The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Bruce

  • Melaye, Bruce shun police invitation

    Senators Dino Melaye and Ben Murray-Bruce yesterday shunned the police invitation  in connection with last week’s public protest in Abuja.

    The senators were expected at the office of the FCT Commissioner of Police for questioning by 10am but they did not show up.

    The Police had alleged that the duo were captured on camera for their active involvement in the disturbance of public peace and public safety and unlawful blockade of Shehu Shagari way for many hours thereby preventing road users’ access.

    The Police also allged that they were pushing and hitting policemen in a bid to forcibly gain access to the Force Headquarters to cause damage to Police equipment and government property.

    FCT police Spokesman DSP Anjuguri Manzah said yesterday: “We have not seen them yet but we are keeping our fingers crossed.”

    “We will respond appropriately.  It is an ongoing investigation. Please let us not dabble into it”.

  • Saraki, Melaye, Bruce ordered to report at HQ on Monday

    For allegedly leading a violent protest and attacking policemen on Friday, Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Senator Dino Melaye and Senator Ben Bruce have been summoned to report at the Louis Edet House police headquarters on Monday.

    This was contained in a statement issued on Friday night and titled “Dispersal Of Unruly And Violent Protesters Who Attacked Police Personnel On Duty In Front Of The Force Headquarters, Abuja”

    According to the police, the trio need to report to the IGP Monitoring Unit at the Force Headquarters on Monday because they were  captured on camera, leading “the disturbance of public peace and public safety, unlawful blockade of Shehu Shagari way for several hours preventing motorists, road users and other members of the public from having access and passage on the highway,”

    “They were  thereby disturbing public peace and public safety and causing innocent people to scamper for safety and violent attack on Policemen posted to ensure security of the Force Headquarters, pushing and hitting the Policemen to forcefully enter the Force Headquarters to cause damage to Police equipment and Government properties,” the police alleged.

    The police  further alleged that with the assistance of miscreants, the trio were “causing innocent people to scamper for safety”..

     “Today (Friday) at about 1330Hrs, unruly and violent protesters who are members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in their hundreds with thugs and miscreants inside several trucks and vehicles blocked the Shehu Shagari way in front of the Nigeria Police Force, Headquarters creating a gridlock of traffic on the highway and preventing motorists, road users and other members of the public from having access and passage on Shehu Shagari Way…

    “The Police team headed by a very Senior Police Officer despite the provocation, after issuing words of proclamation, warning this unruly PDP protesters who were chanting war songs of ”we no go gree o , we no go gree , we no go gree ”, charged the Police personnel who used minimum force and dispersed them.

    “The Inspector General of Police has directed immediate investigation into this unprovoked and unwarranted attack on the personnel of the Nigeria Police Force and the Force Headquarters premises which is against the law and condemnable .

    “The Force will do everything within the law to bring all perpetrators of this crime to justice, no matter how highly placed.

    “Consequently, Senator Bukola Saraki, Senator Dino Melaye and Senator Ben Bruce who were captured on camera to have been involved in the disturbance of public peace and public safety… are hereby invited to report themselves to the IGP Monitoring Unit at the Force Headquarters on Monday, 8th October, 2018 for investigation,” the police stated.

  • Speaker Dogara, Bruce, Others to Brainstorm on Terrorism and Human Rights

    Speaker Dogara, Bruce, Others to Brainstorm on Terrorism and Human Rights

    Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and Senator Ben Bruce have been nominated to join other international speakers and stakeholders in continuation of efforts to curb activities and impact of terrorism in Nigeria in a seminar put together by a civil society organisation: Save Humanity Advocacy Centre (SHAC).

    The seminar tagged, “Global War Against Terrorism: For Nigeria, A Choice Between Law and Life”, is expected to add impetus and proffer solution to Nigeria’s commitment to getting rid of terrorism and its impact on her national life.
    Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, the Executive Secretary of SHAC, Ibrahim Abubakar explained that the seminar has become imperative in view of some subjective assessment done on the fight against terror by the organized force in Nigeria, adding that there was a need for collective and objective assessment of the war.
    Abubakar stressed that SHAC has spent quality time over the years monitoring crisis situations across the country and in recent years concentrated both in the North and south-eastern part of the country.
    “In the course of our work, we have noted that ongoing conflicts across the world have been assessed with such worrying relativity that the issues are easily confused. The standards for evaluation are dangerously fluid and definitions constantly shift depending on who is doing the evaluation, who is being evaluated and where the evaluation is taking place.
    “With Nigeria and the Boko Haram terror group, this kind of subjective assessment of the crisis situation has proven to be out-rightly dangerous and sometimes purely irresponsible when viewed against the greater responsibility to humanity, which is safeguarding the wellbeing of local populations that are the victims of terror attacks. The legitimate authorities – military and security agencies that are saddled with curtailing these terrorists are now branded as if they are the ones committing crimes when in reality they are the ones preventing further carnage against the innocent civilian populations.

    SHAC Executive Secretary maintained that the attempt sometimes to make military and security personnel fighting Boko Haram and other threats to the sovereignty of Nigeria appear like criminals is often hidden behind acceptable global standards for human rights observance by military and law enforcement agencies but noted that there were a lot of greyness on what the standards are as they tend to take on different definitions while acquiring new details where Nigeria is involved.

