Some soldiers had appeared on Gabonese national television, announcing the cancellation of recent election results and the dissolution of “all the institutions of the republic”.

This followed the announcement on Wednesday of President Ali Bongo Ondimba as the winner of the presidential election. Bongo, as he’s popularly called, was re-elected for a third term.

The group of 12 officers made the announcement in which they said they had observed “irresponsible, unpredictable governance resulting in a continuing deterioration in social cohesion that risks leading the country into chaos…

“We have decided to defend the peace by putting an end to the current regime.”

The soldiers have equally announced that, “The borders are closed until further notice.”

Calling themselves ‘Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions’, they have also said the country is “on the road to happiness.”,

Libreville, they added, will respect its commitments “to the national and international community.

“We call for calm and serenity from the public, the communities of sister countries settled in Gabon, and the Gabonese diaspora,” an officer has said on behalf of the committee on national television.

He added, “We reaffirm our commitment to respecting Gabon’s commitments to the national and international community.

“People of Gabon, we are finally on the road to happiness.”

The Gabonese Election Centre (CGE) had announced that Bongo won the disputed election with 64.27 per cent of the votes cast.

Michel Bonda, CGE head, further declared that Bongo’s main challenger, Albert Ossa, polled 30.77 per cent to finish second.

Bongo took over from his father, Omar in 2009. Omar died in power. The family has ruled the central African country for 53 years.

Although he suffered a stroke in 2018, with calls that he relinquish power, he has held on.

There was also a coup attempt in 2019. It failed and the soldiers were jailed.

No immediate reaction from the Gabonese government which declared curfew earlier.

The African Union has also not reacted.

The UN has also not reacted as Africa and global bodies continue to be occupied with the coup in Niger Republic.

But France, the country’s former colonial master has reacted. It’s Prime Minister Élisabeth Born has said France is following the situation in Gabon very closely, without providing further details.

The European Union has also reacted as its foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has said, “If this is confirmed, it is another military coup which increases instability in the whole region.

“The whole area, starting with Central African Republic, then Mali, then Burkina Faso, now Niger, maybe Gabon, it’s in a very difficult situation and certainly the ministers… have to have a deep thought on what is going on there and how we can improve our policy in respect with these countries,” he said.

French mining group Eramet, which has large manganese operations in Gabon, has said, “From this morning all Comilog and Setrag operations have been halted and train transport suspended.”

No one has been announced to have been killed so far but loud sounds of gunfire could be heard in Gabon’s capital Libreville, following the coup.

So far there’s jubilation across some areas in Gabon with no resistance from the people as people wake to reality.

The Internet has been restored four days after the Bongo government cut it off. Television stations and all media outlets have been allowed to do their duties.

Eleven airline passengers and crew were hospitalized Tuesday following severe turbulence on a Delta flight from Milan to Atlanta, the US-based airline said.

“Delta Care Team members are mobilizing to connect with customers on Delta Flight 175 that experienced severe turbulence before landing safely in Atlanta Tuesday,” a spokesman said.

“Our priority is taking care of our customers and crew who sustained injuries.”

It is unclear how many total people out of the 151 passengers and 14-member crew were injured beyond the 11 taken to hospital, or what the extent of the injuries are for those hospitalized.

Major Hurricane Idalia is currently whipping up fierce winds off the US Gulf Coast and forecast to make landfall in Florida early Wednesday, and another storm, Hurricane Franklin, is swirling in the Atlantic. But neither Delta nor the US aviation regulator attributed Tuesday’s turbulence to the hurricanes.

The Federal Aviation Administration, which reported that the turbulence occurred some 40 miles (64 kilometers) from the Atlanta airport, will investigate the incident, a spokesman told AFP.

Scientists have reported that so-called “clear-air turbulence” — which is hard to predict and happens without obviously bad weather, typically occurring above 15,000 feet — is becoming more frequent due to climate change.

The Benin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday, returned the sum of $26,000USD, about N23 million to one Christine Brown, a 70 year old British national, who was defrauded of by an Internet fraudster.

The 70-year-old had petitioned the Commission after being defrauded by an internet fraudster through a romance scam.

Narrating her ordeal, Brown said she became a victim after she met the fraudster online who posed as one John Barrowman, an entertainer and citizen of America.

According to her she never knew he was a fraudster especially when they became romantically involved.

She said her online lover began to demand money from her, which of course which she kept sending to him through wire transfers, Bitcoin and gift cards, until her she noticed he dubious character and alerted the EFCC through a petition.

