ONE KILLING TOO MANY !! Fresh attacks claim 16 lives in Zamfara State

No fewer than sixteen persons were reported dead in fresh attacks on Kursasa and Kurya communities in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State as armed bandits unleashed gory attacks on the two villages.

According to a resident of Kursasa village who puts his name as Usman Garba, the armed bandits stormed the villages between 10pm and 11 pm on Sunday and launched the gory attacks on the villagers with dangerous weapons and ammunition.

Usman Garba noted that the armed bandits killed nine persons while another two persons were seriously injured in the process at Kansas village.

Continuing, Garba explained that immediately after the uninterrupted attack in Kursasa village, the armed bandits quickly moved to Kurya village where they seized the village and killed seven persons, mostly vigilante members who had come on a rescue mission.

“But the vigilante members in Kansas and Kurya came together to form a unifying force against the notoriously armed bandits in which one of the armed bandits was killed in the operation during the fire for fire encounter with the armed bandits.

He, however, appealed to security operatives including the Nigerian army to come out with what he described as well coordinated security network to quell the constant attack on the villagers within the axis.

All efforts made by DAILY POST to get the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) SP Mohammed Shehu to speak on the incident proved unsuccessful as his lines were switched off as at press time.

However, the federal government has ordered for the deployment of more troops to Zamfara State following the security challenges ravaging the entire state.

- DAILY POST

Ohanaeze youths: Re-arresting Kanu may trigger instability

Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council, the youth wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has warned that the re-arrest order against Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), might “destabilise the fragile peace” in the south-east region.

A federal high court in Abuja had revoked the bail granted Kanu in 2017, after his continued absence in court.

Binta Nyako, the presiding judge, also issued an arrest warrant against the IPOB leader, citing his continued absence in court.

But in a statement jointly signed by Okechukwu Isiguzoro and Okwu Nnabuike, its president-general and secretary general respectively, the council pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene and grant “presidential pardon” to Kanu.

The statement said Kanu’s first arrest had led to instability and deaths of innocent people in the region, adding that a presidential pardon was one way Buhari could “show compassion to Ndigbo”.

“The leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide received the pronouncement and re-arrest order of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, by a Federal High Court in Abuja with rude shock and disbelief,” the statement read.

“Weighing the implications of such action, it may destabilise the fragile peace that have returned to the southern part of Nigeria, especially the South-East and South-South after the sad experiences witnessed during his first arrest and subsequently the untimely death of innocent Igbo youths and women that characterised his first arrest and detention.

“And there is no need to escalate the tension already established in the South-East over the menace of herdsmen ravaging parts of Igboland. There is no need to compound our loss by allowing Nnamdi Kanu return now until Igbo Christians and Traditional leaders intervene in the process.

“We are pleading with President Buhari as the father of the nation to grant presidential pardon to Nnamdi Kanu, as a way of showing compassion to Ndigbo.’’

In a broadcast on Radio Biafra on Saturday, Kanu had tackled the federal government over his prosecution, saying he will challenge the court order seeking his arrest since he is “innocent” of the accusations levelled against him.

- THECABLE

End SARS: Amnesty International speaks on brutalisation of Nigerians, calls on Osinbajo

Amnesty International has called on Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo to intervene in the alleged brutalization of Nigerians by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS)

Reports emerged over the weekend that men alleged to be SARS officials shot dead a man identified as Kolade Johnson.

Speaking on the development, Amnesty International in a statement on its Twitter verified page said SARS intended to protect Nigerians has become a danger to the society.

According to them, restructuring of SARS is not enough, adding that reforms ordered by ‘Prof Osinbajo in August last year have been ineffective.’

The statement reads: “Once again SARS is in the news for alleged brutalization of Nigerians. We have several times called for EndSARS.SARS is a police unit created to protect the people, instead, it has become a danger to society, torturing its victims with complete impunity while fomenting a toxic climate of fear and corruption.

