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Chief Justice swears in eight new Supreme Court justices

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Toby
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The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Muhammad, has cautioned the eight new Justices of the Supreme Court not to allow their personal ambitions to becloud their sense of judgment.

Mr Mohammad gave the warning during the swearing-in ceremony of the newly appointed justices on Friday.

He advised them to rather see themselves as God’s representative on earth.

“Your interactions with people of unenviable inclinations and pedigree, if any, must be halted forthwith.

“Let your conscience guide and filter every thought that traverses your mind from this moment.

“I have no doubt that you may have at one time or the other been confronted with some forms of criticism or verbal assaults by litigants who lost their cases.

“I want to assure you that more of such will come your way, where appellant’s expectations are often very high and infectious.”

He said that there is no way they can please human beings, especially litigants.

“I am, however, making it absolutely clear to you that the easiest way to fail in life is to try pleasing everybody.

“The only deity you can fear is the Almighty God, once your judgment is in consonance with the constitution what God expects from you.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the justices sworn-in are, Lawal Garba, (North West), Helen Ogunwumiju (South West), Abdu Aboki (North West), and M M Saulawa (North West).

Others are, Adamu Jauro (North East), Samuel Oseji (South South), Tijani Abubakar (North East), and Emmanuel Agim (South South).

The swearing-in, which took place at the headquarters of the Supreme Court, was sequel to the appointments made by President Muhammadu Buhari and confirmed by the Senate, on the recommendations of the National Judicial Council (NJC).

(NAN)

Understanding Amnesty International And Nigeria’s Divorce

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By Philip Agbese

Amnesty International, the all-knowing international non-governmental organization, is apparently experiencing the human equivalent of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) going by the way it is suffering an increase in hallucinating things that do not exist. It suddenly struck on the idea of accusing the Nigerian Army of sponsoring other NGOs against it instead of addressing the real issue, which is the sustained war of attrition it has been waging against the Nigerian state while posing as a partner.

The NGO broke even its own record for bold face lying as it claimed, in its trademark manner, that 78 people were “massacred” at Lekki Toll Gate on Tuesday October 20, 2020. The Oxford Learner Dictionary defined massacre as “the killing of a large number of people especially in a cruel way.” Amnesty International deployed all its assets in Nigeria to perpetrate the lie of a massacre. That lie was amplified by contractors and consultants on Amnesty International’s payroll.

But the joke was on Amnesty International, its posse of chorus singers, commercial activists and the large following of clueless victims of groupthink, automaton components of the hivemind that Amnesty International is exploiting to trouble the peace of Nigeria. The staffers of the NGO are aware that not even hard facts will make these captive followers of its rouse from the deep intellectual and mental slumber into which they have fallen.

It is no wonder that Amnesty International believed in its own lies to the extent that it thought repeating these lies will elevate them into becoming the truth. Thus, the day after it crowed that over 78 people have been killed, it was unable to show any evidence. No bodies. No bloodstains. No families declaring loved ones missing. No grave to show secret burials like it always claim in other instances. The only proof Amnesty International has of its well-advertised Lekki Toll Gate massacre was to rehash its lie that the Nigerian military has a tradition of being complicit of the things Amnesty International accuses it of.

Interestingly, it is not a first for this NGO, which has the notoriety of once hiring a movie director to coach its witnesses in order to indict a targeted government. `It apparently has similar designs on Nigeria but for some of us that did not allow it the wriggle room as we kept on demanding that it backs its allegations up with facts, which it has never succeeded in doing till date.

Its insistence on being vested in Nigeria’s affairs is akin to a spouse that persistently express frustration in a marriage but is not willing to do the logical thing, which is to leave the marriage and find fulfilment under a different arrangement.

The marriage of convenience between Nigeria and Amnesty International broke down since the Goodluck Jonathan era when the organization authored a deadly report against Nigeria to the US government about human rights abuses that never took place. They had informed the US authorities that Nigeria and its Armed Forces had committed war crimes against humanity and will use arms sold to her to kill innocent Nigerians instead of fighting Boko Haram. That lie led to Nigeria being denied access to buy sorely needed military hardware to fight terrorism. The impact was that Boko Haram terrorists were able to carry out deadly attacks without being challenged, a situation that resulted in more civilian deaths than necessary, for which Amnesty International should accept responsibility but never does.

That embargo was in place before the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari came on board. The implication was that Amnesty International’s report left at least 10,000 men, women and children dead between 2014 and 2015 when the current government came into power. For each single day that the misleading Amnesty International’s lies prevented Nigeria from buying weapons, people died. So, who will hold this nefarious NGO accountable for this murder of Nigerians by proxy?

