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‘10,000 Aborted Babies’: NHRC insists on unraveling truth of Reuters allegation against Nigerian army
‘10,000 Aborted Babies’: NHRC insists on unraveling truth of Reuters allegation against Nigerian army
The Independent Investigative Panel on Human Rights Violations in Counter-Insurgency Operations in North East Nigeria (SIIP-North) has resumed sitting in its bid to unravel the truth of the allegation of mass abortion of babies against the Nigerian Army.
In December 2022, Reuters published a report which accused the Nigerian military of various forms of human rights violations, including abortion of babies of suspected terrorists.
THE WHISTLER reports that the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) inaugurated the panel to investigate the military’s alleged abortion of about 10,000 babies of Boko Haram victims within the space of nine years since 2003.
Since the panel was inaugurated, several generals in the army have appeared before it to answer questions.
They include the Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) and former General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division Maiduguri, Major General Ibrahim Manu Yusuf, and the former Chief of Army Staff, General Y. Yahaya, as well as former Chief of Defense Staff, General Lucky Irabor.
All the military officers denied the Reuters report in its entirety.
The panel last sat on May 12 in Abuja.
A statement issued by NHRC Director of Corporate Affairs and External Linkages Department, Agharese Arase, and made available to THE WHISTLER on Saturday, said the panel resumed its 7th sitting in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
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This time, the panel will be embarking on a fact-finding mission to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH).
“The Chairman of the panel, Justice Abdu Aboki (rtd) said it has become necessary for the panel to visit the medical facility to seek the support needed in conducting further investigations into the alleged human rights violations mentioned in the Reuters report.
“The eminent Jurist said although the medical facility was not categorically mentioned in the Reuters 4- part reports, it became expedient to conduct an investigation in the facility, being a Referral Centre where most of the secondary healthcare cases are brought,” the statement partly reads.
The Secretary of the panel, Mr. Hilary Ogbonna, told the CMD of UMTH, Prof. Ahmed Ahijo, that it was imperative to interact with him to obtain important information that may be needed to ascertain the truth in the Reuter’s report.
The statement reads, “Against this backdrop, Mr. Ogbonna said the panel will be fielding questions to the CMD, HOD obstetrics and gynaecology, HOD Pharmacy, HOD Nursing Services, and HOD Histopathology in other to be in sync with what the panel did at the Secondary medical facilities in the State, which are Borno State Specialist Hospital and Umaru Shehu Ultra-Modern Hospital, all in Maiduguri, Borno State.
“On his part the CMD of UMTH Prof. Ahmed Ahijo expressed the readiness of himself and his team to cooperate with the Panel as it conducts its investigations.”
THE WHISTLER
News
Edo Gov Okpebholo freezes govt accounts, reverses ministry’s name
Edo Gov Okpebholo freezes govt accounts, reverses ministry’s name
Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has directed the immediate freezing of all state-owned bank accounts.
In a statement issued on Thursday by his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, the governor stated that the accounts would remain frozen until further notice.
He instructed commercial banks, ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to comply with the order immediately or face severe consequences.
The statement reads: “All state bank accounts with commercial banks have been frozen. Commercial banks must comply with this order and ensure that not a single naira is withdrawn from government coffers until further notice.
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“Heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies must ensure full compliance without delay.
“Following necessary investigations and reconciliations, the governor will take appropriate action and decide on the way forward. For now, this order remains in effect.”
Okpebholo also directed relevant agencies to revert the name of the Ministry of Roads and Bridges to its previous title, the Ministry of Works, a change made during the Godwin Obaseki administration.
“It is odd to name a government institution the Ministry of Roads and Bridges, especially when not a single bridge was built by the previous administration — not even a pedestrian bridge.
“In the coming days, we will examine further actions taken by the previous administration and make decisions that serve the best interests of the state,” the statement added.
Edo Gov Okpebholo freezes govt accounts, reverses ministry’s name
News
Israel-Palestinian conflict: Two-state solution is a deception, says Gumi
Israel-Palestinian conflict: Two-state solution is a deception, says Gumi
Prominent Islamic scholar Dr. Ahmad Mahmud Gumi has criticized the widely discussed two-state solution for the Israel-Palestine conflict, calling it a “deception.”
His remarks followed a recent summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Riyadh, where President Bola Tinubu and other leaders condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza and urged an end to hostilities.
In an interview with Daily Trust at his Kaduna residence, Gumi argued, “This Two-State Solution is a deception. No Israeli will allow a Palestinian to survive, and Palestinians will never allow Israel to survive.
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The only solution is to dissolve the two states and create a democratically electable region.”
Gumi commended the OIC’s support for Palestine, noting that Muslims and Arabs worldwide increasingly see the treatment of Palestinians as “genocide” and accuse Israel of human rights abuses.
He also called for a return to the pre-1948 structure, where Palestinians, Jews, and Christians lived together, suggesting a single, inclusive state that allows peaceful coexistence.
“When I hear people talking about Two-State Solutions, I know they are just deceiving themselves,” Gumi added, advocating for a unified region where people of all faiths can live together, similar to the multi-faith coexistence seen in countries like the United States.
Israel-Palestinian conflict: Two-state solution is a deception, says Gumi
News
Court sacks Ondo LP candidate, two days to governorship poll
Court sacks Ondo LP candidate, two days to governorship poll
The Labour Party candidature of Olusola Ebiseni for the upcoming gubernatorial election in Ondo State has been nullified.
The nullification follows the sacking of Ebiseni by the Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday.
The governorship election of the southwest State will hold on Saturday, 16 November 2024.
The judgement disqualifying Ebiseni was unanimously delivered by the three members of the panel and read out by the chairman of the panel, Justice Adebukola Banjoko.
The judgment granted the prayer of the Labour Party who preferred the case against Ebiseni.
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Justice Banjoko held that, “the appeal marked CA/ABJ/CV/1172/2024 brought by the Labour Party against Chief Olusola Ebiseni and two others is allowed.”
Justice Banjoko further stated that the Certified True Copy of the judgment would be provided to the parties involved in the appeal as soon as possible for their review.
Recall that Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja had ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to accept and recognize Olusola Ebiseni and Ezekiel Awude as the Labour Party’s governorship and deputy governorship candidates for the November 16 Ondo State governorship elections.
Justice Nwite confirmed that the second primary election conducted by the Labour Party, which resulted in Ebiseni and Awude being selected as candidates, was valid and should be upheld by INEC.
However, the appellate court has now overturned the judgment of the trial court’s judgment.
Court sacks Ondo LP candidate, two days to governorship poll
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