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Tag: violence

  • NGOs petition Buhari over insecurity, violence in Ogun

    A coalition of Non-Governmental Organisations has petitioned President Buhari over “growing intolerance and insecurity in Ogun State.”

    In a letter dated January 7, 2019, addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari and copied to the National Security Adviser, the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of SSS, and signed by National Coordinator of Concerned Human Rights, Mr. Declan Ihekaire, National Coordinator of Legal Minds Forum,  Olayinka. Ola-Daniels, and National Coordinator of Committee for the Protection of People’s Mandate (COPM), Mr. Nelson Ekunjumi, the bodies said that “the Governor of Ogun State who swore to protect lives and property in Ogun State, should not be seen to directly and indirectly be in the forefront of heating up the polity of his state for any reason whatsoever.”

    The letter read further: “As concerned members of the Civil Society, we the underlisted organisations deem it as our civic duty to call Your Excellency’s attention to the growing intolerance and insecurity in Ogun State.

    The Governor of Ogun State who swore to protect lives and property in Ogun State, should not be seen to directly and indirectly be in the forefront of heating up the polity of his state for any reason whatsoever.  Unfortunately, Ogun State has become very tensed since the outcome of the party primaries of the All Progressive Congress (APC), won by Prince Dapo Abiodun on October 3, 2018.”

    “Various protests have been staged by elected councillors, commercial motorcycle riders, members of road transport unions, and many more, all at the suspected behest and sponsorship of those aggrieved by the outcome of the APC primaries which, though,  is an exercise of their democratic rights, but has further heated up the polity.

    However, we are very worried and disturbed that Governor Ibikunle Amosun, by his utterances, has become a threat to the peace and tranquillity of Ogun State, because he has been quoted copiously in the media as boasting that all hell will be let loose in Ogun State, except his anointed candidate for the governorship of Ogun State, by fire and force,  becomes the person he will handover power to in 2019.”

    “From our observations, many citizens of Nigeria notably politicians, surprisingly, of the same APC with Governor Amosun are now living in absolute fear and apprehension, while many others have left Ogun State for fear of their lives. The former Local Government Chairman in Ijebu- East, Comrade Tunde Oladunjoye, was to first raise alarm of threat to his life on September 8, 2018.”

    The bodies chronologically catalogued recent violent incidents in Ogun State and attacks on members and supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC).  However, the groups complained that “Your Excellency Sir, all petitions on these violent incidences reported to the Ogun Police Commissioner are yet to yield response, rather, suspects allegedly arrested in connection with the incidents, have been set free by the police in Ogun State for unexplained reasons. Even when the matter was transferred to Zone 2 Command, Onikan, Lagos, the arrested suspects have also been let loose’’.

  • Oyo shuts Ibadan community school over violence

    The Oyo State government yesterday shut Community Grammar School, Olodo, Ibadan, the state capital, with immediate effect.

    A statement by the Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Mrs. Ibironke Fatoki, said the school was shut for alleged arson that occurred on the premises last Friday during a mob action among some hoodlums and miscreants after a violent protest by some junior secondary school pupils the day before.

    Mrs. Fatoki said the government had set up a six-man administrative investigative panel to examine the immediate and remote causes of the incident, adding that the panel is expected to submit its report within seven working days.

    She said a block of three classrooms and four cars were burnt, adding that one person killed during the two days of mayhem.

  • Violence rocks Akwa Ibom Assembly

    It was all drama yesterday at the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly in Uyo, the state capital.

    Five opposition lawmakers, purportedly suspended by factional Speaker Onofiok Luke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), reconvened to initiate the removal of Luke and begin the impeachment of Governor Udom Emmanuel.

    The sitting of the five All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers, led by another factional Speaker, Nse Ntuen, was scuttled by suspected thugs.

    Emmanuel was at the Assembly Complex, which was thrown into confusion as the suspected thugs manhandled the APC lawmakers, who were suspended for defecting from the ruling PDP.

    Ntuen, assisted by scores of armed policemen, stormed the Assembly Complex in the company of his four colleagues at about 8.30am and allegedly broke into the main chamber to hold their plenary.

    It was gathered that the five lawmakers came to the Chamber with a mace, allegedly brought from a local government area. There was another claim that the mace was fake.

