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Tag: nigerian

  • Another Nigerian killed in South Africa

    The Nigerian community in South Africa has confirmed the killing of Mr Chibuzo Nwankwo, a 42-year-old member from Enugu State.

    The community said that Nwankwo`s death brings to 121 the number of Nigerians killed in South Africa since January 2016.

    Mr Habib Miller, the Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Union in South Africa, confirmed the killing to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the telephone from Pretoria on Saturday.

    According to him, the victim was shot in the early hours of Friday at a local bar in Kempton Park, Johannesburg, following a disagreement with an unknown person.

    “The deceased, a patron of the bar, got drunk and started harassing a female worker.

    “Information available to the union said that Nwankwo was chased out by security personnel, but he kept on coming back; became very aggressive and rude before the ugly incident occurred,’’ he said.

    Miller said that the South African police later intervened and arrested the murder suspect.

    “A murder case has been opened and investigation has started. We call on Nigerians to be calm and allow the law to take its course,” Miller said.

    He said the union was against at any form of violence, adding that it would monitor the case to ensure that justice prevailed.

     

  • Breaking: Nigerian Army announces major shakeup for senior officers

    Breaking: Nigerian Army announces major shakeup for senior officers

    The Nigerian Army has announced a major redeployment of senior officers in Command, Staff and other appointments.

    TheNewsGuru reports Brigadier General Texas Chukwu, Director Army Public Relations, in a statement, said “the posting affected Principal Staff Officers both at the Defence and Army Headquarters as well as General Officers Commanding (GOCs).

    According to the statement the Theatre Commander Operation LAFIYA DOLE, Force Commander Multinational Joint Task Force are also affected by the posting.

    The posting which also re-organized Operation LAFIYA DOLE was aimed at injecting new hands to further actualize the vision of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai.

    Those affected in the redeployment include Maj Gen AM Dikko who will take over as Theatre Commander of Operation LAFIYA DOLE, Brig Gen AO Abdullahi as Acting Commander Sector 2, Operation LAFIYA DOLE and Brig Gen UU Bassey as Acting Commander Sector 3, Operation LAFIYA DOLE.

    Others are, Maj Gen CO Ude posted as Force Commander Multinational Joint Task Force Ndjamena, Maj Gen J Sarham as General Officer Commanding 6 Division, Maj Gen EB Kabuk General Officer Commanding 82 Division, Maj Gen MS Yusuf General Officer Commanding 81 Division and Maj Gen BA Akinroluyo as General Officer Commanding 3 Division.

    Among the Principal Staff Officers affected are Maj Gen LEO Irabor posted as Chief of Defence Training and Operations in the Defence Headquarters while Maj Gen LO Adeosun takes over as Chief of Training and Operations at the Army Headquarters.

    Others are Maj Gen HO Otiki, as Commander Infantry Corps and Maj Gen CU Agulanna as Chief of Accounts and Budget Nigerian Army. Maj Gen JE Jakko is posted to Defence Headquarters as Chief of Defence Finance and Budget, Maj Gen AB Abubakar, Maj Gen A Mohammed and Maj Gen LKJ Ogunewe, among others will be proceeding to the Nigerian Army Resource Centre on Course.

    The Nigerian Army says all postings and appointments take effect from 1 August 2018.

     

  • South African police officers to appear in court for allegedly killing Nigerian

    The Nigerian Mission in South Africa announced on Friday that police officers implicated in the alleged murder of a Nigerian, Ibrahim Badmus, would be charged to court soon.

    Badmus, 25, who was murdered in 2017, was among no fewer than 120 Nigerians, mainly young people, killed in South Africa since February 2016.

    Nigeria’s Consul-General in South Africa, Godwin Adama, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in a telephone interview from Johannesburg that the South African authorities had confirmed that investigation into the murder of Mr Badmus was almost concluded.

    “Badmus, a native of Lagos State, was brutally murdered by the South African police on Oct. 10, 2017 at Vanderbidjk Park, South Africa.

    “Police officers implicated in the murder will be charged to court any moment from now,” the envoy said.

    South African police officers were said to have stormed the home of Badmus, an undergraduate at Vaal University of Technology in Vanderbijlpark in South Africa, alleging that Badmus was trafficking drugs.

    But it was learnt that when the operatives searched the home of the young Nigerian, they could not find any drug.

