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  • HURIWA petitions UN over EFCC’s raid on Adoke’s home

    HURIWA petitions UN over EFCC’s raid on Adoke’s home

    THE Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has protested to the United Nations (UN) against alleged harassment of a former Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The organisation faulted the invasion of the homes of Adoke in Abuja, Kano and Kogi states.

    It asked the UN to invoke its Article 17 on International Covenant on civil and political rights to protect Adoke’s fundamental rights.

    HURIWA made its position known in a petition to the UN against the backdrop of the recent combing of Adoke’s houses by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Police.

    A statement by the group’s National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko and National Media Affairs Director Miss. Zainab Yusuf, said it has sent a team to Dakar, Senegal over the weekend.

    It said the petition was submitted to Mr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas, the Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) for West Africa.

    The petition reads in part: ”We write you this petition with the greatest respect and with the ultimate expectation that you would use your good offices and institutions to wade into the matter and demand that the Nigerian State provides remedial redress to the victims of serial human rights violations aforementioned.

    “This petition is being written purely from an independent perspective as credible stakeholders in the Nigerian human rights community.

    “We have existed and worked actively to defend human rights in Nigeria of all classes since a decade ago.

    “We at the HURIWA have followed with considerable shock and trepidation, the continuous harassment of the family members of the immediate past Federal Attorney General and minister of Justice Alhaji Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. There is also allegation of threats to the life of the immediate past AGF.

    “The former Minister of Justice, who has been in Europe for his post master’s degree course, has cried out on several occasions that the lives of his immediate family members are threatened by members of the cabal within the Presidency in Nigeria because of the ongoing issues relating to the lawful action he took in his capacity as the nation’s chief law officer in the business transaction over oil well involving such parties as Malabu and Shell.”

    “Sir, we will for historical purposes present the summary of the matter of Malabu and to show your good offices that in the entire scenario, the immediate past AGF is being wrongfully targeted may be because of his political persuasion or because he was a key kitchen cabinet member of the last government headed by the now opposition party- People’s Democratic Party.”

    HURIWA raised some issues, which the UN should look into.

    It added: “Why isolate and select Adoke for persistent harassment when the FG hasn’t been able to establish any evidence of wrongdoing or show any bribery transaction linking the immediate past AGF?

    “The action of invasion of homes of Adoke in Abuja, Kano and Kogi states is illegal and unconstitutional and violates all known laws of civility and human rights…”

    It added: “We believe that the incessant invasions of private residences of the family of the immediate past minister and the willful destruction of his property by agents of the Nigerian government amounts to the violation and negation of the fundamental obligations of the Nigerian State to protect and promote the human rights of Nigerians.

    “Nigeria being a signatory to several international human rights and humanitarian treaties, covenants and treaties, we urge you to use your good offices to compel the Nigerian government to comply with three basic state obligations arising from human rights namely the obligation to respect; the obligation to protect; and the obligation to fulfill.”

  • Hunger in DRC leaves 7.7m people in urgent need of food aid

    Hunger in DRC leaves 7.7m people in urgent need of food aid

    Hunger in the Democratic Republic of Congo has left 7.7 million people in urgent need of food aid and pushing the country closer to famine than it has been in a decade, food security experts said on Monday.

    Much of the rise in hunger, 1.8 million new people were added to the list, stems from escalating violence in the Kasai and Tanganyika regions, which in Kasai alone has forced 1.4 million people to flee their homes in the past year.

    The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), whose members include UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Food Program, said 1.5 million people are now facing “emergency” hunger
    levels.

    “Emergency” means people are forced to sell possessions and skip or reduce their meals. It is one level below a classification of famine in the IPC’s internationally-recognised five stages of hunger.

    “This is the first time in 10 years that we’re so close to level five (famine),” said Alexis Bonte, FAO’s interim representative in Congo.

    “It’s a humanitarian tsunami, but it’s a silent tsunami, that’s the problem,” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

    Congo now has 3.8 million people displaced within the country, in addition to a steady flow of refugees from neighboring Burundi, Central African Republic and South Sudan.

    “It has been hidden by other crises,” Bonte said, referring to South Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria and Yemen.

    The crisis has worsened with the advance of fall armyworm, a crop-eating caterpillar that has spread to many parts of the country, including Kasai and Tanganyika, as well as by outbreaks of cholera and measles.

    The country has enough land to feed at least 1 billion people – roughly the population of Africa – and is wealthy in minerals.

    Grinding poverty and years of conflict have left many of its people chronically hungry.

    “I think the donors are really tired of funding the crisis in Congo,” Bonte said, in reference to conflicts that began in the 1990s and have affected millions of people every year since.