    The lawmakers, who also planned to suspend the other 21 members, could not make into the chamber, as they were resisted by some Assembly employees.

    It was learnt that the APC lawmakers descended on the Assembly workers who tried to stop them from holding their plenary.

    There was pandemonium. The press secretary to the Speaker, Kufre Okon, was beaten up and his mobile phone destroyed.

    Guns boomed at the complex despite the heavy security presence.

    The Nation learnt that some of the Assembly workers who escaped the assault told their colleagues about the development.

    The situation got awry when some youths, suspected to be PDP loyalists, stormed the Assembly. They allegedly beat up the factional speaker and his colleagues.

    Four of the five APC lawmakers escape through the emergency exit. But Ntuen was not so lucky. He was still within the complex when the governor arrived at the scene.

    Ntuen, was injured, was taken to a private hospital in Uyo.

    The 26-member Akwa Ibom Assembly has been enmeshed in a crisis following the defection of five of its members from the PDP.

    Ntuen of the APC and Onofiok Luke of the PDP have been laying claim to the leadership.

    Luke convened the House on November 9, announced the suspension of the five defectors and declared their seats vacant.

    But Ntuen convened another session on November 20. He also announced the suspension of Luke and 11 PDP lawmakers.

    Suspended by the Ntuen-led faction are: Udo Akpan, Felicia Bassey, Nse Essien, Lawrence Udofia, Usoro Akpanusoh, Ime Okon, Friday Iwok, Asuquo Archibong, Mark Esset, Emmanuel Ekpenyong and Aniekan Uko.

    He also dissolved all standing committees constituted by Luke and adjourned plenary till December 4.

    Read also: Akwa Ibom: Group plans Mass action in Abuja, petitions Foreign Missions in Nigeria

    The Akwa Ibom House of Assembly has ordered the immediate arrest and prosecution of a retired Sergeant-at-arms identified as Godwin Ukpong.

    It also called for the arrest of the five sacked lawmakers – Nse Ntuen, Idongesit Ituen, Gabriel Toby, Victor Udofia, and Otobong Ndem – for breaking into and desecrating the chambers of the Assembly.

    This was one of the seven prayers of a motion moved by House Leader Udo Kierian Akpan and seconded by the Deputy Leader Ime Okon.

    The House banned the affected lawmakers from coming anywhere near the premises of the State Assembly.

    The lawmakers also resolved that the new Commissioner of Police, Musa Kimo, be replaced for complicity in the illegal invasion of the chambers.

    They passed a vote of confidence on the leadership of Speaker Onofiok Luke for his leadership qualities and for standing by the provisions of the Constitution and the Standing Orders of the House, urging the Commissioner of Police and other security agencies to protect the legislative institution amidst a warning that they refrain from aiding the criminal activities of the sacked lawmakers.

    The resolutions followed a matter of urgent public importance raised during yesterday’s plenary by the Chairman of the House Committee on Rules, Business, Ethics and Privileges,  Aniekan Uko, who raised concerns over the alleged breaking into the chambers by earlier in the day by unauthorised persons.

     

  • Marafa blames Yari for violence in Zamfara

    ALL Progressives Congress (APC) governorship hopeful Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa yesterday threw his weight behind the decision of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) on cancellation of Wednesday’s governorship primary in Zamfara State.

    The decision followed the recommendation of Professor Abu Fari-led governorship primary committee.

    Marafa, who is one of the aspirants in a statement, blamed Governor Abdul Aziz Yari for the violence that erupted in some parts of the state during the exercise.

    He noted that the insistence on the continuation of the exercise despite the violence orchestrated by those who should have ensured peace was the height of lawlessness and wickedness.

    Marafa said the primary election was postponed thrice and that after an exhaustive meeting with all security agencies, nine governorship aspirants, INEC and the committee sent from Abuja on Tuesday, it was unanimously agreed that the election should hold on Wednesday.

    He noted that after the distribution of election materials, the aspirant agents raised the alarm that ballot papers given to them were not up to 10% of the registered party members in their wards.

    Marafa added that the development forced the committee chairman to summon an emergency meeting in the office of the Commissioner of Police to address the issue.

    He said: “In attendance at the meeting were all the aspirants and heads of other security agencies. The chairman called the National chairman of APC, Chief Adams Oshiomhole, who spoke individually with all the aspirants. In the end, all the aspirants agreed that the ballot papers should be set aside and direct method of people queuing behind the candidate of their choice be adopted.