The organization has remained above the law and openly in bed with terrorists through the falsehood it usually publishes as reports and the media appearances of its operatives. To counter its lies is immediately branded as “government sponsored” while those critical of its anti-Nigerian stance are hounded and vilified on social media and other spaces of public engagement. But this has not stopped those that have conscience from asking that this aberration leaves the land and allow Nigerians rebuild their country in peace.

The call for Amnesty International to leave Nigeria has been on for over a decade, well before the present dispensation came to office. The only thing that has changed is that more individuals and groups have sprung up across the length and breadth of the country making the same demand. That is what an organization gets when its motive in any country is not clear enough. It is what becomes of an entity like Amnesty International, which has been caught flat out on too many instances engaging in lies, manipulating respondents and interviewees and supporting terrorism under the guise of observing adherence to human rights requirements.

It is really simple. All Amnesty International has to do is to leave Nigeria and relocate to one of those countries it considers as perfect, likely one of those sponsoring it to destabilize Nigeria so that it can become a conquered territory. Afterall, these countries are in need of being monitored so that they do not descend to the level of Nigeria.

I am therefore at a loss as to why Amnesty International is behaving like a partner who wants to remain with their spouse at all cost, even when they gripe daily about not being satisfied with the state of affairs. Something simply has to give. My position is that the recent calls by some Nigerians for citizens to engage Amnesty International until it leaves is the equivalent of a couple becoming verbally abusive of each other; that Nigeria and Amnesty International have reached this point is an indication that it is time for them to amicably divorce. Amnesty International should up and go.

You cannot force anyone to love you. Amnesty International cannot force Nigerians to appreciate what it is doing in the country. No matter how useful it claims its work in Nigeria is at the moment, the citizens are simply saying that it is time for Amnesty International to quit. This is not too much for any nation to ask. This is my two cents.

Agbese is a human rights activist and wrote from the United Kingdom.

Understanding Amnesty International and Nigeria’s Divorce

By
Toby
-
0

 

By Philip Agbese

Amnesty International, the all-knowing international non-governmental organization, is apparently experiencing the human equivalent of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) going by the way it is suffering an increase in hallucinating things that do not exist. It suddenly struck on the idea of accusing the Nigerian Army of sponsoring other NGOs against it instead of addressing the real issue, which is the sustained war of attrition it has been waging against the Nigerian state while posing as a partner.

The NGO broke even its own record for boldface lying as it claimed, in its trademark manner, that 78 people were “massacred” at Lekki Toll Gate on Tuesday, October 20, 2020. The Oxford Learner Dictionary defined massacre as “the killing of a large number of people especially in a cruel way.” Amnesty International deployed all its assets in Nigeria to perpetuate the lie of a massacre. That lie was amplified by contractors and consultants on Amnesty International’s payroll.

But the joke was on Amnesty International, its posse of chorus singers, commercial activists and the large following of clueless victims of groupthink, automaton components of the hivemind that Amnesty International is exploiting to trouble the peace of Nigeria. The staffers of the NGO are aware that not even hard facts will make these captive followers of its rouse from the deep intellectual and mental slumber into which they have fallen.

It is no wonder that Amnesty International believed in its lies to the extent that it thought repeating these lies will elevate them into becoming the truth. Thus, the day after it crowed that over 78 people have been killed, it was unable to show any evidence. Nobodies. No bloodstains. No families declaring loved ones missing. No grave to show secret burials like it always claim in other instances. The only proof Amnesty International has of its well-advertised Lekki Toll Gate massacre was to rehash its lie that the Nigerian military has a tradition of being complicit of the things Amnesty International accuses it of.

Interestingly, it is not a first for this NGO, which has the notoriety of once hiring a movie director to coach its witnesses to indict a targeted government. `It has similar designs on Nigeria but for some of us, that did not allow it the wriggle room as we kept on demanding that it backs its allegations up with facts, which it has never succeeded in doing till date.

Its insistence on being vested in Nigeria’s affairs is akin to a spouse that persistently express frustration in marriage but is not willing to do the logical thing, which is to leave the marriage and find fulfilment under a different arrangement.