    The operatives, allegedly asked the deceased for money and when he could not give them money, they handcuffed him and used excessive pepper spray on him. He passed out and died, due to suffocation

    Adama said the case was classified as high-profile because of the tension generated by the development as some Nigerians, who had confrontation with the police almost took laws into their hands.

    The consul-general said that on hearing the development, he immediately rushed to the scene where he interfaced with aggrieved Nigerians and the police to calm frayed nerves.

    “I led a delegation from the mission to visit the scene on receipt of the information. When we arrived the scene, the place was tensed up because Nigerians there were not happy.

    “We immediately met with the station commander in the area with some selected Nigerians.

    “The police assured that a thorough investigation would be carried out and that the culprit would be brought to book.”

    He said that the police authorities later arrested the police officers, who perpetrated the crime and commenced investigation.

    Adama said that the mission had followed up on the case and that it was clear that investigating authorities had done a thorough job.

    The President of the Nigerian Union in South Africa, Adetola Olubajo, blamed the incessant killings of Nigerians in South Africa on a lack of prosecution of offenders by the South African authorities.

    Olubajo told NAN that the inability of the government to bring to bring those perpetrating the heinous crimes against Nigerians to book had given some people impetus to descend on Nigerians.

    “Lack of prosecution of these criminal activities has actually emboldened a lot of people to feel that they can kill Nigerians without any consequence,” he said.

    On July 11, the South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, during a visit to Nigeria, said that killing anybody in South Africa was a criminal act and that criminality in the former apartheid enclave was not specifically targeted at Nigerians.

    But despite the assurances of Ramaphosa, the death toll of Nigerians in South Africa has continued to increase.

    On July 12, another Nigerian, Martin Ebuzoeme, was killed by assailants in the Yeoville district of Johannesburg.

    On July 6, Lawrence Ozumba, was similarly shot dead by gunman at No.10 Koppe Str., Middleburg, Mpumalanga.

    Earlier on April 9, another Nigerian, ThankGod Okoro, was reportedly murdered at Hamburg, Florida West Rand in Johannesburg by the South African Police Flying Squad.

    The same month one Clement Nwaogu, a father of two, was burnt to death by a mob, stoking a protest by some Nigerians resident in South Africa.

    It was learnt that at least 14 of the protesters were taken into custody and allegedly branded drug peddlers by the South African authorities.

  • Nigerian elected judge of African human rights court

    Nigerian elected judge of African human rights court

    The federal government on Sunday congratulated Justice Stella Anukam on her election as one a judge of African Court on Human and People’s Rights.

    The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, who hailed the development in a message released to newsmen on Sunday in Abuja, said Mr Anukam’s election was “a great victory for Nigeria”.

    Ms Anukam was elected among 11 new judges of the court.

    “Nigeria secured the seat after fourth round of keenly contested election at the ongoing 31st African Union Summit of Heads of State and Government in Nouackchott, Mauritania.

    “Anukam is currently Director, International and Comparative Law, Federal Ministry of Justice,” the minister, who attended the summit, said.

    According to him, Ms Anukam has a distinguished legal career spanning over 32 years and doubles as the National Coordinator on Human Rights Issues in Nigeria.

    ”A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in Nigeria, Anukam was a former Director, Freedom of Information Unit in the Federal Ministry of Justice.”

    Similarly, in a statement, the minister’s media aide, Sarah Sanda, quoted Ms Anukam’s as saying that her mission at the Court was to contribute to build a strong, just and independent African Court.

    She said that Ms Anukam pledged to be committed to thorough interpretation and application of the Africa Charter, and other relevant human rights instruments for the protection and promotion of human and people’s rights in Africa.

    The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights is a continental court established by African countries to ensure the protection of human and peoples’ rights in Africa.

    It complements and reinforces the functions of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

    The judges are elected for a six-year term, renewable once.

    The judges, among themselves, elect a President and Vice-President, who serve a two-year term.

    They can be re-elected only once. The President of the Court resides and works on a full-time basis at the seat of the Court, while the other 10 Judges work on part-time basis.

     

  • UN honours Nigerian peacekeeper

    The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has awarded a medal to a Nigerian peacekeeper, Olufunmilayo Amodu, serving with the UN Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) for her outstanding service.

    The medal is an acknowledgement of the contribution of Nigeria to UN Peacekeeping Operations to ensure global peace and security.

