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Policeman, IPOB supporter, others feared killed in Akwa Ibom attacks

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3 years ago

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A mobile police officer was killed, while a policeman shot an apologist of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), identified as Imo John Udo from Ikot Edem Udo in an attack on Essien Udim Council of Akwa Ibom State yesterday.

This followed, as several persons were also feared dead during a gun battle at the Ini Council Divisional Police Station about 4:30a.m.

The Guardian learnt that suspected terrorists invaded the area with motorcycles and immediately opened fire on the police station.

Eyewitnesses said the operation lasted some minutes, as men of the Police Quick Intervention Unit (QIU) with their Ikot Ekpene Area Command counterparts confronted them in a gun duel and killed a suspected IPOB member, who they said was in critical condition with slim chances of survival.

When contacted, the Akwa Ibom State Command Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Odiko Macdon, confirmed the attack, saying security operatives were on top of the situation.

MEANWHILE, the Midim Community in Essien Udim Council has accused security operatives of intimidation and harassment of its people over alleged links with IPOB.

The community, however, commended the state government for initiating the move to sanitise the community of IPOB’s secession agenda, but lamented that the method being deployed to gather intelligence was faulty.

A representative of the community, Victor Udom, who spoke with journalists in Uyo, yesterday, said rather than seek intelligence from critical stakeholders, security operatives chose to gather intelligence from those he described as “biased, mischievous and politically influenced sources.”

Udom, who spoke in company of five village heads making up the Midim Community, said such biased intelligence gathering had made the sanitisation exercise unsuccessful, leading to arrests and intimidation of innocent people, leaving the real hoodlums.

“We acknowledge recent efforts aimed at ridding the state of IPOB and the Eastern Security Network (ESN) secessionist incursions, terrorists and bandits now taking over the state and we applaud the effort of the Joint Task Force (JTF) by security agencies and will always be willing to support government’s initiative.

“We are, however, concerned that in embarking on this sensitive exercise, the security agencies chose to get intelligence from a biased, mischievous and politically influenced source instead of involving credible stakeholders for effective and successful drive, resulting in failure to get the real hoodlums in the various communities.

“The bandits now escape, while our innocent people or those who commit minor offences have been wrongly targeted for intimidation, arrests and extrajudicial killings,” he said.

Udom told The Guardian that the communities were protesting against the recent takeover, intimidation, indiscriminate arrests, torture and deliberate implication of the locals in the name of routing IPOB/ESN members and other criminals by men of the Nigerian Police and Army.

“We condemn all acts of hostage taking, dehumanisation and extra- judicial killings of innocent people and urge government at all levels to intervene and bring all acts of barbarism not known to law to an end in Midim and Essien Udim Council,” he added.

He said it was through the efforts of the community that the Akwa Marine Cult, which specialised in raping, kidnapping and rigging elections was eliminated, adding that ignoring such efforts and resorting to blackmail, intimidation and elimination of the indigenes was a conspiracy that should not be over looked.

Culled from the Nigerian Guardian

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Nigeria: chibok abduction anniversary spurs demands for justice

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2 weeks ago

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April 16, 2024

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Militants, alongside relatives of victims of the infamous abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls that sparked global outrage in 2014, gathered in Lagos on Sunday, April 14, to renew calls for the release of the remaining girls in captivity.

The Sunday meeting was organized to mark the 10th anniversary of the abduction that affected 276 schoolgirls from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, northeastern Nigeria.

“What I would ask the government is to find a way to work towards bringing back our sisters because I know it is only the government that can help us bring back these girls,” said Grace Dauda, a rescued Chibok schoolgirl.

Another rescued schoolgirl, Rebecca Malu, added, “They should stay safe. They should stay strong, one day, they will be released like us.”

While some girls managed to escape on their own, others have been freed over the years through intense campaigns by civil society organizations and government negotiations. But this human rights activist, Ayo Obe, is calling for more action from the authorities.

“We know that we started with missing persons numbering two hundred and fifty-six; it is already an improvement that we are down to 91. But of course, 91 is 91 lives unaccounted for. We appreciate the fact that so many of them escaped during the abduction itself. We appreciate the fact that the government has brought back so many more of them, but we say that we don’t stop here. We need the momentum that has happened since the mass return during the Buhari administration in 2016-2017 to be maintained. We expected that the remaining girls would have been brought back,” she said.

