The Nation Newspaper

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  • ‘Sowore may assume status of Prisoner of Conscience’

    The Network of International Human Rights Organisations and Coalitions say it may soon adopt detained Publisher of Sahara Reporters, Mr Omoyele Sowore, as a “Prisoner of Conscience”.

    The Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC) said on Monday in Lagos that it was working with renowned rights groups across the world to ensure that Sowore was adopted as a Prisoner of Conscience
    unless the Federal Government releases the activist without further delay.

    They also expressed shock that the Nigerian authorities were making frivolous charges against Sowore who had been in custody since Aug. 5.

    The group also called for the release of Olawale Bakare, a member of #RevolutionNow arrested in Osogbo, Osun, on Aug. 5, Publisher of Cross River Watch, Mr Agba Jalingo and Ekanem Ekpo. The last two were arrested by the police and have yet to be taken to court.

    “The continued detention of Sowore is an embarrassment to Nigeria as a country. Everywhere we visit across the world, people are asking questions about Sowore’s detention.

    “Many people do not understand the logic of laying charges of treason against Sowore simply because he used the word revolution.

    “His incarceration continues to put a question mark on the credibility of the Nigerian government. Democracy dies when the culture of debate and the tradition of protest are lost,” the group said in a statement by CSNAC Chairman, Mr Olanrewaju Suraju,

    Read Also: FG charges Sowore with money laundering, treasonable felony

    CSNAC said the Nigerian government had beyond imaginations embarrassed itself by charging Sowore for “insulting the President”.

    “It is even more ridiculous that he is being charged for insulting Mr President and also for money laundering where money was legitimately transferred through the financial institutions.

    “These are frivolous charges aimed at seeking justification for his illegal arrest and continuous detention.”

    CSNAC said from indications, the Nigerian government was desperate to press charges against Sowore and ensure he is jailed at all cost.

    Suraju said Sowore was being hunted in part, due to series of publications in Sahara Reporters that consistently exposed corrupt practices in this and previous governments.

    “Sowore is obviously a victim of vengeance. Corrupt politicians and security chiefs whose dirty deals have consistently been exposed by Sahara Reporters are looking for ways to settle scores. They think by
    bringing down Sowore, Sahara Reporters will die.

    “Its an illusion to think by keeping Sowore in jail, Sahara Reporters would be off the global network. This is a mistake because Sahara Reporters has assumed the status of an independent entity,” he said.

    CSNAC also dismissed the charge of money laundering by the Department of State Security, (DSS), saying it was an attempt to blackmail Sahara Reporters and its publisher.

    Sowore was arrested on Aug. 5 in Lagos and the Federal Government obtained an ex-parte order granting his detention for 45 days.

    After keeping him for almost two months, he was charged for insulting President Mohammadu Buhari during a life programme on AriseTV. The government also accused him of treason.

    He was also charged for transferring the sun of $19,975 from his personal account to Sahara Reporters.

  • 14 Osun kidnap victims rescued

    Fourteen kidnap victims at Ajeokun Junction between Otan Ile and Imesi Ile in Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State have been rescued by the police and local vigilante.

    The Commissioner of Police, Mrs. Abiodun Ige, said all the victims abducted on Sunday evening by gunmen were rescued unhurt.

    The victims were passengers of a commercial bus travelling from Osogbo to Abuja via Imesi/Otan-Ile road.

    The victims were allegedly ambushed at Ajeokun Junction between Otan Ile and Imesi Ile before 14 of 18 passengers were whisked into the bush.

    READ ALSO: Troops rescue eight kidnap victims in Kaduna

    Poor condition of the road made it difficult for the driver of the bus to escape from the bandits, according to an eye witness account.

    Osun State Coordinator of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Chief Aladesawe Adedeji, confirmed that the 14 victims had been rescued.

    He disclosed that the joint team of OPC, vigilante group, the police, the Department of State Security made frantic efforts to rescue the victims unhurt after gun duel with the bandits.

    However, the police spokesperson in the state, Folasade Odoro, disclosed that some of bandits escaped into the bush with bullet wounds.

    She said one vigilante sustained a minor injury from the gun battle between the security men and the bandits.

  • How you can earn up to 75k a month from Branch

    Do you know about Branch app? Do you know you can borrow and earn monthly with your Branch App?

    Not only will you have extra cash to pay off your loan, but you’ll also be helping your friends and neighbours access quick, stress-free loans. Does this sound interesting to you? If your answer is yes, then keep reading.

    The Branch referral feature is one of the best in the country and it is open to everyone who is a user of the Branch app.

    Here’s how simple it is. Tell someone – anyone – about Branch app, if they take a loan using your referral code and pay back, you automatically get a N1500 bonus which will be used to pay off your own loan. Even more amazing, they will also get N500!

