Again South African police torture Nigerian to death

South African police have allegedly tortured a Nigerian, Celestine Nwokeocha, 36, to death in his house at Sasolburg area of Free State Province, in the country.

The death of the Nigerian has made Nigerians living in South Africa to expressed displeasure over the gruesome killing.

Several Nigerians are being killed in South Africa with the country’s authority not taken drastic action to remedy the situation.

The President of the Nigerian Union in South Africa, Mr Adetola Olubajo, told the News Agency of Nigeria on the telephone from Pretoria, South Africa, on Saturday that eye witnesses reported that Nwokeocha was allegedly tortured and beaten to death in his house.

“An inquest docket has been opened at Zamdela Police Station, Sasolburg, with case number 183/01/2019.

“Also, Independent Police Investigation Department (IPID) is involved in the case and we have been assured that justice will be served in the matter,” he said.

Olubajo said that two witnesses, Nonso, a Nigerian and Palesa, a South African, were arrested by the same police officers that allegedly killed Nwokeocha.

“The witnesses, however, appeared in court on Jan. 17, but while the South African, Palesa was granted bail, Nonso, who is a Nigerian was denied bail.

“Autopsy has been done by one Dr Humphris and no sign of any substance was found in the deceased stomach.

“But there are bruises on his face, blood in his mouth and two bruises on his chest; a sign of lack of oxygen,” the President said.

He advised Nigerians resident in Sasolburg to stay calm and remain law abiding while the union works to find justice for the deceased.

According to him, Nigerians are advised to avoid engaging in activities that will jeopardize the successful prosecution of the alleged police officers.

“Nwokeocha is survived by his wife and seven-month old baby girl,” Olubajo said.

Also, on the matter, the office of the Consulate General of Nigeria in South Africa, condemned the killing of Nwokeocha.

Mr Laren Jingina, the Vice-Consul, Information and Culture, said: “The Consulate detests in strongest terms, infringements of the law by security agents.

“The consulate demands compliance with the due process of the law, if it suspects infringement by anyone it will do the needful.”

He said that the consulate was already in discussion with the relevant host authorities and would ensure that justice is done and the affected police officers brought to justice.

Jingina also urged members of the deceased family and Nigerians living in Sasolburg to remain calm and law abiding as the consulate seeks justice for the deceased.

- PM NEWS

BMO camp reveals how Atiku ‘plans to rig’

The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) says it has uncovered plans by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to rig the Feb. 16, Presidential Election.

NAN reports that BMO stated this in a statement signed by its Secretary Ms Cassidy Madueke, on Saturday in Abuja.

According to the group, part of the plan to subvert the will of the people, was the PDP’s recent recruitment of a former INEC Chairman known to have presided over the worse election in recent political history of the country.

BMO said the rigging plot also involves spending huge sums of money on police personnel and election officials in many parts of the country.

“With its campaign daily losing steam, PDP has also resorted to accusing everyone directly or remotely connected to President Muhammadu Buhari of corruption.

“Their leaders have been working on this plan for a while and have consciously been raising all sorts of allegations and attacking national institutions involved in the electoral process in order to divert attention from their devious agenda.

“Part of the plot is to discredit INEC’s new election guidelines, which include simultaneous accreditation and voting, and which also barred collation officers from making or receiving calls on Election Days.

“The same style was successfully test run in all bye-elections in recent months including those won by PDP candidates, but the party did not see anything wrong with it until the Commission insisted that it will be used during the next election,” the group said.

BMO noted that PDP is also working on infiltrating INEC by embedding its supporters among ad hoc electoral officials as part of its rigging plan.

The group therefore placed Nigerians on notice that they should be at alert and not allow PDP elements at all levels to subvert the will of the electorate.

BMO hinted on the need for the election management body to properly scrutinise ad hoc staff to be recruited for election day duty and pay more attention to its officials in the run up to the Feb. 16, election.