The commission on the other hand moved into action and got her money back. The money was presented today by Kanu Idagu, the Zonal Commander of EFCC Benin.

While handing over the recovered fund, he said the Commission will continue to discharge its mandate to the betterment of the society.

“We are doing a whole lot in ensuring that victims of fraud are restituted where possible, and we will continue to do more,” he said.

He also admonished the public to be circumspect in whatever they do online as fraudsters prowl the internet seeking to defraud unsuspecting victims.

Brown however expressed gratitude to the Commission for its efforts which she said, has brought some succour to her after losing her life’s savings to the fraudster.

House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating alleged job racketeering and mismanagement of Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System ( IPPIS) by Ministries, Department and Agencies ( MDAs) and institutions has summoned vice chancellors of all federal universities to appear before it over media report that that they bribed the panel.

Chairman of the committee, Yusuf Gagdi, who gave the summon at the resumed sitting of the committee, yesterday, said the vice chancellors and the National University Commission (NUC) were expected to come along with evidence on the alleged bribery and extortion.

An online news portal had reported that the vice chancellors allegedly paid N2million each as bribe to the committee, after allegedly meeting with members of the investigative panel.

However, Gagdi, said he was not aware of members of the Ad-hoc Committee collecting money from MDAs or vice chancellors.

He maintained that if author of the report entitled “Nigerian lawmakers probing job racketeering are extorting money from agencies” or the vice chancellors have information of any member soliciting for bribe, they should focus on that member.

“Nigerians have hope in this Committee from.the way we are conducting the business of this Committee, everybody is seeing what we are doing. We will not compromise by hiding and aiding irregularities going on in the public service. No amount of statement accusing this Committee will deter us from doing our job.

“You may have your problem with a member of this Committee but don’t blackmail the entire Committee. I’m saying this because I am not being accused of doing anything, but you have issues that you want to make publication about a member of this Committee, sort it out with him, don’t put anything at the faces of members of this Committee.

“But in view of certain developments, I think the Clerk should summon the vice chancellors to appear through the National Universities Commission on Friday. We have to sit on Friday.

“Let the letter reach the Commission today, I want to personally sign the letter so that some of these things will be done in the character of the committee publicly for us to ask questions on what particularly the members of the Press will want to hear. Clerk make sure you do that.”

In another development, Ad-hoc Committee on non-remittance of contributions to the National Housing Fund (NHF) and Utilisation of the Fund from 2011 till date summoned the acting governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN), Mr. Folashidun Shonubi, to appear before it over alleged non-remittance of deduction from workers’ salaries for NHF.

Also summoned are the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Madein, as well as the four payment gateway engaged by the government for the National Housing Scheme (NHS), including Remita, e-Tranzact, Nigeria Interbank Payment System (NIPS) and GIF.

Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee , Dachung Bagos, said all those summoned were expected to provide details of the deductions and remittances made workers from 684 MDAs in respect of their national housing fund.

Bagos said the summon became necessary following the panel’s dis-satisfaction with the presentation made at the investigative hearing by the director of Intergrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS), Emma James Deko.

An Ilorin Magistrate’s Court in Kwara State, on Tuesday, granted bail to two traditionalists, Abebi Efunsetan Yakubu a.k.a Olorisa and Obalowu Jimoh, after spending 29 days in a Correctional facility over alleged defamation of character.

Olorisa and Obalowu were remanded at Okekura Correctional Centre in Ilorin following a petition written by Prince Ademola Ajasa of Ademola Ajaka & Co law firm on behalf of his client, AlfaNla Okutagidi of No. 105 Pakata road, Ilorin, Kwara State capital.

The Police first information report (FIR) stated that the complainant, AlfaNla Okutagidi, claimed that he saw a video posted by Olorisa on the social media, claiming to have helped him (Okutagidi) years back in preparing spiritual sacrifice for his first wife before and after she gave birth to their child then.

“Investigation revealed that Iya Abebi (Olorisa) and Obalowu Jimoh criminally conspired together and defamed the character of Okutagidi in order to incite disturbance of public peace,” the FIR stated.

However, during the court proceedings on Tuesday, Magistrate Muhammed Adam, who presided over the matter, admitted the defendants to bail, saying they were entitled to freedom while the matter was adjourned to September 26, 2023.

Chicago State University (CSU) has been forced to lock its official X (Twitter) account following backlash from Nigerians over the non-release of President Bola Tinubu’s academic records.