    Guterres also awarded a medal to appreciate the outstanding service of Mohammad Khan from Bangladesh, a military staff officer based at MINUSMA Force headquarters.

    The decoration was part of activities to honour the service and sacrifice of peacekeepers around the world to mark the 2018 International Day of UN Peacekeepers.

    The UN will also honour three fallen Nigerian peacekeepers at the event on June 1, at the UN headquarters in New York.

    They are Lt. Col Ali Suleiman, who served with the UN Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

    Others are Warrant Officer Remmy Amakwe, who was deployed with the African Union–United Nations Mission in Darfur; and Kolawole Shogaolu, who served in a civilian capacity in the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali.

    Speaking after receiving the award, Ms Amodu said: “The medal is very important. It symbolises what it is to be a peacekeeper at MINUSMA. Receiving it from the Secretary-General is a very unique privilege.”

    “The terrorists are not relenting in what they are doing. And obviously, we are not backing out in what we have come to do,” she added, underscoring the worrying security situation in Mali.

    She further said: “The UN is all about peace. And when there is peace, there is development.

    “When there is peace, there is promotion of technology. When there is peace, every other thing works the way it should work.

    “And for any person who would want to join MINUSMA, you should have at the back of your mind that when you are coming, it is to support the peace process.”

    NAN reports that more than one million men and women have served under the UN flag, saving countless lives just as over 3,700 blue helmets have paid the ultimate price over the past seven decades.

    Troops with the mission have increasingly become the target of attacks.

    Meanwhile, Mr Guterres attended a ceremony at MINUSMA’s base in Bamako where he paid tribute to fallen peacekeepers and laid a wreath at the memorial inside the camp, engraved with the names of those killed in the service of peace.

    “Dear peacekeepers, you have demonstrated that you are capable of all forms of sacrifice. For many of your colleagues, this has meant the supreme sacrifice of giving their lives to protect the lives of Malian civilians.

    “I want to thank you very much for this effort; these sacrifices, to pay tribute to you, and to say how proud I am to work with you.

    “As peacekeepers, you are the foremost symbol of the United Nations itself,” Mr Guterres said.

    Also, Mahamat Annadif, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Mali and Head of MINUSMA, said that honouring the fallen “warms the hearts of their comrades and encourages us to continue to defend even more resolutely the values of the United Nations.”

    Mr Guterres was accompanied on his visit to Mali by Under Secretary-General for Field Support, Atul Khare, Head of UN Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, and the Executive Director of UN Children’s Fund, Henrietta Fore.

    He was received at the airport by Malian President Ibrahim Keita.

    He was also scheduled to meet with Keita and other Malian officials as well as UN officials working in the country.

    UN has declared the north-west African country as the most dangerous place in the world to be a ‘blue helmet’ as 21 troops and seven civilians serving with MINUSMA died in 2017.

  • Lassa fever: FG replies Saudi Arabia over threats to ban Nigerian pilgrimages

    Lassa fever: FG replies Saudi Arabia over threats to ban Nigerian pilgrimages

    The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, says Nigeria is no longer constitute a Lassa fever threat to global health as the country recorded only one case in the past one week.

    The minister said this on his Twitter handle @IsaacFAdewole.

    Recall that the Saudi Arabia authorities had threatened to ban Nigerian pilgrimages for this year’s Hajj spiritual exercise over the Lassa fever epidemic.

    The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in its “Lassa fever Situation Report” published on its Twitter handle @NCDCgov said that the one confirmed case was reported from Edo.

    NCDC said that the centre experienced the lowest weekly case count this week since the first week of January 2018 when the outbreak was first reported this year.

    It said that from Jan. 1 to April 22, a total of 1,865 suspected cases were reported from 21 states.

    The centre said that of these cases, about 416 were confirmed, nine were probable, 1,439 were negative and one case was still awaiting laboratory results.

    It said that since the onset of the 2018 outbreak there has been 105 deaths with at least one confirmed case across 70 local government areas in the 21 states.

    The states include Edo, Ondo, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Ebonyi, Anambra, Benue, Kogi, Imo, Plateau, Lagos, Taraba, Delta, Osun, Rivers, Gombe, Ekiti, Kaduna, Abia and Adamawa as well FCT.

    “Twelve states have exited the active phase of the outbreak while nine states remain active.

    “In the reporting week 16, one new healthcare worker was infected in a private health facility in Edo state.