“This is because PDP, a party that is known for electoral manipulation, and which has a lot of dirty schemes in its kitty to rig the process in favour of its candidate, needs to be put under close surveillance,” it said.

- DAILY POST

FIX NIGERIA !!! Fire kills Jimoh Ibrahim’s mother

The mother of billionaire businessman, Omofemiwa Ibrahim is dead.

The septuagenarian died in a fire accident at her Victoria Garden City (VGC) residence on Saturday.

Mrs Ibrahim was pronounced dead at the scene after the arrival of fire fighters.

Her corpse has been deposited at the morgue.

Madam Ibrahim moved to VGC to be close to her billionaire son after she was released by kidnappers in 2011.

She was kidnapped in Igbotako, Ondo State and released in Sapele, Delta State after her family paid millions of naira as ransom.

Jimoh Ibrahim has confirmed the incident.

A source close to him told DAILY POST that Ibrahim was “very sad” about the development.

Ibrahim, who is currently in London, was said to have been informed earlier in the day.

- DAILY POST

PROSTITUTION : NAPTIP to rescue 20,000 Nigerian girls trafficked to Mali – DG

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) says it is making efforts to rescue about 20,000 Nigerian girls trapped in different parts of Mali.

Mrs Julie Okah-Donli, the Director- General of NAPTIP, who made this known in an interview on Saturday in Abuja, said the victims were trapped in different parts of Mali, for prostitution.

Okah-Donli said that the trafficked victims were discovered after NAPTIP sent a fact-finding mission to Mali last December, following some security reports.

She said: ”We sent a fact-finding mission to Mali last month and the mission came with a report that, about 20,000 Nigerian girls had been trafficked to different parts of Mali.

“Many of the girls said that they were deceived that they were being taken to “Malisia”, making it sound like Malaysia, to work in hotels, restaurants, hairdressing salons and some other jobs.

“Some of the girls arrived there in their school uniforms, meaning that they were kidnapped on their way to or from school,” she said.

The NAPTIP boss decried the living condition of trafficked Nigerians in the West African country, adding that some of the girls were sold for N600, 000 and were made to service, mainly miners.

“There are over one million Nigerians residents in Mali, out of which about 20,000 are trapped into forced prostitution.

“The conditions are horrible; they are kept in shanties in the thick of the forest where they cannot escape and with the “madames” watching over them.

“Their job, mainly, is to service miners from other parts of Africa who are predominant in Northern Mali.

“They are bought for N600, 000 and they are made to pay back N1. 8 million or N2 million within six months before regaining freedom and also becoming madams.”

She assured that the Nigerian authorities were collaborating with their Malian counterparts as well as the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), to rescue and rehabilitate the victims, most of whom were eager to return.

“Most of the girls are desirous of returning home and we are working with the IOM, the Malian government and the Nigerian Embassy in Mali to see how we can repatriate them.

“Our plan is to rehabilitate them immediately they return home, we will have rehabilitation programme on ground before they are repatriated.”

Donli-Okah further decried the fact that human trafficking increased by 500 girls daily, while urging Nigerians to be more vigilant.

“Trafficking increases by at least 500 girls daily, they bring them in their hundreds and now, they waybill them through well known motor parks in Cotonou.

“It also cuts across all 36 states of Nigeria and happens all over the world. It is no longer about the Edo girls being trafficked to Italy.

“I urge Nigerians to be alert and sensitive about their surroundings; they should report suspicious movements to the authorities, especially at our border posts.”

- PM NEWS

PL NEWS : Man. United continues revival, beat Brighton 2-1

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer became the first Manchester United manager to win his first six league games in charge as his side held on to beat Brighton.

It was United’s seventh straight win since the Norwegian took over at Old Trafford on an interim basis a month ago and they are now just three points off fourth-placed Chelsea, who play Arsenal in Saturday’s late kick-off.

Paul Pogba put United in front after winning and then converting a penalty in the 27th minute.

Marcus Rashford doubled the lead just before half-time with a beautiful solo goal on his 150th appearance for the club.

