Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Friday 6th March 2020
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 06/03/20
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Court Adjourns Case On Unlawful Detention Of Businessman Over SIM Card Used By Buhari’s Daughter
Left-Right: Director-General of DSS, Yusuf Bichi; Hanan Buhari and Anthony Okolie
Left-Right: Director-General of DSS, Yusuf Bichi; Hanan Buhari and Anthony Okolie
Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court, Asaba, Delta State, has adjourned hearing of the case involving Anthony Okolie, a businessman arrested and illegally detained by the Department of State Services for using a SIM card previously used and abandoned by Hanan, daughter of President Muhammadu Buhari.
After his detention, Okolie’s lawyer, Tope Akinyode, sued the DSS, MTN and Hanan, stating that the trio jointly violated his client’s fundamental human rights.
He urged the court to award monetary compensation of N500m jointly or severally against the defendants.
At the hearing of the case on Wednesday, Okolie denounced the claim by the DSS that President Buhari, and not his daughter, ordered his unlawful arrest and detention.
Okolie’s lawyer said despite the long period between the court order and the hearing date, he only received “loads of document from the 1st and 3rd respondents last week Friday”.
He said the rules allowed his client to react to the processes within five days but he had abridged the time and their processes were being filed.
In the newly filed court processes, Okolie said the claim of the DSS that President Buhari ordered his arrest was untrue.
He said he was authoritatively informed by one Herbert Ogboli, Assistant Director of Operational Services of the DSS in his office at about 8:00am on September 23, 2019 before he was released that Hanan instructed his arrest and monitored it.
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BREAKING: DSS Claims Buhari Ordered Arrest, Unlawful Detention Of Businessman Who Bought SIM Card Previously Used By Daughter, Hanan
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He said she was contacted three times to substantiate her allegations against him but failed to show up until he was released by the agency.
E.E Daubry, lawyer representing the DSS, urged the court for an adjournment, saying he needed time to peruse the documents.
However, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, presiding over the case said even though he could hear the matter immediately and even give judgment the following day given that he does not like wasting time, he would not want to shut out any of the parties.
He said the court is restrained from disallowing parties from filing their affidavits thus adjourning the matter for definite hearing until March 13.
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Insecurity: Northern Governors To Meet In Gombe
Governors of Nigeria’s North-East region will meet in Gombe State to deliberate how to tackle insecurity in the country.
The meeting is expected to be attended by Governors Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa; Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed of Bauchi; Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno; Mai Mala Buni of Yobe; Darius Dickson Ishaku of Taraba and the host, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe.
The meeting would also seek to address other challenges facing the region according to a statement by Ismaila Uba Misilli, spokesperson for Gombe State governor.
He said other issues to be tabled for deliberation include the discovery of hydrocarbon deposits (crude oil) in the North-East, prospects and problems of power generation and the role of electricity distribution companies.
“The governors will also receive presentation from the North-East Development Commission on exploring the potentials of the commission for infrastructure and human capital development of the sub-region.
“The one-day meeting is expected to set the stage for regular engagement and consultation among the six governors of the region,” he said.
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Sowore: International Rights Group Says Activist Being Attacked For Speaking Truth To Power
Photo Speaks: Omoyele Sowore’s Timeline
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United States-based advocacy organisation, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, has said that activist and journalist, Omoyele Sowore, is being persecuted by the Nigerian Government for speaking truth to the leadership of the country.
In a recent documentary detailing how the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari had infringed upon the right of the journalist for simply criticising its failures, the international rights group condemned the attempt by the Nigerian Government to silence critics and shrink the civic space.
According to Wade McMullen, Managing Attorney of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, the Nigerian Government has been critical of Sowore for a long time because of his work as a journalist and activist.
He said, “When he visited Nigeria last July, he was also organising peaceful protests for a more effective and corruption-free Nigeria but the government saw this as a threat.
“After his arrest, people did not know where he was for over 48 hours.
“Till this day, the government has yet to reveal a single shred of evidence that they have to supposedly justify the baseless charges against him.
“He was silenced because of his activism, because of his journalism.”
Video of Protecting Civic Space: The Case of Omoyele Sowore
Protecting Civic Space: The Case of Omoyele Sowore
WATCH: Protecting Civic Space: The Case of Omoyele Sowore
Sowore was arrested in the early hours of August 3, 2019 by operatives of the Department of State Services for calling on Nigerians to take to the streets in peaceful demonstrations on August 5 to demand a better country from the administration of President Buhari.
He was kept in unlawful detention from that period until December 5, 2019 when he was finally released on bail despite two court orders earlier sanctioning his freedom.
