metro
Atiku condemns ‘explosion’ at APC rally in Rivers
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the alleged explosion at the campaign rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers state.
Darlington Nwauju, Rivers APC spokesperson, had alleged that there was an explosion on Thursday during the party’s governorship rally at Ojukwu field, Rumuwoji community in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
But Grace Iringe-Koko, Rivers police spokesperson, countered Nwauju, saying no explosion occurred — and that the incident was a clash between the community members and party supporters.
Reacting in a series of tweets on Thursday evening, the PDP presidential candidate said he “stands with the APC” and families of those injured.
Abubakar also said the should be no room for violence against political opponents.
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“There should be no place for violence and anti-democratic manifestations in this election,” he wrote.
“We’ve already committed to that in the peace pact we all signed up to.
“Elections are not a do-or-die affair but an opportunity to reinforce our belief in democracy through our leadership choices via adult suffrage.
“We had complained about the violence that had been visited on our party in some states because we did not want it to become a pattern if those engaged in anti-democratic activities were not brought to book.
“Our worst fears have now manifested with the explosion at the APC rally in Port Harcourt. It stands condemned.
“Elections and the choices we make should be about the ballot and not the bullet.
“On behalf of my team, I stand in solidarity with the APC and the families of the injured. I wish the injured a quick recovery.”
Abubakar also asked security agencies to ensure that “those behind this dastardly act, including their promoters” are brought to justice to serve as a deterrent to “copycats who may be emboldened to thread this same anti-democratic path”.
Meanwhile, the PDP candidate’s comment comes amid crisis in his party over the position taken by stakeholders led by Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers.
Wike and his allies have excluded themselves from the PDP presidential campaign over calls for Iyorchia Ayu to step down as national chairperson of the party.
The calls for Ayu’s resignation, according to the PDP stakeholders, are based on the grounds that the PDP presidential candidate and the national chairperson cannot be from the same region.
metro
200,000 repentant terrorists surrender, drop arms in North East – CDS
200,000 repentant terrorists surrender, drop arms in North East – CDS
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has disclosed that about 200,000 repentant terrorists have so far dropped their arms and surrendered to troops in the North East, noting that the twin strategy of kinetic and non-kinetic operations was responsible for this achievement.
The CDS made this known at the Security and Justice Symposium organised by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in collaboration with the British High Commission, which began at the National Counterterrorism Centre in Abuja on Tuesday.
He disclosed that the theme of the symposium, ”Securing Peace, Ensuring Justice, Protection, Conduct, and Accountability,” speaks volumes about the deluge of security challenges the armed forces and security agencies are facing.
His words, “All the challenges we are facing today have to do with fairness, equity, justice, and accountability.
“There will not be peace without justice, equity, fairness, and accountability. In our operations, we are conducting both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies, which have to a large extent yielded significant successes, and we want to particularly thank the National Security Adviser for his great support in this regard.
“Nigeria is going through so many challenges, and we feel we’re able to address this, and everybody has a sense of belonging. A lot of the security challenges we are having, we are sure, will go down. I want to thank the National Security Advisor for all the support he’s given us, both the kinetic and the non-kinetic.
“We have said it; the kinetic aspect is just less than 30%. The non-kinetic has a lot to play. The non-kinetic, because when you have democracy, people must have the evidence of democracy. As long as it tells people to sleep well and be peaceful, and they are hungry, their children cannot eat, and all this creates more problems.
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“The issue of informants. We have to look at how we tackle this issue of informants. Because these are the people who have created the issue.
200,000 repentant terrorists surrender, drop arms in North East – CDS
metro
Robbers kill two members in shoot-out with Delta police
Robbers kill two members in shoot-out with Delta police
The spokesperson for the police in Delta State, SP Bright Edafe, has confirmed the death of two robbery suspects in the state.
Mr Edafe, who disclosed this to journalists on Tuesday in Warri, said that the deceased were killed from the bullets shot by their gang members.
According to him, the incident occurred on Wednesday at Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of the state.
Mr Edafe explained that the deceased were leading the police surveillance team attached to the Ekpan Division to their hideout when they were caught during a shoot-out.
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“The suspects were arrested at Effurun roundabout with a bag containing 57 live cartridges and other items. They were leading the surveillance team to their hideout at Warri/Sapele road when their gang members, on sighting the vehicle of the police team, engaged them in a shootout.During the gun duel, the arrested suspects that were leading the police team were fatally wounded by the gun shot of their colleagues. The two injured suspects were taken to the hospital and later died while receiving treatment,” he said.
Mr Edafe said that items recovered from the hoodlums hideout included: one English pump action gun, one locally made cut-to-size gun and eight live cartridges.
Others were: six iPhones, Smart phones and a Rolex wrist watch.
He said that the command had intensified manhunt on the fleeing members of the gang.
Robbers kill two members in shoot-out with Delta police
(NAN)
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