07082020 - 20 killed, houses burnt in fresh S-Kaduna attacks

Vanguard, FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 2020 — 31
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WORLD BREASTFEEDING WEEK: From left; State Nutrition Officer, Lagos State, Olubunmi Braheem;
Lagos State Chapter Coordinator, Civil Society Scaling-up Nutrition, Dr. Modupe Adeyinka; Lagos State
Team Lead, Alive & Thrive, Dr. Uche Ralph-Opara; State Health Educator, Lagos State Ministry of Health,
Hassan Shola; Chairman, Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board, Prof. Adebunkola Adefule-Ositelu and
Nutrition Programme Officer, Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Adetoke Adekitan during the Alive
and Thrive media parley with stakeholders in commemoration of the 2020 World Breastfeeding Week in Lagos.
Anambra women protest police harassment
of monarch, killing, detention of sons in Enugu
By Vincent Ujumadu
A HUNDREDS W K A —
of
placard–wielding women from
Awba Ofemili in Awka North local
government area of Anambra
State, yesterday, stormed the
Government House, Awka to
protest the alleged harassment
of their traditional ruler, Igwe
Ezekwesili Maduagwuna and the
continued border skirmishes
between them and Ibite Ollo in
Ezeagu local government area of
Enugu State.
One person was recently killed
during the border clash, while five
people from the community were
still being detained in a prison in
Enugu State.
Some of the placards carried by
the women read: “Our monarch
has no hand in any killing”; “Awba
Ofemili cannot succumb to
intimidation”; “Anambra
government, please save us from
our neighbours”; “Release our
children being detained in
Enugu” and “Some people in our
community are enemies of the
people.”
Their spokesperson, Mrs. Grace
Nwabufor said they decided to
come to the Government House
because the issue was getting out
of hand, adding that as farmers,
they were being denied their
source of livelihood as security
operatives from Enugu State
often chased them away from
their farms.
She said: “We are
overwhelmed by what we are
experiencing in our community.
For the past four years, we have
FG approves N1.1bn for rehabilitation of
Onitsha – Enugu link road
By Vincent Ujumadu
A
W K A — T H E
Federal government
has approved N1.1 billion for the
rehabilitation of the dilapidated
Onitsha –Adani road under the
COVID-19 special intervention
programme.
Former member of the House
of Representatives for Anambra
East and Anambra West, Dr. Tony
Nwoye, who worked hard to
ensure the execution of the
project regretted that the road
had become a nightmare to
not known peace because of the
land dispute between us and Ibite
Ollo in Enugu State.
“The deputy governors of the
two states who are in charge of
their boundary commissions
decided that we should continue
to farm on our end until a proper
demarcation of the boundaries of
the two states but we are chased
away anytime we go to the farm.
“Sometime this year, while we
motorists.
He said: “For years, we have
been doing so much to attract
Federal Government’s attention
to this road. I have therefore come
to see things for myself and to
assure the people that the
government has listened to their
cry.
"Having driven on this road, I
have seen the level of
rehabilitation and to tell the
people that work will begin in
earnest. A formidable contractor
will handle the project so that this
area, which is the food basket of
S’East, S’South Professionals task FG on security, graft
By Victor Ajiromanus
THE
South-East,
South-South Professionals
responsible for its economic,
political and social deterioration.
This is just as the advocacy
group urged the President
Expand Global Industries Ltd stops operation at Ibadan
factory over worker’s death
EXPAND Global Industries
Ltd has ceased operations
at its Ibadan factory over the
death, late last month, of a
person at the factory.
A statement by the company’s
Human Resources Manager and
spokesperson, Aliyu Jibril, reads
in part: ‘’We deeply regret to
announce that a colleague from
an external third-party company
was fatally injured in an incident
that took place at our Ibadan
plant on Tuesday, July 28, 2020.
Our on-site emergency team
immediately stopped all
operations and promptly informed
the relevant authorities of the
incident. The local authorities
arrived on-site within minutes to
of Nigeria (SESSPN), has said
that absence of justice, rule of
law and merit in all areas of
governance in the country is
carry out the necessary
investigations and safely
transport the deceased to the
morgue where an autopsy would
be conducted.
‘’The company is shocked and
saddened by this loss and our
deepest sympathies go out to the
family and friends of the deceased.
Representatives of the company
met with the family along with
representatives from the student
council to express our deepest
condolences. We will continue to
engage with the family and
provide the necessary support
during this difficult time.’’
According to Jibril, the company
is working closely with the Police
and Ministry of Labour to
ascertain the circumstances
leading up to the tragic incident,
adding that; ‘’Both departments
are proceeding with external
investigations into this matter
and we are conducting our own
internal investigation into the
safety protocols observed. We
understand that there may be
queries from concerned
stakeholders towards this tragic
incident. Please be rest assured
that further information will be
shared once available.
‘’Production at site remains
suspended until further notice.
The safety and health of our
people is of utmost importance to
us. Our company has stringent
safety protocols in place to ensure
that every employee operates in
a safe working environment.’’
were in the farm, they came with
guns and in their attempt to chase
us out, killed one person. Since
then, the entire community,
including our traditional ruler,
has been harassed by police from
Enugu State such that the
monarch has gone into hiding.
“That is why we have come to
complain to Governor Obiano to
come to our rescue before our
neighbours wipe us out.''
Anambra will begin to enjoy good
road.
“This road will help them to
access their farmlands and enable
them transact their businesses
without much hindrance.
“A lot of pressure was mounted
on the government to include this
road among those considered
under COVID-19 special
intervention. Although the
money for the project was not
contained in this year’s
appropriation bill, the federal
government magnanimously
approved N1.1 billion for work to
start while we wait for 2021 budget
for the approval of the remaining
amount for the project.'
