Suspected Fulani herdsmen butcher family of four, three others in Benue

 

Armed men suspected to be killer herdsmen, have butchered a family of four and three other residents of Mbamondu community, Modern Market Council Ward in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue state.

DAILY POST gathered that the incident occurred at about 1am Saturday morning when the assailants invaded the community.

Aside those butchered, scores of other residents were said to have sustained life threatening injuries and are currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.

The State Commissioner for Land Survey and Solid Minerals, Mr. Bernard Unenge who is also a native of the community, confirmed the attack.

The Commissioner who said he was informed of the incident early hours of Saturday, lamented that the attack had occurred before the arrival of security operatives.

According to him, the seven dead bodies recovered on Saturday morning have been deposited in a morgue at the the Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi.

“We discovered seven dead bodies that we have already deposited at the mortuary. Five persons were also injured and three of them are very critical”, he added.

Recall that suspected Fulani herdsmen militias same night, invaded a community in Gwer-West Local Government Area of the state, killing no fewer than 11 persons, while others were left injured.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, Anene Sewuese Catherine had confirmed the killing of 11 persons, stating that security operatives had been deployed to the area to forestall further attack.

However, she was unable to state the level of casualty.

 - DAILY POST

Germany picks Ghana over Nigeria as West African centre of global health

 

The German government says it will support the launch of a German-West African Centre for Global Health and Pandemic Prevention.

Christoph Retzlaff, German ambassador to Ghana, announced in a tweet on Thursday that the centre will be located in Ghana.

Retzlaff said the Ghanaian centre is one of eighth others worldwide. He, however, did not mention the locations of the seven others.

“Excellent news: Germany will support launch of a new “German-West African Center for Global Health and Pandemic Prevention,” Retzlaff wrote.

“It will be located in Ghana and be part of 8 new centers worldwide to fight global challenges.”

The development comes just when the dust is yet to settle on Twitter’s choice of Ghana over Nigeria for its African office.

There is an ongoing conversation over how Africa’s giant somehow manages to lose opportunities to neighbouring countries, Ghana especially.

Jack Dorsey, Twitter CEO, said the company’s choice of Ghana was based on the country’s history of being a “champion of democracy” and “a supporter of free speech, online freedom and the open internet”.

Check out TheCable’s analysis of seven times Ghana has beaten Nigeria to the prize here.

While Nigeria may pride itself as Africa’s giant, Ghana is gradually positioning itself as the apple of the continent’s eyes, especially to foreign investors.

- THECABLE

Southeast: Deployment of military may lead to Nigeria’s break up – Ohanaeze

 The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, on Sunday, cautioned the Federal Government against any deployment of military to the South-East.

It warned that such action could lead to Nigeria’s break up.

Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Secretary General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, gave the caution in a statement he made available to DAILY POST.

He said the “Southeast has remained the nation’s safest place for foreign and local investments. What is happening now is not strange as the UK Ambassador announced in his earlier warnings that Northern bandits were sponsored to the South, possibly to wreak havoc and tensions in the region.

“Our belief and suspicions were reinforced through evidences of serial attacks and violence perpetrated in our zone by ‘unknown gunmen’, a few weeks after UK’s warnings of exodus of Northern bandits heading towards South, with provocative agenda to inflict crisis, anarchy and promotion of civil disturbances, especially in the peaceful Southeast and South-South for political reasons.”

He called on President Muhammadu Buhari “to resist the temptation of military deployment to the South-East as the consequences might be disastrous and a preparatory ground for unending guerrilla activities or another avoidable war.

“Ndigbo has implicit confidence on ESN and Ebubeagu for self defense.

“Military must focus on the insurgency in the North and refuse to fight at all fronts at the same time. Ndigbo are emergency experts and any infiltration in the process of Igbo defensive mechanism might spell doom for Nigeria.

“Ndigbo don’t need military assistance now, except there are high level manipulations to destabilize and destroy our region for political purposes and deny Ndigbo presidency in 2023.”

- DAILY POST

Messi to stay at Barcelona – Laporta

 

Messi is yet to confirm whether he will stay this summer, with the possibility that his seventh Copa del Rey triumph could be the last trophy he wins for Barca.

“Leo is the best player in the world, he is a player who is deeply rooted in the club, who loves Barca,” said Laporta after the final in Seville.

“I am convinced that he wants to stay and we already know that we are going to do everything in our power, within the possibilities of the club, to ensure he continues with us. It is what we want the most.”

Messi scored a spectacular goal that he started in his own half at La Cartuja before rounding off the victory with a strike into the corner for his 31st goal of the season.

It is the 13th consecutive campaign that Messi has scored more than 30 goals for Barcelona.

“Leo put on an exhibition today,” Laporta added.