    Marafa said the National Chairman thereafter gave approval that the system be employed.

    He said: “the election went on smoothly in many wards and results started coming in, then suddenly violence erupted in major towns where desperate government officials organised thugs to attack party members, especially women.”

    The development, he said, forced the chairman of the election committee to quickly cancel the election to halt the crisis.

    “It is pertinent to mention here that the governor’s candidate lost in all the wards where elections held.

    “Hours after the cancellation, desperate Governor Yari went on air to announce that election will continue today (Thursday) without even condoling and sympathising with the families of the deceased and the injured persons,” he said.

    He urged APC members of the party and the people of the state to remain calm, abide by the decision of the national committee and await further announcement.

  • Police warn against violence

    Politicians are arming thugs to make today’s supplementary elections in Osun State violent, the police said yesterday.

    The agency warned that it would not allow anything that will undermine the process or cause a breach of the peace.

    Urging residents to go about their lawful duties, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Operations and Security Coordinator for the election Joshak Habila said the police would not let their guards down.

    Habila noted that Saturday’s election was free, fair and peaceful, save for few incidents of “breach of peace and threat to life and property”.

    He warned that only eligible voters and officials would be allowed near polling units in the areas where supplementary elections will take place.

    Habila said: “The election was however declared inconclusive by the Independence National Electoral Commission (INEC) with a re-run election fixed for Thursday September 27. The election will take place in seven polling units scattered in four Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state. These are Ife North, Ife South, Orolu and Osogbo Local Government Areas.

    “We have an intelligence report that there is a grand plan to turn the election gruesomely violent and deadly by arming thugs to unleash mayhem at polling centres. As law enforcement agencies, the police and other security agencies would not permit the breakdown of law and order.

    “Those of them preparing for ‘fire for fire’ must be ready to bear the consequences of their actions which are designed to undermine this particular democratic process. It should be noted that the Nigeria Police Force will remain proactive and would not rest on its oars in the task to decode the identities of those democratic enemies.

    “Residents are requested to be law abiding and go about their lawful duties without fear and with the full assurance of the protection of law abiding citizens and voters who are out there to exercise their franchise.

    “The Police and other law enforcement agencies have been deployed to maintain law and order and protect lives and property of residents.”

    Continuing, the DIG appealed to residents to report all suspicious activities to the police, such as solicitation for votes, buying of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and any plan to rig or disrupt the election.

    “Troublemakers and other interlopers are warned to keep away from the polling units and indeed from any part of the state. The police and other security agencies will leave no stone unturned to protect lives and property and maintain peace,” he said.

  • Bayelsa warns youths against electoral violence, crimes 

    BAYELSA State yesterday warned youths against engaging in violence in the general elections.

    Commissioner for Information and Orientation Daniel  Iworiso-Markson told youths that no ambition of any politician was worth the blood of anybody.

    Iworiso-Markson, who spoke when the Special Assistant to Governor Seriake Dickson on Student Affairs, Atti Moses, led youths to his office in Yenagoa, appealed to them to desist from crimes.

    He praised them for appreciating Dickson’s efforts in empowering youths, and promised them of better days ahead.

    He said: “Let me thank you for this visit and express my enthusiasm in seeing youths like you being productively engaged. I want all of you to be the best that you can. Use your ideas and talents to rule your world.

    “Let me remind you that as youths, you represent the hope of Bayelsa. The governor believes in youths so much, and if you conduct yourself well, the governor will recognise and do more for you.

    “There is no short cut to success. Task yourselves and go for leadership training. The exposure you get will add up and build you to discharge your responsibility effectively”.

    Earlier, Moses, who presented the Bayelsa Youths Leadership Award for Excellence to the commissioner for his support and achievements in office, thanked Dickson for involving young ones in decision-making.

    Moses, who is a member of the Nigeria Youth Parliament, said Dickson exposed them to governance by building their capacity and enhancing their potential.

    He hailed the governor for the gesture and assured him of their support.

    The youth leader also hailed Iworiso-Markson for his strategic management of public information, which he said earned the state accolades, and his support for the development of youths in Bayelsa.

    He described the commissioner as a leading light and role model for youths.