    UN has received a quarter of the 812.6 million dollars sought in the humanitarian appeal for Congo this year.

    He said the government needs to stabilise and reduce the conflicts, humanitarian agencies need to be able to give aid, otherwise people are more likely to resume fighting.

    “We cannot hope to make change if we abandon the people.”

    “These people deserve to live in dignity. They have suffered enough,” he said.

    Violence has escalated in Congo since President Joseph Kabila refused to step down after his mandate ended in December.

    Scott Campbell, head of Central and West Africa at the UN human rights office, said the violence had spiraled out of control with the complicity of Kabila’s government.

    Analysts fear growing fighting could spark a repeat of the conflicts seen between 1996 and 2003, mostly in the east of Congo, in which millions died, mainly from hunger and disease.

    Bonte, who has spent seven years in Congo, said the displaced, many of them women, need seeds and farming tools to become self-sufficient, ease pressure on the communities hosting them, and reduce tensions.

    When local NGOs in Chikapa, a town in Kasai region, provided farmland for some 2,000 families who had fled their homes earlier this year, and FAO gave farming equipment, they were able to harvest vegetables to eat and sell within weeks.

    “Normally in a development project, it would take a year to do this.

    “This was just a few weeks, because the ladies were desperate to do something … to escape the trauma they had suffered and … go back to dignity,” Bonte said.

  • UN resumes humanitarian activities in North East

    UN resumes humanitarian activities in North East

    Borno State government said on Saturday the United Nations would resume humanitarian activities in the state and other parts of the North East.

    Malam Isa Gusau, the Special Adviser on Communication to Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, disclosed this in a statement in Maiduguri.

    He said the UN humanitarian office in Maiduguri had on Thursday announced the suspension of its humanitarian operations after a misunderstanding with the military.

    He said the governor had contacted the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed and informed her on the development.

    NAN

     

  • Chibok schoolgirls’ strength inspiring – UN

    Chibok schoolgirls’ strength inspiring – UN

    The UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, has described the strength of the rescued Chibok schoolgirls as “inspiring”.

    Mohammed gave the remarks while briefing the UN Security Council on her visit to Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo from July 19 to 27.

    The UN deputy chief said: “In Nigeria, we were moved by our meeting with the Chibok girls facilitated by the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs.

    “Their remarkable strength as survivors rather than victims is inspiring. Many are receiving education and psychosocial support to prepare them for reintegration.

    “But thousands of other young women who have been abducted and returned, subjected to sexual violence and affected by conflict in other ways are still to receive adequate support.

    “We also interacted with displaced women and girls who are facing exploitation and abuse in the camps. We held meetings with women leaders who underscored the need to address mental health and women’s empowerment.”

    She commended the governments of Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Nigeria for their efforts to promote stability through the Multinational Joint Task Force within the Lake Chad Basin Regional cooperation.

    According to her, international support will continue to be crucial in addressing the root causes of the crisis in very complex situations.

    “I am pleased to note that since our visit, the Acting President of Nigeria has established a Judicial Commission to investigate alleged violations of human rights by Nigerian security agencies, and to recommend ways to prevent such violations.

    “I commend this initiative and encourage the relevant authorities to include sexual- and gender-based violence within the Commission’s work.

    “The United Nations stands ready to support this important effort and also to reinforce protection measures for displaced women and girls,” Mohammed, Nigeria’s former Minister of Environment, said.

    She said in Nigeria, the eight-year conflict in the Northeast has generated a risk of famine, displaced 1.9 million people and left 8.5 million people in need of assistance.

    “These dire circumstances are being made worse by the large gap in humanitarian funding including meeting the commitments made at the Oslo Humanitarian Conference. There is an acute need for sustained and scaled up funding to avert famine in Nigeria.”

    Mohammed stressed that “one message resounds most: investing in women and girls must be central to our efforts in Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and beyond if we are to have sustainable peace and development.

    “Giving special consideration to the context will be key to responses that deliver the right results.

    “We look forward to working with national governments, regional organizations, civil society, women and girls themselves, and international partners to deliver results that will advance peace, development and dignity for all.”

    Mohammed said she was pleased to be joined by the Executive Director of UN Women and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict – both of whom were with her at the briefing, as well as the African Union Commission’s Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security.

    “We were four African women, from two organizations, visiting two countries, with one goal: advancing peace by advancing the equality, empowerment and well-being of women,” Mohammed said. (NAN)

  • Boko Haram: Army confirms raid on UN house in Maiduguri

    Boko Haram: Army confirms raid on UN house in Maiduguri

    The Nigeria Army says it has intensifies condone and search operations within Maiduguri metropolis and its environs.

