Pope Francis on Sunday renewed his call for an end to the Hamas-Israel conflict, urging the release of hostages and humanitarian aid for Gaza, describing the situation as “very serious”.
“I continue to think about the serious situation in Palestine and in Israel where many people have lost their lives,” he said after the traditional Angelus prayer at Saint Peter’s Square in Rome.
“I beg you in the name of God to stop, cease fire,” he said.
“I hope all the possibilities are being explored so that a widening of the conflict is absolutely avoided, that the wounded can be helped, and that aid can reach Gaza, where the humanitarian situation is very serious, and that the hostages be immediately released.”
[Naijatimes]
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested three blind men operating an illicit drug ring between Lagos and Kano.
NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, who said another blind member of the syndicate is still at large, also noted that the lid was blown off the group following the arrest of a blind suspect, 40-year-old Adamu Hassan, along Gwagwalada expressway Abuja with 12kgs of skunk on his way from Lagos to Kano on Saturday on 28th October.
He said, “Investigations however established that he was totally oblivious of the content of the bag handed to him to deliver in Kano. Follow-up operations then led to the arrest of the arrowhead of the syndicate, Bello Abubakar, 45, who is also blind.
“In his statement, Bello who is married with five children said he has been living in Lagos for 30 years but started the illicit drug business five years ago.”
Another suspect, Muktar Abubakar, 59, who is equally blind has been living in Lagos for 40 years and married to three wives with 14 children.
The NDLEA said both Muktar Abubakar and Bello Abubakar were joint owners of the business, while the third suspect, Akilu Amadu, 25, also blind equally contributes money to the criminal trade and was indeed the one who delivered the consignment to Adamu at the motor park in Lagos to deliver in Kano.
“Another blind suspect who is the expected receiver of the consignment in Kano, Mallam Aminu is currently at large,” the NDLEA stated.
Meanwhile, no less than 14,481,519 pills of Tramadol and bottles of codeine syrup worth over N13bn in street value have been recovered by operatives of the NDLEA in three major busts of drug cartels operating in Amuwo Odofin, Idumota and the SAHCO shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos.
The NDLEA said the three intelligence-led operations began with the raid of House 8/10 Hon. Wahuha Avenue, Divine Estate, Ago Palace area of Amuwo Odofin on Sunday 29th October, where 490,000 pills of tramadol and 81,519 bottles of codeine syrup measuring 4,510,000mls were recovered.
In a similar operation on Tuesday 31st October, NDLEA operatives swooped on a secret warehouse operated by a billionaire Idumota trader, Nwaoha Anayo located at Onitire, Aguda area of Surulere where 12,700,000 pills of tramadol were recovered.
[Leadership]
A staff of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) Atayi Anthony Temitope (Area Golf Command Zone 7 Ejigbo) has been honoured with an award of ‘Exceptional Service’.
LASTMA Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Adebayo Taofiq announced this in a press release.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Chapter of the Radio Television Theater and Arts Workers Union in Lagos gave the Award.
Taofiq on Sunday disclosed that Traffic Officer Atayi was honoured with the award during the celebration of ‘RATTAWU WEEK’ held at the Media Centre of NAN, National Arts Theartre, Iganmu, Lagos.
Chairman of RATTAWU, NAN Chapter, Comrade Ayodeji Fadipe stated that the awardee was honoured due to his dedication and commitment in ensuring unimpeded free flow of traffic around Jakande Estate down to Oke-Alfa area of the State.
According to Comrade Fadipe “Traffic Officer Atayi Anthony Temitope was appreciated by the public after he was noticed under heavy rain using broken blocks and other materials in filling every potholes between Jakande Estate down to Oke-Alfa Bridge”
He confirmed that among other uniformed personnel picked for public award consideration, Lastma Temitope emerged winner with his extra selfless services to the community he is serving.
While presenting the award, Managing Director of NAN Ali Mohammad Ali, disclosed that despite the risk associated with controlling/managing traffic, Lastma Temitope was recognised, appreciated for being dedicated to work.
While acknowledging the award as a well-deserved one, the General Manager of LASTMA Bolaji Oreagba said it would encourage other uniformed personnel to do more in serving the public.
In his remarks, Lastma Atayi Anthony Temitope thanked the members of NAN for the award in recognition of his service to the public.
