As Governor Godwin Obaseki begins his second term in office, the Edo State Government has assured that it will create positions for youths in the cabinet that will be constituted soon.
This was disclosed in a statement at the weekend by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie.
Osagie said the participation of Edo youths in the affairs of the state was important to Governor Obaseki, who has assured that young people below 40 years would be given positions in the new cabinet.
He said as part of the 2020 Alaghodaro Summit, a youth summit would be organised to evaluate how the policies, programmes, and initiatives of the Obaseki-led administration in the first four years in office have benefited youths in the state.
“The governor acknowledges the role of youths in the actualisation of his second term bid. Youths make up over half of the state’s population. So, it is only right that they determine what works best for them in government.”
“The 2020 Youth Summit will enable the state government to assess the impact of the administration’s policies and programmes on job creation, youth empowerment, basic and technical education and youths participation in governance, among others,” Osagie stated.
Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, has dismissed report by Amnesty International, accusing the police personnel of shoting at peaceful protesters.
While affirming that officers of the Nigeria Police Force acted professionally, Adamu said his men exercised commendable restraints and some paid the supreme price for peace during the recent protests and ensuing violence in some parts of the country.
Reacting to the report by Amnesty International dated October 21 that police personnel shot at peaceful protesters, the police chief described the Amnesty International report as untrue, misleading and contrary to all available empirical evidences.
He noted that during the protests, police officers “used legitimate means to ensure that the protests were carried out in a peaceful manner and in most cases, physically protected and walked side-by-side with the protesters.”
He reiterated that even when the protests turned violent in some parts of the country, the officers still maintained utmost restraint and did not use excessive force in managing the situations.
“Available Reports show that twenty-two (22) police personnel were extra-judicially killed by some rampaging protesters and scores injured during the protests. Many of the injured personnel are in life threatening conditions at the hospitals.
“Two hundred and five (205) police stations and formations including other critical private and public infrastructure were also damaged by a section of the protesters.
“Despite these unprovoked attacks, our police officers never resorted to use of unlawful force or shooting at the protesters as alleged in the report. It also beggars imagination that Amnesty International failed to mention or pay tribute to Police officers who were gruesomely murdered during the protests while serving their fatherland.
“The Force decries the discriminatory tendencies exhibited by Amnesty International as seen in the report. One wonders if in the estimation of Amnesty International, police officers are not also human beings equally entitled to the protection of their fundamental rights to life and dignity of human person,” said Adamu, in a statement by Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba.
The Inspector General of Police, while noting that NPF is committed to the Federal Government’s ongoing holistic reforms of the Force targeted at improving service delivery, positive police-citizen relationship and respect for human rights, enjoined Amnesty International to ensure they subject their reports to adequate scrutiny and proper verification of facts before making the reports public.
File Photo: AFDB President Dr Akinwumi Adesina Welcomes Members to the Bank’s 2020 Annual Meetings
African Development Bank has designated representatives from 80 government institutions, civil society organisations and universities for training as experts in developing climate financing proposals.
Following a thorough independent selection process, 80 participants were chosen, with approximately 40 from English-speaking countries and 40 from French and Portuguese-speaking countries.
The trainees would pass on their knowledge to potential beneficiaries of the Green Climate Fund, a $10 billion endowment set up in 2010 to help countries implement their climate agenda through loans, equity, guarantees and grants.
The 120-hour training programme would be managed by Climate Change and Green Growth Department of African Development Bank, with funding from Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation Trust Fund.
The scheme is being built on ongoing work by African Development Bank, Green Climate Fund and other partners to support the bank’s regional member countries to directly access Green Climate Fund resources.
“The Green Climate Fund is expected to be a major source of climate finance for the African continent. Accessing finance from the Fund is challenging because of the complexities of designing climate change projects to fulfill the funding criteria.
“This training will boost capacity amongst African nationally determined authorities, governments and consultants by training trainers to run future training courses,” said Manager of the Environment and Climate Finance Division in the Department of Climate Change and Green Growth at African Development Bank, Gareth Phillips.
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has made the training to be shifted from in-person to online. This has the advantages of making it less costly to run and more carbon efficient.
The project’s theory of change is based on three main components, which complement ongoing work by the bank to enhance the capacities of several African countries to access Green Climate Fund resources through small grants from the Africa Climate Change Fund.
These components include: developing training materials and an online platform to support direct access to the Green Climate Fund, training a pool of experts and certifying them to support African governments and institutions, and facilitating south-south learning.
