The family of Ayodeji Erinfolami, a police officer reportedly shot dead by his colleague during the #EndSARS protest, has asked Mohammed Adamu, inspector-general of police (IGP) to probe his death and also pay a N400 million compensation.
Erinfolami, a police inspector, was said to have been accidentally shot in October by one of his colleague who was trying disperse protesting crowd at the Area C police command in the Surulere area of Lagos.
Okechukwu Iloamuazor, a driver who was held in traffic in the area, was also killed by stray bullet fired by the policemen on that day.
Nigerians across the country had taken to the streets in October to protest police brutality.
In a petition through Jiti Ogunye, human rights lawyer, Erinfolami family accused the police authorities of issuing a false and cruel statement, claiming Erinfolami and Iloamuazor were killed by irate protesters who invaded and attacked the said Area C police command.
The family said information from witnesses showed that after the shooting of Erinfolami, his colleagues did not come to his aid until he bled to death.
The family also accused the police of not communicating with them and failing to send representatives to them over the death of the 38 years old inspector.
“Based on the foregoing premises, we hereby demand as follows:
“1. That an investigation be conducted into the unlawful killing of Inspector Ayodeji Bankole Erinfolami by the said police officers, leading to their prosecution for murder, and punishment under the law,” part of the petition read.
“2. That the sum of Four Hundred Million Naira ( #.400 million) exemplary damages ( compensation) be paid to the dependents (family) of Inspector Ayodeji Bankole Erinfolami for his unlawful killing, forthwith, and not later than thirty ( 30) days of the delivery of this petition, to assuage the irreparable loss.
“3. That an official delegation from the NPF should visit the family of Inspector Ayodeji Bankole Erinfolami to condole with, and officially break the news of his death to them. This is not a mere symbolism or ritual. For the parents of the Deceased, aged people, who, in spite of our torn social fabric and broken value system, hold dear still the virtues and ideals of showing empathy to the crushed in spirit and the grieving who have suffered loss of human lives, the demanded condolence visit is therapeutic. It could serve as a humane gesture to heal their wound.
“4. That the NPF should undertake the funeral, and the funeral expenses of Inspector Ayodeji Bankole Erinfolami.”
Ogunye, on behalf of the family, added that legal action would be taken if the demands of the family are not met.
Donald Trump has fired a top elections official after he said the 2020 election was the “most secure in American history.”
Chris Krebs, the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, was fired by the president in a tweetstorm on Tuesday night.
“The recent statement by Chris Krebs on the security of the 2020 Election was highly inaccurate, in that there were massive improprieties and fraud – including dead people voting,” Trump tweeted.
“Poll Watchers not allowed into polling locations, “glitches” in the voting machines which changed, votes from Trump to Biden, late voting, and many more,” Trump continued.
“Therefore, effective immediately, Chris Krebs has been terminated as Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency,” he ended.
Just minutes after finding out he was fired via Twitter, Krebs himself took to the platform and issued a final statement.
“Honored to serve. We did it right. Defend Today, Secure Tomrorow (sic). #Protect2020,” he tweeted.
“The November 3rd election was the most secure in American history,” read a CISA statement released last week.
“Right now, across the country, election officials are reviewing and double checking the entire election process prior to finalizing the result.”
The statement continued, noting that close elections prompt a recount of ballots to identify and correct any mistakes or errors. “There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised,” the statement continued.
“While we know there are many unfounded claims and opportunities for misinformation about the process of our elections, we can assure you we have the utmost confidence in the security and integrity of our elections, and you should too,” the statement ended.
“When you have questions, turn to elections officials as trusted voices as they administer elections.”
Sources close to Krebs said as early as last week he believed he would soon be fired following the release of the CISA statement.
Trump also fired Krebs’ deputy Matt Travis, who will leave this week.
Earlier today, Krebs took to Twitter to share data that any claims of voter fraud were untrue.
“ICYMI: On allegations that election systems were manipulated, 59 election security experts all agree, ‘in every case of which we are aware, these claims either have been unsubstantiated or are technically incoherent.’ #Protect2020,” read his tweet.
Krebs retweeted Georgetown University professor and scientist Matt Blaze, who shared a link to a letter penned by him and his colleagues entitled, “Scientists say no credible evidence of computer fraud in the 2020 election outcome, but policymakers must work with experts to improve confidence.”
The president has been purging those least loyal to him in recent weeks following the election that found Joe Biden the president-elect. He fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper in a tweet last week as well.
Trump, citing Krebs’ recent statement of the election’s security as being inaccurate, has resisted conceding the election to Biden and claimed there was widespread voter fraud in the election despite the evidence proving otherwise.
Krebs, a former Microsoft executive, ran CISA since it was first created following Russian interference in the 2016 election through the November election.
Members of both parties praised Krebs for his coordinated response in federal, state, and local efforts to defend electoral systems from any interference – foreign or domestic.
Although Krebs defended the November 3 election, he kept a relatively low profile and struck down allegations of fraud or political bias in the election.
He even was seen sometimes as refuting the president, despite the fact CISA’s parent department, the Department of Homeland Security, is often seen as being too closely aligned with Trump.
Despite CISA’s statement, Krebs attempted to avoid directly criticizing the president even as he contradicted misinformation often coming from Trump and his supporters, saying, “It’s not our job to fact check the president” the day before the election.
Under Krebs’ leadership, CISA has worked with officials across the United States as well as private companies to secure election processes operate as routine. The agency even is praised in Congress, where members proposed a $2billion increase of its annual budget.
Nigeria is leading as the country with the highest nationals seeking asylum in Canada in 2020, despite the COVID-19 travel restrictions.
According to data from the Canadian government, Nigeria has topped with highest immigrants into the country for five consecutive years, displacing nationals from India and China who also rank top on the list.
