An Al Jazeera journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh, was killed at her point of duty covering Israeli raids in the occupied West Bank.
The news network confirmed the incidence to AFP, describing the shooting of the Palestinian-American journalist as a deliberate act by Israeli forces.
A colleague of the deceased, Ali Samoudi, who also spoke to the French news agency said “We were going to film the Israeli army operation and suddenly they shot us without asking us to leave or stop filming.
“The first bullet hit me and the second bullet hit Shireen… there was no Palestinian military resistance at all at the scene,” Samoudi said.
The news network has called on the international community to “condemn and hold the Israeli occupation forces accountable for deliberately targeting and killing our colleague,” suggesting they may “try to cover up their crime.”
The fatal shooting comes nearly a year after an Israeli air strike destroyed a Gaza building that housed the offices of Al Jazeera and news agency AP.
Responding to the murder allegations, Israeli authorities claimed Palestinian gunmen had opened fire at the time Akleh was struck, adding that it is investigating the possibility that she was shot by Palestine gunmen.
At least seven personnel of the Nigerian Army reportedly died in the late-night bomb explosion that rocked Jalingo, Taraba State capital on Tuesday, May 11.
Naija News had reported earlier that citizens of Taraba State were thrown into fear on Tuesday night after a loud sound suspected to be a bomb explosion was heard in Jalingo.
The explosion is said to have occurred a few metres away from the military base located in the Jalingo metropolis.
A source had told Daily Post that the explosive was thrown into the military base by a passerby.
An updated report on Saharareporters, however, revealed that seven soldiers died in the attack.
The report had it that gunmen suspected to be terrorists launched an ambush on the convoy of the commanding officer of the 93 Army Battalion in Takum.
The media organisation quoted military sources as saying that the Brigadier General was on his way to Jalingo on Tuesday when the incident happened.
One of the sources said the “whereabouts of the senior military officer and his orderly are unknown hours after the attack”.
“Brigadier General was in the convoy”, said another source who was unsure of the situation.
He, however, confirmed that his official vehicle was among those attacked.
The latest attack on the Nigerian Army men came barely two weeks after some fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram in Borno State were neutralized by troops of the Nigerian Army (Operation Desert Sanity).
The Nigerian Army had disclosed that it killed the Amir (commander) and spiritual head of Galta, close to Mandara Mountain in the South of Borno.
The spiritual head of the terrorist group was killed during an operation around Manjo Ali Qere in the state.
The army in a post on its Twitter account in April noted that arms and ammunition were recovered during the operation.
A prominent spiritual leader, Guru Maharaj Ji, has alleged that the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, who recently joined his ancestors, was poisoned.
Guru Maharaj Ji in an interview with BBC News Yoruba, published on Tuesday, however did not mention those behind the alleged poisoning.
The spiritual leader said that he is deeply pained by the monarch’s demise adding that Oba Lamidi must be resurrected.
Recall Alaafin died at the age of 83 on the 22nd of April 2022 at the Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti in Ekiti State. His reign of 51 years is the longest reign of any Alaafin of Oyo in modern recorded history.
Lamidi Adeyemi succeeded Alaafin Gbadegesin Ladigbolu II in 1970, during the governorship of Colonel Robert Adeyinka Adebayo, after the end of the Nigerian Civil War.
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has again fixed 12,13 October for arraignment and trial of former Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah and eighth others following its dissatisfaction with a second letter from the chambers of the Attorney General of the Federation.
Oduah, Gloria Odita, Nwobu Emmanuel Nnamdi, Chukuma Irene Chinyere, Global Offshore and Marine Limited; Crystal Television Limited, Sobora International Limited and China Civil Engineering Construction Company Limited (CCECC) were on 16 December, 2020, sued by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on a 25 count charge bordering on fraud and financial misappropriation to the tune of N5b.
On November 22, 2021, when the defendants were to be arraigned, one of their lawyers, James Onoja, had raised an objection in open court contending that the EFCC refused to return the case file to the AGF (for review of the case) as requested.
Trial judge Inyang Ekwo had declined taking their plea then because of the AGF’s letter.