The marriage of convenience between Nigeria and Amnesty International broke down since the Goodluck Jonathan era when the organization authored a deadly report against Nigeria to the US government about human rights abuses that never took place. They had informed the US authorities that Nigeria and its Armed Forces had committed war crimes against humanity and will use arms sold to her to kill innocent Nigerians instead of fighting Boko Haram. That lie led to Nigeria being denied access to buy sorely needed military hardware to fight terrorism. The impact was that Boko Haram terrorists were able to carry out deadly attacks without being challenged, a situation that resulted in more civilian deaths than necessary, for which Amnesty International should accept responsibility but never does.

That embargo was in place before the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari came on board. The implication was that Amnesty International’s report left at least 10,000 men, women and children dead between 2014 and 2015 when the current government came into power. For every single day that the misleading Amnesty International’s lies prevented Nigeria from buying weapons, people died. So, who will hold this nefarious NGO accountable for this murder of Nigerians by proxy?

The organization has remained above the law and openly in bed with terrorists through the falsehood it usually publishes as reports and the media appearances of its operatives. To counter its lies is immediately branded as “government-sponsored” while those critical of its anti-Nigerian stance are hounded and vilified on social media and other spaces of public engagement. But this has not stopped those that have conscience from asking that this aberration leaves the land and allow Nigerians to rebuild their country in peace.

The call for Amnesty International to leave Nigeria has been on for over a decade, well before the present dispensation came to office. The only thing that has changed is that more individuals and groups have sprung up across the length and breadth of the country making the same demand. That is what an organization gets when its motive in any country is not clear enough. It is what becomes of an entity like Amnesty International, which has been caught flat out on too many instances engaging in lies, manipulating respondents and interviewees and supporting terrorism under the guise of observing adherence to human rights requirements.

It is really simple. All Amnesty International has to do is to leave Nigeria and relocate to one of those countries it considers as perfect, likely one of those sponsoring it to destabilize Nigeria so that it can become a conquered territory. After all, these countries need to be monitored so that they do not descend to the level of Nigeria.

I am therefore at a loss as to why Amnesty International is behaving like a partner who wants to remain with their spouse at all cost, even when they gripe daily about not being satisfied with the state of affairs. Something simply has to give. My position is that the recent calls by some Nigerians for citizens to engage Amnesty International until it leaves is the equivalent of a couple becoming verbally abusive of each other; that Nigeria and Amnesty International have reached this point is an indication that it is time for them to amicably divorce. Amnesty International should up and go.

You cannot force anyone to love you. Amnesty International cannot force Nigerians to appreciate what it is doing in the country. No matter how useful it claims its work in Nigeria is at the moment, the citizens are simply saying that it is time for Amnesty International to quit. This is not too much for any nation to ask. This is my two cents.

Agbese is a human rights activist and wrote from the United Kingdom.

President-elect: US secret service ramps up Biden’s protection

By
Toby
-
0

 

 

THE United States Secret Service has ramped up the protection provided for the nation’s former vice president and the strong contender for the Washington Office, Joe Biden.

Joe Biden based on the election count is leading the incumbent president, Donald Trump. As of the time of this publication, based on Associated Press, a big US media outlet’s data, Biden’s electoral college vote was 264 while Trump has gathered 214.

The required college votes to be declared winner is pegged at 270.

The nation awaits final results from Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, and North Carolina.

According to Washington Post report, the Secret Service has detailed more agents to Delaware, Biden’s hometown, to increase the amount of protection around him after the campaign for the Democratic nominee noted they would be requiring use of the Wilmington convention centre for at least one more day with suggestions that the former Vice President could make a major speech on Friday.

Although the Secret Service does not publicly discuss its security arrangements for the president or the candidates it protects, dozens of agents are currently providing security for the Biden campaign at the Chase Center at the Riverfront convention centre in Wilmington.

Biden’s additional security would begin on Friday, however, it is not the full protective detail that would normally accompany a president-elect, but it is more elevated than his current setup, DailyMail reported.

Part of the nation’s Secret Service mission reads; “The Secret Service is recognized for the physical protection it provides to the nation’s highest elected leaders, visiting foreign dignitaries, facilities and major events.

“In order to ensure a secure environment for protectees, the Secret Service integrates a variety of innovative technologies and maintains a highly skilled and motivated workforce.”

Biden had earlier received Secret Service protection in March for protection as a presidential candidate, sources familiar with the matter told CNN back then.

“The US Secret Service can confirm Acting Secretary of Homeland Security, Chad F. Wolf, along with the Congressional Advisory Committee has authorized that the Secret Service provide physical protection for presidential candidate, former vice president Joseph Biden,” a Secret Service spokesperson said in a statement quoted by CNN.

Biden’s Secret Service was code named “Celtic,” according to two sources familiar with the matter, which was his code name as vice president.

