Select a Category

profile/14120201031_173904.jpg

Samuelisirima

Investigation In Nigeria Military

Investigative journalist ‘Fisayo Soyombo spent 10 weeks tracing the deaths, disappearances and injuries from the military intervention into the Lekki toll gate protest of October 20, 2020. In the first of this three-part series, he details the death threats, intimidation and reported incidents of murder obstructing the flow of information on the number and identity of victims.

Dabiraoluwa Adeyinka was in the middle of a fiery conversation with friends in the final week of October 2020 when her phone rang. An unknown number was calling.

“Who do you want to speak with?” she asked quite curtly, impatient to rejoin her friends. What followed for the next one minute left her astounded.I don’t understand English,” the caller warned. “Calm down and listen carefully to what I have to say.”

He had kicked off the conversation by chillingly blurting “hello” thrice without uttering anything else, before consistently warning Dabiraoluwa to “back off”, his husky voice intermittently fading with the glitch that has defined mobile telephony in Nigeria.

profile/14120201031_173904.jpg

Samuelisirima

Akwa Ibom State Issue Decree In Road Traders

relocate to designated places.
Akwa Ibom State Government has advised all Street traders and operators of illegal markets especially around the plaza area, and other highbrow areas to relocate to designated trading places on or before February 1, 2021, or be prepared to face the wrath of the law.

The Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Charles Udoh who announced this weekend in a statement made available to newsmen in Uyo, noted that activities of Street traders and illegal markets impede the free flow of traffic and expose traders and the general public to road hazards.

Udoh explained that the eradication of street trading in the UCC was a key component of the recently approved Environmental Beautification Policy for the UCC.

READ ALSO: Delta approves over N1.260bn for roads reconstruction, rehabilitation
His words, “In line with Akwa Ibom State Government’s commitment to promoting a cleaner, hygienic and aesthetically resplendent environment, the Ministry of Environment is launching ‘Operation zero tolerance’ to street trading and illegal markets in the Uyo Capital City (UCC).

“The increasing wave of illegal activities of street traders, indiscriminate display of goods on road setbacks, walkways, and hawking on major roads; particularly around the Plaza Area, Wellington Bassey Road, Airport Road, Aka-Etinan Road junction and other highbrow areas in the metropolis has become a major cause for concern.

“These activities impede the free flow of traffic as well as expose traders and the general public to road hazards.

“Accordingly, all street traders, hawkers, and operators of illegal markets around the plaza area, airport road, Aka- Etinan junction, and other highbrow areas are advised to relocate to designated trading places on or before February 01, 2021, or be prepared to face the wrath of the law


The Commissioner noted that the announcement served as the last warning prelude to the enforcement of this order by the Enforcement team of the Ministry of Environment.

He said that the current administration was committed to “fast-tracking the vision of sustaining our state as an environmentally friendly and the preferred destination for tourists and investors. A beautiful environment starts with you. Let’s do it together”

profile/14120201031_173904.jpg

Samuelisirima

Dr Okezie Ikpeazu Dissolve Cabinet

The Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has dissolved the Abia State Executive Council, IgbereTV reports.

The governor has also recalled his suspended Chief of Staff, Dr. ACB Agbazuere.

A statement made available to IgbereTV on Saturday morning by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sir Onyebuchi Ememanka, reads:

"The Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has approved the immediate dissolution of the State Executive Council.

All those affected by this dissolution are to handover all government properties in their possession, together with their handover notes, to their respective Permanent Secretaries.

The Governor expresses his deep appreciation to these men and women for their services to the people of Abia State, and wishes them well for the future.

The Governor has also approved the recall from suspension of his Chief of Staff, Dr. ACB Agbazuere. This recall takes immediate effect."

profile/14120201031_173904.jpg

Samuelisirima

Ekiti People Not Happy With Their Governor Statement Concerning Herdsmen

The governors of Ondo, Ekiti, Osun, Oyo, Kebbi, and Jigawa states on Monday met with the national leadership of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association at the International Culture and Events Centre in Akure, Ondo State capital.

The Nigerian Governors’ Forum Chairman and Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, in his remarks, assured the herdsmen that they were not asked to leave Ondo State but to only get proper registration.

He added that the meeting was at the instance of the NGF and necessitated by the exigencies of the present challenges of insecurity in the country.

He noted that there was no eviction order given to the Fulani herdsmen in Ondo or any other state in the South-West.

“This is your home. You’ve lived here, married and done business with us. Nobody is going anywhere. The statement by the Ondo State Government had no eviction reference,” Fayemi was quoted as saying at the ongoing meeting.

According to Fayemi, the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, only directed that all herdsmen should register for them to operate in the state forest reserves.

The NGF Chairman said ethnic profiling has to stop and all tribes in Nigeria are faced by the insecurity challenge.

Former Deputy Governor of Osun State, Iyiola Omisore, and police authorities are also at the meeting, according to a source there.