A team of U.S. Navy SEALs fires on insurgents from a rooftop Friday, April 21, 2006 in Ramadi 115 km (70 miles) west of Baghdad, Iraq. U.S. soldiers patrolling in Ramadi say that enemy contact is so regular, they can make accurate estimates of how long it will take to be shot at after the start of their patrols. Estimates range from 45 minutes for one company to just 8 minutes for another. (AP Photo/Todd Pitman)
Idowu Sowunmi with agency reports
An American citizen abducted last week in Niger has been rescued during a high-risk U.S. military raid in neighbouring Nigeria, officials told ABC News early Saturday.
The mission was undertaken by elite commandos as part of a major effort to free the U.S. citizen, Philip Walton, 27, before his abductors could get far after taking him captive in Niger on Oct. 26, counter-terrorism officials told ABC News.
The operation involved the governments of the U.S., Niger and Nigeria working together to rescue Walton quickly, sources said. The CIA provided intelligence leading to Walton’s whereabouts and Marine Special Operations elements in Africa helped locate him, a former U.S. official said.
Then the elite SEAL Team Six carried out a “precision” hostage rescue mission and killed all but one of the seven captors, according to officials with direct knowledge about the operation.
“They were all dead before they knew what happened,” another counter-terrorism source with knowledge told ABC News.
President Donald Trump called the rescue mission a “big win for our very elite U.S. Special Forces” in a tweet and the Pentagon lauded the rescue mission in a statement.
“U.S. forces conducted a hostage rescue operation during the early hours of 31 October in Northern Nigeria to recover an American citizen held hostage by a group of armed men,” said Pentagon chief spokesperson Jonathan Hoffman.
“This American citizen is safe and is now in the care of the U.S. Department of State. No U.S military personnel were injured during the operation.
“We appreciate the support of our international partners in conducting this operation.”
And Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said: “Thanks to the extraordinary courage and capabilities of our military, the support of our intelligence professionals, and our diplomatic efforts, the hostage will be reunited with his family. We will never abandon any American taken hostage.”
ABC News consultant Mick Mulroy, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense and retired CIA officer, said preparations for Walton’s rescue likely started when he was abducted.
“These types of operations are some of the most difficult to execute,” he said. “Any mistake could easily lead to the death of the hostage. The men and women of JSOC (Joint Special Operations Command), and the CIA should be proud of what they did here. And all Americans should be proud of them.”
Eric Oehlerich, an ABC News consultant and retired Navy SEAL, said Walton was “lucky” that such a mission was possible such as short time after he was abducted, when others have been held for years.
“Men in these top-tier special forces units train their entire adult lives to be ready when called upon, hostage rescue operations are inherently dangerous,” he said. “Those men put someone else’s life above their own, they do so selflessly….it’s an illustration of utter commitment.”
A former U.S. counter-terrorism official emphasized generally how long the odds are for rescue in the “highly dangerous” missions — less than 30%. But the official said that it’s crucial to act as quickly as possible so that hostages don’t wind up in the hands of al Qaeda or ISIS.
“The longer a hostage is held the harder it is to find an exact location to be able and conduct a rescue operation,” the official said.
U.S. and Nigerien officials had said that Walton was kidnapped from his backyard last Monday after assailants asked him for money. But he only offered $40 USD and was then taken away by force, according to sources in Niger.
Walton lives with his wife and young daughter on a farm near Massalata, a small village close to the border with Nigeria.
Nigerien and American officials told ABC News that they believed the captors were from an armed group from Nigeria and that it was not considered terror-related. But hostages are often sold to terrorist groups.
Concern grew quickly after the kidnapping that an opportunity to rescue Walton could become much more dangerous if he was taken by or sold to a group of Islamist militants aligned with either al Qaeda or ISIS and American special operations commanders felt they needed to act swiftly before that could occur, said one counter-terrorism official briefed on the hostage recovery operations.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson confirmed after the kidnapping that an American citizen had been abducted in Niger and said the U.S. government was “providing their family all possible consular assistance.” The spokesperson declined to comment on the case, citing “privacy considerations,” but added, “When a U.S. citizen is missing, we work closely with local authorities as they carry out their search efforts, and we share information with families however we can.”
Another American, Christian humanitarian aid worker Jeffery Rey Woodke, 60, has been held hostage for the past four years since being kidnapped in northern Niger by armed militants.
Niger, home to 22 million people and three times the size of California, is one of many Sahel nations plagued by terrorism and instability, but its military has been a close U.S. partner in the fight against regional jihadist groups, including affiliates of both al Qaeda and ISIS.
Last week, a U.N.-backed donor summit raised $1.7 billion to support the region’s governments as Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned the humanitarian crisis is at a “breaking point,” with 13.4 million people in need of assistance.