    According to a statement signed by Lt. Col. Kingsley Samuel on behalf of the Theatre Commander Operation Lafiya Dole and  made available to journalist in Maiduguri explained that the operations became expedient, the, “Theatre Command received credible information from one of its  credible sources that some high value BHT suspects had infiltrated into Pompomari Bye-pass”, of Maiduguri metropolis.

    The statement also noted that the search operation was carried out in 29 houses in the general area including a building hosting United Nations Staff.

    The UN building is said to belong to the late Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Mala Kachalla.

    The statement read in full:

    “As part of ongoing counter insurgency operations, the Theatre Command Operation LAFIYA DOLE has been conducting several clearance as well as cordon and search operations in urban and rural areas within the Theatre. The clearance operations effort has been yielding several successes. It has forced the Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) to change tactics and resort to employment of suicide bombers to target military locations and the populace.  This necessitated the need to intensify Cordon and Search in Maiduguri metropolis and environment.

    “In the last one week cordon and search operations were conducted in Jiddari –Polo, Muna Garage, Jakana amongst several other areas. On 10th August 2017, Theatre Command received information from one of its credible sources that some high value BHT suspects had infiltrated into Pompomari Bye Pass.  It therefore became expedient to take preemptive action by combing the general area through a cordon and search operations.  The operation was successfully conducted as over 30 houses were searched.  One of such included a property which was said to be occupied by United Nations Staff, although the property did not carry a UN designation.  On the whole, operation in the general area was successfully concluded but no arrest was made because the suspects were not found.

    “The command wishes to assure the general public that these operations are being conducted to safeguard lives and properties but not targeted at any individual or group.  The general public is cautioned to avoid peddling rumors which may cause disaffection and to remain law abiding”.

    The statement of the army is coming on the wake of wild rumors on the social media in Maiduguri that the leader of Boko Haram Abubakar Shekau was arrested by troops in Maiduguri.

    So far, no security source has confirmed the rumour of Shekau’s arrest.

  • ‘We can’t forget the anguish of Boko Haram victims’ – UK

    ‘We can’t forget the anguish of Boko Haram victims’ – UK

    The United Kingdom has said that it was difficult to forget the stories of anguish that Boko Haram terrorists perpetrated against innocent people in the northeast.

    The Permanent Representative of UK to the UN, Amb. Matthew Rycroft, stated this at the Security Council briefing on ‘Peace and Security in Africa’ with focus on Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

    Rycroft recalled the Council’s visit to the Lake Chad region in March, saying “I’m sure that none of us who are on that visit will forget the stories of anguish that we heard there”.

    “So many of them from mothers or daughters who had lost everything – their children, their families, their homes, their hope – all to Boko Haram. Sadly, it seems that these stories are still being told.

    “In spite of the efforts of the UN, and the AU and governments of the region, the suffering continues – with over two million people still displaced in the Lake Chad region; over 96 per cent of them because of the insurgency.”

    According to him, it was high time everything was done to break the cycle of violence being perpetrated by the Boko Haram terrorists in the country.

    “Put simply Mr President, we need to break the cycle. And by we, I mean all of us, including this Security Council, but responsibility must fall, first and foremost, to the governments affected,” Rycroft said.

    “It means governments holding to account those who have committed these crimes; showing that there can be really no impunity and no escape; that the rule of law applies to everyone.

    “And we need to help them in that effort. And that’s why the UK, together with our UN and NGO partners, are supporting the Nigerian government to re-establish basic social services to areas they have stabilised.”

    “It’s why we provide training to the Nigerian Armed Forces and to African Peacekeeping contingents on protecting civilians and on preventing sexual and gender based violence,” the UK envoy said.

    He said at the heart of addressing the huge humanitarian challenges caused by the Boko Haram crisis meant women’s equality in all aspects of politics, government and society.

    “It’s unacceptable that women continue to be so poorly represented in formal governance and peace processes when time after time studies show that women’s participation in these processes aids their ultimate success.

    “In Nigeria, for instance, women’s participation in the House of Representatives and Senate has fallen since 2011; it now stands at around five per cent,” he said.

    The UK envoy advocated for the full, active participation of women saying “women have spent too long enduring and surviving these crises; it’s long past time for them to play their fullest part in solving them”.

    “I’m looking forward to Amina Mohammed’s briefing on her visit to Nigeria and to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, two crucial countries, including for the Women, Peace and Security agenda which was the reason for her visit that she will be briefing us on.

    “And on Northeast Nigeria, I was very glad to co-lead the Council there as part of our  Lake Chad Basin visit back in March.

    “One of the things that we concluded that it was important not to have a one off visit but to have a series of sustained engagement, really getting under the surface of the interconnected problems there.