    “Thirty seven healthcare workers have been affected since the onset of the outbreak in eight states. 16 health workers were affected in Ebonyi, 12 in Edo, three in Ondo, two in Kogi, one in Benue and one in Nasarawa.

    “One health worker was affected in Taraba, and one in Abia,” NCDC said.

    The centre reported that three cases were currently being managed in treatment centres in Edo state the lowest number since the beginning of the outbreak.

    NCDC said that the National Lassa fever multi-partner multi-agency Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) continues to coordinate the response activities at all levels.

    The centre stated that response to the outbreak has however been de-escalated due to continued decline of cases over the past nine weeks.

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised that the declining trend of cases be interpreted with caution as historical data shows that the high transmission period is yet to pass.

    WHO says the recent outbreak of Lassa fever in Nigeria is the largest outbreak ever reported in a country.

  • Presidency condemns killing of Nigerian by South African mob

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Abike dabiri –Erewa, on Monday described the killing of Clement Nwaogu, another Nigerian in Rustenburg, South Africa as unfortunate.

    Mrs Dabiri-Erewa, in a statement in Abuja condemned the burning of Mr Nwaogu to death by a mob in the latest xenophobia attack in South Africa.

    She called on South African authorities to find a lasting solution to the incessant killing of Nigerians in that country.

    She also urged Nigerians living abroad to obey the laws of countries where they lived, and avoid crime and criminality to avoid unwarranted attacks and killings.

    The killing of the Mr Nwaogu comes less than 10 days after another Nigerian, ThankGod Okoro, 30.

    The presidential aide said Rustenburg, where the incident happened was a particularly hostile and a volatile community.

    She noted that 14 Nigerians who protested the killing of a fellow citizen in that country’s North West Province some months ago were still in detention.

    She said though a bailable offence, the judge had been threatened not to release them.

    “Just a few days ago, on April 17, the case came up in court. There was so much tension that even the Nigerian lawyers representing the Nigerians had to be escorted to court by Diplomatic police.

    “The community has vowed to deal with anyone who plays a positive role in getting the accused Nigerians return to Rustenberg,” she said.

    She said the Nigerian mission in Pretoria and the consulate in Johannesburg had done everything possible, in the recent past, to get justice for Nigerians in South Africa.

    “Four South African policemen are currently in court for allegedly killing and maltreating Nigerians with embassy officials constantly present in court for the hearings. This is the first time this will be happening.

    “However, the early warning signals put in place by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Interiors of both countries need to be reviewed.”

  • 2018 Hajj: Saudi Arabia threatens to ban Nigerian pilgrimages over Lassa fever epidemic

    The Saudi Arabian authorities has threatened to ban Nigerian pilgrimages for the 2018 Hajj spiritual exercise if the lingering Lassa fever outbreak is not curtailed.

    However, following the threat, the Federal Government has summoned Commissioners for health to a session with top officials of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).

    The meeting will be chaired by Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha.

    Recall that the Saudi Arabian government has given Nigeria about 95,000 pilgrims’ slots for 2018 made up of 80,000 regular pilgrims and 15,000 by tour operators.

    But the government was jolted by alleged threats by Saudi Arabia to impose a ban on Nigerian pilgrims over Lassa fever outbreak.

    A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “I think Saudi Arabia has been a bit worried about the outbreak of Lassa Fever in some states in the country. Its concern was suspected that it might lead to a ban of Nigerian pilgrims from this year’s Hajj.

    “Although no official diplomatic communication has been relayed to the Federal Government but Saudi Arabia has informally said it was bothered about the Lassa fever epidemic.

    “To ally the fears of Saudi Arabia, the Federal Government has invited all the commissioners for health and NAHCON officials for a meeting in Abuja today.

    “The session will take stock of the extent of the spread of the Lassa Fever and what has been done to curb it.

    “The collation of the facts and figures at the meeting will enable Nigeria to relate with Saudi Arabia with verifiable evidence.”

    A government official said: “We have not received a formal complaint from Saudi Arabia but the government is taking preemptive measures to make sure that the pilgrimage is not hampered.

    “We are doing this to support NAHCON which is noted for placing premium to health safety. If you look at NAHCON service so far, it has performed creditably with emphasis on the health of pilgrims through adequate immunization. The present leadership of NAHCON is the best the nation has ever had with its scientific operation and premium on healthcare for pilgrims.”

