News
18 confirmed killed in Boko Haram Damasak attack
About 60,000 residents of Damasak in Mobbar Local Government Area of Borno State have been displaced in the aftermath of Wednesday’s attack on the town by terrorists, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNCHR) said Friday.
At least 18 persons, including a senior commander of the Islamic State of the West Africa Province (ISWAP) Bukar Gana Fitchmeram a.k.a. Abu Aisha were killed during the attack while 21 people were injured.
The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNCHR) said as many as 65,000 people had fled the town following a series of terror attacks.
Most of them fled towards the state capital Maiduguri and other nearby towns
Fighters from ISWAP stormed the town three times in a week to strike a military garrison, burning homes and a UN office and killing people.
In the latest violence, the terrorists attacked an army garrison before being forced back into the town itself, military sources and residents said.
“Following the latest attack on Wednesday 14 April, the third in seven days, up to 80 per cent of the town’s population — which includes the local community and internally displaced people — were forced to flee,” UNHCR spokesman Babar Baloch, said.
He added: “Due to insecurity, however, humanitarian access is increasingly challenging in many parts of Nigeria’s Borno State, including for UNHCR staff, who were forced to temporarily relocate out of Damasak in the past seven days.
“Assailants looted and burned down private homes, warehouses of humanitarian agencies, a police station, a clinic, and also a UNHCR facility.
“The situation on the ground is extremely critical,” he said. “If this continues, it will be impossible – maybe for longer periods of time – for us to deliver aid to people who desperately need it.”
There are “very worrying” reports of clashes between insurgent groups and Nigeria’s armed forces, spokesman Jens Laerke of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, (OCHA) said.
Armed groups have been attacking humanitarian facilities and at times conducting house-to-house searches, reportedly looking for civilian aid workers, he said.
Most humanitarian aid operations have been suspended in the area since Sunday because of the insecurity, Laerke said.
At least four people, including a soldier, were killed in an attack on Monday. The UN said eight others were killed Wednesday, while locals said 10 bodies were buried and 20 people were injured.
ISWAP, which split from the jihadist group Boko Haram in 2016, has been attacking soldiers and bases while killing and kidnapping civilians.
Gov Zulum spends night in Damasak, confirms 18 deaths
Governor Babagana Zulum drove into the town on Thursday and spent the night there in a bid to boost the confidence of the residents and the troops.
He said reports available to him showed that 18 people had died while 21 others were injured.
The terrorists also destroyed the UN humanitarian hub, a police station, residential houses and a medical centre.
The governor, with who were Senator Abubakar Kyari (Borno North), Representative Bukar Gana Kareto (Mobbar/Guzamala/Abadam) and other officials, said robust measures were being put in place to avert future attacks on the community by terrorists.
He also met with security agents and presented to the military 12 security vehicles which include an armoured personnel carrier (APC) and 11 patrol vehicles, to aid their fight against the insurgents.
News
Late COAS Lagbaja gets CFR honour, buried amid tributes
Late COAS Lagbaja gets CFR honour, buried amid tributes
The late Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, was on Friday laid to rest in Abuja, amid tears and tributes.
President Bola Tinubu conferred a posthumous award of the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) on the late Chief of Army Staff.
The burial took place at the National Cemetery in Abuja to end two days of funeral rites that began in Lagos earlier in the week.
His body was lowered into the grave at exactly 4:41pm after the ceremony that lasted over two hours.
Lagbaja’s casket, draped in Nigeria’s green and white colours, arrived at the cemetery around 3pm in a white funeral wagon after a funeral service at the National Christian Centre in Abuja.
Dignitaries were led to the event by President Bola Tinubu. Others are Vice President Kashim Shettima; the Acting Chief of Army Staff, Lt.Gen. Olufemi Oluyede; the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa; Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, and other top government officials and military brass.
President Tinubu announced the conferment of the CFR on the late COAS during the interment at the National Cemetery in Abuja.
The President extolled the virtues of the late warrior, especially his contributions to national security.
According to him, the appointment of Lagbaja as the COAS was one of his finest made so far.
“As an eternal symbol of our appreciation, I have granted the late Chief of Army Staff, the posthumous national honour of the Commander of the Federal Republic of the Niger (CFR),” Tinubu declared.
He thereafter invited the wife of the late COAS, Mariya, to collect the award on behalf of the Lagbaja family amid applause from the congregation.
News
Supreme Court dismisses 16 govs suit challenging EFCC legality
Supreme Court dismisses 16 govs suit challenging EFCC legality
The Supreme Court has dismissed the suit by 16 states challenging the constitutionality of the acts establishing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and two others.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the other agencies are the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).
In the lead judgment by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji delivered on Friday, the Supreme Court resolved the six issues raised for determination in the suit against the plaintiffs.
The court held that the laws establishing the anti-corruption agencies were validly enacted by the National Assembly within its legislative competence.
It faulted the claim by the plaintiffs that the EFCC Act, being a product of the United Nations convention on corruption, ought to be ratified by majority of the state houses of assembly.
Delivering judgement on Friday, Justice Abba-Aji ruled that “the EFCC Act, which was not established from a treaty but a convention, does not need the ratification of the houses of assembly.”
News
Executive Secretary FCDA Hadi Ahmad suspended indefinitely
Executive Secretary FCDA Hadi Ahmad suspended indefinitely
Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority FCDA, Engr. Shehu Hadi Ahmad, has been suspended indefinitely.
His suspicion was on the order of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media to the Minister, Lere Olayinka, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday evening.
No reason was given for the suspension.
Ahmad was directed to hand over to the Director, Engineering Services in the FCDA.
The statement read: “The Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority FCDA, Engr. Shehu Hadi Ahmad, has been suspended indefinitely.
“According to a statement on Thursday, by Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory FCT, Nyesom Wike, the suspension of Engr Hadi Ahmad is with immediate effect.
“The suspended Executive Secretary has consequently been directed to hand over to the Director of Engineering Services, Engr in the FCDA.”
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