Muhammadu Buhari-led administration
to restructure the country,
review the present devolution of
powers, whittle down the centre,
allow for competition and calculated
economic growth in accordance
with the needs of the different regions
and revisit the reports of
2014 Constitutional Conference.
Speaking yesterday during his
maiden press conference held
virtually on Zoom platform, the
newly elected president of
SESSPN, Mr Hannibal Uwaifo
said the organization is committed
to the total emancipation of the
people of South-South and
South-East for good governance
and progress.
According to him, the country
must move away from ethnicity,
religious intolerance and
engage in constructive
nation-building, adding that
state government must develop
security architectures around
community policing and vigilante
groups to secure their people.
Massacre of Christians: Buhari
should address genocide in
Southern Kaduna — ADF
By Peter Okutu
ABAKALIKI—A
key
socio-cultural
organization in the South East
region of the country,, Alaigbo
Development Foundation, ADF,
yesterday called on President
Muhammadu Buhari to urgently
address the killings of Christians
by alleged herdsmen/terrorists in
Southern Kaduna zone of
Kaduna State.
The group expressed worry that
the killings taking place in
Southern Kaduna have gotten to
its crescendo, as it alleged that:
“Security forces have taken sides
with the militants to wipe out the
Christian communities in
Southern Kaduna with the sole
aim of taking over their ancestral
lands.”
In a statement issued in
Abakaliki by the Spokesman of
ADF, Chief Abia Onyike, the
group claimed that over 32,000
Christians have been massacred
in the last decade by terrorists in
the Middle Belt of Nigeria, namely
Kaduna, Plateau, Benue,
Taraba(Mambilla) and Nasarawa
States.”
The statement read: “After
a thorough review of the ongoing
mindless massacre of
Christians in Kajuru, Chikun
and other LGAs in Southern
Kaduna, the Alaigbo
Development Foundation (ADF)
hereby states as follows:
“That the on-going gruesome
massacre of Christians in
Southern Kaduna by militants/
terrorists/ herdsmen is a
continued manifestation of the
unresolved crisis of Nigerian
federalism.
“The ADF unequivocally
condemns this mindless
massacre of innocent citizens
brought about by the brazen
impunity of Fulani hegemonists
and their armed militia
organizations.
“For how long shall Nigerian
citizens continue to be subjected
to such a punitive culture of
pestilence, mass killings,
bestiality and unmitigated
violence. The ADF sympathises
with the plight of the Southern
Kaduna People’s Union
(SOKAPU) who are currently
facing one of the worst forms of
genocide perpetrated by
anihilationist forces. We are in
solidarity with them at their
moment of grief as they mourn
and bury their loved ones.The
ADF calls on President
Muhammadu Buhari to urgently
intervene by stopping the ongoing
genocide."
Delta selected Committee for
Special Public Works inaugurated
DELTA State selected
Committee for the
extended Special Public works
programme by the Presidency
has been inaugurated at the
Novena University, Amai in
Ndokwa West Local Government
Area of Delta State.
Chairman of the Committee,
Professor Kelly Ovie, in his
inaugural speech, thanked
President Mohammed Buhari
for his vision of the public works
programme after the initial pilot
scheme for eight states and the
decision to extend it to the 36
states of the federation and FCT.
He stated that the major plan
of the Federal Government is to
eradicate poverty, stressing that
the scheme is targeted at the
vulnerable in the society either
skilled or unskilled people.
He explained that the work of
the Committee is to carry out a
social survey and collect
information from skilled and
unskilled Persons
He enjoined them to support
the vision of the President,
saying, "we cannot afford to fail,
as we must work as a team and
be committed with a strong team
spirit.
In a chat with journalists, the
representative of the Delta State
governor, Mr. Eruemula Stanley
said the programme is a big
programme that is beyond
political parties.
He therefore advise members
of the Committee to go to the
grassroot and enlist the poor
masses in the State.
Among those inaugurated
were Prof Ovie Kelly Ejumudo-
Chairman, Mrs Eva Nwanze,
Vice-Chairman, Anthony Olu-
Coordinator, Oranyeli
Onyejekwe - member, Sir Jimoh
Echenake - member, Mike Odeli
and others.
Oil & Gas exploration in Nigeria: FG,
IOCs have failed Urhobo Nation
— Owhevwo
FOLLOWING the purported
allocation of 57 Marginal oil
fields to people outside Niger
Delta without considering
qualified indigenes of the various
Niger Delta host communities
indigenes, people of Kokori in
Agbon Kingdom , Ethiope East
Local Government Area, Delta
State have accused the Federal
government of Nigeria,
International Oil Companies,
IOCs, as well as the Niger Delta
Development Commission,
NDDC of absolute failure in
developing their communities
and the oil producing
communities in tre Urhobo land.
While expressing
dissatisfaction over the way and
manner Federal government has
being treating Urhobo Nation,
Olorogun Onos Ohwevwo says
that the Nigerian government
since discovery of Oil and Gas
and exploration activities the
government has the people of
Agbon Kingdom and their
several host communities under
Agbon Kingdom, adding that
there has not been any
sustainable economic
development in Agbon clan by
any of the agencies both IOCs
and NDDC.
Speaking to newsmen at his
country ranch, Olorogun
Ohwevwo, stated that the
ongoing agitation by the oil
producing ethnic groups across
the Niger Delta, if urgent
intervention was not done by
Federal Government, restive
youths could threaten operations
of oil and gas sector in Agbon Clan.