The school also locked the comment sections of its LinkedIn and Facebook pages after Nigerians blasted and questioned how President Tinubu obtained a degree in the institution.

In response to the application submitted by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, at a US court in Illinois, the university last week gave conditions to grant access to President Tinubu’s credentials from the school.

Atiku and the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, are challenging the election and eligibility of Tinubu, who was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), before the Presidential Election Petitions Court (PEPC) in Abuja.

Earlier this month, Atiku sought approval at a United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago, demanding that Chicago State University (CSU) release all of Tinubu’s academic records over irregularities in the certificate he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). This was prompted by his belief that these documents would help clarify significant inconsistencies in Tinubu’s background.

In response to Atiku’s application, CSU agreed to release Tinubu’s credentials once the court issues the order. In a statement dated August 23, issued by the university and signed by the university’s counsel, the university noted that once they get an order from the court, the academic records of Bola Tinubu will be released.

However, it also said: “The student records Abubakar seeks from the University via a documents subpoena (Doc.1-1) and the information Abubakar seeks the University to provide under a deposition subpoena (Doc. 1-2) concern Tinubu’s private educational records. But since Tinubu has intervened to oppose this discovery, the University defers to Tinubu on the privacy issues implicated by Abubakar’s Application.

“The University struggles to understand how – given that Tinubu did graduate from the University in 1979 – Tinubu’s grades and other student records from the 1970s and date and signatory information on subsequently issued ceremonial diplomas could have any bearing on a 2023 election challenge in a foreign country.”

The court then gave Tinubu until August 30 to answer why his academic credentials should not be released to Atiku and on August 23, in his response asked CSU not to release his academic credentials to the PDP candidate because, according to him, the case at the PEPT has closed and his credentials were not relevant to the suit.

Nigerians took to the social media pages of the school, accusing it of hiding information which is in the public interest of Nigerians, forcing the school to lock its pages.

Reacting to the school’s actions, Mindset wrote: “Chicago State University has locked its X account. We are getting there!” while Shehu Gazali Sadiq, who shared screen shot of blocked CSU blocked account, wrote: “Chicago state university don lock account because of Obidients. We no dey play.”

Human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, wrote: “If Nigerians decide to call you out, you’re certainly in trouble. Chicago State University has locked its X account,” while Sabina Nkiru said: “Why did Chicago State University suddenly lock their X Twitter account? What do they stand to gain? Why are they covering up for this man or woman and Ogbonnaya Okoro said: “Bobo Chicago has made the Chicago State University lock their Twitter account. I thought that university is a citadel of higher learning which dwells in both character and learning.Is it now for the highest bidder? What exactly are they hiding? What a world.”

Wednesday, August 23, 2023, will be remembered as a day the family of Rev. Meyau Jeremiah had their fair share of failure of the Nigerian Government to fulfill its constitutional responsibility of protecting the lives and property of all citizens irrespective of where they chose to live and transact their legitimate businesses.

The reverend’s gruesome murder was coming barely 24 hours after the Governor Uba Sani told residents through the immediate past Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs and Current Administrator of Kaduna City Territorial Authority, Mr. Samuel Aruwan, that his administration was committed to public safety.

Two weeks earlier, a woman was also killed in a similar manner at Ngwan Rana, Gonia Isa in the same Kujama after engaging some pastoralists, who had allegedly led their animals to eat and destroyed her farm. She was said to have been trailed and killed in her house without any arrest being made by the security agents saddled with the responsibility of protecting the lives and property of Nigerians.

The 61-year-old Meyau, who was the pastor in charge of Tawaliu Baptist Church, Ungwan Mission, Kujama in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, had on that fateful day gone to check his rice farm located at Nigerian Correctional Service Farms, about three kilometres away from his home when his attackers shot him twice in the head, killing him instantly.

When this correspondent visited the late pastor’s home a day after the incident, parishioners and neighbours were seen in mourning mood, with some putting their hands on their heads. Some of the sympathisers folded their hands across their chests and wearing long faces. The widow, whose eyes were swollen and reddish, was weeping profusely, as she was being comforted by a large crowd of women stooping all over her.

It was gathered from the mourners that the late cleric, who was of the Hausa tribe from Refawa in Bunkure Local Government Area of Kano, had been pastoring the Kujama Baptist Church for 15 years. He had also been farming rice in the swarmpy portion of the land belonging to the Nigerian Correctional Service for as long as he picked up the responsibility of feeding the local Church with physical and spiritual meals.

