Boko Haram: Terrorists attack Nigerian refugees in Timur, kill 51

 

Reports reaching DAILY POST from Maiduguri, the Borno state capital in the northeast region have it that insurgents have attacked Tumur Town, a community in Niger Republic, which houses more than 40,000 refugees from Nigeria.

The attack on Sunday according to some refugees, who called their relatives in Maiduguri, was very bloody, leaving over 51 people dead and causing many damages of property, including animals.

Most of the inhabitants of the town (Tumur) are people from Abadam Local Government Area of Borno state in Nigeria.

It could be recalled that a similar incident occurred in mid May this year, which prompted over 2000 households to relocate to Damasak in search of safety and protection.

Government officials and international organisations in Damasak told newsmen that the town of Damasak may experience continuation of movement of people from Niger (mass influx) in the coming days.

The officials called on the government and partners to begin to make preparation for essential items including food to respond to the immediate needs of the new arrivals.

- DAILY POST

Hillary Clinton wants U.S. electoral college scrapped

 

Former U.S. First Lady and Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, on Monday renewed her call for the abolition of the country’s Electoral College.

She made the call in a tweet shortly after voting as an elector alongside her husband and former President Bill Clinton in New York.

“I believe we should abolish the Electoral College and select our president by the winner of the popular vote, same as every other office.

“But while it still exists, I was proud to cast my vote in New York for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris,” the tweet reads.

Hilary lost the 2016 presidential election to Donald Trump in spite of winning the popular votes.

Trump was elected after securing 304 electoral vote to Clinton’s 234.

The Clintons were joined by Gov. Andrew Cuomo alongside 26 other electors on Monday who formerly sealed Biden’s victory in the Nov. 3 election in New York.

The U.S. Electoral College is a group of 538 presidential electors who converge in state capitals every December of an election year to ratify the election of the President and the Vice President.

This the college does on 14 December every four years.

The number of electors in each state is equivalent to the number of seats in state’s legislature.

A candidate requires an absolute majority of 270 electoral votes to win the election.

But if no candidate secures the 270 votes, Congress holds a contingent election to pick the president and Vice President.

Biden’s election is expected to be ratified in the Electoral College held in all state capitals on Monday following the Nov. 3 general polls.

The former Vice President is projected to receive 306 electoral votes to be secured against Trump’s 232 electoral votes.

Trump, however, has not conceded as he continues to contest the election results.

- PM NEWS

Landmine explosions: Nigeria among ‘top five countries with highest casualty rates’

 

In their struggle to earn a living, internally displaced persons (IDPs) in north-east Nigeria venture into unsafe territories and often find themselves at the mercy of landmine explosions.

Over 1,000 persons in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states have been reportedly killed or injured by explosives left behind during operations involving Boko Haram, other armed groups and security officers.

According to a report released on Monday by the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) titled ‘Hidden Scars – The Landmine Crisis in North-east Nigeria’, the country has one of the highest casualty figures worldwide.

“Explosive ordnance pose a dangerous threat to the many internally displaced persons (IDPs), refugees, and returnees transiting throughout the region. As IDPs and refugees migrate or return home – often through unfamiliar terrain – they are at significant risk of entering areas contaminated by landmines and other explosive ordnance,” the report reads.

“Likewise, returning to villages that are contaminated by explosive ordnance puts returnee communities at risk, as well as limiting the degree to which they can begin rebuilding homes and livelihoods.”

MAG, a global humanitarian and advocacy organisation that “finds, removes and destroys landmines, cluster munitions and unexploded bombs from places affected by conflict”, said Nigeria is among the top five countries in the world with the highest casualty rates from landmines.

The group also noted that Nigeria is the first country in Africa to have encountered new use of locally-manufactured landmines on this scale.

MAG explained that the situation is heightened by the insurgency in north-east Nigeria.

“Research by the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) has uncovered 1,052 casualties from 697 accidents involving landmines and unexploded bombs between January 2016 and August 2020 – although this number is thought to be even higher due to underreporting,” the report reads.

“A staggering 1,052 people have been reported to be killed or injured by explosive ordnance since 2016 across the most afflicted north-eastern states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.

