicles And Stollen Money

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Report reaching gisthub24.com desk on the Uromi Bank robbery that happened on 24th February, 2022 has it that The Ubiaja youths were able to block Ubiaja Road by the rail line,, which forced the robbers to abandon their cash ladden vehicles off the rail line and flee in motorcycles.

The vehicles and cash have been recovered and counting still ongoing at the Ubiaja police station. An arrest as also been made.

God will reveal all the perpetrators. The blood of the innocent Will hunt them down.

©️ Esan TV

Electoral Act: PDP Congratulates Nigerians, Urges Them To Take Charge Of Polling Units In 2023

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As President Muhammadu Buhari signed the long awaited electoral act today 25th February, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party PDP has Congratulates Nigerian and Urges them to take Charge of Polling Units in 2023

In a press release by Hon. Debo Ologunagba National Publicity Secretary and made available to gisthub24.com, The Party congratulates Nigerians, particularly Civil Society Organizations for fighting on the side of the PDP in putting pressure on President Muhammadu Buhari to finally assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill today.

The party also salutes the courage of PDP and other opposition members in the National Assembly for standing their ground on the passage of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill which among other things principally provided for the electronic transmission of election results directly from the polling units.

The newly signed Electoral Act is a death knell for the All Progressives Congress (APC) which thrives in manipulations, ballot box snatching, ballot box stuffing and alteration of election results at the collation centers against the expressed Will of the people.

It is clear that President Buhari and the deflated APC had come to their wits end and bowed to the sustained pressure by the PDP and Nigerians for the entrenchment of processes that can guarantee free, fair, transparent and credible elections in 2023.

The victory by Nigerians in resisting the APC and compelling President Buhari to sign the new Electoral Act clearly signposts the inevitable triumph of the Will and aspiration of the people to kick out the APC through a process that ensures that votes cast at the polling units count.

The PDP calls on Nigerians not to rest on their oars but to further strengthen their resolve by rallying themselves to take charge of their polling units and ensure that their votes are transparently counted and transmitted in the 2023 general elections.

Nigerians must note that the APC in its desperation will not give up easily but attempt to device other means to frustrate credible elections in the country.

Our Party therefore charges Nigerians and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be at alert and resist all shenanigans of the APC ahead of the 2023 elections.

While commending the International Community for standing on the side of democracy in Nigeria, the PDP counsels President Buhari to further redeem his image by reining in his party members who are reportedly seeking to deploy the instrumentality of violence to frustrate the efforts for free, fair and credible elections in 2023.

Imo Bye-Election: Ngor Okpala Women Protest Naked Over Uzodinma’s Plot To Rig Polls

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Ngor Okpala Women Protest nude,  Demand Explanation for killing of Noel Chigbu

– Say APC government has brought only pain and sorrows to Ngor Okpala people

– Warn electorate to reject Uzodinma’s money, which they alleged was dedicated at Alaogbaga Shrine

By Chimdi Ezekwe

Details shortly…

Ukraine: Remain Neutral, Foreign Affairs Expert Urges Nigeria

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The President of the Association of Foreign Relations Professionals in Nigeria, Ambassador Ganiyu Lawal, has urged the Nigerian government to remain neutral as the Russia-Ukraine conflict enters its second day.

The News Agency of Nigeria reported that Lawal, on Friday, told reporters that diplomacy remained the best way to resolve conflicts.
The PUNCH had reported that Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday, February 24, 2022.
According to NAN, Lawal advised that, rather than taking sides, Nigeria should join other nations in suing for peace.
“At this time, it is important that the Nigerian government should remain neutral, as we have been non-align all along.
“Nigeria should join other countries suing for peace, because the world needs peace at this time more than ever.
“The Nigerian government has made arrangements for her citizens who want to leave to leave as soon as the airports are opened.
“Where it is not possible, a safe corridor will be negotiated for evacuation of civilians,” Lawal said.

Commenting on the crisis, Lawal berated actors for not observing rules of engagement or towing the path of diplomacy.
He said that the world had a strong diplomatic architecture put in place to forestall bullying of smaller countries by bigger powers, through collective security efforts.

He said further, “However, in the face of glaring bullying by bigger power, the whole world will rise against it under the principle of collective security.
“And the bigger power will be defeated, no matter how strong, since it cannot simultaneously do battle on multiple fronts.
“The implication is to allow peace to reign and refrain from provocative moves that threatens world peace, respect for the rule and spirit of the rule of engagement,” Lawal added.

The AFRPN president further said that the ongoing crisis would have a ripple effect on the economies of Africa, and Nigeria in particular, as African countries rely on importation, NAN reported.

Lawal stated that it is high time African nations started trading internally amongst one another to avoid the kind of effect that conflicts like this would have on import-based economies.

Source PUNCH

UN Condemns Over 1,800 Arrests Of Anti-War Protesters In Russia

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The United Nations on Friday condemned numerous “arbitrary arrests” of people in Russia for protesting the country’s invasion of Ukraine and urged their immediate release.