According to a family source, Meyau had returned from another of his farm around 1:30pm that fateful day when his wife, who had painstakingly prepared his favourite meal, asked him to eat but he declined, with the intention to visit the second farm before returning home to devour the delicious meal which he never did – no thanks to the yet to be apprehended gunmen.

Narrating the unfortunate incident to Daily Sun within the Church premises, an elder and close associate of the deceased, Deacon Joshua Bitrus described him as “a very good man, gentle and free with all people around him.

“He was a forgiving person. We have stayed with him for 15 years in this church and we have never had any problem with him. Because of how good he was to us spiritually and otherwise, we are begging the family to allow us to bury him here in the church. This is someone we were planning for his retirement in 2025.

“We were shocked to the marrow when the news of his death was heard. I’ve not been able to eat for two days and even now I’m not feeling like eating because he is a very big loss to us. We have lost a companion, a very prayerful pastor, a loving and kind-hearted man of God.

“He came to see my aged mother in my house yesterday around 4pm without suspecting that would be his last time. My aged mother is lying in bed, sick and she has not been able to come to church in the past five years. Each time the late pastor came around, he would make my mother laugh which has been sustaining her. Up till now, I have never shared this sad news with her because I don’t know how she would receive the news.

“I returned home from my farm around 2pm on Wednesday, August 24. It was the prisons that gave him that swampy land where he has been farming rice since he came here to serve God in His vineyard.”

On how they got to know about the pastor’s killing since he went to the farm alone that day, he said: “Some women had returned from the farm and a few of them gathered behind the bathroom of one of my friends, gisting that a man was shot near our reverend’s farm.

“On hearing that, he was confused and that was how he ran as fast as his legs could carry him to the mission house to meet our pastor’s wife so she could put a call through to her husband’s mobile phone.

“They also called me and as soon as I came to the house, we rushed to the farm where we discovered his body. He was shot twice in the head. I saw that with my eyes. We picked the body and took him to St. Gerald Catholic Hospital in Kaduna, pending the time he would be taking to Bishara Baptist Church, Refawa, Bunkure Local Government Area of Kano State for his final burial as planned by the family.

“This thing has been happening and we have been pleading with the government to come to our rescue but we are yet to see the end of it. As we are here, we have refugees who have been pursued from their houses by these people. They cannot go back to their homes. They cannot go to their farms either.

“Like I said, we have been calling on the government to assist us because we don’t want to acquire weapons to defend ourselves. These people will enter here, pick people and go without being challenged. As we speak, those who can afford rent have left us. They have relocated to Kaduna town.

“We are worried that security agents have not been able to help us because these people are not far. They are now occupying the houses of people they have pursued and we believe the government knows about it.

“Villages like Rafin Koriya and Buda are less than five kilometres from here while our reverend’s farm is about three kilometres. These are farming villages that produce food for the state. This is one of the reasons we are suffering food insecurity today because these people cannot go to their farms. Some of us are dying of starvation and cannot even pay rent.”

Sharing his last moment with his father with Daily Sun in Kujama, the oldest son of the deceased, Habila Jeremiah, described his late father as a lover of all and a good example of a responsible biological and spiritual father figure.

“The news of my dad’s death came to us as a rude shock. The last moment I had with him was around 1.30pm the day he was killed. I called him over something I wanted him to send to me in Kano because that’s where I am based. But, he could not answer. I then called my younger brother for the same purpose.

“But before my brother could call back, someone called around 2pm and asked me what was happening at Ungwan Mission, Kujama. Later, my brother called to inform me that some people had killed our Dad while he was checking one of his rice farms.

“Based on what those who overheard the conversation between my dad and his killers told me, he pleaded with them to even take him with them but they said no because they have been paid to come and kill him. People saw what happened and they brought the news.

“After shooting him in the head, they left him in his pool of blood and went away with his motorcycle, his bag, and his mobile phone which was why our mother could not reach him earlier.

“The government should act because this is getting out of hand. The government should not wait until people resort to self-help because that will be too bad for the country. We demand justice for our father to show if truly the government is committed to our safety.”

Meanwhile, police sources disclosed that there is manhunt for the perpetrators of the evil act.

A few days ago, the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, alerted Nigerians of impending flooding along the River Benue Basin.

According to the alert, the Cameroonian Government has plans to “open the flood gates of the Lagdo Dam on the Benue River”.

Recall that a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, was signed in 2016 between Nigeria and Cameroon regarding the release of water from the dam, in which Cameroon will always inform Nigeria before it opens the gates to the dam.