He also expressed his appreciation to the management of Lastma for creating a conducive environment for its officers.
Lastma Temitope however promised to be more dedicated to duties.
[EagleOnline]
Former Guinean dictator Moussa Dadis Camara was on Saturday taken from prison by a heavily armed commando during an operation that sparked heavy gunfire in the capital Conakry, a minister and lawyers say.
At least two other former officials currently on trial alongside Dadis Camara over a 2009 massacre during his presidency were also taken from the central prison, they said.
Justice Minister Aphonese Charles Wright said that at around 0500 GMT “heavily armed men” burst into the prison and “managed to leave with four (prisoners)… notably Captain Moussa Dadis Camara”.
He said that the borders had been closed.
It was unclear whether Dadis Camara had escaped of his own free will.
However, the army described the operation as an attempt to “sabotage” government reforms and swore its “unwavering commitment” to the current authorities.
A judicial source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the masked and heavily armed soldiers who arrived at the prison declared they “had come to free Captain Dadis Camara”.
Inside, the group headed towards the former leader’s cell, appearing to already know its location, the source said.
Dadis Camara’s lawyer Jocamey Haba told AFP he believed his client had been “kidnapped” and his life was “in danger”.
[NaijaNews]
Arab countries have demanded an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, but the US warns this would allow Hamas to regroup
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met leaders from Lebanon, Qatar and Jordan in Amman – as he pushed for humanitarian pauses in the fighting
But Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there would be no temporary ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza until all Israeli hostages are released.
Earlier, a US envoy said 350,000-400,000 people remain in northern Gaza, which Israel has warned civilians to leave
The Israeli military is also carrying out strikes in the south and the UN says no part of Gaza is safe.
Mark Regev, an adviser to the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has told the UK’s Channel 4 news that Israel believes that Hamas has “established its command and control” centre under the Al-Shifa hospital.
Israel has previously claimed that Hamas is using the population in Gaza as human shields by placing part of its military system under civilian infrastructure.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza has said at least 13 people have been killed in a blast outside that hospital – Gaza City’s biggest.
The Israeli military has confirmed it struck an ambulance that it says was being used by Hamas operatives. It did not say where the air strike took place.
Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi called for all sides to work together to “stop a catastrophe that will haunt the region for generations”.
He made the call during his joint news conference in Amman with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.
He said: “I think we need to remind each other of our humanity. I think we need to accept that killing more people will not bring [back] those who are lost on both sides, as tragic as the loss is.
“I think we need to all emphasise that everything we can do to save one more life is imperative upon all of us.”
He added: “As human beings, we just cannot accept to see all that killing unfolding, to see all that reduction of life…How can we justify to anybody that killing 9,000 people, killing 3,700 children, destroying 150,000 houses, destroying hospitals – how can we justify that this is self-defence?”
Safadi warned that the war “is going to push us all again into the abyss of hatred and dehumanisation that will make killing even more acceptable. That needs to stop.”
(BBC)
The Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, has said Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa is not yet ready for genuine reconciliation to warrant quashing the impeachment saga between him and the state legislators.
Oladiji, who disclosed this in Akure, the state capital, at the weekend, said Aiyedatiwa was yet to withdraw the cases against the Assembly as earlier agreed during a meeting with the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
A few weeks ago, Aiyedatiwa had approached the court to halt impeachment proceedings against him following allegations of gross misconduct levelled against him by the Assembly.
“The reconciliation process has to start with the deputy governor. He is the one who took us to court; we cannot reconcile ourselves when we have cases in court.
“Let him go to court and withdraw all these cases; then we would know that we are now in for genuine reconciliation.
“As far as the House of Assembly is concerned, we are not doing anything. The cases are in court and we would follow due process; we are following up on the cases in court.”
On the purported division among members of the Assembly, Oladiji described it as false.
He stated: “When there is a political tussle like this, there can be insinuations and rumours, but in the House of Assembly, we are together. We told ourselves that it is an institution, and the institution must be protected. So, we are together.”
[DailyPost]
The Appeal Court sitting in Abuja has fixed Monday, October 6, 2023, to hear the appeal of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State against the nullification of his election.