AFP/NAN

‘We’ll occupy your homes’ — workers threaten lawmakers over bill to scrap LGs

 

The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has kicked against a bill seeking to scrap the local government (LG) system in the country.

Solomon Bob, a member of the house of representatives, had in December sponsored the bill to remove the third tier of government from the constitution.

Bob had asked that the LGs creation, powers and funding be vested exclusively in the state house of assembly “in accordance with the principle and practice of true federalism”.

He argued the bill will go “some good way towards fixing the many centripetal anomalies in the 1999 constitution”.

Reacting, Ambali Olatunji, NULGE president, described those calling for the scrapping of local councils as enemies of Nigerians and democracy.

He said those behind the plot were insensitive to the plight and governance needs of the majority of Nigerians in the rural areas.

He said the NULGE is planning to occupy the homes of all federal lawmakers over the plan to scrap the local government system, warning that the sponsor of the bill and other lawmakers, who showed support for it, would face the wrath of the workers.

Olatunji said if the bill is not killed immediately, the workers would in the next few days stage a protest at the national assembly, after which they would storm the country homes of all members of the parliament.

“Our existence is being threatened; we will not sit down and watch. There will be a national protest there at the national assembly,” he said.

“They are no longer representing us, they are representing themselves. Bob Emmanuel, who benefited from the local government system, has now become so disillusioned that he wants the system scrapped.

“He is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and that is why we have asked the party to call their son to order. Any person who attempts to kill the local government system is killing his own political future.

“No lawmaker, who is on the side of the masses should join this destructive move. We shall fight them all.”

The NULGE president urged governors who believe the LG system to speak out against the plan to “destabilise a system that draws government closer to the people”.

- THECABLE

COVID-19: I won’t take vaccine, I’m not guinea pig – Bishop Oyedepo

 Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith Church, has said he won’t take the COVID-19 vaccine.

Oyedepo, who spoke during the church’s Covenant Hour of Prayer programme, said he is not a guinea pig, hence would not take the vaccine.

Stressing that the world was confused over COVID-19, the clergyman insisted that the church has the answer.

According to Oyedepo: “I have never seen a generation where you force people to take vaccines. It is inhuman; it is immoral sir. I’m not a lawyer but I don’t think it is legal. You can’t come to my house and want to give me injections.

“On what? Did I invite you? They are confused. But the church has the answer. Did you see any outbreak of virus here? How will it enter the gate? Will it come through the air? How?

“One woman just got down after that injection in Kaduna. What kind of life? Are human beings now turned to guinea pigs? The world is confused but the church is triumphing.

“So, the triumph of the church will humble the pride of the world. They don’t know what to do, sir. In the last days, the church will be reigning in power and glory. That is God’s agenda.

“No apologies. There is a big, big bird in our land, saying, ‘don’t take it, they are deceivers’. Let me see someone who will come and inject me.

“Are you going to tie my hands? How? Did I invite you? I know you are quiet, you will hear more of it. My job is to expose the devil and tell his agents, ‘get off, we are not guinea pigs.”

- DAILY POST

Malaysia set to deport Nigerian Simon Momoh for drink-driving

 A Nigerian living in Malaysia, Simon Adavize Momoh, who was arrested for drink-driving has been ordered to be deported, though he paid the fine for the offence.

Malaysian newspapers reported that Momoh, who is married to a Malaysian and has two daughters, is being detained at the Semenyih Immigration depot.

The 33 year-old Nigerian was not even aware he was about to be sent home, until he had access to his lawyer, Vemal Arasan.

It was Vemal who told him that a deportation notice was sent to Momoh’s wife, Low Kar Hui, who was asked to buy a ticket for Momoh’s flight back to Nigeria.

According to reports, Vemal had filed a habeas corpus before high court judge, Ab Karim Ab Rahman, who ordered the immigration to allow Vemal had access to Momoh.

Vemal told pressmen that he was unable to have full access to Momoh because the immigration said there was a power outage.

Vemal at the preliminary hearing of the habeas corpus sought Momoh’s release to enable them to prepare a proper submission, adding that the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) had agreed for him to liaise with his client.

Karim has set Wednesday this week for a full hearing of his habeas corpus application.

Momoh, who has been married to Low for the past eight years and has a valid visa, was arrested at a roadblock in Cheras in the early hours of March 15 on suspicion of drink-driving

He pleaded guilty in court the same day, paid the RM12,000 fine, and Low was told he would be released at 5pm.

However, he has been detained at the Semenyih centre since then.

Authorities previously denied access for Vemal and Low to meet Momoh, citing Covid-19 restrictions

Meanwhile, a church in Kuala Lumpur has called on the authorities to release Momoh.

The Cathedral of St John the Evangelist, in a statement, urged the immigration department to consider the well-being of Momoh’s Malaysian wife and their two young children and not deport the 33-year-old.

- PM NEWS