“Arresting individuals for exercising their rights to freedom of expression or a peaceful assembly constitutes an arbitrary deprivation of liberty,” UN rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told reporters in Geneva.

She said the agency understood that “more than 1,800 protesters were reportedly arrested. It is unclear whether some have now been released.”

Her comment came a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin defied Western warnings to unleash a full-scale ground invasion and air assault on Ukraine that quickly claimed dozens of lives and displaced at least 100,000 people.
Protesters turned out in cities around the world, including in Russia.

An independent monitor said police had detained protesters in 51 cities across Russia, cracking down on dissent after authorities warned citizens against marching.
“We call on the authorities to ensure the immediate release of all those arbitrarily detained for exercising these rights,” Shamdasani said.

UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet warned Thursday that the Russian invasion “clearly violates international law and puts at risk countless civilian lives.”
“It must immediately be halted,” she said.
She said her office would continue to closely monitor the situation and warned that “an information war is also underway.”
“It is particularly crucial at this time that we continue to closely monitor and attempt to verify reports of human rights violations, including civilian casualties, damage to civilian objects, including critical infrastructure, and other impact on human rights on the ground.”

Source PUNCH

Russian Invasion: We will Command War In Ukraine To Cease -Suleman

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The General Overseer of the Omega Fire Ministries International, Apostle Johnson Suleman, has called for prayers for Ukraine which has been invaded by Russian forces.

In a video on his verified Facebook page, Apostle Suleman said, “We are going to command that war to cease, we are not negotiating.”
The clergyman mentioned that the target of the war is not Ukraine but he won’t mention the target so patriots of certain countries won’t start to panic.

He said, “Those who do not understand warfare are the ones worried about physical things. Every physical happening has a spiritual undertone.
“We are going to pray to the Lord to intervene, because what the enemy is intending… I’m not going to talk about that. Ukraine is not the target but I won’t talk about that so those living in certain countries won’t get afraid.”

Apostle Suleman stated that there’s no justification for what is being done to Ukraine, adding that “it is a premeditated thing that is being done to them.”
“We are praying for them, not just Ukraine, we are praying for Russia that God Almighty will intervene for the war to cease.
“When people become zealous towards destroying, it is not God, not the Holy Spirit (involved) but a demon. So don’t bother about the activities of the demon, stop the demon,” he said.

He said he has been praying for days over the situation, adding that it is an insult to believers that such is going on while they are on earth.
“That we are alive and this is going on is an insult to our existence as believers,” he said.
The clergyman then went on his knees to pray in front of a projector screen showing the map of Ukraine and Russia.

Source PUNCH.

BREAKING: At Last Buhari Signs Electoral Act Amendment Bill Into Law

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Today the 25th day of February,2022 President Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), signed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2022 into law.
This was disclosed on Twitter by presidential aide, Bashir Ahmad, on Friday. Which reads…

“BREAKING: President Muhammadu Buhari has signed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021 into law,”

Details loading…

Ukraine: Napoli And Barcelona Display Anti-War Banner Before Europa Clash

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Napoli and Barcelona joined the chorus of protest against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Thursday by holding up a banner with the message “stop war” before their Europa League clash.

Russia launched a war against its eastern European neighbour on Thursday, drawing outrage from the international community and sparking demonstrations at home as dozens were killed.
The two teams lined up at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona ahead of the match and held up a banner which was wildly applauded by the roughly 40,000 fans present.

The two sides are locked at 1-1 in their play-off tie, with the winners advancing to the last 16 which is played on March 10 and 17.
AFP

FIFA Suspends Kenya, Zimbabwe Over Govt Interference

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The Fédération of International Football Association has suspended Kenyan and Zimbabwean football federations due to government interference.

This was contained in a statement by FIFA on Thursday.
“Without prejudice to investigations by national authorities or other judiciary bodies, the FIFA Council has decided to suspend the Kenya Football Federation and the Zimbabwe Football Federation with immediate effect for undue influence by a third party,” part of the statement read.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino later gave more details on the reasons for the suspensions, referring at a press conference to “government interference in the activities of the football federation”.
“They know what needs to be done for the suspension to be lifted,” he added.

The FIFA Council met briefly by videoconference on Thursday, without taking any major action on the project to reform the international calendar which could see a World Cup every two years, an idea promoted by FIFA but opposed by European and South American federations.

Source PUNCH.

FG Arranges Special Flights To Evacuate Nigerians In Ukraine

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The Federal Government of Nigeria has arranged a special flight operation to evacuate Nigerians from Ukraine.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama in an interview with NTA said the Nigerian embassy in Kyiv has been contacted to finalise the arrangements for those willing to return to the country.


He said, “The Federal Government of Nigeria has arranged for a special flight operation to evacuate our citizens from Ukraine in view of the escalating tension between that country and Russia.
“The Nigerian embassy in Kyiv has been contacted to arrange those wishing to return home from other areas including Donestk and Luhensk.
“Nigerians are assured that the ministry is following the event in the country, we would do everything for the safety of Nigerians in Ukraine, particularly students.”
Copyright PUNCH.