    He said it was in the light of the damage the crisis has brought on the land and the views expressed with a view to thwarting the efforts of the government to end the menace that the seminar is planned to attempt in correcting the ills.
    “It is therefore imperative that the issues around humanitarian and human rights issues are better articulated to put both practitioners and citizens in a better position to understand what is at stake. This is why the Save Humanity Advocacy Centre (SHAC) is organizing a two-day seminar that will assemble stakeholders to interrogate the issues and proffer useful suggestions on how to proceed in the times ahead.”
    According to SHAC, participants are drawn from Nigeria and abroad to cover those working in crisis management, academics, judiciary and NGOs. These participants boast a collection of people that have proven pivotal in shaping how Nigeria is perceived.
    The Seminar will take place between Wednesday December 13th and Thursday December 14th 2017 at the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.

  • Bruce hails Aluko after MOTM Display

    Bruce hails Aluko after MOTM Display

    Hull City coach, Steve Bruce has lavished praise on Sone Aluko, noting that he was outstanding in his side’s 4-0 thrashing of Bristol City in the Championship on Saturday.

    The Nigeria international had made a name for himself at the KC Stadium when he initially joined the club from Rangers in Scotland but has struggled to replicate those performances after picking up an Achilles injury.

    The 27-year-old Aluko scored his third goal of the season and notched an assist in the huge victory over Peter Odemwingie’s Bristol City.

    “We all know that Sone was terrific for six months when he first arrived here before having a horrible Achilles problem that effectively kept him out for 12 months,” said Bruce to Hull City’s official website.

    “He was then trying to play catch-up in the Premier League and he found it a bit of a struggle.

    “But we all know the ability he has got and when he’s good, like he was in this one, he makes the team play. He was terrific.”

    Sone Aluko has appeared 27 times for The Tigers in all competitions this season and has accumulated 1,195 minutes of game time.

  • Bruce hopes to see best of Aluko

    Bruce hopes to see best of Aluko

    Hull manager Steve Bruce is hoping fans will soon be able to see the real Sone Aluko make his mark on the Barclays Premier League.

    The Nigeria international was arguably the club’s best player in the first half of their 2012-13 promotion campaign before missing the rest of the season with an Achilles injury.

    Last term was equally frustrating, with his Achilles this time ruling him out for almost four months from October.

    But Bruce has never lost faith in a player he first worked with as a teenager at Birmingham, and has been desperate to see him back to form and fitness.

    He was handed a chance from the bench against Everton on Tuesday night, courtesy of the knee injury that is likely to sideline Mohamed Diame until the new year, and his response suggested Bruce’s wish could be about to come true.

    Aluko scored a fine leveller and excelled in support of Nikica Jelavic, who might have won it for Hull had his finish matched Aluko’s set-up.

    “I was delighted for Sone,” said Bruce, who is likely to hand him only a second Premier League start of the season against West Brom today.

    “When I first arrived a couple of years ago he was the outstanding player in the Championship. Unfortunately he damaged his Achilles so badly he missed all the rest of that season and even last year was stop-start.

    “In my experience when you’ve had serious injuries and been out for a year it can take you as long again to be really, really back to being that comfortable. That especially goes if you play like Sone, who is all about twisting and turning and moving.

    “But I’m delighted because he’s worked extremely hard and stuck at it. I pulled him aside before the Everton game and said he was very unlucky not to start because he did very well as a sub at Old Trafford, which is a good sign.

    “I know he’s looking forward to the challenge of playing week-in, week-out in the Premier League because he’s been blighted by injury. Let’s just hope he has a bit of luck because he is a very talented player. He’s one you enjoy watching because he’s a bit different.”

  • EMIRATES CLASH: Bruce to assess Aluko for fitness

    EMIRATES CLASH: Bruce to assess Aluko for fitness

    Super Eagles ace Sam Aluko will be properly assessed for fitness ahead of Hull City’s away clash against Arsenal.  Hull City coach

    Steve Bruce, who gave  the hint, said players returning to international duties will not be thrown into the Emirates clash unless the medical team confirms they are fit enough to play for 90 minutes.

    Sone Aluko and teammate Mohamed Diame endured long flights to link up with Senegal and Nigeria respectively and Bruce hinted that the players would be left out if they show signs of fatigue as a result of jet lag and hard fought victory against their opponents in the AFCON qualifiers.

    “We’ll have to look at Diame and Aluko because they only played on Wednesday night.

    “No matter who you are, if you’re hanging around airports, going on long-haul flights, playing games – you’re going to be fatigued.

    “It isn’t fair on the players. We’ve got four or five who have been flying through the time zones, so we’ll have a look at them and see how bright they are,” he said

    While Aluko had a good ride as the Super Eagles achieved a 3-1 victory over Sudan, same cannot be said of teammate Mohamed Diame as the Teranga Lions were beaten 1-0 by Tunisia.  Aluko came in as a second half substitute in Nigeria’s tie against Sudan on Wednesday at the Abuja National Stadium.  The 3-1 victory did not, however, stop the Glass House from showing Keshi the exit door.

    Bruce would be hoping to earn a point at the Emirates coming after his side’s 2-0 home victory over Crystal Palace.   The victory against Palace remains the side’s only victory in five premiership matches including a 4-2 defeat at home by Manchester United