File Photo: Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led Lagos State Government has with immediate effect lifted the #EndSARS-imposed curfew, which was introduced after the peaceful protest was hijacked.
This was coming as the governor has also approved November 2 as the resumption date for all public servants on Grade Levels 1 to 12.
While lifting the #EndSARS-imposed curfew, the Sanwo-Olu administration explained that the 12am-4am curfew imposed by the Federal Government to curb the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) would subsist.
Encouraging Lagosians to feel free by going about their businesses without any hindrance whatsoever, the governor assured that security agencies would continue to discharge their duties.
He urged Lagosians to cooperate with law enforcement personnel to maintain the status of Lagos State as one of the most peaceful states in the country.
Sanwo-Olu appreciated “security agencies for their efforts in restoring peace to our troubled communities” and commended Lagosians for observing the curfew and ensuring the return of normalcy.
The governor urged the citizenry not to do or encourage any action that may turn back the clock, but “to keep living in harmony as we get set to rebuild our dear state and strengthen the unity that we are known for.”
Meanwhile, Sanwo-Olu has directed that all public servants on GL 1-12 should resume duty from Monday (November 2).
The governor, in a statement by Lagos State Head of Service, Hakeem Muri-Okunola, observed that the directive is in accordance with the recommendations of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 and advisory of the state Ministry of Health.
Muri-Okunola urged all accounting officers to ensure strict adherence to all safety protocols guiding against the spread of the virus in their respective MDAs, just as he directed that attendance duty rosters must be maintained in all state government establishments.
Free provision of food and water. Atypical orderly queues. Free medical care. Free legal representation. Spontaneous crowdfunding to purchase a prosthetic leg for a female amputee protester who refused to be deterred. Fund raising target was N1.5m in one month. N4.1m raised in three hours. Lesson; accompany compassion with will and anything is possible.
Raised banners. Fluttering national flags. Impassioned anthem singing…then a rain of bullets. Sudden tragedy. Eerie screams. Pandemonium. So who amongst these were thugs? Tuesday, October 20, 2020 was yet another dark day for our fledgling democracy. Yet another, because it wasn’t the first. Over 300 Shiites were reportedly killed in cold blood by our armed forces in 2015. The IPOB propagators suffered a similar fate. Lesson; injustice meted out anywhere is injustice everywhere. Never turn a blind eye because it doesn’t directly affect you. One day it may arrive at your doorstep.
Many western nations are preparing for a potentially harrowing winter as Covid 19 cases spike. The annual season of influenza approaches and portends a winter of discontent, if we’re to borrow a line from Shakespeare. Nigeria, blessed with comparatively low cases of the dreaded Coronavirus has yet again used it’s own hands to invite a disaster that should never have been. The utterly heartless and cowardly slaughter of unarmed and peaceful protesting youths, has foolishly ushered in it’s own winter of discontent.
Fed up with staring hopelessly into a bleak future, our youths finally came of age to say enough is enough. Attracting the admiration and respect of all well meaning Nigerians, they took to the streets in the most spontaneous yet orderly, legal and organized fashion to register their discontent. I, for one, doff my hat to them not just because they’ve finally woken up to the fact that power resides in their hands (no matter what anybody says) but because of the incredibly efficient, clever and united way in which they did it. They displayed a front of solidarity rarely seen on these shores, which thankfully put a lie to the tribal, religious divisions that the old guard have sold to us for far too long. It brought tears of pride to my eyes to watch as the Christians amongst them formed a wall of protection around their Muslim brothers and sisters as they took to their Friday Jumat prayers. The Muslims reciprocated by standing by the Christian faithful during the Sunday service. Such simple gestures of camaraderie speak volumes and to me signify the birth of a new Nigeria. One where the lies of the past have finally been exposed for what they are, lies.
By far the largest demographic group in the country, with about 70% of the population under the age of 35, whichever way they go, the country must surely go. They only needed to come to that realization and it looks like they finally have. Their time has come and no bullet, no senseless thugs, no method of intimidation and no divide and rule tactic can stop them. They hold the future and by God’s grace, they will arrive there.
It pleases me that people are finally waking up to the fact that we shouldn’t have to fast and pray for God to elevate one of our relatives or friends to a government position before we should hope to enjoy the good life. We can no longer wait patiently for crumbs to fall off our “benefactor’s” table. Every Nigerian, no matter where he hails from, his religion or who he knows or doesn’t know, should have high hopes of living the good life as long as he’s willing to work hard and work smart. Ask those in societies that work and they will tell you that you don’t need to be a millionaire to live a comfortable and meaningful life. You don’t have to be rich to buy a new car, give your children a good education, have peace of mind that any medical eventuality would be met without much struggle or even take your family on annual holidays; something considered a luxury by 99% of Nigerians but which Oyinbo has since realized is critical for his health and a sense of well being. It takes its place amongst the plethora of factors which determine a nation’s average life expectancy and partly explains the gap of over 25 years between that of Nigeria and that of Western Europe.