“Our research since 2016 uncovered a pattern of ruthless human rights violations by SARS, where victims are arrested and tortured until they either make a ‘confession’ or pay officers a bribe to be released. Apart from brutality, some police officers in SARS regularly demand bribes, steal and extort money from criminal suspects and their families. SARS officers are getting rich through their brutality. In Nigeria, it seems that torture is a lucrative business.

“Because of corruption SARS officers believe they have carte blanche to torture Nigerians. This is hardly surprising when many of these officers have bribed their way to SARS in the first place. The police chiefs in charge are themselves entwined in the corruption.

“Apart from demanding bribes, SARS officers have been accused of stealing or confiscating property from relatives of detained suspects. Some family members told Amnesty International that SARS officers stole their cars or withdrew all the money from their bank accounts.

“The majority of the victims of torture in SARS custody are poor and unable to hire legal representatives. In some cases when detainees cannot afford to pay bribes, they are simply tortured more. Despite repeated calls from Amnesty International in recent years, the Nigerian justice system has failed to prevent or punish torture. Despite Buhari signing into law the Anti-Torture Bill Police torture Nigerians with impunity.

“Police torture is a stain on Nigerian society that must be addressed with clear orders to law enforcement officers not to inflict torture or other ill-treatment on detainees under any circumstances.

“Many attempts to reform SARS, including the one ordered by Prof Osinbajo in August last year have been ineffective. Nigerians are still brutalized by SARS. Restructuring SARS is not enough unless the government takes concrete steps to protect Nigerians.

“Victims of SARS told Amnesty International that they had been subjected to horrific torture methods, including hanging, starvation, beatings, shootings and mock executions. SARS officers are notoriously corrupt and brutal.

“Amnesty International found that in some cases where victims of police corruption and brutality attempted to seek justice, the police authorities took no action.

“In Nigeria Police being posted to SARS is often regarded as a “juicy” posting and is preceded by intense lobbying by potential officers. Officers sometimes pay superior officers responsible for transfers as much as N300,000 to influence their posting to SARS.

“Despite years of numerous petitions from Nigerian and international human rights organizations to the police authorities, there is no indication that any SARS officers have been punished specifically for torturing detainees or extrajudicial killings. “

- DAILY POST

VP, Osinbajo makes revelations about his life, family

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Sunday at the Presidential Villa Banquet Hall said that his wife, Dolapo Osinbajo, had preferred a quiet life to the rigours of politics.

NAN reports that Osinbajo revealed this at a Thanksgiving Service organised by the Aso Villa Chapel to thank God for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari and Osinbajo.

“It is impossible to thank Him enough; I and my family have too many reasons to thank God.

“One day my wife and I reflected on how unlikely our journey here is.

“She reminded me that all she wanted was a quiet life as one of the many families of academics living on the University campus.

“If someone had said to me in 2013 you will be campaigning across the country;. you will win the elections and become Vice President of Nigeria I would, because I am generally polite, have said amen but in my heart, say what a crazy chap!

”Any one who knows how difficult it is to campaign for local government chairman and win, you will not find it difficult to accept that except the Lord build the house they labour in vain who build it.”

Osinbajo said he realised that he had no special qualification to be what he was today as he had enjoyed incredible promotion from God.

Citing Psalms 75:5,6, Osinbajo said “exaltation comes neither from the east, nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge; he puts down one, and exalts another.”

He said that on Feb. 2, God gave him further reason to prove that his mercy was upon him.

The vice president said he was going to Kogi for a two day campaign tour when his helicopter crashed as it got in to land at Kabba, Kogi State.

He said it was God’s mercy that he and his crew came out unscathed.

- PM NEWS

Recognise teachers as professionals like Doctors, Lawyers, others, Educationist tells FG

An educationist, Mrs Ann Oparah, on Monday urged the Federal Government to accord the same recognition given to other professional fields to teaching which, she said, should be regarded as the mother of all professions.

Oparah, a seasoned education administrator and the proprietor of 21-year-old Brilliant Academy, Agege, Lagos, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos while reflecting the school’s recent “Career Day”.