    “It’s not just climate change, it’s not just terrorism, it’s not just governance, it’s not just a famine, it’s everything interconnected with everything else,” Rycroft said.

  • UN commends Cameroon’s generosity to Nigerian refugees

    UN commends Cameroon’s generosity to Nigerian refugees

    The UN Deputy Secretary-General, Ms Amina Mohammed, has commended Cameroon for its generosity towards the Nigerian refugees who fled to the country to escape the destructive activities of Boko Haram terrorists.

    Mohammed gave the commendation during a meeting with Cameroon’s delegation led by Prof. Paul Ghogomu, Director of Cabinet of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Cameroon, a readout from the meeting, stated.

    “The Deputy Secretary-General commended Cameroon for its generosity towards refugees from Central African Republic and Nigeria.

    “She conveyed that the United Nations looks forward to working with Cameroon, Nigeria and Chad to reintegrate those affected, especially women, youth and children.

    Mohammed and Ghogomu also discussed the situation in the Bakassi Peninsula and the fight against Boko Haram as well as the 2030 Agenda and the UN development system reform.

    They similarly discussed the internal situation in the Republic of Cameroon, particularly in the Anglophone regions.

    The UN deputy scribe welcomed the efforts being undertaken by the Cameroonian government to de-escalate tensions and highlighted the importance of further confidence building measures.

    These measures include ensuring that justice is given to all and that human rights are upheld and respected, and noting that those responsible for rule of law are to be held to a higher standard.

    Mohammed also reiterated the willingness of the UN to assist, through the good offices of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Central Africa and Head of the UN Regional Office for Central Africa, Mr François Fall, and the UN country team.

    According to the deputy Secretary-General, the UN will support include efforts to address the outstanding root causes of the tensions in the affected regions.

  • UN, Obama urge peaceful polls in Kenya

    UN, Obama urge peaceful polls in Kenya

    Ahead of Tuesday Kenya’s presidential election, the UN and former U.S. president Barack Obama on Monday called for peaceful polls, urging respect for the outcome of the polls.

    The UN urged whoever is dissatisfied with the outcome of the polls to use legal channels to address grievances, according to Mr Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the secretary-general.

    “We urge the leadership of the various political parties to respect the outcome of the elections and to use the existing legal channels to address grievances.

    “We also call for impartial and human-rights compliant conduct of the police and security forces as a cornerstone of peaceful elections,” he said.

    Obama, whose father was born in Kenya, said there has been “too much incitement and appeals based on fear from all sides”.

    The former president warned that the Kenyan people “will be the losers if there is a descent into violence.”

    “I urge Kenyan leaders to reject violence and incitement; respect the will of the people; urge security forces to act professionally and neutrally; and work together no matter the outcome.

    “The choices you make in the coming days can either set Kenya back or bring it together,” Obama said.

    “As a friend of the Kenyan people, I urge you to work for a future defined not by fear and division, but by unity and hope” Obama added in a statement.

    Tuesday’s election has been predicted as a battle between incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta battling to secure a second five-year term and his opponent and long-time rival opposition leader Raila Odinga.

    Odinga alleged voting irregularities after losing to Kenyatta in the 2013 election and took his case to the Supreme Court, which ruled in Kenyatta’s favour by saying the election was valid.

    Odinga was also a candidate in the 2007 election, which was followed by deadly violence fueled by ethnic rivalries.

    Former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is among international observers who will be monitoring the election.

  • U.S notifies UN of withdrawal from Paris Climate Accord

    U.S notifies UN of withdrawal from Paris Climate Accord

    The United States has submitted to the United Nations a formal notice  of withdrawal from Paris Climate Agreement.

    The notification was made Friday, with the UN  Secretary-General António Guterres  appealing  to the U.S. to reconsider its action, in the interest of humanity.

    President Donald Trump had announced on June 1, 2017 that the U.S. would leave the agreement.

    The Spokesman for the Secretary-General, Mr Stéphane Dujarric, confirmed that Guterres received, “in his capacity as Depositary of the Paris Agreement, a communication from the Permanent Representative of the United States of America”.

    The Secretary General, however, welcomed  any effort to re-engage in the Paris Agreement by the United States.

    Dujarric said the communication expressed “the intention of the United States to exercise its right to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, as soon as it is eligible to do so under the Agreement, unless it identifies suitable terms for re-engagement”.

    Guterres stressed his statement on June 1, 2017 that the decision by the United States to withdraw from the Paris Agreement is a major disappointment for global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote global security.

    “It is crucial that the United States remains a leader on climate and sustainable development. Climate change is impacting now.

