Hoodlums under the guise of the ongoing #EndSARS protest on Friday looted Cross River COVID-19 palliative warehouse at Bishop Moinagh Street, State Housing Authority in Calabar. The hoodlums were seen in their numbers carting away bags of rice, noodles, salt and gallons of vegetable oil. They had earlier in the day blocked the Muritala Mohammed Highway, restricting vehicular movement. As at the time of this report, men of the Nigerian Police Force, who just arrived the scene, were seen trying to restore order, However, dispersing the crowd that had built was a herculean task as more and more people were…
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The Police Service Commission, PSC, says it is awaiting the White Paper on the Presidential Panel on Reform of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), to commence action on the report. The spokesperson, Mr Ikechukwu Ani in a statement made available to AshNews on Friday said the white paper being expected from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) would facilitate disciplinary mechanism on erring officers in the system. Ani called for restraint as miscreants hijacked the “ENDSARS” protests to unleash terror and havoc across the country. He said the Commission had followed recent developments and was shocked by the level of destructions meted…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it has put on hold all its political and electioneering activities. The party disclosed this in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, in Abuja on Friday. Ologbondiyan said that the decision was a further mark of honour for Nigerian youths who were killed at the Lekki Toll Gate as well as other killings that had occurred in various parts of Nigeria over the fall-out of the #EndSARS peaceful protests. The PDP had earlier on Thursday night directed that its flags in all its offices nationwide be flown at half-mast…
The Multinational Joint Taskforce (MNJTF) and Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have taken steps to prevent violent extremism in the Lake Chad Basin. The Chief of Military Public Information for MNJTF, Col. Muhammad Dole, in a statement on Friday, said a workshop to articulate an inclusive regional communication strategy in the region was already in progress. Dole said the initiative was in recognition of the need to reinforce information and communication line of operation to counter the extremist ideology propagated by the Boko Haram and armed groups. He added that it…
President Muhammadu Buhari has described as unfortunate the way and manner the initial genuine and well-intended protest of youths in parts of the country against the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) was hijacked and misdirected. A statement by Mr Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, said Buhari stated this in a virtual meeting with the former Nigerian leaders, in Abuja on Friday. The president reiterated that the government would not fold its arms and allow miscreants and criminals continue to perpetrate acts of hooliganism in the country. At the meeting were all living past leaders,…
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says the plan of both the federal and state governments on police reform will be a game-changer in ensuring an end to impunity. The plan include investigating police brutality as well as providing compensation to victims of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and other police units. Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu Akande, in a statement on Friday in Abuja, said the Vice President made the pledge on Thursday when he received at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, an American government delegation. The delegation comprised the US Assistant Secretary, Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights and Labour, Bob Destro; US Assistant…
The World Health Organisation (WHO), Regional Office for Africa located in Brazzaville, Congo, says there are over 1.6 million confirmed Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Africa. The UN health agency gave the update in its regional official Twitter account @WHOAFRO. WHO stated on its dashboard that there were over 1.6 million confirmed COVID-19 cases on the continent, with more than 1.3 million recoveries and 40,000 deaths cumulatively. South Africa, Ethiopia and Kenya are countries with highest number of reported cases. According to the dashboard: South Africa reported 708,359 cases and 18, 741 deaths; Ethiopia had 91,118 cases with 1,384 deaths, while…
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has described as a welcome development the Thursday broadcast of President Muhammadu Buhari on the #EndSARS protests in some parts of the country. Obasanjo made the commendation during a virtual meeting between Buhari and former Nigerian leaders on Friday. Mr Femi Adesina, the president’s spokesman, confirmed this development in a statement in Abuja. “I commend the speech of last night. The nation had been waiting. You made points that I believe need to be commended. “Peaceful demonstration is part of democratic practice. The demands of the genuine protesters were accepted, and you are working on implementation.…
Governor Bello Muhammad of Zamfara, has called on the Federal government to deploy operatives of the disbanded Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS, to the state in other to help fight the activities of bandits. He made the appeal while addressing newsmen after an emergency meeting of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, which took place in Kaduna on Thursday. According to the him, the ban on SARS had brought back bandit attacks, a reason, he said, that would make him seek audience with President Muhammadu Buhari on the renewed insecurity in the state. “We need all the SARS officers from other…
A Civil Society Organisation, the Civil Liberties Organisation, has urged youths in the country to form political parties capable of winning the 2023 presidential and other levels of elections. Its Chairman, Mr Ehi Omokhuale, who made the call in an interview on Friday in Lagos, was reacting to President Muhammadu Buhari’s Oct. 22 speech. “As long as Oct. 20 is ignored by government, there may not be any lasting or constructive engagement with government. “However, because hoodlums and criminals have taken advantage of the EndSars protests, I will advise the legitimate youths to vacate the streets as they are already…