She said that teaching as the mother of all professions should not be driven to the back seat, adding that the profession needed to be given the respect it deserves.

“Teaching is a noble profession because it is the mother of all professions. Teaching should be ranked alongside other professional fields such as Law, Engineering and Medicine among others.

“In terms of remuneration, teachers should also earn as much as their counterparts in other professions. We are professionals in our own terms making the champions.

“Many of our children are interested in the teaching profession but because the profession has yet to be given its rightful recognition, they are scared.

“However, recently some students are gradually appreciating teaching as a profession because during our school’s Career Day, held on March 29, 2019, some students, about 20 of them, voluntarily chose the teaching profession,’’ she said.

Oparah, a graduate of Guidance and Counselling from the University of Lagos, said that the society should help in appreciating the daunting task of teachers in molding the society.

“The society should help in supporting teachers because they are the ones that build the society. What we need is to improve on teaching is recognising it as a profession.

“Teaching needs training and re-training to make it better, then we need to create the right atmosphere for the profession to thrive because there will always be demand for teachers,’’ she said.

Oparah urged parents to allow their children to choose careers they are comfortable with and not necessarily imposing a particular career on them which might have negative effect.

“The importance of Career Day in Brilliant Academy, Agege, is for the students to have focus on the choice of their careers. Some students do lose focus on their career of choice later due to interference from parents and peer pressure.

“Parents should allow their children to choose their career and handle their choice path. They need to make up their minds in the aspect of profession they so desire.

“Students should also know that education is the primary choice and not entertainment which should be a secondary choice.

“A student needs to understand that entertainment is not a primary career; they need to have a profession first and then take entertainment as secondary.

“Music may not pay for life, but a chosen career can last long. We need to let the society know that the real career is more important if children want to achieve their desired heights,’’ she said.

- PM NEWS

City Keeper says Ederson is world’s best

Former City goalkeeper Andy Dibble says Ederson is not only the best keeper in the Premier League but is the world’s best.

He said: “Ederson is the best in the Premier League for me,”.

“He’s so calm and composed and there’s none better in my opinion. I watched him against Newport on a poor, bumpy pitch where he was getting balls pinged at him continually to his feet and he was dealing with everything with no problem.

“It was a like a poor Sunday League pitch, and he was always available, wanting the ball. Alisson and Kepa are great keepers, too, but Ederson has everything and he is the world’s best.”

Dibble added that he will delighted to coach a talented goalkeeper like Ederson.

“It would be an interesting project!” he laughed.

“With a keeper like that, you’d just keep him ticking over whereas you’d focus on the No.2 and No.3 keepers so that they are ready to go if needed.

“I don’t think there’s much you could teach a talent like Ederson.”

- PM NEWS

13 killed, including family of four, in ghastly accident

The Bauchi State police command has confirmed the death of thirteen persons following a fatal motor vehicles accident on Sunday, March 31.

According to the command’s spokesperson, DSP Kamal Abubakar, the accident occurred at about noon along the Bauchi-Gombe road.

Abubakar stated that a bus loaded with 13 passengers and a Toyota Camry loaded with 6 passengers were involved in a head-on collision.

He said all 19 persons were hurt in varying degrees and were immediately moved from the scene by security agents with the assistance of good Samaritans to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital for treatment.

However, on getting to the hospital, 13 passengers were confirmed dead by a medical doctor while six others survived and are still on admission.

Amongst those who lost their lives was a family of four, Channels Television reports

Family members confirmed that a man, his wife, and two children were involved in the crash. They also affirmed that a sister to the man in question also perished in the accident.

The funeral prayer was held for the deceased on Sunday evening according to Islamic rites.

Meanwhile, up until the time of filing this report, names and address of some of the victims were still unknown.

The command has called on members of the public whose family member(s) traveled along that road and are still unable to reach them to check at the ATBU Teaching Hospital.

- PM NEWS