Mass school children kidnapping in Nigeria has continued nearly unabated since Chibok. Around 1,700 students have been kidnapped in raids since 2014 according to Amnesty International.

A member of the Bring Back Our Girls movement and convener of the 10th-year anniversary in Lagos, Opeyemi Adamolekun, lamented this as unfortunate.

“Unfortunately, it became political between 2014 and 2015, part of the amplification of the movement was part of the 2015 presidential campaign. And we saw the effect of the first batch of 21 that were released with the help of the Red Cross and the Swiss government. The second batch of 82 that were released with the help of the Red Cross and the Swiss government as well. But unfortunately, it seems that energy sort of dissipated because the government doesn’t feel as much pressure as they used to feel,” she said.

For this group of Nigerians, the government must match words with more action to stem the tide of mass school kidnappings in the country.

According to the Murtala Muhammed Foundation, a charity that advocates for the Chibok schoolgirls, about 90 girls still remain in captivity while dozens of the schoolgirls freed over the years are living inside a military-run rehabilitation camp with surrendered Boko Haram fighters they married in the Sambisa forest, Boko Haram’s main hideout.

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Nigeria suspends permit of 3 private jet operators

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2 weeks ago

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April 16, 2024

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Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has taken action against private jet operators flouting regulations by suspending the Permit for Non-Commercial Flights (PNCF) of three operators caught conducting commercial flights.

This crackdown follows warnings issued in March 2024.

Acting Director General Capt. Chris Najomo stated that increased surveillance at Nigerian airports led to the grounding of three operators found violating their PNCF terms. Specifically, they breached annexure provisions and Part 9114 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023.

In response, the NCAA announced a thorough re-evaluation of all PNCF holders to ensure compliance with regulations, to be completed by April 19th, 2024. PNCF holders have been instructed to submit necessary documents within 72 hours to expedite the process. Najomo emphasized these actions highlight the NCAA’s commitment to enhancing safety in Nigerian airspace.

Furthermore, the NCAA warned the public against using charter operators without a valid Air Operators Certificate and urged legitimate industry players to report any suspicious activities promptly.

This crackdown comes after the NCAA’s stern warning in March against PNCF holders engaging in commercial operations.

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Senator Cory Booker Leads a Congressional Delegation to Nigeria

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4 weeks ago

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March 30, 2024

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Photo: Senator Cory Booker (In the back) and a Diplomat from the US Department of State, joins with members of the Academy for Women Alumnae Association including Mercy Ogori of Kokomi Africa and Adebisi Odeleye of Moore Organics.

Senator Cory also met women entrepreneurs from the Academy for Women Alumnae Association

Last week, US Senator Cory Booker from New Jersey led a congressional delegation to Nigeria, which included House of Representatives members Sara Jacobs and Barbara Lee from California. The purpose of the visit was to discuss a partnership on sustainable development. During the talks, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu expressed his administration’s dedication to strengthening democracy through upholding the rule of law and ensuring good governance, justice, and fairness for all citizens. Senator Booker emphasized the shared values of democracy, the rule of law, and commitment to peace and good governance that bind Nigeria and the United States as partners.

The delegation also met with women entrepreneurs from the Academy for Women Alumnae Association, who had participated in US-sponsored exchange programs. Led by Adebisi Odeleye of Moore Organics, the businesswomen shared their experiences and discussed their entrepreneurial endeavors. Other Academy members were Mandela Washington Fellow, Nkem Okocha of Mama Moni, Inemesit Dike of LegalX, and Mercy Ogori of Kokomi.

The partnership between the United States and Nigeria has lasted over six decades, focusing on addressing security challenges, enhancing health security, and responding to global health crises. Despite obstacles like corruption, poverty, and insecurity, the US remains dedicated to supporting Nigerian institutions and promoting free, fair, transparent, and peaceful elections.

During the visit to the State House, Senator Booker reiterated the shared values of democracy, the rule of law, and commitment to peace and good governance that unite Nigeria and the United States as partners.

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