“The crisis hit a peak of one casualty every day for the first 15 weeks of 2020 (113 casualties were recorded) – Casualty figures averaged one person per day in the first fifteen weeks of 2020, with Nigeria among the top five countries in the world with the highest casualty rates from landmines.

“The devastating impact of the conflict on the physical and mental wellbeing, living standards, and capacity for resilience and recovery of populations in north-east Nigeria is compounded by the dangers posed by landmines and other explosive ordnance.

“Intense fighting between Nigerian security forces and Boko Haram has left widespread contamination of explosive ordnance throughout the region. Locally-manufactured anti-personnel landmines have been deployed on roads, infields and also in urban areas.”

According to the report, children often mistake the devices for toys or metal scrap that they could sell, consequently falling prey to the explosions.

“These devices present a particularly lethal threat to girls and boys, who often mistake them as household items or toys while playing outside,” MAG noted.

“In an IDP camp in Borno, just a few months ago, nine-year-old Mustapha lost his life to an explosive after fleeing Boko Haram with his family. His fourteen-year-old uncle, Bakura, was also injured in the accident and rushed to hospital in a critical condition.

“The two boys had found a metal object. Oblivious to its danger and thinking they could sell it for scrap, they brought it into the camp where they lived with Falmata, Bakura’s mother. The explosion killed Mustapha instantly, and seriously injured Bakura, Falmata and a neighbour.

“According to MAG’s analysis of the available data, of the 412 civilians who were killed or injured, 72 were under the age of 18. However, limited and incomplete reporting mechanisms mean that the age of at least 222 casualties is not known. It is almost certain that the real number of girls, boys and teenagers killed or injured by landmines and unexploded bombs is higher.”

The report noted that in 2019, the Nigerian government acknowledged the existence of new landmines on its territory and committed to becoming mine-free by 2025.

However, according to MAG, “mine clearance is not yet an option in north-east Nigeria due to the ongoing conflict and insecurity.”

- THECABLE

Tell Nigerians if Buhari is dead or alive – Pastor Giwa begs Pastor Adeboye

 

The Senior Pastor of Awaiting The Second Coming Of Christ Ministry, Adewale Giwa, on Monday, begged the General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye to tell Nigerians whether or not President Muhammadu Buhari is alive or dead.

The cleric also urged the service chiefs to cover their faces in shame over the abduction of more than 300 schoolboys in Kankara, Kastina State.

In a statement sent to DAILY POST on Monday, Giwa, in his reaction to the ugly development begged “Pastor Adeboye and those who supported the APC to win the 2015 election to tell Nigerians whether or not President Muhammadu Buhari is alive or dead.”

Recall that more than 300 schoolboys are still missing after gunmen attacked a secondary school in Kankara, a town in Nigeria’s northwestern Katsina state, authorities said.

Attackers on motorcycles stormed the all-boys Government Science School late on Friday and engaged security forces in a fierce gun battle, forcing hundreds of students to flee and hide in the surrounding forest.

However, Pastor Giwa wondered why “the nation would have a president who could not lay his life for his citizens by protecting them.”

The cleric added, “By now, nobody should have advised the service chiefs to resign before they do so.”

- DAILY POST

‘How I lost my pregnant wife to unlawful arrest, detention by police’

 A 33-year-old farmer, Osazee Agbontaen, has narrated to the Edo State Judicial Panel of Inquiry for victims of SARS and related abuses, how he allegedly lost his pregnant wife due to his unlawful detention by police operatives.

Agbontaen, who resides at Ekowe Community in Ovia Northeast Local Government area of the state, told the panel that his wife who gave birth by cesarean section died while he was remanded in prison custody.

He added that he was arrested unlawfully based on a petition written against him and was detained for two weeks before being sent to prison.

“I was at home when some policemen invaded my house at about 2am and started banging on my door. Because I didn’t open for them on time, they pounced on me and beat me up, dragged me on the ground before throwing me into their van.

“They took me to their station, where I spent almost two weeks in their custody before they remanded me in prison,” he said.

The petitioner added that his wife who was carrying an eight-month old pregnancy would not have died if he were around to assist her.