     

  • Tragic! South African mob burns another Nigerian alive

    The Nigerian Community in South Africa has announced the killing of Clement Nwaogu, who was burnt alive by a mob in the latest xenophobia attack in that country.

    The Publicity Secretary of the Nigeria Union in South Africa, Habib Miller, confirmed the killing from Pretoria in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt on Monday.

    He said the victim, a native of Njikoka in Anambra and an upholsterer in South Africa, was attacked and killed by a mob in Rustenburg, North West Province.

    Mr Miller said the victim was murdered in cold blood over his accent and habit, which the mobsters supposedly found offensive.

    “The mob descended on him like a common criminal with all sorts of dangerous weapons in the presence of South African police officers.

    “Eyewitnesses say the victim beckoned for help from the police to intervene and help him, but they turned a blind eye.

    “When Nwaogu could no longer persevere, he ran for safety; the mob chased and caught him, poured petrol on him and set him ablaze,” he said.

    Mr Miller said the mob then left Mr Nwaogu when they thought he had died.

    The spokesman said that shortly after the mob left Mr Nwaogu that some passersby called emergency personnel, who later took the victim’s charred body to the hospital.

    “The eyewitnesses feeling that the victim was still alive called for help; unfortunately, Nwaogu could not survive the ordeal and died at Job Shimankane Hospital in Rustenburg,” he said.

    In another development, Mr Miller said that 14 Nigerians, who protested the killing of a fellow citizen in that country’s North West Province in February are still in detention.

    He said the police officers murdered the Nigerian in cold blood on Dec. 17 after failing to extort money from the victim.

    Mr Miller said that the police officers had since been released on bail while those who protested the killing were still languishing in detention.

    “Our legal team is doing everything possible to facilitate the release of the protesters.

    “We are worried that nothing has been done by the Nigerian government to stop the killings.

    “We once again call on the Nigerian mission in South Africa to do the needful urgently because things are getting out of hand.

    “The union with its legal desk will follow up the matter with the appropriate institutions until justice prevails,” he added.

    Mr Nwaogu was married to a South African and was blessed with two children; aged three and five years.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the killing of Nwaogu follows extra-judicial killing of another Nigerian, ThankGod Okoro, 30, by the South African Police Flying Squad.

    Mr Okoro, a native of Ogbaku in Awgwu Local Government Area of Enugu, was shot dead at Hamburg, Florida West Rand, Johannesburg on April 9.

    Records show that no fewer than 118 Nigerians have been killed in South Africa since February, 2016.

  • Atiku blasts Buhari over ‘Nigerian youths are lazy’ comment

    Former Vice President and presidential hopeful, Atiku Abubakar has replied President Muhammadu Buhari over his comments that ‘Nigerian youths are lazy and want everything for free’.

    Recall that President Buhari while speaking at the Commonwealth Business Forum in Westminster on Wednesday, April 18, 2018, said the country’s youthful population is reliant on the notion that Nigeria is an oil-rich nation, which leads to the demand for free things.

    He said, “About the economy, we have a very young population, our population is estimated conservatively to be 180 million. This is a very conservative one.

    “More than 60 percent of the population is below 30, a lot of them haven’t been to school and they are claiming that Nigeria has been an oil producing country, therefore, they should sit and do nothing, and get housing, healthcare, education free.”

    However, in almost an instantaneous reaction, the former vice president took to his Twitter account to counter the president’s statement in a series of tweet.

    He noted that as an employer of labour, he has thousands of Nigerian youths on his payroll all over the country that has proved their worth as innovative and hardworking over the years.

    He tweeted: “I will never refer to Nigeria’s youth as people who sit and do nothing. They are hardworking. I should know, I have thousands of youths working for me all over the country who have been the backbone to our success.

    I’ve always said oil is not Nigeria’s greatest asset. Our greatest asset is our youth who created Nollywood out of nothing and an entertainment industry that is second to none in Africa.

    Another tweeter handle, obviously opened for the former VP’s presidential ambition tweeted to buttress Atiku’s points:

    Our youth are charting new frontiers; creating a huge tech industry on their own! Their entrepreneurial spirit, work ethic, and creative abilities are things of pride and should be applauded, encouraged and nurtured. Atiku businesses are being managed by youths, not even above the age 35. He believes in Nigeria’s youths and he’s coming on board with 40% inclusion of youths in his cabinet,” his tweets read.