At the resumed sitting on Tuesday , EFCC’s counsel, Hassan Liman informed the court that the AGF had acknowledged receiving the case file and in a letter dated May 6 ,2022 , directed that the case continues.
“My lord, the charge in this matter was filed on the 16 December 2020, since, then the plea of the defendant has not been taken.
“On the last adjourned date, on February 2021, this court, upon my undertaking, I confirm that I will bring a response from AGF.
All the defense counsels said they didn’t have the letter from the AGF.
Meanwhile, Justice Inyang Ekwo read from the letter where the AGF stated that he was considering the appeal made to him, but that ” trial can proceed. “
Ekwo said he was not satisfied with the AGF’s response and that he should either write that parties should stop or proceed with the case.
However, Liman insisted that the EFCC does not need an approval from the AGF to go ahead with prosecuting a matter.
He said that plea should be taken first before any objection
“I submit with the greatest respect, with or without the letter of the AGF, the charge was filed by the EFCC,” he said.
But Justice Ekwo adjourned and directed the EFCC to get a definite response from the AGF.
“I am going to give you a date for trial, in which there is definite response from the chambers of the AGF.
“I am not satisfied with the second paragraph.
“I am adjourning this matter to October 12,13 for plea and trial,” the judge said.
Oduah, a Senator representing Anambra North Senatorial District had on August 26, 2021 defected from the People’s Democratic party to the All Progressive Congress.
Former undisputed world super welterweight boxing champion, Floyd Mayweather met with 2023 Presidential Aspirant and Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi on Monday.
Mayweather is currently in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital since Sunday, May 8, to promote his exhibition match in Dubai.
He held a news conference alongside his opponent in his upcoming boxer, Don Moore. Mayweather said the visit to Nigeria was part of plans to promote the sport of boxing in Africa.
He also revealed plans to establish a boxing academy in Nigeria.
A socio-political activist, Omoyele Sowore, on Monday asked Nigerian students to ‘teach the country’s leaders who are playing Russian roulette with their future, a big lesson’.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) earlier today rolled over its ongoing strike for another 12 weeks.
A statement signed by ASUU president, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, said this was to give the federal government enough time to satisfactorily resolve all the outstanding issues.
It also stated that the roll-over strike was effective from 12.01 am, May 9, 2021.
ASUU said it took this decision after its National Executive Council (NUC) meeting which started on Sunday night at the Festus Iyayi National Secretariat, University of Abuja (UNIABUJA).
Sowore, a presidential aspirant in the 2023 election on the platform of the African Action Congress (AAC), called for mass action until Nigerian universities are well-funded.
ASUU strike update
“Nigerian youths/students must teach these inhuman political rulers playing Russian roulette with their future a big lesson. Let the organising start now. Shut down everything with mass action, stop everything until our higher institutions are well-funded.
“They’re doing this because their kids don’t attend Nigerian universities!” Sowore wrote on his verified Twitter handle.
Funsho Adeoti, the first wife of movie producer Kazim Adeoti (Adekaz) has issued a final warning to Mercy Aigbe for taking pictures in her house.
There have been speculations that the house Mercy Aigbe is currently living with her new husband, Kazim Adeoti was jointly built with his first wife, Funsho.
The report alleged that Funsho contributed over 70% of the money used in building the house before she left Nigeria.
However, Mercy Aigbe has continued to take photos in the house to taunt Funsho Adeoti who is currently in America.
Stepping out for the 40th birthday celebration of her colleague Ini Edo, Mercy Aigbe took to her Instagram page to share photos she snapped in the house.
Displeased with this, Funsho Adeoti in a post shared on her Instagram page issued a stern warning to Mercy Aigbe and Kazim Adeoti.
Funsho Adeoti said Mercy Aigbe and Adekaz should stop pushing her and urged the actress to pull down the photos and videos from Instagram within the next 12 hours.
She wrote: @realmercyaigbe @adekazproduction for the last and final time stop pushing me. Kazim do the needful. Pull it down… you’ve been warned 12 hours only.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has condemned the unruly conduct of a Police officer caught in a viral Tik Tok video singing and dancing in praise of a particular confraternity (cult).