In a twist of event, DSS operatives invaded the Federal High Court in Abuja on December 6, 2019 to rearrest him without any court order.
He remained in unlawful detention until 18 days later when he was released by the secret police for the second time.
At the resumption of his trial in a case brought against him by the Nigerian Government, the prosecution failed to prove accusations against him and even went ahead to dropping seven of the charges earlier preferred against him.
The trial resumes on March 12, 2020 in this time government is accusing him of attempting to overthrow Buhari’s administration by calling on citizens to protest against the regime.
Groups and high-raking individuals from around the world have described the charges against Sowore as baseless and a waste of time.
The journalist remains confined to Abuja as one of his bail conditions forbids him from leaving the city or speaking with journalists until the end of his trial.
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BREAKING: Tension As Police Take Over APC National Secretariat In Abuja
A detachment of armed policemen are currently laying siege to the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress in Abuja following the pronouncement by a Federal Capital Territory High Court on Wednesday asking Adams Oshiomhole to stop parading himself as National Chairman of the party.
At least about seven trucks, armoured tanks and water cannons were stationed outside the APC headquarters in Abuja when our correspondent visited the place on Wednesday evening.
A group of protesters were also sighted around the building but their mission was not known as at the time of this report.
The police, who arrived the scene, asked those not staff of the secretariat to vacate the building, leading to confusion and panic in the area.
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BREAKING: Oshiomhole Suspended As APC Chairman By Court
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Acting National Secretary of the party, Victor Timbari Giadam, who briefed journalists on the development, said that the party would respect the court order.
He noted that the National Working Committee would soon meet and give further clarification on the development.
He said, “The most important thing is that the party is going to respect the court order.”
As at the time of this report the whereabouts of Oshiomhole was unknown.
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Sultan Of Sokoto Calls For Special Prayers, Fast Over Coronavirus
The Sultan of Sokoto and leader of Muslim faithful in Nigeria, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, has called for special prayers and fast to halt the spread of Coronavirus in the country.
A statement signed by Jama’atu Nasril Islam Secretary-General, Dr Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, on behalf of the Sultan, called on Muslims to observe strict adherence to personal hygiene to halt the spread of the disease.
The statement read in part, “We are worried and concerned about the spate of the deadly Coronavirus (Covid-19) and disturbed by the threat it poses to life.
“Apart from China where the infection of the virus started, it spreads geometrically to other countries in the world, ranging from Europe, America, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, Nigeria inclusive.
“Each country is taking measures in curbing the plague of the Coronavirus by quarantining the suspiciously infected in order to avoid its spread, while the infected are being treated in special medical facilities.
“All Juma’ah (Friday prayers) and five daily congregational prayers’ Imams should mount strong advocacy and enlightenment campaign against the scourge and the epidemic nature of Coronavirus.
“They should include in their sermons and preaching the imperatives of taking serious precautionary measures of personal hygiene.
“JNI calls on all Juma’ah and five daily congregational prayer Imams to engage in special prayers during their sermons, preaching and other sessions for Allah’s quick intervention in wiping away the Coronavirus outbreak and all other diseases bedeviling humanity.
“JNI calls on the government at all levels, especially the agencies charged with the responsibility of protecting the health of the citizenry, particularly the NCDC, to do the needful in protecting the health of the citizenry.”
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Coronavirus: Turkish Airlines Bars Passengers From China, Four Other Countries
Nine days after importing Coronavirus into Nigeria through the airlifting of an Italian passenger, who tested positive to the deadly virus, Turkish Airlines has barred air travellers from five highly affected countries from boarding its aircrafts.
An advisory sent to several of its offices including in Nigeria, indicated that the airline had stopped any passenger, who had visited China, South Korea, Iran, Iraq and Italy in the last 14 days from boarding any of its flights.
The advisory insisted that any passenger, who had visited the aforementioned countries 14 days prior to their planned arrival to Turkey would be disallowed from entering or transiting through the country.
According to the advice, the decision was in accordance with the directive of Ministry of Health of Turkey.
It said, “In accordance with the decision taken by the Republic of Turkey’s Ministry of Health to preserve the public health against Coronavirus, passengers, who have been to People’s Republic of China, South Korea, Iran, Iraq and Italy 14 days prior to their planned arrival to Turkey will not be allowed to transit through the country.
“We would like you to consider this while planning your travel and thank you for your attention.”
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Coronavirus: Italy Bans Kisses, Handshakes
Italy has urged people to stop greeting each other by kissing or shaking hands to limit the spread of the new Coronavirus.