If Biden is finally declared the winner of the presidential election but Trump still refuses to concede, the Secret Service team may be told to wait until mid-December when the electoral college meets before treating Biden as the president-elect according to the Washington Post.

Either way, the Secret Service would be likely to ramp up protection on Biden well before that date, a former agent said to the Post.

(Credit: The Washington Post)

Nengi appointed Senior Special Assistant to Bayelsa governor

By
Toby
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0

Reality TV star, Rebecca Nengi Hampson,  has been appointed Senior Special Assistant to the Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri.

The news was made known by fellow Big Brother Naija housemantd, Neo Akpofure via his Twitter page on Friday, November 6, 2020.

“Omo my girl oo.. Senior Special Assistant to the Governor and Face of Bayelsa State. Congrats my sister Green heart @nengiofficial,” he tweeted.

Fellow housemates Laycon and Ozoemena also confirmed the development on Twitter.

Nengi was one of the housemates from the fifth season of Big Brother Naija.

The 22-year-old entrepreneur from Bayelsa state was the second runner up of the season.

Court sentences repentant Algerian jihadist to life imprisonment

By
Toby
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0

A French court  has sentenced a repentant jihadist who shot dead a young mother as he prepared to attack a church to life imprisonment.

The court issued the order after Sid-Ahmed Ghlam; an Algerian student presented himself in court in Paris as a repentant jihadist.

He claimed that he was manipulated by Islamic State handlers in Syria, five years ago to attack a church in Villejuif, south of the capital but never carried out the attack.

He claimed a mystery accomplice killed 22 year-old fitness instructor Aurélie Châtelain by accident, despite his DNA being found with her body in her burnt-out car.

The court ordered him to serve at least 22 years, while his accomplices were jailed for up to 30 years with immediate deportation to follow.

This came after the President of France, Emmanuel Macron declared in an interview with Al Jazeera that the “radical Islam” he is trying to fight in his country is a threat to all people, especially Muslims.

He said that he understands the feelings of Muslims who are shocked by the displaying of cartoons of Prophet Mohammad amid heightened tensions between the French government and the Muslim world over the cartoons, which Muslims consider to be blasphemous.

Elumelu acquires 1,000MW Afam Power Plant

By
Toby
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0

 

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo says he expects improved operational capacity following the acquisition of the Afam Power Plc and Afam Three Fast Power Limited (jointly referred to as “Afam GenCo”) by Transcorp Consortium.

Transcorp completed the 100 per cent take over on Thursday for around N105.3 billion at the State House, Abuja in the presence of the VP and Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc.

In his remark, Osinbajo, said “Today marks a milestone for the country with a return to private sector investment in the power sector. This investment by Transcorp in acquiring ‘Afam Power Plc’ and ‘Afam Three Fast Power’ is the first of many new investments planned in the sector across the value chain. We expect that under Transcorp’s ownership the operational capacity of the facility will be raised to its full capacity.”

The Vice President further stated “We have seen the progress that Transcorp has made with the Ughelli Power Plant in raising the operational capacity significantly, since it acquired the plant in 2013, and we expect nothing less from the Afam acquisitions. We have no doubt that the addition of Transcorp to the Afam community, will come with the forward thinking Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives that Tony and his team are known for. This transaction is a confirmation of the reform trajectory the Administration is leading in the power sector.”

Speaking on Transcorp’s track record, the Director-General of the BPE, Alex Okoh, said “Transcorp Consortium is one of the success stories of Nigeria’s Privatisation Programme. Through its investments in Transcorp Hotels Plc and Transcorp Ughelli Power Limited, the consortium has consistently achieved its performance targets as contained in the respective post-acquisition plans.”

Elumelu, on his part, commended the federal government for the role it played in making the acquisition a reality. “Bringing affordable, dependable power to the Nigerian people is core to Transcorp’s mission. Our significant investments in the power sector are demonstrations of our contribution to the economic transformation that I know Nigeria is capable of.

“Power remains the single most critical factor for lifting our people out of poverty and job creation for our teaming youth. The acquisition marks a significant milestone for Transcorp in the pursuit of its corporate purpose of improving lives and transforming Nigeria. I am honoured to be working with the Federal Government and urge it to continue its policy of creating an enabling environment, that sustains the confidence of both local and foreign investors – and delivers the opportunities and aspirations that all Nigerians seek”.

Afam Power is a 1,000MW capacity power plant.