Pascal Gross halved the deficit for the visitors when he scored in off the bar with just over 20 minutes remaining.

Brighton improved in the second half but their wretched away record continued as they fell to a fifth defeat in their last eight Premier League games.

- PM NEWS

Collect 100,000 CZK and return home, Czech Republic tells Nigerian migrants

The Czech Republic has promised to pay immigrants from Nigeria and five other countries to leave the country and never return.

According to Remix, a newspaper based in Czech Republic, the gesture is being run by the country’s interior ministry under a programme tagged ‘Returns’.

The report said the country has promised to pay Nigerian immigrants and their counterparts from Afghanistan, Iraq, Mongolia, Russia and Vietnam if they voluntarily decide to leave.

“Each individual could get funds ranging between 40,000 and 100,000 CZK. First funded returns should be processed in the third quarter of 2019,” the report read.

“The program focuses particularly on migrants Anyone who voluntarily leaves the country and promises not to return not only to the Czech Republic but to the EU, will be eligible for the money.

“Returns is supposed to help them fund transportation costs and integration in their country of origin including accommodation, household equipment or domestic animal expenses.”

Remix further quoted the Czech Republic interior ministry as saying the programme will be suitable for all categories of foreigners, including those “legally in the country, illegals and asylum seekers”.

“Allocation for the program amounts to 60 million CZK, 75 percent is to be covered from the European Asylum, migration and integration fund,” it said.

- THECABLE

Why I stopped going to church - Falz

Popular Nigerian singer, Falz, has explained why he stopped going to church.

During the release of the much-anticipated album, ‘Moral Instruction,’ Falz’s mother complained about her son not attending church services.

Femi and Funmi Falana were present during their son’s ‘album listening party’.

During the event, his mother used the opportunity to express her concern about the fact that her son hardly goes to church.

Speak about his new album, Funmi said, “Folarin, you don’t go to church and I am bothered. I hope you would start going to church this year.”

The singer told Vanguard that his mother was right because he hardly went to church.

He said, “I have nothing against the church or going to church; everyone has the right to practise the religion they desire but personally, as a Christian, it has been a while that I have been to church. It does not make me less of a Christian.

“The most important thing is spirituality and your personal connection with God. The reason I haven’t attended a church service in a long while is because I went to a few churches and during sermons, I was put under undue pressure. There was a time that a pastor called me to the altar just to acknowledge my presence for being in church.

“In my mind, I felt that the service was not about me. I felt that everybody was there to worship God, yet they were putting undue pressure on me. The pastor gave me the microphone to address the congregation and I was puzzled; what did he expect me to say to the congregation? These are some of the issues.

“I just want to go to church and worship God like a regular member of the congregation. I do not want that kind of attention. I was hoping that I would go to church on a Sunday and it would not be like any other day I’m at a public place or doing a show,” the singer said.

On why he shaved off his beard, Falz added, “I did not shave my beard because of the album; it was just a coincidence. I was filming a project in relation to the album and I had to look a lot younger and that is why I shaved off my beard.

“I have been getting mixed reactions since I shaved my beard; some people tell me, ‘please, go and find our beard back’. I did not know that we owned the beard together. Other people told me that they love the new look and I am still a ‘sweet boy’ with or without the beard.”

- DAILY POST

“I pick players by penis size” – German woman coach

A woman coach to a German male football team shocked a journalist who asked her a ‘gender-biased’ question when she retorted that she picked her team members based on the size of their penis.

Imke Wubbenhorst, first woman to coach a football club in Germany’s top five divisions went sarcastic in an interview with German Newspaper, Welt.

The Journalists had asked her if the players had to cover themselves up before she goes into their changing room, and the coach retorted – “Of course not. I’m a professional. I pick the team on penis size.”

Wübbenhorst, 30, took over at fifth-tier Cloppenburg in December, tasked with steering the relegation-threatened side away from the Oberliga Niedersachsen drop zone.

A former Cloppenburg player and Germany Under-23 international, she had been employed in coaching roles with the club’s women’s team since hanging up her boots in 2016.