In a letter addressed to Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Cameroonian government warned of its intention to release water from the Lagdo dam and asked the agency to take precautionary measures.

After the notification, DAILY POST learnt the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also responded and served a notice on NEMA.

Over the years, the massive flooding in many states across the country was attributed to the release of water from the Lagdo Dam.

DAILY POST reports that the dam located along River Benue in the Republic of Cameroon has a history of over-flooding some Nigerian states along its navigation ways. These states include Benue, Adamawa, Taraba, Nasarawa, Kogi, Anambra, Enugu, Edo, Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa.

However, in 2019, the dam was opened without prior notification, resulting in flooding in Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Kogi, and the Niger Delta regions during October and November of that year. There was also flood devastation in 2022, leading to the loss of lives and properties worth billions of naira.

NEMA had recently disclosed in its report that the 2022 flood disaster claimed no fewer than 665 lives, while 2,437,411 and 4,476,867 persons were displaced and affected, respectively.

The agency also announced, “As of August 9, data collated regarding 2023 flooding so far showed that 10 States have been affected, while 33,983 and 7,353 persons were affected and displaced, respectively.

“The breakdown also showed that 75 persons were injured while five deaths were recorded, including 1,679 damaged houses and 866 hectares of damaged farmlands.”

Reacting to the development, NEMA said the notice is not new, noting that it had since informed state governors of impending floods, including that from the Lagdo Dam.

The agency’s spokesperson, Manzo Ezekiel said it was time for the affected state governors to take action and secure lives and properties in collaboration with NEMA.

Ezekiel assured Nigerians that NEMA was working with critical stakeholders, including federal, state and local governments to ensure that the release did not cause negative impacts, asking Nigerians not to fear the opening of the Lagdo Dam.

“Information available from the flow level of River Benue at Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) gauging station in Makurdi stood at 8.97 meters as of August 25, compared to 8.80 meters on the same date in 2022.

“In contrast, NIHSA has also provided that the flow level of the River Niger system, specifically at Niamey, Niger Republic, remains stable at a normal level of 4.30 meters.

“Similarly, inland dams, including Kainji, Jebba, and Shiroro, reported consistent flow regimes.

“With regards to the hydrological station downstream, the confluence of the Niger and Benue rivers in Lokoja, Kogi are currently within normal limits,” he said.

However, the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority, LASEMA, has restated the state government’s preparedness to tackle any possible emergency from the impending flood.

The Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, disclosed that the state government had provided LASEMA with 144 units of facilities that could accommodate 5,000 Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, in the event of any emergency.

He noted that Lagos was well prepared, as LASEMA has changed from management to holistic emergency management.

“We have carried out risk analyses, resource mappings, and opened directories in each council to know the vulnerable people in emergencies. All these measures are geared towards ensuring swift, prompt, and effective responses,” he said.

In the same vein, the Delta State government has also expressed its preparedness.

It said it is taking proactive steps to mitigate the effect of flooding in the state, saying it will not hesitate to set up Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camps in the event of severe flooding.

“We are already opening drainages and demolishing illegal structures blocking the waterways,” a government official said.

On his part, the president of the Nigeria Society of Engineers, Tasiu Gidari-Wudil, also advised the government to construct flood control dams along the Rivers Niger and Benue to avert flooding that might occur from the opening of the Lagdo Dam.

Gidari-Wudil, in a press conference in Abuja on Monday, called for the dredging of major rivers to reduce siltation and sedimentation.

He lamented that the recommendations by the committees set up by the government after the 2012 and 2022 flood disasters had not been implemented.

Meanwhile, the Presidential Committee, set up by President Bola Tinubu, says it will implement various policies and rescue missions to mitigate the flood’s impacts from Lagdo Dam.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, who spoke at a briefing in Abuja at the instance of the committee, urged the Governors’ Forum to step up actions by ensuring the immediate evacuation of Nigerians from flood-prone communities to safer destinations.

She stated that the President had directed that all relevant ministries meet to find a solution to the flooding issue.

Speaking to DAILY POST in an interview, an environmental remediation expert, Dr Moses Paul stated that relevant stakeholders should prioritise the safety and well-being of the affected population to mitigate the damage that the flood may cause.

Paul, also the Convener of Free Nigeria Movement/YELL OUT Nigeria, believes that the President and state governors should collaborate with relevant stakeholders and allocate resources effectively to manage the situation to prevent further harm.

According to him, the government should also improve early warning systems for floods, which he said could involve the installation of weather monitoring stations, flood forecasting models, and communication networks to provide timely alerts to vulnerable communities.