    You don’t have to do anything stressful and it won’t take you more than a few clicks. Simply share your referral code with as many people as possible and with each person that takes a loan using your code and pays back, you get N1500 every time. In other words, if, for example, 50 people take loans using your referral code and all 50 of them pay back those loans, you get a total of N75,000 in free money.

    Here is how to go about it:

    • Open the Branch app and click on the menu
    • Click on “earn 1500” to view your unique referral code
    • Click on “invite friends” to share with friends (or anyone sef)
    • Select any of the apps on your phone that you want to share the code from
    • Select the contacts you want to share with and share with them
    • Ask your friend to enter your unique code before they repay (this is very important o!)
    • Once they repay their loan as scheduled, you will receive N1500 in your bonus account which will be applied to your next loan.

    Super simple isn’t it? It’s just as simple for your friends or anyone you refer too – plus they get N500 once they repay their loans too! They don’t have to do too much either. Here’s what they need to do:

    • They’ll click on the link in the invite message that you share with them
    • They’ll download the app, register and apply for a loan
    • If their loan is approved, they will receive the loan amount in their account in minutes
    • Now, they just have to go to the menu and click “promotions”
    • They’ll enter the unique code that came in the invite message you sent to them before their repayment date
    • Once they repay, they will receive N500 in their bonus account which will be applied to their next loan.

    This is a huge opportunity, isn’t it? Your friend gets a loan that they can use to solve everyday problems, to start a business or to grow their inventory. They don’t need to run helter-skelter or come to you anymore when they need money.

    You, on the other hand, get a bonus on your loan, which means you pay less (or maybe even nothing at all). Everybody wins!

    We know how things can be, but we are here for you, one small loan at a time.

    Branch is an app that lets you access loans for your personal and business needs using just your Android phone, BVN (to verify your identity) and phone number. You don’t need to fill any forms or collateral. Also, Branch just passed 10 million downloads making it the most downloaded lending app in the world, so you’re in good hands.

    Get the Branch app now and start telling your friends!

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Trump calls for end to religious persecution as he kicks off UN trip

    U.S. President Donald Trump issued a call to nations around the world to end religious persecution on Monday as he began three days of diplomatic events at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

    The president made a surprise but brief visit to a UN climate summit before heading off to host an event on religious freedoms.

    The majority of his day is due to be spent in a rapid series of bilateral meetings with world leaders.

    “Today, with one clear voice, the United States of America calls on nations of the world to end religious persecution.

    “Our rights do not come from government, they come from God,” Trump said, alleging that 80 per cent of the world’s population faced restrictions on religious freedoms.

    The president noted that people of all major faiths faced persecution, but much of his speech focused on Christians.

    The president has been accused of anti-Muslim bias, particularly over a ban introduced at the start of his term in office on most visas for citizens of several Muslim majority nations.

    Vice President Mike Pence introduced Trump and highlighted several countries – all adversaries of the U.S., including Iran, China, Nicaragua and Venezuela – where he said religious freedoms were under attack.

    Pence also highlighted the plight of the Yezidis, who were massacred by Islamic State.

    He vowed to continue to support Yezidis and other minorities in Iraq.

    A U.S. administration official described the religious freedom meeting as “our key event.”

    UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres joined Trump for the event, and said that religious freedom is a “pressing global issue,” urging governments to respect the right to express one’s own thoughts, religion and conscience.

    The Trump administration has made promoting religious tolerance a major cornerstone of its international diplomacy as part of efforts to appeal to its conservative political base at home.

    READ ALSO: Trump names Robert O’Brien as new national security adviser

    The government hosted a summit on the subject in Washington back in July.

    Before attending the religious freedoms summit, Trump made a brief visit to a climate change summit hosted by the UN, but exited after two speeches.

    The U.S. is sending a State Department diplomat as the main representative to the environment summit, which is part of a major UN push to create policy changes to reduce carbon emissions and tackle the effects of climate change, especially in poorer nations.

    A key theme of the UN climate summit is youth, focusing on how emissions today will create major problems for generations to come. Swedish teenage activist Greta Thunberg is a major figure at the UN event.

    In the afternoon, the US president will begin a series of bilateral meetings with world leaders.

    Over the course of several hours, Trump will meet: Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan; President Andrzej Duda of Poland; New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern; Lee Hsien Loong, the premier of Singapore; Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi; and President Moon Jae-in of South Korea.

    Trump will deliver his main speech to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.

    (dpa/NAN)

  • Update: 14 Osun kidnap victims rescued

    Fourteen kidnap victims at Ajeokun Junction, between Otan Ile and Imesi Ile in Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State have been rescued by the police and local vigilante.