Other measures adopted to reduce the spread of the virus include playing all football matches without fans.
Italy has borne brunt in Europe of the new virus now spreading across the world faster than it is in the central Chinese region where is was first detected late last year, the AFP said.
The Mediterranean country’s 79 deaths have made Italy the world’s third-most affected by number of fatalities after China and Iran.
It has more than 2,500 cases in all and the COVID-19 disease caused by the virus appears to be spreading faster and wider by the day.
Italy recorded 13 deaths over the weekend while 18 more deaths were reported on Monday, followed by 27 on Tuesday.
The overwhelming majority of the deaths have occurred in Milan’s Lombardy region and the neighbouring Northern area around the cities of Bologna and Venice.
But 21 of the 22 regions have now had cases, with only the Aosta Valley on the French border so far unscathed.
The government met on Wednesday to plan new and more radical steps aimed at the country’s overall population of 60 million — and not just the North where restrictions have been in place for over a week.
Media reports said people will be advised to stay at least a metre (three feet) apart and to avoid crowded places whenever possible, and notably to avoid the traditional greetings of kissing on the cheeks or shaking hands.
Exhibitions and shows are set to be rescheduled — a measure that will be especially painful for Italy’s already hard-hit hotel and restaurant industry.
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Civil Society Groups To Storm National Assembly Over Social Media Bill
No fewer than 110 civil society organisations would on Monday, March 9, 2020, storm the National Assembly, Abuja, to express their grievances against the proposed Social Media Bill.The groups under the aegis of Coalition of Civil Society Organisations for Protection of Civil Space, said the bill would further stifle and muzzle freedom of expression in Nigeria if passed into law. Addressing journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, Convener of the protest, Bukky Shonibare, said the attempt by the Senate to resuscitate the bill already rejected by the people constitutes an assault on Nigerians.Shonibare added that the bill was a direct affront on the 1999 constitution of Nigeria (as amended), which guarantees human rights including freedom of expression.
She stressed further that the planned clampdown on Internet users and critics of government had shown a rising pattern of suppression.
She therefore called on lawmakers to use the public hearing to apologise to Nigerians for wasting legislative time in resuscitating an obnoxious bill that had been totally rejected by the people.
Shonibare said, “The Senate should rather promote bills that would improve the civic space and not unduly restrict it. The bill is a threat to constitutionally and internationally guaranteed human rights.
“The Senate should also note that there are enough existing laws in the country’s statute books on defamation, privacy, libel and slander to protect public and private individuals along with the 2015 Cybercrimes Act. The SB. 132 Bill, therefore, is a legislative overkill. “There is absolutely no need for a new law specially targeting the Internet and social media platforms.”
Shonibare said over 110 organisations have jointly signed a petition submitted to the committee and would mobilise to attend the public hearing.
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Gunmen Kill Two Policemen In Delta, Escape With Rifles
Some gunmen have reportedly killed two mobile policemen in Delta State and carted away their service rifles, SaharaReporters has learnt.The incident, according to eyewitnesses, happened on Wednesday along Old Ekete Junction under Udu Local Government Area of the state. “At about midnight, the gunmen stormed a night club and shot the two mobile policemen attached to the facility and killed them,” one eyewitness stated.Our correspondent also gathered that apart from the two policemen, a civilian was also killed in the process by the hoodlums.The police in Delta is yet to confirm the incident despite calls and text messages to relevant officials by our correspondent.
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US Government Offers $7m For Information Leading To Shekau’s Arrest
The United States Government through the US Department of State has announced that it would offer a reward of $7m to anyone with credible information that can lead to the arrest of Abubakar Shekau, leader of terrorist group, Boko Haram.On June 21, 2012, the US designated Shekau a “global terrorist” under executive order 13224. Le Département d’État des États-Unis offre une #récompense pouvant aller jusqu’à 7 millions de dollars pour des renseignements menant à l’arrestation du #terroriste Abubakar #Shekau, chef de #Boko_Haram.#Whatsapp: +1 202 975 9195#Telegram: @RFJ_Francais_bot pic.twitter.com/WPj00PPMsr— Récompenses pour la Justice (@RFJ_Francais) March 3, 2020
In a tweet by the Rewards for Justice Program, the counterterrorism rewards program of the US Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, said, “The United States Department of State offers a reward up to $7m for information leading to the arrest of the terrorist, Abubakar Shekau, leader of Boko Haram.”This is not the first time the United States has placed a bounty of the same sum on Shekau, it did so in June 2013.
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