Terrorism !! Ekiti community protests alleged Fulani herdsmen invasion, destruction of N50m worth of farmland

There was tension rose in Orin Ekiti, Ido/Osi local government area of Ekiti State on Wednesday when residents protested an alleged attempt by suspected herdsmen to forcefully take over their lands.

The protesters, comprising old and young, men and women, lamented that the suspected herdsmen destroyed crops worth over N50 million in farms belonging to 70 farmers.

They alleged that one person, Mr Emmanuel Ilori was allegedly killed by the suspected herders while the Benue farmers in the town were chased away.

Parading placards with calls for help against the suspected invaders, the protesters chanted derisive songs.

Some of the placards read”Save Our Lives We are in danger in Orin Ekiti’, ‘Save Orin Ekiti from Herdsmen invasion’, ‘We are Tired of molestation by Herdsmen’, ‘We Won’t Allow Fulani to Chase us from Our Land’, ‘Government Must Relocate Fulani Herdsmen’, among others.

Speaking to journalists on the development, the Onikare of Orin Ekiti, Chief Bamidele Fasuyi, alleged that the herders, had occupied and destroyed crops planted on the abandoned 2500 acres of land at Orin Farm settlement.

“What they want is to invade our land and chase us away. They even killed one of our able-bodied men this year. They are imposing some sort of curfew in this town because our youths can’t go to farm freely and the government has not anything. Several hectares of land has been destroyed. They used to operate at night with AK 47 rifle’’.

“Over 70 farmers were affected in our record. Crops worth 50 million have been ravaged. They ate up farm produce like Cocoayam, yam, cassava and others and made them to incur debts’’.

“We appeal to the government to use the 2500 acres of land for farming. The state and federal government as well as private bodies should come to our aid. There were facilities like electricity, buildings and equipment that can aid farming if they want to invest “.

A youth leader, Mr. Omotoso Mathew Kayode, alleged that the suspected herders, had hoisted a flag at the farm settlement, where they warned the farmers to keep off or face death.

“They wrote keep off with a picture of a cattle rearer on the flag. This is a serious threat. The police , NSCDC and soldiers removed the flag last year, but they had hoisted another one.

“We used to do night guard to ward off attack,because the police had found it difficult to arrest them. Our graduates who have no jobs were going into farming , but they are suffering losses because of destruction by cows.

“They must vacate the place. Governor Kayode Fayemi must relocate them. From our findings, they used to enter into this place from neighbouring towns like Isan, Ayede, and Ido and we are suspecting conspiracy. There may be famine in the land with the way things are going.

“We are not compromising our stand on this relocation. Chief Obafemi Awolowo-led government in the old Western region acquired the land in 1958 for arable farming and not for ranching”.

Omotoso appealed to Fayemi to compensate the farmers , for them not to abadon farming Outrightly.

The Oniwaro of Orin, Chief Mathew Oke, said Fayemi should comply with his promise to build a police station in the town and rejuvenate the farm settlement to ward off herdsmen invasion in the area.

- DAILY POST

Police speak as assassins kill, burn Nigerian weeks after return from US

The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Hakeem Odumosu, has ordered an investigation into the death of Mutiu Agbosasa.

Agbosasa was murdered and burned at his residence in Ginti Estate, Ijede, Ikorodu.

Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bala Elkana, in a statement on Thursday, said, last Sunday at about 2.30 am, one Rohis Adamu Dana, Agbosasa’s security man reported at Ijede Police Station that his boss sent him to call officers.

“A team of Policemen led by the Divisional Police Officer rushed to the scene”, it said.

“Police found the corpse of the victim in his vehicle burnt beyond recognition. The crime scene was cordoned off for forensic examination.

“Homicide detectives and forensic experts from the State Criminal Investigation Department were deployed to the scene for analysis.

“The corpse of the deceased person was evacuated to hospital for autopsy. The security guard who is 44 days old in the employment, was placed into custody for questioning.

“In his statement, Adamu Dana said on 14/12/2019 at about 10. 30pm, he opened the gate for his boss to drive into the house and while closing the gate, four strange men entered the house through the pedestrian gate.

“That he heard his boss shouting that he should run and call the Police. That it did not occur to him to call the neighbouring security guards for help.

“Investigation is ongoing with a view to unravel the circumstances surrounding his death and to identify those behind the gruesome murder. Meanwhile, security is beefed up in the Estate.’

- DAILY POST

ICYMI: Three Nigerians abscond during pilgrimage in Israel

Three Nigerian pilgrims from Delta state reportedly absconded during pilgrimage in Israel.

According to Channels TV, Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of the state, described the incident as embarrassing, saying he was informed through a text message.

The governor, who said he had not confirmed the incident, promised to carry out an investigation.

“From next year, we do not want to have the incidences of people absconding in Israel. It is something that is becoming worrisome. I just got a text. I have not been able to confirm but I want to investigate that three persons absconded,” he was quoted to have said.

“We are going to dig it up in its roots to find out who recommended the pilgrims. It is very embarrassing, I do not expect that from Delta state.”

He added that henceforth the process of selection and screening of Christian pilgrims from Delta would be thorough to ensure trust and responsibility.

Pilgrims from different parts of the world visit Jerusalem, regarded as Holy land, every year.

- THECABLE

Diego Maradona snubs Messi, Pele, names greatest footballer ever

Football icon, Diego Maradona has named Argentine legend, Alfredo Di Stefano as the greatest player ever in football history.

Maradona, who is currently the manager of Gimnasia de La Plata, believes Di Stefano is superior to everyone including Brazil legend, Pele, Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Juventus superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo.

When asked to name the greatest player in football history, Maradona told AS Argentina: “I think the best was Di Stefano.

“He was superior to everyone, including me. Pele did not want to recognize Di Stefano.

“Pele’s friends invented a trophy for him as the living legend of football. But even I have beaten him to become one of the best players in history.”

Maradona added: “I think I’d have quite a few [Ballons d’Or]. But what Messi is doing is outstanding. I would never like to face Messi – not ever. The lad comes home, plays football, doesn’t sing the national anthem and they say he’s Catalan. I don’t criticize Messi [like some others do].”

Di Stefano played for Real Madrid between 1953 and 1964.

He scored 308 goals in 396 appearances for the Los Blancos and won two Ballon d’Or awards during his time at Santiago Bernabeu.

- DAILY POST

Liverpool sign ‘very quick and brave’ Japanese

Japanese international Takumi Minamino signed for Champions League holders Liverpool on Thursday for a reported fee of £7.25 million ($9.5 million) from Austrian outfit Red Bull Salzburg, the Premier League leaders announced. 

The 24-year-old forward — who impressed Liverpool in their two Champions League group matches this season with the Austrian side — is believed to have signed a four-and-a-half-year contract. 

“Liverpool Football Club can confirm an agreement has been reached with Red Bull Salzburg for the transfer of Takumi Minamino,” the club said in a statement on their website. 

Minamino — who scored in the 4-3 defeat by Liverpool at Anfield in October — said it fulfilled a dream. 

“It has been a dream, my dream to become a Liverpool player,” he told Liverpool.com.

“And I’m so excited that the moment has come true. “To play in the Premier League was one of my targets. “I think this is the top-class league in the world; I was thinking if my career as a footballer progressed smoothly, someday I would be able to play in the Premier League. 

“But I never thought I would be able to play in this team and I’m really happy about it.” 

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said Minamino was a courageous player. 

“He is very quick and a very brave player,” said Klopp. 

“He is brave with the ball but also brave without the ball.”

Liverpool — whose senior squad are preparing for Saturday’s Club World Cup final in Qatar — activated Minamino’s release clause last week. He will be free to play for them from January 1 and could be involved in the FA Cup third-round tie at home to city rivals Everton on January 5. 

His move brings an end to his five-year spell with Salzburg, whom he joined from Cerezo Osaka in January 2015. In total, Minamino made 199 appearances for Salzburg, scoring 64 goals, while he has earned 22 caps for Japan and scored 11 times since making his debut in October 2015

- PM NEWS

More than 1,200 women raped in Port Harcourt

“They forced their way in at around 2am. They raped us. And when they left, they stole our phones and money.”

In those simple words, Sarah describes the nightmare that she and her flatmate endured when two armed men broke into their apartment in Port Harcourt, Nigeria’s oil hub.

Who the men were remains, a mystery. Both wore masks.

Reeling from shame and fearful of stigma, the 25-year-old did not tell anyone she had been raped. Not the police, her family, even her friends.

“Here you don’t talk about these things,” Sarah — her name changed for the purposes of this story — said.

Eventually, Sarah, a trained nurse, became worried about her health and plucked up the courage to go to a clinic run by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) that specialises in sexual violence.

There she received treatment. Eventually she found the strength to recount her tale to a psychologist.

The figures for admissions to the little clinic speak amply about the scale of rape in Port Harcourt. Since the start of the year, more than 1,200 patients have sought help there. In October alone, there were 148 new admissions.

Port Harcourt has many of the fundamental problems of poverty and inequality which are familiar to Nigeria’s big cities.

The figures for admissions to the little clinic speak amply about the scale of rape in Port Harcourt. Since the start of the year, more than 1,200 patients have sought help there. In October alone, there were 148 new admissions.

But it is also in the grip of notorious gangs called “cults,” which emerged from university campuses to become organised crime groups and frequently engage in blood rituals and oaths.

They carry out raids, ransom kidnappings and other crimes, in which the victim often suffers sexual violence.

“When there are cultist clashes in the community, people scatter everywhere, and armed robbers go inside the houses and they rape the girls,” said Christine Harrison, an MSF coordinator in the rundown district of Diobu.

The 42-year-old mother patrols the gritty streets, handing out an emergency number that victims can call — a task that she has been doing for two years.

“My job is to let the women know that they need to stand up for their rights,” she said. “Before, rape was a normal thing.”

The MSF rape awareness campaign includes messages on local radios and stickers which are handed out on public transport.

The situation, while grim, is changing bit by bit — a shift that came after nine women were drugged and strangled in Port Harcourt hotels in a string of gruesome ritualistic-style killings.

“We never saw something like that. The whole city just rose up. We said: ‘Enough is enough’,” said Ibim Semenitari, a well-known local activist who led protest marches joined by hundreds of feminists.

A police commissioner in Port Harcourt had initially urged women not to go out at night, and said that the victims were prostitutes — their bloody fate could be avoided by “re-education,” he suggested.

As pressure from the street mounted, the police arrested the supposed killer, cult member Gracious David-West. His trial opened on December 9.

“His arrest was a huge success for us,” said Doris Onyeneke, a campaigner and head of a centre for protecting and training women called Mater Dei.

“Women are vulnerable in Nigeria, and even more (so) in Niger Delta region,” she said, referring to the country’s oil hub.

The gangs are based on a twisted notion of masculinity, she said: “Members have to be aggressive, strong, kill, make a lot of money.”

Her centre, where she is dubbed “Lady Doris,” takes in many girls in need, some of them minors.

Theresa, a 21-year-old trainee seamstress, put the final rhinestones to a magnificent hand-made evening gown as she described the plight of many women in Nigeria.

“We don’t have equal rights,” she said, her back straight and an unflinching look in her eyes.

“Women are the weaker vessels. For them, we are good only in the kitchen or in bed.”

She added: “I used to be very shy, but now I can be bold enough and speak to the public. If we are empowered, we are less vulnerable. ”

*Reported by AFP 

El Clásico: Valverde to be without two key Barcelona players for Real Madrid clash

Barcelona manager, Ernesto Valverde will be without two key players, Arthur Melo and Ousmane Dembélé when his side take on Real Madrid in La Liga El Clásico fixture on Wednesday night.

According to Diario AS, Arthur is still recovering from a groin injury and will not feature against Zinedine Zidane’s men at the Camp Nou, as well as Dembélé.

Barcelona head to the game following a 2-2 draw with Real Sociedad in the La Liga on Saturday.

Real Madrid also played a 1-1 draw with Valencia in the La Liga on Sunday.

The kick-off time for the match is 8pm.

- DAILY POST