     

  • ‘Violence: 5.2m internal displacement recorded in six month’

    .East Africa worst hit

     

    A total of 5.2 million persons were displaced internally as a result of conflicts, violence across the world between January and June, the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) said on Wednesday.

    IDMC, the world’s authoritative source of data and analysis on internal displacement since 1998 also indicated that East Africa recorded five out of the 10 worst-affected IDP countries, adding that Ethopia recorded additional 1.4 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) within the period under review surpassing Syria and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    Somalia and South Sudan too are among the 10 worst-affected countries for new displacement linked to conflict and violence.

    In a statement availed The Nation, IDMC said millions of people across the world have become displaced inside their own country since January, adding that there were additional 3.3 million displacements associated with disasters in 110 countries and territories.

    The Monsoon flooding in India in May and June caused the most significant displacement, affecting over 370,000 people, IDMC said, adding “unprecedented flooding continued in July and August, meaning this estimate is likely to rise.

    “It said the statistics were based on the analysis of data from the 10 worst-affected countries.

    “East Africa also accounts for five of the most significant disaster events between January and June, with flooding in Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia and Uganda, and drought in Somalia displacing more than a million people in total,” said IDMC’s director Alexandra Bilak.

    Bilak said: “Our mid-year assessment serves as an important temperature gauge of the state of the world today. Conflict and violence in low-income countries are becoming more protracted and causing ever-high numbers of people to flee their homes, while vulnerable communities in disaster-prone regions or in areas experiencing the effects of climate change are increasingly at risk and disproportionately impacted by internal displacement.

    Read Also: Anambra hall of fame award not for deceptive politicians

    “Failure to address the issue of internal displacement will have enormous implications, not just for the individuals, families and communities affected, but also for these countries’ longer-term stability.

    “In addition to improving humanitarian responses to these crises, more investment must be made at the national and international level to reduce poverty and inequality, build peace and address the effects of climate change.”
    IDMC’s mid-year report shines light on Ethiopia, where new conflict broke out earlier this year in Gedeo and West Guji zones which triggered over a million new displacements.

    “Internal border disputes between Somali and Oromia regions in the east of the country that flared up toward the end of 2017 also continued.

    “As the conflict in Yemen enters its fourth year, relentless fighting continues to deepen the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Between January and June, 140,000 new displacements were recorded, an extremely conservative estimate.

    “Displacement was largely concentrated in parts of western Yemen controlled by Ansar Allah, part of the al-Houthi movement, where a series of Saudi-led airstrikes hit densely populated areas including the cities of Taizz and Hodeidah.

    “The Horn of Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia experienced nearly a million new displacements due to unprecedented flooding in April and May after an extended period of drought in the region exacerbated by the Indian El Niño weather phenomenon.

    “Finally, tropical cyclone Gita left a trail of destruction in the Pacific in February, triggering 10,000 new displacements in American Samoa, New Zealand, Samoa and Tonga. The figure is relatively small compared with the 10 most significant disaster events, but the damage and displacement Gita caused shows that small island states suffer huge impacts relative to their population size,” said IDMC.

  • Fed Govt warns politicians against electoral thuggery, violence

    The Federal Government yesterday warned politicians and political party supporters against the use of thugs to perpetrate violence during the 2019 general elections.

    The warning was issued in a statement by Dr Mohammed Umar, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior.

    Umar said that the warning became necessary in view of the need to ensure free and fair “election process in the country”.

    He quoted Interior Minister Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau as saying that government would not “fold its arms and watch politicians throw the country into chaos and unrest simply because they want to win elections.

    “Security agencies have been directed to ensure adequate security of lives and property during and even before the general elections in line with the policy direction of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.”

    According to him, free and fair elections in 2019 as being promoted by the President can only be possible if politicians give peace a chance by avoiding all forms of political thuggery and violence in their struggle to get elected.

    The minister warned that anyone caught in the possession of any type of weapons during the elections or rallies “may attract arrest and prosecution”.

    He, therefore, advised youths not to allow themselves to be used by “desperate politicians who want power at all cost and may influence them into political thuggery and violence over little gratification, to the detriment of their future”.

     

  • UNICEF partners traditional rulers to end violence against children

    The United Nations Children’s Fund ( UNICEF ) says it is working with traditional rulers in the campaign to end violence against children in Cross River State.