    The Commissioner of Police, Mrs. Abiodun Ige, said all the victims abducted on Sunday evening by unknown gunmen were rescued unhurt.

    The victims were passengers of a commercial bus travelling from Osogbo to Abuja via Imesi/Otan-Ile road.

    The victims were allegedly ambushed at Ajeokun Junction between Otan Ile and Imesi Ile before 14 of the 18 passengers were whisked into the bush.

    Poor condition of the road made it difficult for the driver of the bus to escape from the bandits, according to an eye witness account.

    Read Also: Police bust ‘child-sale’ syndicate in Lagos

    Also, the Osun State Coordinator of Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), Chief Aladesawe Adedeji, confirmed that the 14 victims had been rescued.

    He disclosed that the joint team of OPC, vigilante group, the police, the Department of State Security made frantic effort to rescue the victims unhurt after gun duel with the bandits.

    However, the police spokesperson in the state, Folasade Odoro, disclosed that some of bandits escaped into the bush with bullet wounds while one vigilante sustained a minor injury from the gun battle between the security men and the bandits.

  • ‘I stole baby because I wanted male child’

    THE 39-year-old suspect blamed it on her hunger for a male child. Police in Ekiti State picked up Mercy Momoh accusing her of stealing a two-month-old baby in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

    Momoh, who hails from Edo State, was arrested on Saturday at her residence located at Odo-Aremu area, along old Governor’s Office in the state capital.

    The baby was stolen from his mother, Mrs Funmilayo Sunday on Friday around 1pm at the State Secretariat.

    It was gathered that the suspect tricked the baby’s mother into following her to the State Secretariat ostensibly to collect some relief materials being given by government to flood victims.

    The suspect, on getting there, sent the baby’s mother to buy phone airtime for her, and then ran away with the baby before his mother returned.

    Police command spokesperson, Caleb Ikechukwu confirmed the suspect was arrested on Saturday, adding that investigation was ongoing.

    Read Also: Obaseki reassures on kidnapping, other crimes

    He said, “It is confirmed that the woman who stole two-month-old baby has been arrested by the operatives of the Ekiti police command.

    “She was apprehended through intelligence made available to the police and would be prosecuted after conclusion of investigation.

    “Investigation is still on going. More details will come to reveal what really transpired.”

    “We call on members of the public to be careful when dealing with strangers. The suspect was apparently nice to the victim, that was why she got the baby easily. Citizens should not be carried away by kind strangers,” Ikechukwu said.

    A source said the police were informed of the incident by the baby’s mother on the same day, at about 4.30pm.

    Police detectives moved in,  tracing the suspect to her residence, where she was arrested around 11pm.

    According to her, the suspect confessed that she stole the baby because of her dire need of a male child.

    The suspect claimed that due to her inability to bear a male child, her husband got married to another woman and may likely throw her out of the house.

    The source added that the Commissioner of Police, Amba Asuquo, has directed that the matter to be thoroughly investigated.

  • Protests trail Adamawa PDP council primaries

    Complaints of imposition of candidates and other infractions on Monday marked the conduct of the chairmanship and councillorship primaries of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of local council elections scheduled for the 21 LGAs of the state in November this year.

    Violence was alleged in some areas, with one Mahmud Othman, an aspirant from Maiha LGA in the northern zone of the state, saying that in most of the local government areas in the zone, “the primaries to elect local government chairmanship and councillorship candidates were greeted with gun shots,” sending people to all directions.

    He reiterated that similar problems were recorded in the other four local government areas that make up the senatorial zone: Madagali, Michika, Mubi North and Mubi South, “because of imposition of government favoured candidates and the disqualification of the people’s preferred ones.”

    A party member in Ganye Local Government Area, Michael Gwangwaso, alleged a free for all in the area over imposition of aspirants.

    He said, “They wanted to cheat us. The party primary was not conducted in a transparent manner. They wanted to impose their unpopular candidates on us.”

    In Numan LGA, members of Concerned Citizens of Numan Town, a PDP sub-group, protested against ‘wrongful disqualification’ of some aspirants by the party’s screening committee.

    Read Also; I will stay in PDP to seek justice, says Alaibe

    The group members who took their protest to the state capital, Yola, addressed a press conference, accusing the party’s screening committee of showing favouratism. Their spokesman, Mr Vidiyabo Pagiel, who read the text of the briefing, said, “Why are some councillorship candidates cleared by the committee despite the allegations raised against them that they are still civil servants on government payroll.”

    Attempts to get comments from PDP officials largely failed as they would not respond to phone calls nor were they available in their offices.