“It was while I was in the prison that my family members came to tell me that my wife has put to bed through cesarean section.

“Ten days later, they also came to inform me in the prison that she couldn’t make it and has died.

“I was confused when I heard the news of the death of my wife,” Agbontaen said.

He noted that upon thorough investigations, the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) and his Investigating Police Officer (IPO), came up to say he has no case to answer.

As if the death of his wife was not enough blow, the widower also complained that he lost everything he had and that while in the prison, his farm was overgrown with weeds, and that the left over parts of his farm was later destroyed by fire.

- PM NEWS

Soldier, civilian killed in mission to rescue abducted Oyo-based Lebanese

 

A soldier, who was part of the rescue team trailing gunmen, who kidnapped a Lebanese and his aide in Ibadan, Oyo state capital, has been found dead.

The soldier was among the team drafted to secure the release of Hassan Mills, the victim.

Mills was abducted by gunmen on his way to Panorama Farms at Oke Alaro area of Ibadan.

According to Olugbenga Fadeyi, police public relations officer in Oyo, the corpses of the soldier and a civilian were found at the kidnappers hideout.

“On 12/12/2020 at about 17:23 hours, one Hassan Mills ‘m’ of Panorama Farm Mekun, Oke Alaro area of Ibadan was abducted at the entrance of his farm by gunmen, who shot severally before taking him away into the forest,” the statement read.

“In a swift response, the DPO Oke Alaro, combed the forest with a view to rescue the abductor from his captors and also arrest the culprits.

“Consequent upon this, a team of Operation Burst which was invited by the company arrived the area and proceeded to the forest. Not too long, one Army Lieutenant sustained gunshot injury on his right lap, and immediately taking to the hospital while the personal assistant to the abducted man, who was also abducted alongside his boss escaped during the exchange of gunfire.

“On 13/12/2020, two corpses of one soldier and a civilian were discovered in the forest while a civil defence personnel also sustained gun shot injury. It is worthy of note that movement of these foreign nationals most of the time are not known to the police authority in the state to enable professional advice to be given appropriately.”

-THECABLE

Insecurity: Service Chiefs no longer effective, should be sacked – Shettima tells Buhari

 

Kashim Shettima, Senator from Borno Central, has called for the removal of Nigeria’s Service Chiefs, amid the issues of insecurity plaguing the country.

Shettima, a former Governor of Borno State said the current Service Chiefs are dispensable, hence they should be removed.

Appearing on Arise Television, the lawmaker insisted that the Service Chiefs were no longer effective in the discharge of their duties.

Shettima said the current Service Christmas Chiefs should be replaced with people who have new ideas on how to tackle the plague of insecurity.

He said, “Why I was agitating for the removal of the security chiefs has to do with the fact that they have given their best but their best is no longer good enough. Shehu Shagari had three service chiefs in his four years of stewardship.

“Nobody is indispensable. And the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. We believe that morale is high; there is the need for an injection of people with new ideas, with fresher perspectives to come and address the issues.

“By June next year, Course 35 is going without reaching the pinnacle of their careers. So justice, equity, fairness and even commonsense demands that these service chiefs should go.”

Lately, there has been intense call on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack his Service Chiefs over the failing security architecture in the country.

While Nigerians were still mourning the massacre in Zabarmari, Borno State by Boko Haram sect, some unknown gunmen had abducted students of Government Science Secondary School in Kankara, Katsina State.

- DAILY POST

My husband sleeps with church members – Pastor’s wife tells court

 A 49-year-old evangelist, Chinwe Ekwe, on Monday told an Igando Customary Court in Lagos State that her husband is a womanizer and he sleeps with church members.

Chinwe spoke while responding to a divorce suit filed by her husband, Pastor Paul Ekwe, who had accused her of planning to kill him, NAN reports.

Chinwe said that her husband molesting women both single and married.

“I care for him both physical and spiritual, but he still chose to be flirting around with different women.

“He even brought a married woman home as a wife and chased me out of our matrimonial home,’’ she said.

Chinwe said that her husband was defaming her character by telling people that she was planning to kill him.