About 70% of illnesses can be linked to stress and unfortunately, we have plenty of that here. Is it the endless hours spent in traffic or the absence of constant electricity supply which makes restful sleep an impossibility for the majority? Or is it having to sleep with one eye open because of the horrendous security situation? Or the constant harassment by security forces and the agony of having to part with money that was already not enough? Stress is something we have adapted to living with but only few realize that adapting to it does nothing to minimize the damage it does to our health. Contrary to popular belief, you’re not strong or tough because you’re able to work like a jack ass without taking commensurate rest, you’re just foolish. Sooner or later one’s body will tell one that. Don’t let that be you.
Back to being rich or not rich. I will add this. In countries where leaders lead and don’t rule; where leaders respect the rights of the people to aspire to a good life; where the social contract is clear about what the people should expect of their government and what the government should in turn expect of their people that will enable them (government) fulfill their obligations, you don’t even have to be rich to own your own house. Lee Kuan Yew read his people well and concluded that a people opportuned to live in their own houses will be more patriotic and will fervently protect the stability of their society because they have too much to lose. Acutely conscious of their tangible stake in it they’ll never watch it burn.
All we need to enjoy all the above is good governance and that can only be the fall out of having leaders that care. To our most recent fallen heroes, may you rest in peace, in the knowledge that your ultimate sacrifice shall not be in vain. A grateful and mournful nation acknowledges you and says thank you.
Changing the nation…one mind at a time.
Oladapo Akande is a Surrey University (UK) English graduate with a Masters in Professional Ethics. He’s an alumnus of the National Institute for Transformation and a two time author; The Last Flight and Shifting Anchors. He writes from Lagos.
File Photo: President Buhari receives in audience Former Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in State House on 12th Oct 2020
President Muhammadu Buhari Friday held a video conference with Mr Charles Michel, President of the European Council, during which the latter reiterated Europe’s support for Nigeria’s Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the next Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
The President is leading Nigeria’s charge for Okonjo-Iweala, the country’s former Minister of Finance, to emerge as the first Black and female WTO DG.
President Buhari thanked the European Council for its support for Nigeria’s candidate.
Also discussed during the conference were issues bordering on debt relief for Africa, EU-African relations and recharge of the Lake Chad, which has currently shrunk to less than one-third of its usual size, and throwing about 130 million people who depend on the Lake into dire straits.
President Buhari receives in Virtual audience Horasis Global Visions Community led by its Chairman Dr. Frank-Jurgen Richer in State House on 30th Oct 2020
President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday in Abuja expressed the commitment of the government of Nigeria to work with an international think-tank group and investment promoter, Horasis Global Visions Community, to find solutions to challenges facing the country, its government and corporate entities.
Speaking at a virtual meeting with the members of the Visions Community led by its founder and chairman, Dr Frank-Jürgen Richter, cross-sectional representatives of State Governors and corporate organizations in Nigeria, President Buhari said: ”I am excited about the work that Horasis has been engaged in since it was founded in 2005.
President Buhari receives in Virtual audience Horasis Global Visions Community led by its Chairman Dr. Frank-Jurgen Richer in State House on 30th Oct 2020
”As a platform for frank discussions and generation of multidisciplinary ideas for the resolution of multi-faceted challenges facing mankind, the work of governments and corporate organisations are expected to be impacted more positively,” he said.
President Buhari accepted the request of the global think tank to create its African hub in Nigeria, commending their vision for an expanded manufacturing through Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to make the country a major beneficiary of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (ACTFA) coming into effect next year.
”It is my hope that many corporate organizations in Nigeria will be drawn into the mainstream discussion around several challenges facing Nigeria and indeed the rest of Africa,” the President said.
President Buhari expressed the commitment of the government of Nigeria to the proposed annual Africa Summits of the organization, with Nigeria hosting, in the strong belief that Nigeria will fully benefit from the meetings.
The Chairman of the group, Frank-Jürgen Richter, commended Nigeria’s economic growth in the last few years and gave strong assurances that the Africa Summits with Nigeria as the hub will bring the benefits of increased FDI.