    “He looks forward to engaging with the American government and all other actors in the United States and around the world to build the sustainable future for our children and future generations,” Guterres said.

    Under article 28 of the Paris Agreement, a Party may withdraw at any time after three years from the date on which the Agreement has entered into force for that Party, and such withdrawal takes effect upon expiry of one year from the date of receipt by the Depositary of the notification of withdrawal.

    The United States accepted the Paris Agreement on Sept. 3, 2016 and the Agreement entered into force for the United States on Nov. 4, 2016.

    The Secretary-General would circulate the text of this communication as a depositary notification, in English and French, early next week.

    The U.S. Department of State, in a statement, confirmed “the United States submitted a communication to the United Nations, in its capacity as depositary for the Paris Agreement, regarding the U.S. intent to withdraw from the Paris Agreement as soon as it is eligible to do so, consistent with the terms of the Agreement”.

    “As the President indicated in his June 1 announcement and subsequently, he is open to re-engaging in the Paris Agreement if the United States can identify terms that are more favorable to it, its businesses, its workers, its people, and its taxpayers.

    “The United States supports a balanced approach to climate policy that lowers emissions while promoting economic growth and ensuring energy security.

    “We will continue to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions through innovation and technology breakthroughs, and work with other countries to help them access and use fossil fuels more cleanly and efficiently and deploy renewable and other clean energy sources, given the importance of energy access and security in many nationally determined contributions.

    “The United States will continue to participate in international climate change negotiations and meetings, including the 23rd Conference of the Parties (COP-23) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, to protect U.S. interests and ensure all future policy options remain open to the administration.

    “Such participation will include ongoing negotiations related to guidance for implementing the Paris Agreement,” the department said.

  • UN floats ‘Nigeria Humanitarian Fund’ for Northeast

    UN floats ‘Nigeria Humanitarian Fund’ for Northeast

    The UN has set up a new fund, Nigeria Humanitarian Fund (NHF), primarily to tackle the crisis-hit Northeast Nigeria caused by the destructive activities of the Boko Haram terrorists.

    The UN said the fund has also allocated more than 10.5 million dollars to help thousands of women, children and men in need of life-saving humanitarian assistance.

    “The fund plays a vital role in ensuring an effective, coordinated, prioritized and principled humanitarian response, providing funding to international and national NGOs, UN agencies, funds and programmes, and the Red Cross/Red Crescent societies, with a focus on front-line responders.

    “To date the NHF has received $25 million in contributions and pledges, thanks to the generous support of Sweden, Germany, Norway, Belgium, Ireland, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Luxembourg, the Arab Gulf Program for Development, Azerbaijan, Malta and Sri Lanka.”

    “Another allocation is expected in the coming months,” the UN said.

    The UN said the 10.5 million dollars allocation by the new fund  – NHF – would prioritize life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable, and also expand the humanitarian assistance provided by the UN and partners to the hard-to-reach and newly accessible areas.

    “The humanitarian crisis in Nigeria’s north-east and the Lake Chad region is one of the most severe in the world today.

    “There are 8.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in the three worst-affected Nigerian states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe alone.

    “Of them, 6.9 million people are targeted for humanitarian assistance,” the UN said.

    The statement quoted Edward Kallon, the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, as saying the fund will address key humanitarian challenges in the northeast.

    Kallon said: “This crisis has caused an untold loss of life and liberty across the north-east of Nigeria and civilians continue to bear the brunt of the conflict.

    “These funds will go towards addressing some of the key priority areas in the humanitarian response that have not yet been financially supported, including the provision of safe drinking water, emergency shelter and health services to those in need”.

    Specifically, the 10.5 million dollars will fund about 15 different projects which were selected by the various sectors of the humanitarian response and approved by the NHF Advisory Board.

    The projects target and address the needs of the most vulnerable people in locations where access is sporadic and where flooding, disease outbreaks and new displacements continue to take place.

    Such places are Monguno, Mafa,Pulka and Rann in Borno and Michika in Adamawa.

    The funds will also support efforts to enhance the protection of civilians in vulnerable communities and those trapped in conflict areas.

    “The Nigeria Humanitarian Fund contributes to the overall international humanitarian appeal for Nigeria
    this year for 1.05 billion dollars as detailed in the 2017 Humanitarian Response Plan.

    “It is the fourth largest single-country appeal globally. To date, the appeal is 43 per cent funded.

    “The NHF is one of 18 country-based pooled funds and was launched during the Oslo Humanitarian Conference on Nigeria and the Lake Chad Region in February 2017”, UN said.

    The new Nigeria fund is managed by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs on behalf of the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria.