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UN: Replacing SARS with SWAT will not address police brutality
The United Nations high commissioner for human rights, Michelle Bachelet, has faulted the manner in which the Nigeria police force set up special weapons and tactics (SWAT) to replace the special anti-robbery squad (SARS).
Bachelet said the police swiftly created SWAT “without first addressing some of the root causes of police violence and putting in place sufficient safeguards to prevent future violations.”
She also said “there have been few if any charges” against former SARS operatives “despite abundant evidence” against them.
Mohammed Adamu, inspector-general of police (IGP), created SWAT after disbanding SARS over allegations of human rights abuses as a result of undue profiling and stereotyping.
Protests against the anti-robbery squad, however, continued under the #EndSARS movement which metamorphosed into agitation for improved governance in addition to justice for victims of police brutality.
On Tuesday, soldiers shot at the protesters while camping at the Lekki tollgate, leading to the death of 12 persons, according to Amnesty International.
In a statement condemning the security clampdown, Bachelet called on Nigerian authorities to “deal decisively with the underlying problem of persistent violations committed by the security forces, and make a far stronger effort to bring police and army personnel guilty of crimes against civilians to justice.”
“While the number of casualties of yesterday’s shooting at the Lekki toll plaza in Lagos is still not clear, there is little doubt that this was a case of excessive use of force, resulting in unlawful killings with live ammunition, by Nigerian armed forces,” she said.
“Reports that the CCTV cameras and lighting were deliberately disabled prior to the shooting are even more disturbing as, if confirmed, they suggest this deplorable attack on peaceful protesters was premeditated, planned and coordinated.”
The UN high commissioner added that the rights of Nigerians to peacefully protest must be respected, describing the reported killings in Lekki as “adding fuel to a fire that was already starting to rage out of control.”
Bachelet said the way to restore trust and bring back peace to the streets of Nigeria is for the authorities to take immediate concrete steps to show they are genuinely committed to tackling impunity, after years of inaction.
“There need to be immediate, independent, transparent and thorough investigations, not just into last night’s killings, but also into all the previous violations committed by security forces,” she said.
“Those appointed to carry out such investigations must not only be independent and impartial but must be widely perceived as such.
“And, where sufficient evidence already exists to warrant charges, immediate suspension of officers – including senior officers — suspected of committing serious crimes, should take place long before the conclusion of such investigations.”
-TheCable
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Tinubu extremely wealthy, can’t loot Nigeria’s treasury, says minister
Tinubu extremely wealthy, can’t loot Nigeria’s treasury, says minister
The Minister of State for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has described President Bola Tinubu as an epitome of wealth with no interest to loot Nigeria’s resources.
Olawande stated this while speaking at the Joint Union Negotiating Council’s week of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development branch in Abuja.
The minister also appealed to Nigerians to be patient with the president, noting that in no distant time there will be positive changes.
He said, “I urge you to be patient with this administration. In no distant time, the country will take good shape and the lives of the citizens will be transformed.
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“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not a pauper; he is an acknowledged epitome of wealth and so it cannot be said of him that he desires to loot the treasury of Nigeria.”
Olawande continued, “He has seen money and as a result of this, he is not interested in looting the nation’s treasury.”
He emphasized that the administration is putting in efforts to transform the lives of Nigerians through various policies of the federal government.
Olawande thanked the staff of the ministry for being supportive of the government policies and assured them that their welfare will not be compromised.
Tinubu extremely wealthy, can’t loot Nigeria’s treasury, says minister
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BREAKING: Nigeria’s inflation rate slows for second consecutive month to 32.15% – NBS
BREAKING: Nigeria’s inflation rate slows for second consecutive month to 32.15% – NBS
Nigeria’s headline inflation rate eased to 32.15% in August 2024 down from the 33.40% recorded in July 2024, reflecting a decrease of 1.25 percentage points.
This represents the second consecutive monthly slowdown in inflation after easing in the previous month.
This is according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) report published by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
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However, on a year-on-year basis, the August 2024 inflation rate was 6.35 percentage points higher than the 25.80% rate recorded in August 2023, indicating a significant increase over the past year.
On a month-on-month basis, the inflation rate in August 2024 stood at 2.22%, slightly lower than July’s rate of 2.28%, signaling a slower pace in the increase of the average price level compared to the previous month.
BREAKING: Nigeria’s inflation rate slows for second consecutive month to 32.15% – NBS
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Edo poll: Six persons arrested in Benin hotel with fake PDP letterheads, forged signatures
Edo poll: Six persons arrested in Benin hotel with fake PDP letterheads, forged signatures
Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested six young men in a hotel located in the Government Reserved Area (GRA) of Benin City with fake letterheads, stamps, and forged signatures belonging to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its chieftains.
The young men, who were apprehended with incriminating materials such as printers, mobile phones, power banks, laptops, and a photocopy machine, are believed to have been involved in drafting and circulating fake PDP letters and statements.
Their objective was to paint the PDP as instigators of unrest ahead of the forthcoming Edo governorship election, scheduled for Saturday, September 21, 2024.
The arrest, which was made following a tip-off, uncovered an elaborate scheme allegedly designed to discredit the PDP and its leaders by sending fabricated documents to unsuspecting journalists.
These fake letters and statements, according to police sources, were intended to portray the party as warmongers and troublemakers in the run-up to the critical election.
A police officer involved in the operation, who asked to remain anonymous, revealed that the suspects had been using the hotel as their base of operations for weeks.
“We found that these individuals were using forged PDP letterheads, stamps, and signatures to create fake documents.
“Their goal was to send out these documents to journalists in an attempt to misrepresent the PDP and create an atmosphere of tension ahead of the elections,” the officer said.
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In addition to the counterfeit materials, the police discovered that the young men had several technological devices, including laptops and printers, which they used to produce and disseminate the fraudulent documents.
“Their setup was sophisticated. They had everything they needed to make the documents appear legitimate, from forged letterheads to printers.
“We also found power banks, mobile phones, and a photocopy machine, which they used to mass-produce the fake letters,” the officer added.
Further investigation has revealed that the six young men were funded by a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
Meanwhile, another police source disclosed that the Nigeria Police Force, Edo State Command, has come under intense pressure from senior APC figures, who are reportedly pushing for the release of the arrested men.
“Since the arrest, there has been immense pressure on us from certain chieftains within the APC, urging the command to release these individuals.
“We believe that their involvement with these young men is being covered up, and they are worried about the potential fallout from this arrest,” the source noted.
A journalist with one of the prominent national newspapers, who had been unknowingly receiving fake statements from the group, expressed shock upon hearing about the arrests.
“It’s alarming to think that we’ve been receiving statements from people who were impersonating the PDP. This shows how low some people will go to try and sabotage the other party. The integrity of this election is now under serious question,” the journalist stated.
The Edo State Police Command has yet to issue an official statement on the matter, but sources within the command say investigations are ongoing, and the suspects remain in custody.
Edo poll: Six persons arrested in Benin hotel with fake PDP letterheads, forged signatures
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