The environmental expert also urged relevant stakeholders to ensure that psychosocial support services, including mental health support and counselling services, would be available for those affected by the flood.

“The number one priority of government and leadership anywhere in the world is the focus in ensuring a rapid and effective response, particularly anything that will bring to safety the life and property first and foremost of her citizens.

“Therefore, the major concerns and advice for the Nigerian President and state governors in such a scenario as we face today would include establishing effective communication channels, such as mobile alerts or community networks, to disseminate early warning messages and information to at-risk communities to help ensure timely preparedness and evacuation.

“Ensuring residents’ prompt and safe evacuation in the affected areas is crucial. This includes preparing and coordinating relief efforts to provide food, clean water, medical aid, and other essential supplies to flood victims.

“The long-term should include planning for rehabilitation and reconstruction to aid affected communities in their recovery.

“In addition, it is important to ensure that psychosocial support services are available for those affected by the flood, as many individuals may experience trauma, loss, or displacement. Mental health support and counselling services should be activated to help individuals cope with the emotional and psychological impact.

“Encouraging collaboration among multiple stakeholders, including government agencies, NGOs, and local communities, is vital for effective disaster response. Coordinated efforts and the pooling of resources will enhance the overall response capacity.

“It is equally important for the Nigerian President and state governors, particularly those bordering the River Benue, to prioritise the safety and welfare of the affected population, work in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, and allocate resources effectively to manage the situation and prevent further harm by integrating climate change projections into long-term flood management strategies for riverine areas in the country.

“These can be achieved if the government can consider the following steps in addition:

“The government should assess the vulnerability of riverine areas to floods and the potential impacts of climate change. This assessment should consider factors such as population density, land use patterns, infrastructure, and socio-economic conditions.

“The government should incorporate climate change scenarios into its flood risk assessments, including projections of increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. This would help in understanding the potential future flood risks in riverine areas.

“Moreover, it is wise for the government to enforce strict regulations on land-use planning in flood-prone areas. This can involve restricting construction in high-risk zones and promoting sustainable land-use practices that minimise the exposure and vulnerability of communities to floods.

“Another aspect is to prioritise the construction of climate-resilient infrastructure in riverine areas. This can include building flood-resistant roads, bridges, and buildings and implementing nature-based solutions such as restoring wetlands and constructing floodplains.

“Aside from the above, the government should engage with local communities to raise awareness about climate change impacts and flood risks. This can include organising workshops, training programs, and public campaigns to educate communities on flood preparedness, early warning systems, and evacuation plans.

“In conclusion, the Nigerian government should collaborate with international organisations and partners to access technical expertise, funding, and knowledge-sharing platforms. This collaboration can help develop and implement effective flood management strategies based on climate change projections.

“By integrating climate change projections into long-term flood management strategies, the Nigerian government can enhance riverine areas’ resilience and minimise future floods’ impacts on communities and infrastructure,” he said.

[DailyPost]

A group of Gabonese officers and soldiers appeared on television Wednesday announcing they were “putting an end to the regime” and cancelling the results of a recent election.

Here is a translation from French of the statement, which was read out by one of the officers on Gabon 24 television channel:

“Our beautiful country, Gabon, has always been a haven of peace.

“Today, the country is going through a serious institutional, political, economic and social crisis.

“We are therefore forced to admit that the organisation of the general elections of 26 August 2023 did not meet the conditions for a transparent, credible and inclusive ballot so much hoped for by the people of Gabon.

“Added to this is irresponsible and unpredictable governance, resulting in a continuing deterioration in social cohesion, with the risk of leading the country into chaos.

“Today, 30 August 2023, we — the defence and security forces, gathered as the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions (CTRI) on behalf of the people of Gabon and as guarantors of the institutions’ protection — have decided to defend peace by putting an end to the current regime.

“To this end, the general elections of 26 August 2023 and the truncated results are cancelled.

“The borders are closed until further notice.

“All the institutions of the Republic are dissolved: the government, the Senate, the National Assembly, the Constitutional Court, the Economic, Social and Environmental Council and the Gabonese Elections Centre.

“We call for calm and serenity from the public, the communities of sister countries settled in Gabon, and the Gabonese diaspora.

“We reaffirm our commitment to respecting Gabon’s commitments to the national and international community.

“People of Gabon, we are finally on the road to happiness.

“May God and the spirits of our ancestors bless Gabon. Honour and loyalty to our homeland.

“Thank you.”