- PM NEWS

$217.7bn stolen from Nigeria in 38 years – EFCC boss, Magu

The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Magu, has said that between 1970 and 2008, about $217.7 billion was stolen from Nigeria’s treasury.

Magu said this during the conference of Online Publishers Association of Nigeria, held in Abuja.

Represented by the EFCC Spokesman, Tony Orilade, Magu said: “In February 2015, a High-level panel on illicit Financial Flows from Africa constituted by the African Union under the chairmanship of the former President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, revealed that Nigeria ranked first among 10 African countries by Cumulative Illicit Financial flows between 1970 and 2008.

“The total outflow from Nigeria for the period was $217.7 billion, constituting about 30.5 per cent of Africa’s total share.”

Magu also said the investigation, arrests, prosecution and asset recoveries undertaken by EFCC over the years confirmed that the level of corruption in Nigeria was truly staggering.

He said: “The various investigations, arrests, prosecution and asset recoveries we have been undertaking at the EFCC over the years have confirmed to us that the level of corruption in Nigeria us truly staggering.

“Thus horrible and inhuman crime is being perpetrated by individuals and groups in both the private and public sectors all over the country.

“The latter include serving and defunct state governors, cabinet ministers, high ranking officers, chief executives of parastatals, and top bureaucrats in the state and federal government agencies.

“The alarming rate of corruption committed by these unpatriotic elements can be partly seen in the number of convictions secured by the EFCC from Nigerian courts since I assumed duty as the head of the Commission in 2015.

“The figure stands at 103 in 2015, 195 (2016), 189 (2017) and 312 for the period January to November 2018.

“The total figure for the period January 2015 to 2018 is a mind blowing 799 convictions.

“In the process of such convictions, the EFCC recovered: N794.5 billion, $261 million, £1.1 million, 8.1 million euro and CFA 86,500.

“Other recoveries under my tenure include: Seized 407 mansions, 281 under interim forfeiture and 126 under final forfeiture.

“Confiscated hundreds of filling stations, petroleum products, real estate, heavy machineries and investment shares.

“Seized 87 lands, 56 under interim forfeiture and 42 under final forfeiture.”

- DAILY POST

Africans live longer but their health is poor in those extra years

BY CHARLES SHEY WIYSONGE

People are now living longer in sub-Saharan Africa than they did two decades ago. This is an achievement, given that life expectancy in the region went down the drain from the 1990s to the mid-2000s
as it choked under the devastating effects of the HIV epidemic.

The question to ask is whether the additional years are spent in good or poor health. This question matters because how long people live affects the population’s state of health and leading causes of disability. Longevity means that these change over time which in turn has implications for policy, planning and provision of services.
We used information from the Global Burden of Disease study to calculate healthy life expectancy in sub-Saharan Africa. Healthy life expectancy refers to the average number of years that a person at a given age can expect to live in good health, taking into account mortality and loss of functional health.

The data suggest that people are living many years in poor health in the region. And our paper shows that there are large inequalities in healthy life expectancy and disease burden between – and within countries – in sub-Saharan Africa.
This points to the fact that much more effort is needed to increase healthy life expectancy in the region.

Discrepancies

We found that the increase in healthy life expectancy in sub-Saharan Africa was smaller than the increase in overall life expectancy. This indicates that many years are lived in poor health in the region. In 2017, life expectancy at birth in sub-Saharan Africa was 63.9 years, but healthy life expectancy was only 55.2 years. This means that 13.6% of years of life in the region is spent in poor health.
Life expectancy in 2017 varied by sub region, ranging from 62.4 years in Central Africa to 65 years in Southern Africa. However, in Central Africa 14.4% and in Southern Africa 13.8% of these years are estimated to be spent in poor health, respectively.

The proportion of years of life spent in poor health varied between countries, ranging from 11.9% in Djibouti to 14.8% in Botswana.