    The Secretary of the party, Abdullahi Prambe, however later said on phone that he was in Abuja. He offered that stakeholders of the party who had issues over the primaries could table such issues with the appeal committee constituted for that purpose.

    The situation in the PDP is a marked contrast from what applied in the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), which was on Monday afternoon celebrating peaceful primaries as it released names of 18 candidates for the November chairmanship election, leaving out three LGAs from where results had not arrived Yola when the party held a press briefing.

  • JUST IN: Tribunal sacks Benue Assembly deputy speaker

    The National/State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Makurdi, Benue State has nullified the election of Chris Adaji of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the 2019 Ohimini State Constituency election.

    Chairman of the Tribunal Justice R. O. Odudu, who delivered the lead judgment, held that the margin with which Adaji led Musa Alechenu Ohimini of All Progressives Congress (APC) is less than the number of votes cancelled.

    According to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declaration, Adaji led with 397 votes and the Tribunal finds the margin is less than the 1, 056 votes cancelled in the two polling units of Igbanomaje and Odega.

    According to the decision of the court, INEC ought not to have made final declaration without ordering for a rerun in the affected polling units other than declare an inconclusive poll.

    Justice Odudu held that the declaration and return of Adaji without a rerun in Otega and Ogadagba ward is invalid by reason of non-substantial compliance with Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

    Read Also: I will stay in PDP to seek justice, says Alaibe

    The court therefore, issued an order for withdrawer of certificate of return issued to Adaji and an order directing INEC to conduct rerun election in the two polling units where elections were cancelled within 90 days.

    Vincent Tortsugh, who appeared for the petitioners, described the decision of the Tribunal as “reasonable,” adding that “we didn’t expect anything other than this.”

    The APC candidate, Musa Ohimini Alechenu described the decision as a testimony of the wishes of the people.

    He said by the decision, the judiciary has reaffirmed that it remains the hope of the people.

    “I want to appreciate the Tribunal for the good job done. Let me appreciate the people of Ohimini for standing behind me during the period of the legal struggle,” Alechenu said while insisting that he will win the rerun ballot.

    Adaji’s counsel, Ken Ikonne said he will consult his client before taking any further decision.

  • Ronaldo, Messi, Van Dijk battle for FIFA Best player award today

    FIFA is set to host ’ Best Football Awards for 2019.

    The award will take Monday evening at Teatro alla Scala, Milan.

    The event will feature prominently the FIFA Men’s award which has Portugal forward, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi of Barcelona and Liverpool center defender, Virgil van Dijk

    The 2019 UEFA Women’s Player of the Year, Lucy Bronze, US players Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe battle for Women’s best player of the year.

    Manchester City coach, Pep Guardiola, Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp and Tottenham Hotspur gaffer, Mauricio Pochettino engage in a tough fight against each other for the 2019 best coach award.

    England National team coach, Phil Neville will have a rough fight against US national coach Jill Ellis and Sarina Wiegman of Dutch national team

    Liverpool goal stopper, Alisson Becker will face his national teammate Ederson of Manchester city and Barcelona keeper, Marc-Adre ter Stegen.

    READ ALSO: FIFA Best Player award: Ronaldo, Messi lead 23-man shortlist

    Five-time Ballon d’Or awardee, Lionel Messi will hope to win this year Pukas award over Colombia attacking midfielder, Juan Fernando Quintero and Dániel Zsóri of Fehérvár FC.

    A Brazilian mother, Silvia Grecco who describes Palmeiras matches to her blind son has high hope in winning fan player of the year award as she battles with Justo Sánchez, Uruguayan father who does not miss a single game of his team’s rival in loving memory of his deceased son and Netherlands fans which support the Dutch National team at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.

    Chile goal stopper Christiane Endler has been nominated for Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper, the nomination also includes Hedvig Lindahl of Sweden and Sari van Veenendaal of Netherlands.

  • Kogi NPC Chairman resigns

    Alhaji Muhammed Aliyu, the Kogi Chairman of the Nigeria People’s Congress (NPC) has resigned from the party and withdraws from the Nov. 16 governorship election in the state.

    Aliyu announced this in a statement he made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja, saying that his action was “with immediate effect”.

    Aliyu, who is also the governorship candidate of the party in the forthcoming gubernatorial election, said that he had sent his letter of resignation to the National Chairman of the party.

    READ ALSO: Nigeria to get database of deaths, births soon — NPC

    “Among several reasons for my decision, is my desire to continue to maintain the integrity with which I left the public service after 35 years of meritorious service as executive director.

    “I discovered that the political arena is not a place where I can continue to maintain that integrity with unblemished records of service.”

    He thanked NPC for affording him the opportunity to serve.

    (NAN)