Other speakers at the meeting, including the Chairman of the Horasis Visions Community in Nigeria and a former Minister of National Planning, Prof Shamsudeen Usman, the Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum, Dr Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State and the President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Engineer Mansur Ahmed, expressed excitement about the good prospects of increased manufacturing through FDI to give a competitive advantage to Nigeria in view of the ACFTA.
File photo: Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu joins EndSARS protesters, demanding police reform and end to brutality at the Lekki toll gate, Lagos, Nigeria.
Three survivors of the infamous “Lekki Shooting” allegedly involving men of the Nigerian Security Forces during a crackdown on #EndSARS protesters who defied a curfew order by the Lagos State government have recounted their experiences after days at the hospital.
Solomon, Patrick and Samuel were wounded during the incident that became the climax of the EndSARS protest against police violence and bad governance.
The three men, whose full names are being left anonymous for safety reasons and had been victims of police abuse in the past are desperate for their stories to be heard AFP reported.
The government denies any responsibility and labeled reports that soldiers killed 12 people as “fake news”. The police on Friday said 22 officers had been killed in protest-linked unrest this month.
“How can they say it’s not true?,” asked Patrick.
“We saw them. Two guys died instantly in my presence, and one is still in the coma — my friend Nicholas,” said the 25-year-old demonstrator, unemployed since a lockdown in March imposed to contain the coronavirus.
Shot in the arm — he was brandishing a flag when he came under fire — Patrick was evacuated, put on a canoe that crisscrossed the Lagos lagoon and took him to a hospital.
“The soldiers were blocking the roads, the ambulances could not access the scene. Some were using bikes, others wheelbarrows to take the injured,” he said.
Samuel, 30, was helping to ensure safety at the protest ground with a group of volunteers when he heard the first gunshots.
“We saw armed, military men, so we came back to the stage and started waving our flags and singing the national anthem.”
“I was not expecting them to shoot at us,” said the young man, who works in agriculture in the outskirts of the sprawling city.
“I was expecting them to address us in a normal manner. But they didn’t talk to anybody, they just started shooting.”
“All of a sudden I started feeling something hit my left thigh,” he remembered. The screen of his phone might have saved him — the bullet would have otherwise penetrated even deeper.
In pain, he managed to walk 500 metres (yards) to find someone who could take him to hospital.
The Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led Lagos State Government has again yielded to peoples’ appeals by announcing a further relaxation of the 24-hour curfew imposed after the breakdown of law and order, following the hijack of the peaceful #EndSARS protests.
The curfew would now be from 10pm till 6am.
Sanwo-Olu, in a statement by Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, praised Lagosians for observing the curfew, which is expected to restore normalcy in the Centre of Excellence.
He urged all Lagosians to go about their businesses in peace, even as they shun “actions that can threaten our unity.”
The governor advised purveyors of fake news to stop causing disaffection among Lagosians, who are well known for being peace-loving and friendly.
Meanwhile, the General Manager of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Olajide Oduyoye, has reaffirmed the commitment of its personnel to traffic control across the state, saying the temporary withdrawal of officers resulted from the arson, killings and violence that trailed the #EndSARS protests.
Oduyoye revealed that 12 LASTMA zonal offices were destroyed during the mayhem, while officers were attacked at various locations and, therefore, the agency’s operational efficiency and logistics were disrupted.
He stated that despite the temporary setback, LASTMA has taken stock, re-strategised and its officers have resumed their duties at intersections and junctions across the metropolis.
While assuring members of the public of the agency’s commitment to ensuring free traffic flow on all roads in Lagos State, Oduyoye thanked LASTMA officials for their cooperation, dedication and efforts on effective traffic management across the metropolis.
Speaking on a recent story being circulated on social media, Oduyoye debunked the report which alleged that Sanwo-Olu has directed the officers of the agency not to arrest any motorist who contravenes Lagos State Traffic Law.
The general manager pointed out that the false news story had made the rounds on the social media on previous occasions, adding that the company that generated the initial fake report had apologised, retracted and pulled down the news from its website earlier in the year.
According to him, “The primary duties of the agency is traffic control and the arrest of recalcitrant drivers as stated in the law that established the agency. The law was later reviewed by Lagos State House of Assembly in year 2018, with that of Lagos State Vehicle Inspection Service. It is, therefore, logical that the governor, who is the number one law-abiding citizen and law enforcement officer in the state, would not flout the law through such pronouncement.
“I must implore all law-abiding citizens of Lagos State, especially motorists, to adhere strictly to the traffic law of the state in order not to run afoul of the law which has consequences. We must all have positive attitudes towards obeying the laws of the state which were made to ensure orderliness and fast-paced socio-economic improvement of individuals, corporate entities and generality of the people.”
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