IMN: Three of our members arrested on Monday have died in police custody

The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) has alleged that the refusal of the police to grant treatment to its wounded members in custody has led to the death of three of them.

In a statement on Friday, Ibrahim Musa, president of IMN media forum, said the detainees have been held at SARS headquarters in Abuja since Monday.

The group said over 100 of its members who sustained injuries during Monday’s protest were arrested by the police “from their sickbed”.

Musa said three detainees died of bullet wound on Wednesday. He said more detainees, including women and a minor, might die in custody.

The spokesman called on the international community to intervene in the ” inhumanity taking place at the dreaded headquarters of SARS where unarmed citizens are kept in dehumanizing conditions.”

“Reports reaching the Islamic Movement in Nigeria have confirmed the death of 3 detainees, who were shot and held in Police custody at SARS headquarters, Abuja since Monday 22/07/19. They died on Wednesday 24/07/2019 because of bullet wounds they sustained during the free Zakzaky protest early in the week,” the statement read.

“Not only that, more might die in police custody, because there are at least 15 people who are in the detention centre with various degrees of bullet wounds, without medication. Among them are women and a minor who has his leg shot.

“All entries made by relatives of the detainees for the police authorities to allow them have medication have fallen on deaf ears, an indication that they are waiting for them to slowly die in excruciating pains.

“It is unfortunate that when it comes to dealing with the Shiites, the security agencies throw all known laws and conventions to the dogs, and indulge in savagery as exhibited when the police on Wednesday dumped a Muslim brother of the Islamic Movement by the roadside after torturing him and pouring boiling water over him.

“We also call on the police to hand over to us the wounded persons so that at least their lives can be saved. The dead bodies of the supporters of the Islamic Movement should be handed to us also, so that their families can give them a befitting Islamic funeral rite. Burying them in mass graves is a war crime which the police should be wary off in the future.”

Members of IMN had taken to the streets of Abuja to demand the release of their leader clashed with the police earlier in the week.

Asked to react to the allegation of IMN, Anjuguri Manzah, spokesman of the federal capital teritorry (FCT) police command, told TheCable: “We don’t have anything like that; nothing like that happened.”

- THECABLE

Mad man kills 2-year-old boy, injures three others in Jigawa

The Jigawa State Police Command has arrested a 27-year-old man, Abdulkarim Mato of Tsakuwawa village in Miga local government area of the state, for allegedly killing two-year-old boy, with a hoe.

The Command’s spokesperson, SP Abdu Jinjiri confirmed the development to DAILY POST in Dutse.

He said police in Miga local government had received report from the village head of Tsakuwawa village that on 24/07/2019, one Abdulkarim Mato killed one boy and injured three others.

Jinjiri explained that the suspect, who was suspected to be insane, took advantage and sneaked into the village when most of men were at farms and launched the attacks.

He said the suspect beat the two-year-old Idris Ibrahim with hoe to death, injured three other women, namely Halima Mato 50 years, Rashina Rabiu 23 years old and a four-year-old girl.

Jinjiri said the suspect has already been moved to psychiatric hospital, Kazaure, for further examination.

He added that all the three victims were also rushed to General Hospital Jahun for medical attention and were responding to treatment.

The police spokesperson disclosed that investigation will continue based on medical reports obtained from psychiatric doctor for further action.

- DAILY POST

Glo, MTN taking us for granted – Customers lament poor networks

Customers of two giant telecom operators in Nigeria, Globacom and Mobile Telecommunication Network, MTN, have lamented the current poor network in the capital city of Nigeria, Abuja, especially within the satellite axis of the nation’s capital.

It has been recently observed, especially with the recent heavy downpour in Abuja, that networks of both operators have become quite erratic, especially in the satellite towns of Kubwa, Dutsen- Alhaji, Sokale, Bwari, Ushafa village, Jigo, Kpambara, Dei-Dei and a host of another axis, making effective mobile communication almost impossible.

Some customers, while raising the alarm have blamed the constant rain on the networks, saying the network issue was normal, especially “when we get into a season like this.”

Mr Amos Tanko told DAILY POST at Phase 4 in Kubwa that, “It’s normal at this time to experience network problem. It’s a general problem. It’s due to the heavy rain and there is nothing the operators can do about it. In fact, we experience same with DSTV. In this part of our world, natural occurrences affect technologies.”

But Mr Francis Ndukwe who resides in Adefemi, Ushafa said the problem was far beyond just the rain. He said the telecommunication companies were not able to power their masts 24/7. ” The problem is not just the rain. It’s actually a problem of failure or inability to power the masts hosting these networks 24/7. It is disappointing that each time we experience bad weather, networks become terrible. You can’t make or receive calls. This is sad. This cannot happen in advanced countries. You don’t treat your customers this way. The payment we are making in the purchase of recharged cards is supposed to service these masts effectively. It’s sad, but we have resolved to live with it. Besides, the government is not checking. This is what NCC should constantly check,” he lamented.

According to Mrs Adefemi of Dei-Dei, ” We have reached a point in this country that we just need to tell ourselves the obvious truth that nothing is going to work. The more you complain, the messier things get. Why can’t they power their masts? ”Just go around most of these masts, you won’t even see anybody around to ask why there is no network. Can this happen even in South Africa or Ghana? MTN and DSTV are South African companies, go to their country for instance, everything is working just fine. How can making and receiving of calls be our problem in the 21st century? It’s sad. Please, I want to know those in charge of Glo masts in Pmagbe Layouts in Ushafa. The thing is terrible now. We hardly have network once it starts raining. Mostly, we don’t have network on our phones at night. Is that not a huge security risk? If something happens at night, what will one do?”