“What do I stand to gain if I kill the father of my seven children; he is lying against me just because he wanted to marry another woman which he had done.

“My husband is uncaring, I shouldered all his responsibilities but he spends money and buys foodstuffs for his concubines,’’ Chinwe told the court.

The mother of seven daughters said her husband got the police to arrest her, alleging that she destroyed his church and stole his five million naira.

She begged the court not to grant her husband’s wish for the dissolution of their marriage, pointing out that she still loved him despite his adulterous acts.

However, Ekwe has approached the court to terminate the 28-year-old marriage, accusing the wife of planning to kill him.

“My wife is planning to kill me so that she can remarry,” he said.

The petitioner described his wife as stubborn and quarrelsome.

“Our marriage is full of fights and quarrels. Chinwe makes my home uncomfortable for me and my life unbearable.

“She refused to obey my orders but does things her own way,” he said.

He accused her of turning all their children against him, alleging that she gave one out in marriage without his knowledge.

He pleaded with the court to terminate their marriage that the love he once had for his wife had vanished.

The Court President, Mr Adeniyi Koledoye, adjourned the case until Jan. 19 for judgment.

- DAILY POST

Arsenal’s dressing room in chaos as Arteta clashes with David Luiz, vows to ‘destroy’ leak

 There is tension in Arsenal’s dressing room, as manager Mikel Arteta is no longer on speaking terms with David Luiz.

This comes as Arteta has vowed to ‘destroy’ whoever leaked the training ground fight between Luiz and Dani Ceballos to the press.

The pair were sent home from the training ground following the fight in a practice match in November.

Ceballos has been in and out of the team all season, but Luiz had been a mainstay, until he suffered a head injury in a defeat against Wolves one week ago.

However, Football. London claims the incident has had a lasting effect on Arteta, as he was so furious that the fight had been leaked.

It is believed that a series of agents had gifted the story to the media and Arteta is no longer on speaking terms with Luiz, with the mood between the pair having ‘soured’ over recent weeks.

- DAILY POST

Gérard Houllier, former Liverpool and France manager, dies aged 73

 The former Liverpool and France manager, Gérard Houllier, has died aged 73.

RMC sport and sports daily L’Equipe confirmed that he had died after having a heart operation in Paris.

The Frenchman was manager of France between 1992 and 1993 but is best known for his time at Liverpool, where he helped revolutionise the club, leading them to the FA Cup, League Cup and Uefa Cup treble in 2000-01.

He had had a long history of medical problems and had heart surgery in 2001 after falling ill while managing Liverpool against Leeds United.- UK GUARDIAN 

Ajax star Quincy Promes arrested for stabbing

 

Netherlands international winger and Ajax football star, Quincy Promes has been arrested in connection with a stabbing at a family gathering earlier this year.

The Netherlands international winger would face up to four years in jail if found guilty.

The 28-year-old Dutch footballer was arrested by police on Sunday over suspected assault resulting in serious physical injury.

Promes “is suspected of assault resulting in serious physical injury,” popular daily tabloid De Telegraaf said.

The report said the family member was left with serious injuries after a fierce argument during a family party at a warehouse in Abcoude, just outside Amsterdam.

The relative is believed to have pressed charges last month and police spokesperson Jelmer Geerds confirmed a 28-year-old man had been arrested on Sunday.

“We only heard about the incident a month ago,” Geerds added. “An investigation was then started and this morning led to an arrest.”

The arrest occurred the day after Promes, who has made 49 appearances for the Netherlands, scored in Ajax’s 4-0 Eredivisie win over PEC Zwolle on Saturday.

The Dutch report adds the alleged crime of “assault resulting in serious physical injury” carries a maximum jail sentence of four years if the defendant is found guilty.

Promes, who previously played for Twente, Go Ahead Eagles, and Spartak Moscow, joined Ajax from Sevilla last year in a £14million deal.

- PM NEWS

Gunshot as Trump supporters clash with police in Washington

 

Violence erupted in Washington, on Saturday, after thousands of supporters of US President Donald Trump and counter-protesters clashed.

The weekend rallies in Washington between pro-Trump and anti-Trump demonstrators took violent dimension, as four people were taken to the hospital with stab wounds and one shot.