‘Lies with no evidence’: US TV channels stop Trump speech live coverage midway

By
Toby
-
0

As US President Donald Trump unleashed an attack on rival Joe Biden with his chances of a second term at the White House slipping, several US TV networks stopped the live coverage of his public appearance as he started spreading disinformation.

This was Trump’s first public appearance since election night as vote-counting was still on at several battleground states such as Georgia and Nevada.

While addressing the media at the White House, Trump unleashed a flood of incendiary and unsubstantiated claims in a 17-minute address, insisting that Democrats were using “illegal votes” to “steal the election from us”, reported AFP.

“OK, here we are again in the unusual position of not only interrupting the president of the United States but correcting the president of the United States,” said MSNBC anchor Brian Williams, as the network quickly ended its live coverage.

NBC and ABC News also pulled the plug on their live coverage of Trump, reported AFP.

“What a sad night for the United states of America to hear their president say that, to falsely accuse people of trying to steal the election,” said CNN’s Jake Tapper.

He described it as “lie after lie after lie about the election being stolen,” with no evidence, “just smears.”

Late vote-counting in battleground states showed Democrat Joe Biden steadily closing in on victory. Joe Biden has already secured 264 electoral votes, just 6 short of the required 270.

TRUMP LOSES LAWSUITS, CLAIMS FRAUD

Meanwhile, US courts have dismissed Trump campaign’s lawsuits in Michigan and Georgia related to alleged electoral malpractice. In Michigan, the campaign had sought to stop counting of absentee ballots, while in Georgia it had alleged that even improper ballots were being counted.

At the address, President Donald Trump once again claimed that if “legal” votes are counted he would win the presidential election, in a signal he is in no mood to concede to Democrat Joe Biden.

Trump has repeatedly claimed victory and appealed for vote-counting to be stopped in the states that are yet to give the final results even after two days since Election Day.

“If you count the legal votes I easily win,” Trump said in the appearance at the White House briefing room, complaining that ballots still being counted suggest to him that the election is being rigged and stolen from him.

57 reportedly killed as strange disease breaks out in Enugu

By
Toby
-
0

 

A strange disease has reprotedly killed 57 people in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu state.

The deaths were recorded from Umuokpu, Ete and Ogwurugwu communities in the last one month.

It is not immediately clear the cause of the deaths.

It was gathered that the disease broke out in the communities since September this year and had claimed the lives of 37 persons in Ette community and 20 in Umuopu community.

The two communities share a common border.

Four persons it was further gathered died on Wednesday as a result of the disease which symptoms include convulsion, diarrhoea and vomiting of blood.

While Lassa fever or cholera are being suspected as the cause of the strange disease, the state Ministry of Health and investigations are said to be currently working to really ascertain the cause of the strange deaths.

“On-the-spot-check and outbreak investigation have revealed a number of deaths from an illness with symptoms suggestive of a disease of Public Health Importance,” Commissioner for Health, Dr. Emmanuel Ikechukwu Obi, said in a statement yesterday.

But he did not give figures of those who have reportedly died of the disease.

Dr. Obi stated that the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has been informed “and is collaborating with the Enugu State Ministry of Health at the LGA to investigate and control the reports”.

Obi urged members of the public not to panic as the ministry was handling the emergency.

The strange disease in Enugu is happening at the same period no less than 30 persons were said to have died in Ute-Okpu and Idumesa communities in Ika North-East Local Government Area (LGA) of Delta State over the outbreak of a strange disease too.

I strongly advocate regulation of social media — Hope Uzodinma

By
Toby
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0

 

The governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, has expressed support for the attempt by the Nigeria government to regulate social media.

He said he was “strongly” in support of the move.

He spoke when he received the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, in Owerri on Thursday.

Mr Adamu said social media was the greatest weapon used to escalate the #EndSARS protest across Nigeria.

The visit was aimed at ascertaining the level of damage done to both public and private facilities during the peaceful EndSARS protest hijacked by hoodlums to loot and cause civil unrest in the society.

He advised Nigerians not to allow the country to pass through the experience it had during the protest in future.

“I can tell you that our men acted professionally during the protest, they had their guns, they were being killed, yet they respected human dignity,” he said.

“I came specifically to visit vandalised property and to see the level of damage done to police facilities in Imo.’’

Mr Adamu said he would also address key police officers to encourage and boost their morale which he said were low due to the protest.

The governor expressed worry that social media was being used to cause trouble in the country.

“I am strongly advocating that social media should be regulated in Nigeria.

“Opposition party incited hoodlums to cause trouble in Imo, because the real protesters went off the street after my address and assurances to them,’’ Mr Uzodinma said.

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