News
Death toll rises to 72 in South African riots
LOOTERS yesterday again attacked shopping malls and other businesses in the nation’s industrial centre in Johannesburg and other cities in South Africa.
This is as the death toll from six days of protests in the country rose to 72 as violence continues across the country in the aftermath of the jailing of former President Jacob Zuma.
Most of the deaths, according to a police statement, “relate to stampedes that occurred during incidents of looting of shops”.
The police said they had identified 12 people suspected of provoking the riots and that a total of 1,234 people had been arrested.
Video footage surfaced on the internet showing looters and mobs setting alight shopping centres amidst clashes with the police in several cities on Tuesday.
The BBC filmed a baby being thrown from a building in Durban that was on fire after ground-floor shops were looted.
On Monday, 10 people were killed in a stampede during looting at a shopping centre in Soweto.
By yesterday, more than 600 stores had been looted with products worth billions of rand damaged, according to the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa, which called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to impose a state of emergency.
The violence, according to reports, was triggered by the jailing of Zuma on July 7.
Zuma was convicted of contempt after failing to appear before a special commission investigating corruption during his nine-year presidency.
His lawyer argued Monday before South Africa’s Constitutional Court that Zuma should have his sentence rescinded.
Judges on the court said they would consider the arguments and announce their decision at a later date.
But, President Cyril Ramaphosa yesterday consulted with leaders of political parties on measures to end the unrest that ensued after the incarceration of Zuma.
Protests erupted on Friday night following news of the ex-president’s jailing. The first waves of unrest began in Zuma’s home province of KwaZulu-Natal and have since spilled over to South Africa’s economic capital of Johannesburg in Gauteng.
“President Ramaphosa has told the leaders of South Africa’s political parties that government is intensifying its efforts and working in partnership with civil society to stem public violence affecting various parts of the country … Leaders of political parties characterised the situation in the country as an attack on the democratic order that required a multifaceted response in the long term, in view of deep levels of unemployment and poverty,” the presidency said in a statement.
Party leaders called on transport authorities to ensure the safety of major routes so that the population has access to food, fuel and medical supplies. The politicians also called for a 9.00 p.m.-4.00 a.m. curfew.
“The political leaders called for greater coordination among the police, the national defence force, intelligence agencies, private security services and community-based safety structures,” the statement read, adding that “President Ramaphosa welcomed proposals made by political leaders and said expanded deployment of the South African National Defence Force was being addressed.”
News
Ondo poll: APC buying votes with N10,000, PDP alleges
Ondo poll: APC buying votes with N10,000, PDP alleges
Dr. Eddy Olafeso, the Director General of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) campaign council for the Ondo state governorship election, has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of vote-buying in his unit at N10,000 per voter.
Olafeso, who spoke after voting at his polling unit 005 Olumekun compound, Ward 12, Idepe, Okitipupa Local Government Area, Ondo state, said the election was peaceful in his area.
According to him, ” We have been here around 8am and everything appears in line with the electoral law especially the area i voted but our fears is the APC that has not done anything for the people in the last four years are moulding up the process by paying N10,000 to each voters, we have witnessed it here and we have complained and it appears intractable.
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“For us, no matter the kind of profligacy they are introducing into the electoral process, truth will prevail in the final analysis.
“You know it is a long process and voting is the first stage , we are waiting for it to be uploaded into IREV, we are waiting to take our from E8CA to ensure that everything is appropriately recorded.
“Like I said, the only fear is the vote buying the APC is trying to entrench into the culture of voting in Nigeria.”
Ondo poll: APC buying votes with N10,000, PDP alleges
News
Ondo: INEC new challenge as 1.7 million votes decide next gov today
Ondo: INEC new challenge as 1.7 million votes decide next gov today
Today, 1,757,205 registered voters in Ondo State will head to polling stations across its 18 local government areas to elect a new governor who will steer the affairs of the state for the next four years.
This marks an increase in the number of registered voters compared to the 2020 election, which had 1,647,973 registered voters, of which only 580,887 votes were recorded.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed its readiness for the exercise, deploying 4,002 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices across 3,933 polling units, with 812 units on standby in case of technical hitches.
Speaking on the commission’s preparations, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, assured the public that sensitive materials were distributed on Thursday to the Registration Area Centres (RACs) for timely deployment.
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Tinubu calls for peaceful polls
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on stakeholders and voters to uphold peace during and after the election. Through his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu emphasised the importance of the election reflecting the people’s will.
“The president reminds all political stakeholders, especially the candidates, that governance is a privilege bestowed by the people. This privilege must be respected, and Nigerians deserve a free and fair election to consolidate our democracy,” the statement read.
Tinubu also commended the security agencies’ preparedness, with the Inspector-General of Police and the Chief of Defence Staff, assuring professionalism during the exercise.
Ondo: INEC new challenge as 1.7 million votes decide next gov today
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.
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