While women live longer than men, many of these extra years are lived in poor health. The life expectancy at birth for women in sub-Saharan Africa in 2017 was 66.2 years, but healthy life expectancy was only 56.8 years. Thus, women spend 14.2% of their years in poor health. For men, life expectancy was 61.7 years and healthy life expectancy was 53.7 years. Thus, men in sub-Saharan African spend 13% of their lives in poor health.

Healthy life expectancy

The average healthy life expectancy at birth in sub-Saharan Africa increased by 9.1 years, from 46.1 years in 1990 to 55.2 years in 2017. The increase in health life expectancy at birth varied from 0.9 years in Southern Africa to 12.4 years in Eastern Africa.

Even larger variations in healthy life expectancy than these were observed between countries, ranging from a decrease of 4.9 years in Lesotho (51.9 years in 1990 to 47 years in 2017) to an increase of 23.7 years in Eritrea (30.7 years in 1990 to 54.4 years in 2017).

In most countries, the increase in healthy life expectancy was smaller than the increase in overall life expectancy, indicating more years lived in poor health.

Causes of premature mortality and disability

We calculated a measure known as disability-adjusted life-years, which captures both early death and ill health. In 2017, the leading causes of disability-adjusted life-years in sub-Saharan Africa for all ages and both sexes combined were neonatal disorders, pneumonia, HIV/AIDS, malaria, and diarrhoea.

However, we observed various dramatic changes in causes of early death and disability between 1990 and 2017. Measles decreased from a ranking of 5th to 20th, heart attacks increased from 16th to 11th, stroke from 12th to 10th, and diabetes from 27th to 14th. We are thus witnessing gradual shift from communicable to non-communicable causes of disease burden.

There was wide variation between countries in the causes of early death and disability.

In Eritrea, the top causes of early death and disability were neonatal disorders, diarrhoea, tuberculosis, pneumonia, and congenital defects. The most dramatic changes were with conflict and terror (1st in 1990 to 14th in 2017), measles (7th to 74th), tetanus (9th to 82nd), heart attacks (17th to 11th), stroke (12th to 10th), and diabetes (22nd to 15th).

In the Central African Republic, the top causes of early death and disability were diarrhoea, neonatal disorders, pneumonia, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis. The main changes were with conflict and terror (164th to 9th), measles (7th to 20th), heart attacks (14th to 11th), and diabetes (21st to 16th).

In South Africa, the top causes of early death and disability were HIV/AIDS, neonatal disorders, pneumonia, interpersonal violence, and diabetes. The most dramatic changes occurred with HIV/AIDS (53rd to first), measles (12th to 55th), diarrhoea (2nd to 8th), and diabetes (from 13th to 5th).

In the Gambia, the top causes of early death and disability were neonatal disorders, pneumonia, HIV/AIDS, diarrhoea, and sickle cell disease. There were substantial changes in rankings for HIV/AIDS (61st in 1990 to 3rd in 2017), malaria (4th to 25th), measles (9th to 70th), heart attacks (13th to 6th), stroke (14th to 9th), and diabetes (28th to 18th).

Extraordinary progress, but . .

Since 1990, we have seen exceptional progress in sub-Saharan Africa in reducing the burden of communicable diseases, especially measles, tetanus and other vaccine-preventable diseases. However, early death and disability due to these causes remain unnecessarily high in many countries. Immunisation efforts have been helpful, but progress in coverage has slowed in the past decade. Close to 20 million children worldwide, most of them in sub-Saharan Africa, didn’t receive vaccines against these deadly diseases in 2017. Conflict, inadequate investment in national immunisation programmes, and vaccine stock outs were among the reasons for the stalled progress in immunisation coverage.

Our report shows that there is an unfinished agenda of controlling communicable diseases – compounded by an increase in non-communicable diseases – in sub-Saharan Africa. The continued burden of disabling conditions has serious implications for health systems and health-related expenditures in the region.

Charles Shey Wiysonge, Director, Cochrane South Africa, South African Medical Research Council

- THECABLE