Dahiru Adamu said, ” I have noticed that most telecom operators depend on public power supply. Once the area is out of power, network goes off. I don’t think we need to depend on public power supply to run this, as we are still battling with epileptic power supply. Unfortunately, most of the solar panels and generators attached to these masts are bad. They don’t work most of the time. ”

Effort to reach the Nigeria Communications Commission, NCC, through Omoniyi Ibietan, Head Online Media and Special Publications failed as his number was switched off as at the time this report was filed.

When DAILY POST reached Glo mobile via text message after several calls went on answered, it was acknowledged, but answers were not provided to the question on why the network has become erratic.

Similarly, effort to reach MTN to draw the company’s attention to the development failed as calls weren’t going through to the numbers our reporter called.

- DAILY POST

Tampering with LG funds tantamount to grand corruption – CACOL

The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL, has chided various states’ government in the country that continue to corner federal allocations to the different 774 local government authorities in the country under puny excuse of their individual definition of what should constitute Nigerian Federalism.

In a release issued by Adegboyega Otunuga, CACOL’s Coordinator for Media and Publications on behalf of Mr. Debo Adeniran, the Centre’s Executive Chairman noted, “It is noteworthy that the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit, NFIU had instructed the Nigerian Banks not to remit or allow any portion of their federal allocations to be deducted or received by the respective states governments again with effect from June 1, 2019.

“This is not only in line with the 1999 Nigerian Federal Constitution (as amended) that recognizes and takes cognizance of our 3-tier system of administration; it also tallies with various rules and amendments that emanated from the National Assembly, especially the 8th National Assembly. Though, the leadership of our (two) leading political parties had at one time or the other, insisted that local governments can only exist at the behest of their relevant states, this argument is self-serving with no substance or relevance in the Nigerian Constitution that recognizes 3-tiers of authorities as obtained in many other modern democracies.

“The truth is that, though states’ assemblies are constitutionally empowered to initiate the creation and coming into being of local governments but the final nod for such to become lawful and official must have the imprimature of the National Assembly. It is same for states’ creation, so as not to encourage willful and unwieldy balkanization of the polity.”

The CACOL boss added, “In retrospect, the recalcitrant attitude to local governments’ independence is actually inimical to ease of providing beneficial leadership to the people through the grassroots and convenience. It is germane to note that democracy itself as we know it worldwide today, started from the Greek commune called Polis a suburb not bigger than a ward inside a local government. In the United Kingdom today, affordable Council flats and other social welfare programmes, including primary Health care, Primary Education, etc., are usually within the purview of local authorities with the higher levels of Government exercising oversight and judicial control to guarantee fiscal and administrative discipline.

“This is why many have opined that such emasculation of this 3rd-tier of government is largely responsible for widespread poverty occasioned by unemployment, insecurity and deep rooted economic frustration ravaging the land. Accordingly, many have opined that instead of just making our local government administration a rubber stamp of their respective state governments, it would be more apposite to scrap the state as a tier of government and replace it with local governments’ authorities to bring governance closer to the people.”

- PM NEWS

Foreign countries frustrating efforts to repatriate stolen funds – Magu

The acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, has lamented the difficulties being experienced in the repatriation of stolen assets traced to foreign countries, making a clarion call on international law enforcement agencies to assist the agency in this regard.

“The process of repatriating monies stashed abroad has been very frustrating and disappointing, yet we have done everything possible, gone out of our way to encourage our sister agencies, but cooperation is almost nil,” he said.

Magu expressed the concern on Friday at the EFCC Head Office, Jabi, Abuja, during a visit by Dr. Joe Abah, Country Director of DAI Nigeria, an international development firm implementing programs covering governance, in more than 100 countries worldwide.

He said: “We have been investigating a number of cases for over four years working with the Federal Bureau of Investigations, National Crimes Agency and even the Crown Prosecution Service, we have done everything possible, gone out of our way to encourage our sister agencies, but except there is a third party involved there is no cooperation.”

While noting that “the Swiss have been more cooperative”, Magu observed that “the others never disclose their findings”, and are “very reluctant to get the proceeds repatriated”.

“We are willing to go outside this country to give evidence, and to share the intelligence that we have,” he stressed.

He further noted that President Muhammadu Buhari has remained unwavering in his vision and mission of ensuring victory in the anti-corruption crusade.

“The next level in the corruption fight is promising, there is political will and we are going to be daring,” he said.

He further noted the importance of inter-agency collaboration between the EFCC, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Fraud Offences Commission, ICPC, the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, and the Fiscal Responsibility Commission, FRC, stressing that multi-agency collaboration was key to winning the corruption war.

Noting that the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA 2015 has been “very helpful”, he opined that “majority of the people in the Judiciary are not doing well, but a few of them are, and we use to have dialogue with them to share our experience, and this has been very helpful”.

He further revealed that from January till date, the EFCC has secured about 550 convictions.

While commending the MacArthur Foundation and the DAI for their support of the anti-corruption crusade in Nigeria, he called for more support for the EFCC in all areas possible.

According to Abah, the visit was part of efforts aimed at further supporting the anti-corruption crusade in Nigeria.

“We recognize the valuable work EFCC is doing to preventing, investigating, prosecuting and combating financial and economic crimes,” he said.

- PM NEWS