Akeredolu had last week ordered herdsmen to vacate all forest reserves in the state within the next seven days, saying people masquerading as herders were using the forests to commit crimes

profile/14120201031_173904.jpg

Samuelisirima

I Did Not Order For The Banner To Be Placed Wike Speaks

GOVERNOR WIKE NOT BEHIND CAMPAIGN POSTERS

The attention of Governor Nyesom Wike has been drawn to campaign posters bearing his name which flooded some major streets of Abuja today.

For the avoidance of doubt, Governor Wike has not informed anyone that he is interested in the Presidency of this country.

This is certainly the handiwork of mischief makers who are threatened by the Governor's rising political profile.

We are amused that political detractors will stop at nothing to see how they can distract Governor Wike's visionary leadership.

For the umpteenth time, we wish to restate that Governor Wike is presently preoccupied with his mission to make Rivers State a better place and Destination of Choice.

All the puerile antics of political jobbers aimed at heating up the polity will surely fail.

Members of the public are therefore advised to discountenance the misinformation that is currently circulating in Abuja.

Paulinus Nsirim
Commissioner for Information and Communications
January 25, 2021

profile/14120201031_173904.jpg

Samuelisirima

What Yoruba Top Men Are Saying About Herdsmen Killings

Jimi Agbaje, a former governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday said youths who gave ultimatum to Fulani herdsmen to vacate Yorubaland must have acted out frustration after the government repeatedly failed to listen to their cries and save them from incessant attacks from bandits while the perpetrators were also not prosecuted.

Violence had erupted in Igangan, Ibarapa, on Friday when a popular Yoruba rights activist, Sunday Adeyemo, well known as Sunday Igboho, alongside his followers, stormed the Fulani settlement in the ancient town to eject Seriki Fulani, Salihu Abdukadir, and herdsmen accused of perpetrating crimes ranging from kidnappings, killings, rape to invasion of farmlands with their cattle.

Speaking in a chat with Daily Independent, Agbaje said it is time for the federal government to take decisive action by arresting and prosecuting any killer herdsmen or bandits found breaking the laws both in the North and the South.

He however cautioned all the parties involved to address the issue with caution and avoid statements that can further aggravate the already tensed situation.

He said “I think what has been missing in particular in the farmers, herdsmen clashes is the fact that there has not been diligent prosecution. And because of our faultlines in this country, it has exacerbated the situation and made it even worse. We haven’t seen diligent arrest and prosecution of both the bandits in the north and the herdsmen in the south”.

“The moment government decides that enough is enough, go after these bandits, arrest and prosecute them, then we will know that we are going in the right direction. That is not happening at the moment. The youths are working from the point of frustration, nobody feels safe anywhere in the country”.
“However, I do not subscribe to addressing the issue in an uneven manner. In other words, the way you treat them here is the way you must treat them in the north. That is the reality and people must see it to be so”.

“We should also call on all sides to douse the tension, because things like this can lead to a direction that no one can imagine. We should not fan the embers of the situation but must do everything to calm it down”.
In 21st century, we don’t want to see cattle on our roads and expressway. But there has to be a measure of fair play. That is very important.

"We cannot have a situation where herdsmen will go to farms, not just in the South but in the North and their cattle will eat up all the produce on the farms.It is no longer acceptable. You must find a way to run your cattle the same way we must have a way to run our farms. The only way we can do that is to everybody in their own chamber".

profile/14120201031_173904.jpg

Samuelisirima

Imo State On Fire

Officers of Nigerian army and Eastern Security Network (ESN) established by Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have clashed in Orlu, Imo state on Monday, January 25, leading to the death of at least four persons, Videos Below.

The crisis had been brewing since last week after a clash between ESN volunteers and police resulted in deaths. The security agencies were then said to have planned a reprisal.

It further gathered that more soldiers were deployed to the town on Monday, with sporadic gunshots heard in Orlu town and other parts of Orlu local government area

In the process, some residents scampered for safety while others got shot in the process. Four persons, including a middle-aged woman, were said to have been killed by stray bullets while some properties were burnt.

According to the videos below, soldiers were seen firing gunshots in major streets as military operation continued in the affected town as at Monday evening.
At least four Hilux vans conveying heavily armed soldiers were seen patrolling the roads, while two vehicles filled with ESN personnel were sighted in another part of the town.
Video:

profile/14120201031_173904.jpg

Samuelisirima

Lia Mohammed Said This About Nigeria Security That You Will Like

The Federal Government on Monday said although the country was facing security challenges, the current situation is better than what the present regime met at its inception in 2015.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said this while answering questions at a press conference in Abuja.

He was joined at the briefing by the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola.

“I can say without hesitation that, though Nigeria is facing security challenges, the situation is far better than what we met in 2015,” the minister said.

He explained that before the inception of the present regime, bombings by Boko Haram members were being witnessed in about 12 states including Abuja.

He said the situation has changed for the better.

“There is no doubt that we are much better than how it was,” he added.