Edo Police Arrest Serial Gay Rapist, Foil Kidnap Attempt

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Edo State Police Command has said it has arrested a 43-year-old man, Ovie Oktogbo, who specialises in raping male teenagers in Ugbowo, Benin.

In a statement on Wednesday by the state Command Spokeman, SP Bello Kontongs, Oktogbo, an indigene of Delta was arrested after one of his victims, a 13-year-old fell ill.

The statement stated, “On the 10/02/2022 at about 18:00hrs, the Edo State Police Command arrested one Ovie Oktogbo ‘M’ (43) of No. 15 Ugboguhi Street Off Uwasota, Ugbowo, Benin City, an indigene of Delta State but resident in Benin City.

The suspect a father of three who also works as a guard in the area specialises in raping male children/teenagers between the ages of 10 to 15 years.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the rapist specializes in using N100 to N200 to lure his unsuspected victims and have an unnatural carnal knowledge of them through their anus by applying Caro-White bleaching cream on both his manhood and the victims anus as the case may be for easy penetration.

“Luck ran out on him as one of his victim ‘M’ 13years (name withheld) fell ill with swollen feet, face and pus all over his body. Medical examination revealed that his liver and kidney are damaged as a result of a certain chemical contained in bleaching cream.

“Upon further enquiry by the victim’s parents, he confessed that a certain man in the area had carnal knowledge of him, it was in that process that he applied the cream in his anus, hence the report to the police.”

On receipt of the information, the operatives of the command arrested Oktogbo who is cooperating with investigating officers.
He confessed to having defiled nine boys, six of whom have already been identified and their parents also made formal complaints to the Commissioner of Police, Philip Ogbadu, while three are yet to be identified.
According to Kontongs, operatives of the state command, on Wednesday, also foiled a kidnap attempt and rescued a victim in the state.

“The operatives of the Edo State Police Command today February 23, 2022 acting on credible information that hoodlums suspected to be kidnappers emerge from the bush and started shooting sporadically at unsuspected members of the public plying Ubiaja-Ewohimi Road in Esan South-East Local Government Area of Edo State forcing one lone occupant of a Toyota Avalon car with Abuja Reg. No. RSH 585 RR to stop and was whisked away into the bush.

while some narrowly escaped with damage vehicle as the result of sparodic shooting from the hoodlums.
“On receipt of the information the Divisional Police Officer, Ewohimi Division immediately mobilized a team of Police operatives and Local Vigilante to the location where they saw an abandoned car.

“The team immediately went in pursuit of the suspected kidnappers On sighting the team of operatives, the suspects opened fire on them while the team courageously responded, which made the suspects to abandon their victim one Friday John unhurt.
“The victim was profiled and asked to continue his journey,” the statement added.
Source PUNCH.

NDLEA Arrests Singers Zinoleesky, Mohbad, Recovers Drugs

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Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested singers Zinoleesky and Mohbad after a midnight raid on their residence in Lagos.
This was confirmed by the NDLEA Spokesman, Femi Babafemi, who said Cannabis and Molly were recovered by the operatives.
“Our men raided an area in Idado estate where Bịara Market boys stay. Some quantities of Cannabis sativa and Molly were recovered from their apartment and car,” he told TheCable Lifestyle.
“Six persons were arrested in all. Two females and four males.”
This is coming weeks after the Agency arrested fast-rising skit maker, De General, after a raid on his residence in Lagos.
De General was immediately charged to court where he was convicted of trafficking tramadol and Cannabis sativa.
The skit maker was, however, pardoned by the court on the grounds that the quantity of the drugs found on him was too small to earn him a sentence.

Source PUNCH.

Enugu Election: Ugwuanyi, LG Bosses Meet Over Killings

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Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State on Thursday, summoned an emergency security meeting with critical stakeholders from five local government areas in the state over the worsening security in the state of late.

The five local government areas are Nkanu West, Nkanu East, Enugu South, Enugu North and Enugu East.

Gov. Ugwuanyi

Our correspondent gathered that the meeting scheduled for 2:30pm was to brainstorm with leaders and stakeholders of these Council Areas to find a lasting solution to the increasing violent attacks killings in the state.

The PUNCH had reported that no fewer than five persons were killed on Wednesday during the state council election with several others injured and property worth millions of naira destroyed by hoodlums.

In a statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Information, Steve Oruruo, the government disclosed that the meeting would hold at the Government House, Enugu.

The chairmen of the five LGAs, all members of the State House of Assembly representing constituencies within the affected councils, traditional rulers and others were invited.
“All invitees to this meeting are expected to be seated by 2:30pm on Thursday, the 24th day of February, 2022 at the Government House, Enugu,” the statement added.

Hoodlums had killed no fewer than 15 persons including security operatives within the state capital in less than 14 days.
Source PUNCH.

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