Recall that Yusuf had filed an appeal to challenge the nullification of his election by the Kano Election Petition Tribunal and the declaration of Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna of the All Progressive Congress (APC) as the duly elected governor.
A three-man panel of judges led by Justice Oluyemi Akintan Osadebay sacked Yusuf on September 20, 2023, by declaring 165,663 of his votes invalid because “they were not signed or stamped by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).”
After the tribunal deducted the votes from Yusuf’s tally, the votes of the Kano governor were reduced to 853,939, 30,000 votes less than the 890,705 votes polled by Gawuna.
Consequently, the court declared Gawuna, the APC candidate, as the winner of the governorship election and ordered the INEC to withdraw Yusuf’s certificate.
In his reaction to the ruling, Governor Yusuf had described the tribunal’s verdict as “unfair” and “a miscarriage of justice”.
A former Chief Of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Tukur Buratai (rtd), has accused politicians and the political class of being responsible for the insecurity facing the country since 2009.
Buratai stated this on Friday while speaking in the second stanza 2023 National Public Service Lecture and the 65th anniversary of the University of Ibadan Alumni Association.
He also slammed those who called for his sack over insecurity in the country while he was in office, saying such a call stemmed from personal biases rather than an objective evaluation of his performance.
Burarai added that the call for the sack of the Service Chiefs by the Ninth National Assembly was to derail the democracy through the military.
He said, “These individuals might have held negative opinions of General Buratai based on subjective factors, such as personal preferences or biases unrelated to his actual capabilities. It is crucial to approach discussions regarding national security matters with a fair and impartial mindset, focusing on relevant aspects rather than personal biases and idiosyncrasies.
“The National Assembly had twice or more passed resolutions calling for the sack of the service chiefs. The President, Muhammadu Buhari, had told the Ninth National Assembly to mind their business. If properly interpreted, the call by the Ninth National Assembly was to derail the democracy by the military.
“This should be a lesson for political actors. It was a direct confrontation blaming the Service Chiefs as if they were the ones who started the insecurity. the insecurity being faced in the country since 2009 was the creation of the political class. With a strong political will, it can be surmounted.”
Buratai advised politicians, public servants as well and civil servants to live above board by eschewing corruption which has plagued the country’s political sphere for decades.
He said misappropriation of public funds, bribery, and embezzlement have become too common, diverting resources away from essential services and leaving citizens disillusioned.
The former Army Chief also advised politicians to be accountable and transparent, stating the lack of accountability has eroded public trust and hindered development.
“Politicians often make lofty promises during election campaigns but fail to deliver once in power. The lack of accountability erodes public confidence and perpetuates the perception that politicians are more interested in the people,” he added.
The Government of the United States of America has warned its citizens in Nigeria to avoid major hotels in the country due to elevated threats.
The US Embassy in Nigeria issued the warning in an emergency information for American citizens on Friday, November 3, 2023, adding that the Nigerian security agencies are working to counter the threat.
It said US citizens should exercise vigilance at major hotels, be alert to their surroundings, keep a low profile, and review the travel advisory for Nigeria before checking into any hotels.
The advisory reads: “The U.S. Government is aware of credible information that there is an elevated threat to major hotels in Nigeria’s larger cities.
“The Nigerian security services are working diligently to counter the threat.
“The U.S. Department of State advises U.S. citizens to consider this information when arranging lodging or visiting major hotels in Nigeria.”
The notice also provided the addresses and telephone numbers of the US embassy in Abuja and consulate in Lagos should any US citizen require help.
Recall that in October, the US advised all its citizens worldwide to exercise restraint in travelling to various locations around the world.
Nigeria was listed under the third tier of caution alert (Reconsider to travel).
Passengers on board of a privately-owned aircraft including a serving minister (name withheld) escaped death by whiskers on Friday evening as their aircraft reportedly skidded off track into the bush at the Ibadan Airport, Alakia area of Oyo State capital.
There was neither reported loss of lives nor property as men of the State Fire Services, Federal Fire Services, and Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Fire Services in a combined service arrested the situation.
The aircraft as informed took off from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Confirming the incident, the General Manager of the State Fire Service, Yemi Adeyimika said, “Yes, it is true, Our men are on their way but I don’t have details now.
He said that his men arrived the scene of the incident on time but met other fire services from other agencies on ground.