Naija News reports that the officer identified as Corporal Matthew Isaac, attached to the Ebonyi State Police Command has been arrested after the video went viral on social media.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Muyiwa Adejobi, in a statement on Saturday, May 7, said, “The IGP has cond#mned the unruly conduct of the police officer caught in a viral video, singing, dancing, and brandishing a rifle in praise of a particular confraternity (cult). The officer has been identified as Corporal Matthew Isaac, attached to the Ebonyi State Police Command.
“The act of the officer in question, which is clearly calculated to portray the NPF negatively, is a discreditable conduct in line with the provisions of the First Schedule to Regulation 370 of the Police Regulations.
“His actions equally viol@ted the provisions of the NPF Social Media Policy (SMP), penal laws, and other extant laws regulating the conduct and discipline of all Police officers.
“The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc(+), NPM, fdc, has directed the Commissioner of Police in charge of Ebonyi State to detail the Command’s OC Provost to hand over the erring officer to the Force Provost Marshall for necessary disciplinary actions.”
Palpable Crisis is looming in the All Progressives Congress, APC over the inclusion of a Withdrawal Letter in the Presidential Nomination Form, POLITICS NIGERIA has gathered.
Some Presidential Aspirants in the party have declined to sign the letter on the basis that it could be a move to force a consensus candidate on them.
This has also been seen as a move to protect the party from court cases/litigation.
The withdrawal letter, seen by this newspaper, has to be signed before a Commissioner of Oath/Public Notary before submission with the following declaration; “I hereby voluntarily withdraw my candidacy from the contest. My withdrawal is in the best interest of our great party, the All Progressives Congress.”
Speaking on the development, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Babatunde Ogala opined that the addition of the letter “might be wrong.”
“It might lead to a lot of problems including litigation because you can’t ask a man to withdraw from a process that you have not even started.”
He queried why the party will have members purchase the form only to assent to withdrawing from the contest before even participating in the process.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the aspirants who have declared from the APC include; Ogbonnaya Onu, Rochas Okorocha, Rotimi Amaechi, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Yemi Osinbajo, Tunde Bakara, Yahaya Adoza Bello, Emeka Nwajiuba, Godswill Akpabio, Kayode Fayemi, Ibikunle Amosun and Nicholas Felix Nwagbo.
The United Kingdom Government may have classified the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist organisation.
In September 2017, the Federal Government of Nigeria declared IPOB, led by Nnamdi Kanu, a terrorist group.
Critics have long accused the UK of refusing to do the same because Kanu holds a British passport.
Kanu, who is facing charges bordering on treason, has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since repatriation in June 2021.
In December 2021, the Nigerian government urged foreign countries to also outlaw those regarded as enemies of State.
“We are lobbying our Western allies aggressively for partnership, investment and support in other areas, such as proscribing Boko Haram, bandits and IPOB as terrorist groups.
“This would severely dent their funding”, said Garba Shehu, President Muhammadu Buhari’s spokesman.
In an updated UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) policy, the British Home Office announced new rules.
The guidelines issued to decision makers explained how to consider and grant asylum applications to Biafra agitators.
The UK noted that IPOB and its militia, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), created in December 2020, “have reportedly committed human rights violations in Nigeria”.
Britain said though banned, Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) is not a proscribed terrorist group but “reportedly been involved in violent clashes with the authorities”.
“If a person has been involved with IPOB (and/or an affiliated group), MASSOB or any other ‘Biafran’ group that incites or uses violence to achieve its aims, decision makers must consider whether one (or more) of the exclusion clauses under the Refugee Convention is applicable.
“Persons who commit human rights violations must not be granted asylum”, the policy dictated.
Decision makers were directed to find out if asylum seekers submitted a previous application for a UK visa.
Thus, asylum applications matched to visas should be investigated before the asylum interview.
Immigration officers must consider each case on its facts, the legal status, profile and size of the organisation the person belongs and its activities.
Others are whether a person in the UK would wish to continue their activism if returned to Nigeria; whether the organisation has a presence in Nigeria, and any evidence that it is being monitored by the government.
Also for consideration are the person’s profile, activities (including online), relevant documentary or other evidence; the profile and activities of family members, among others.