 Trump supporters, a group that wanted COVID-19 restrictions lifted and a Black Lives matter counter-protest clashed.

Thousands of Trump supporters gathered in Washington to protest against what they perceived as fraud in the November 3 presidential election.

They were chanting “stop the steal.

Law enforcement officials said the groups were heavily armed, wearing helmets, during the violent protest.

“After the rallies ended, downtown Washington quickly devolved into crowds of hundreds of Proud Boys and combined forces of antifa and local Black activists — both sides seeking a confrontation in an area flooded with police officers.  As dusk fell, they faced off on opposite sides of a street, with multiple lines of city police and federal Park Police, some in riot gear, keeping them separated,” AP reported.

The Metropolitan police department arrested 23 people over the violence, according to the news outlet.

On Friday, the US supreme court rejected a lawsuit seeking to overturn voting results in four states, a development that dashed the hope of Trump and his supporters in their bid to reverse the victory of President-elect Joe Biden.

The decision of the supreme court did not go well with Trump, who via a tweet said the supreme court “let us down”.

- THECABLE

Customs intercept guns concealed in rice bags in Kebbi

 

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted 73 locally manufactured guns and 891 cartridges at Yauri, Zamare waterside in Kebbi.

The Customs’ Public Relations Officer, Mr Joseph Attah, announced this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

Attah explained that officers of the NCS, Federal Operation Unit (FOU) zone B, who were on patrol along the waterside, had seized a truck loaded with locally produced rice.

According to him, some sacks were concealed under the bags of rice.

He said that upon careful examination, the sacks were found to contain the weapons.

The PRO said that three persons were arrested and detained while a preliminary investigation is ongoing.

Attah quoted the Controller of FOU Zone B, Hamisu Albashir, as saying that the feat was a signal to all those who might be planning to bring any harmful items into the country through the zone.

He appealed to the general public, especially border dwellers, to provide credible information for effective border security.

- PM NEWS

We receive N12,500 as salary – Ogun Assembly workers lament

 

Some workers at the Ogun State House of Assembly said they are being paid between N12,500 and N15,000 as salary every month.

DAILY POST gathered that no fewer than 53 persons are receiving the paltry sum as take-home monthly.

The workers said they joined the Ogun Assembly years ago as casual workers, with the hope that they might be incorporated into the civil service.

Our correspondent gathered that the casual workers, a number of whom are graduates, have worked at the assembly complex for at least, six to 10 years under the status, yet there is no hope of granting them permanent employment by the Ogun House of Assembly Service Commission.

In spite of their academic qualifications, many of the workers have been serving as cleaners, drivers, security guards, personal and office assistants, it was learnt.

“Despite our status at the Assembly and the poor pay, a large junk of day to day jobs depends on us,” a casual worker said.

Our correspondent confirmed that the list of the said workers, indicating their names, duty posts and the amount being paid is pasted on a notice board at the Assembly complex.

According to them, the management of the Assembly was not concerned about their job status despite several pleas for conversion into the civil service.

“We are helpless. I have spent seven years on the casual worker status already and there’s no hope. The former Speakers know about our plight, but they did nothing.

“The incumbent Olakunle Oluomo has also been silent about our issue. We are just being used as modern slaves. We are working everyday without pension. We collect N12,500 and a few are paid N15,000 monthly. There is no pension, so there’s no plan for our future.

“We hope Governor Dapo Abiodun can do something about our issue. People who have not served as casual workers are being recruited, why is our case different? We already have the experience,” they cried out anonymously.

Confirming the report, the new Chairman of Ogun State House of Assembly Service Commission, Hon Waliu Taiwo said the plight of the casual workers was discussed during the inaugural meeting of the Commission.

“I cannot say exactly what we are going to do. But we have to address the issue. We are still studying the situation,” Taiwo assured.

While reacting to the development, Ogun NLC Chairman, Emmanuel Bankole described ‘casualisation’ as modern slavery, saying it is unacceptable.

Bankole promised to engage the leadership of the Assembly towards absorbing the workers fully into the civil service.

• - DAILY POST