What could have resulted in monumental loss was timely averted.
There was neither loss of lives or property as the situation has been put under control.
More...
The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has summoned the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and 11 electricity distribution companies (Discos) over utilization of $321 million and N18.2 billion loans for electricity projects.
The affected agencies are to appear before the committee on November 8.
Chairman of the PAC, Bamidele Salam issued the summons when the Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Engr. Sule Abdulaziz appeared before the committee Thursday.
Salam said a petition was received on the lack of judicious use of the funds, which were paid to the DISCOs by the CBN on prompting of the TCN.
Abdulaziz had told the committee that the funds were paid directly to the DISCOs by the CBN to embark on the various projects.
He said the repayment of the loans was from the revenue of the TCN.
But chairman of the committee, Bamidele Salam who raised concern, demanded that the TCN should provide details of disbursement of the loans, procurement processes as well as the numbers of Discos involved, among others.
Salam said, “Sometime in 202, the then President Muhammadu Buhari granted that certain funds be made available for the purpose of enhancing the capacity of our transmission and distribution lines to be able to have a more robust power sector intervention and these funds were made available for certain projects to the distribution companies.
“It is the concern of the petitioner that the fund have not been judiciously used and that the project ought to have been delivered by now upon which we caused a letter to be written to the Transmission Company of Nigeria which also sent in a response stating the status report of the project as well as the procedure for the implementation of that loan disbursement and execution of the project by the distribution companies.
“Our concern is to ensure that all our institutions work well in accordance with the law and in accordance with global best practices and to ensure money is judiciously utilized.”
The TCN boss in his response said there was a gap in the electricity sector and the distribution companies were complaining that the TCN was not giving them supply.
The House of Representatives has accused the Nigerian Navy of buying the controversial N5 billion presidential yacht captured in the 2023 supplementary budget without the approval of the National Assembly.
It was earlier reported that the Navy had confirmed the delivery of the presidential yacht, saying that the sailing boat had been in the country since June 2023.
In an interview with The Punch on Friday, the spokesman for the Nigerian Navy, Commodore Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, said the procurement was done during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari to replace the defunct presidential yacht, insisting it was for training.
But the Chairman of the House Committee on Navy, Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, has denied knowledge of any budgetary allocation for the procurement of the presidential yacht.
Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune on Saturday, the Plateau lawmaker stated that the Committee will investigate the infraction committed by the Navy.
He said: “Yes, I’m not aware of it.”
Gagdi, who expressed concern over the development, argued that there were no provisions in the approved budgetary provisions for the Nigerian Navy over the past four years.
The lawmaker stated that the procurement of the sailing boat is out of place, stressing that it must be provided for the 2023 budget.
He said: “It is, it must be provided for unless if it is a special intervention which we can oversight, even if it is a special intervention, we can oversight.”
While responding to a question on any other subheads provided for among the N62 billion supplementary budget proposed for the Nigerian Navy that he considered as unnecessary, Gagdi said the Navy has been treated unfairly.
He said: “Navy has been treated unjustly. If the Army has over N200 billion, the Air Force will have N112 billion, and the Navy will have only N62 billion. It means they didn’t consider the Navy as one of the Armed Forces agencies that protects the national assets.
“You want revenue, you don’t want crude oil theft, you don’t want piracy, you don’t want oil bunkering, instead of strengthening the Agency that is vested with the responsibility of defending the country by sea, in terms of our natural resources, you’re giving money to other sister Agencies beyond the Agency that’s is responsible for the economy prosperity of the nation.
“I don’t think that that supplementary budget is even fair to the Nigerian Navy, I can say that any day, any time.
“But I equally see that the presidential yacht in the budget is equally not supposed to be there.
“It can’t be provided for in the budget. There’s nothing wrong with the appearance of the budget, but again, if the Yacht is already been in our water.
“Who provided for the logistics, you paid for the yacht and the yacht was supplied. What is the arrangement with the Nigerian Navy? I don’t have answers to these until we investigate what is going on.”
When asked about the possible time to commence the investigation into the procurement of the presidential Yacht, he said: “I don’t want to be under pressure, I can’t say anything until I go back to the House, call Committee members, sit down and study the nature of things before we commence investigation.”