    Speaking at a workshop organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Women Affairs and Department of Chieftaincy Affairs, for traditional rulers in Calabar on Tuesday, Child Protection Specialist UNICEF Nigeria, Enugu Field Office Mrs Nkiru Maduechesi said it was pertinent to bring them on board in the campaign as opinion leaders in the communities.

    She said the workshop was for traditional leaders of the three local government areas of Akwamkpa, Calabar Municipal and Calabar-South local government areas.

    “The theme is ending violence against children through community mechanism. The essence is to sensitize and renew the commitment if the traditional institution to support the ongoing campaign to end violence against children in Cross River State, which is quite prevalent because we believe that the community leaders are the gate keepers and opinion leaders and so need to be on board with this campaign.

    “As a UN agency to ensure then rights of children are protected we started a work called the child protection systems strengthening in the state. Cross River is one of the four model states in Nigeria. The others are Lagos, Gombe and Plateau. Part of what we are doing is bringing all actors on board to end violence against children because issues of violence against children is not just a human rights violation for the child, but also a source of economic underdevelopment.

    Read Also: UNICEF urges Bauchi to redeem N250m counterpart fund

    “When children are abused, they lose their opportunity to fulfill their potential and that is economic loss to the family, state and country at large. When a child is pregnant because the child has been raped that child drops out of school. That child could have HIV and because of that instead of government using the money for other things, they now use it to respond to HIV, which if they had acted in preventing from happening in the first place, would have saved some economic resources,” Maduechesi said.

    The Permanent Secretary of the Department of Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Thomas Erete, said violence against children was rampant and appealed to the traditional rulers to use their positions as leaders in their various communities to check the problem with the knowledge they would get from the workshop.

  • ‘Violence won’t determine poll winners’

    CHAIRMAN of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has said violence and thuggery will not determine winners of elections and that votes will count in 2019.

    INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity Mr. Oluwole Ozaze-Uzzi noted also that Rivers State has been turned into a battleground, following desperation by politicians to win at all cost.

    He said youths should see Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) as their weapons rather than guns.

    The INEC chair spoke yesterday at University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) at INEC/European Union’s Campus Outreach for Youth Votes Count to mark Europe Day, 2018.

    He was represented by his National Commissioner for Voter Education and Publicity, Prince Adedeji Solomon Soyebi, Ozaze-Uzzi, and other personalities.

    Present at the event for Southsouth were five celebrities: Bright Okpocha, aka Basketmouth; Ayo Makun, aka AY; Aituoje Iruobe, aka Waje; Olubankole Wellington, aka Banky W; and Uti Nwachukwu, all panellists speaking extensively on: “Enhancing Youth Participation in the Electoral Process.”

    Yakubu  said: “Today (yesterday) is 172 days to the first voting of the next general elections. Election is a process. It started on August 17, when we gave the notice of elections and there are 16 items to be covered, while the last of them is the voting that will come up on March 3, 2019.

    “At the end of the voter registration by this year’s August ending, INEC will have 83 million registered voters in Nigeria, with the youths constituting more than 60 per cent. We started the outreach in Kano, where we told the youths that they are no longer the leaders of tomorrow, but the leaders of today.

    “Youths are willing tools in the hands of politicians. Most of the politicians have their children safely tucked up somewhere, probably outside the shores of the country, but they offer peanuts to engage the services of the young ones, who have the energy for thuggery and violence, which must be resisted. Vote selling and buying must also stop. Register and obtain your Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) and vote, because votes will count.”

    Yakubu urged Nigerian youths to emulate their counterparts all over the world, by taking up leadership roles and contribute to societal development.

    UNIPORT’s Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ndowa Lale said youths should be allowed to play leadership roles, as being done in other parts.

    Lale, represented by Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Prof. Reginald Ogale, urged youths, especially students, to participate in the electoral process and be good ambassadors.

    Rivers’ Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Obo Effanga told youths not to avoid being used as thugs, and asked them to register and vote.

    Irish Ambassador to Nigeria Sean Hoy said it was the time for youths, stressing that if they failed now, they should blame nobody.

    EU’s Ambassador to Nigeria Ketil Karlsen  urged youths to vote for candidates of their choice, without intimidation, inducement or violence.

    The President of the Student Union Government (SUG) of UNIPORT, Loveday Sobari, admonished students and other youths to get their PVCs and vote for the right persons.