The French Government has repatriated $150 million stolen from Nigeria by the former military Head of State, the late General Sani Abacha.
The Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, Catherine Colonna, made this known during a visit to President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday.
Speaking on the Abacha loot, the French Presidential Envoy said the repatriation of the loot followed the completion of long legal processes, stressing that it is a good achievement for France.
“It was a long process, but we are glad that it was concluded. Sometimes, justice may be slow, but this is a very good achievement,” she said.
She conveyed the goodwill of President Emmanuel Macron and expressed the readiness of France to expand mutually beneficial collaboration with Nigeria across multiple sectors.
Colonna also commended President Tinubu’s leadership in ECOWAS and proceeded to extend a formal invitation to President Bola Tinubu to attend the forthcoming Paris Peace Forum.
She said: “We support your efforts at ECOWAS. We are behind you because we believe that constitutional order is a treasure for all countries, and democracy must be a reality.”
In his remarks, President Tinubu expressed his appreciation to France for the return of the Abacha loot and also acknowledged the signing of a €100 million agreement between Nigeria and France to support the i-DICE programme, a Federal Government initiative to promote investment in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Creative Arts Industries.
President Tinubu also commended the strengthening of bilateral relations between Nigeria and France, noting that this progress followed his visit to Paris after his inauguration.
“Thank you for the good news on the return of Abacha loot. We appreciate your effective cooperation concerning the return of Nigeria’s money. It will be judiciously applied in attaining our development objectives,” the President told Catherine Colonna, the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, who delivered the news.
The President, while emphasizing the need to reinforce collaboration on both political and economic fronts, welcomed the growing cooperation between the two countries in areas of shared interest, such as climate change, economic integration, education, and culture.
Niger Crisis
On the situation in Niger Republic, President Tinubu, who is the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, said Nigeria is monitoring the situation in the neighbouring country, and exploring diplomatic channels to avoid bloodshed.
He said: “Leadership is about responding to the needs of the people, their cries, and their frustrations. Nigeria shares a border with Niger across the expanse of seven Nigerian states, and most of these states are very populated. Therefore, I need to guide ECOWAS carefully and steadily so that we manage our anger carefully.
“We have a colleague and a democratically-elected leader, President Bazoum, being used as a human shield. If we are not careful, he and his family can be endangered.
”I am deploying all appropriate back-channel strategies to avoid bloodshed in Niger Republic. We recognize the wishes of our people; they do not want war, but that does not mean we can not take bold and decisive action.”
President Tinubu said Nigeria will continue to galvanize international partners in the determined pursuit of a peaceful resolution to the situation in Niger Republic.
Governor Chukwuma Soludo has allocated N2 billion in startup capital to empower over 5,000 youths from Anambra State’s 21 local government areas.
Naija News reports that this initiative follows thorough training and the launch of the “1 Youth, 2 Skills” development programs by the state government.
Recently, the first group of beneficiaries received their grants in Awka, marking the start of an impactful journey for these aspiring young entrepreneurs.
Hon. Chuks Azotani, the chairman of the committee on Information Technology and Creative Economy in the Anambra State House of Assembly, encouraged the beneficiaries to make judicious investments in their newly acquired skills and businesses to realize the scheme’s objectives.
Hon. Azotani commended Governor Soludo for the program, which promises to combat unemployment and foster economic self-sufficiency among the state’s youth. He believes that this initiative will not only create a more prosperous Anambra but also nurture a generation of young entrepreneurs who will become employers of labour.
Azotani emphasized the significant economic impact of the “1 Youth, 2 Skills” program initiated by the Soludo administration and facilitated by the State Ministry of Youth Development, particularly in Information, Communication, and Technology. He urged the beneficiaries to leverage the skills and knowledge they’ve acquired effectively.
The lawmaker expressed his joy that approximately 100 of the first batch of beneficiaries hail from the Dunukofia local government area, assuring the area’s youth that more promising opportunities are on the horizon.
In his closing remarks, Azotani encouraged Nigerian youth to engage in meaningful ventures, especially in the field of ICT, emphasizing that the Soludo administration has more programs designed to create platforms for the socio-economic development of Anambra State.
He also called on the people of Anambra to join hands and support the state government’s efforts to enhance the prosperity and livability of the state.