The data shows that the number of Nigerians issued permanent resident permits has increased astronomically since 2015.
Having displaced China in 2017 with more asylum requests, about 12,600 economic class immigrants from Nigeria gained permanent residence in 2019, mostly through Canada’s skilled workers’ immigration programme tagged: “Express Entry”.
In 2020, Nigeria is projected to have the highest number of finalised asylum claims. This is coming at a time when there are minimal asylum filings as a result of the COVID-19 travel restrictions across the world.
Meanwhile, as the whole world battles with the pandemic, Canada is still holding the express entry draws.
The increase in migration from Nigeria to Canada has been attributed to the economic downturn in the West African country, political persecution, educational opportunities, the quest for greener pastures and Canada’s openness to immigrants.
Moreover, the decision of the United States to extend its travel ban to Nigeria has made Canada more welcoming to most Nigerians.
Recently, the North American country had expressed the willingness to welcome 1.2 million immigrants in three years in its move to expand its labour force.
This has given room for more Nigerians to file claims with reasons including political persecutions over the #EndSARS protest that rocked the country in October. Some even file claims of discrimination owing to sexual or religious orientation.
“Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, every person who wants to enter Canada must appear for an examination at a port of entry in order for government officials to determine whether that person has a right to enter Canada, or if the individual may become authorized to enter and remain in Canada,” the Canadian government noted.
Superstar rapper Lil Wayne could allegedly face a decade in prison after a shock federal weapons charge.
The US Attorney for the Southern District of Florida has hit the rapper with one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, TMZ reported.
He could face up to 10 years in jail if he is convicted of the crimes.
The charge follows a December 2019 incident where federal agents searched the superstar’s plane at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport.
The rapper, real name Dwayne Michael Carter Jr, was a passenger on the plane when he was allegedly found with heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, $26,000 in cash and a gold gun.
Sources previously told the Miami Herald the officers got a tip-off about drugs possibly being transported into the airport.
When officials were allowed on board, the search warrant says “it was readily apparent” that Lil Wayne “was under the influence of illicit narcotics based on his delayed speech and partially closed eyes”.
The rapper later told officers that he received the gold-plate Glock firearm as a gift, and it stayed inside his book bag.
The arrest warrant said: “There is a gold-plated Glock firearm inside his book bag… which was given to him as a Father’s Day gift.”
The gun was listed as a gold Remington 911 in the arrest warrant.
Records show officers also found bullets, suspected cocaine, marijuana, heroin, $25,983 in cash and prescription strength cough syrup sometimes used to make ‘Purple drank’.
Purple Drank, also known as lean, is made with cough syrup, loaded with codeine and antihistamine and mixed with fizzy drinks to enhance the flavor.
Two police dogs searched the aircraft, and detected marijuana.
At the time of the incident, his attorney Howard Srebnick said that Carter was “cleared” to leave despite guns and drugs reportedly being found.
However, it appears now that the agents believe the artist was wrongfully in possession of a weapon and ammunition.
Lil Wayne is set to appear in court in December to face the charges.
The rapper hit the headlines recently after he publicly endorsed Donald Trump for the 2020 Election.
The record-breaking musician shocked many of his fans when he posted a picturing smiling next to Trump in Florida.
The pair each had a thumbs up and a large grin as they posed in front of American flags.
“Just had a great meeting with @realdonaldtrump @potus besides what he’s done so far with criminal reform, the platinum plan is going to give the community real ownership,” the rapper tweeted.
“He listened to what we had to say today and assured he will and can get it done.”
The Trump administration’s Platinum Plan aims at investing $500million into black communities and winning support from them.
A pregnant teenager was found murdered with her heart and intestines ripped out in a savage attack in South Africa.
Snegugu Linda, 19, told relatives she was going to visit her boyfriend two weeks ago and would be back home on November 15.
However, her body was found dumped in a pathway with her heart ripped out and parts of her digestive system next to her near Hammersdale, in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa.
Her devastated mother, Londiwe Linda, 33, after visiting the scene on Sunday, said there was little blood and Snegugu also had a doek, a cloth used for traditional coverings, over her mouth.
She said: “She was thrown there. Nothing says she was killed there.
“Snegugu was still young and had more to do in life than die like this. We want to know who did this.”
According to the grieving mother, she noticed that her daughter had a stab wound on her hand the last time she saw her alive two weeks ago.
She said Snegugu told her she was stabbed by her 30-year-old boyfriend during an argument.
Her daughter left the house before she could probe further about the argument and the wound, she said.
The family found out Snegugu had been murdered when they were alerted by someone, according to Mpume Miya, a family friend.
She said the victim lived at home with her family and had been expected back on Sunday.
She added that the brutal crime had left the family feeling sick.
Police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala confirmed that a murder investigation had been launched, according to IOL.
She said the motive of the crime was still unknown but revealed that Snegugu had suffered stab wounds to her back and stomach.
The dead teen’s boyfriend said the last time he saw her was Saturday afternoon after she said she was going to visit a friend.
He added that when she did not return as expected by 8pm, he went out searching for her in the area and also went to her friend’s house, where he was told she had left at 6pm.
He said he was informed that she had been stabbed when he went out searching for her again at 5.30am.
When asked about the stab wound, Hlela said Snegugu had hurt herself.
Mohammed Adamu, inspector-general of police (IGP), has tackled a retired major general of the Nigerian Army, who accused him of not being in control of the police.
While featuring on a Channels Television programme last week, Garba Wahab had reportedly said: “rather than improving the improvement (sic), the IGP is sitting down there with all the paraphernalia of office deprived of actually having control of police.”
But reacting via a statement on Monday, Frank Mba, police spokesman, quoted the IGP as saying the former army officer was “clearly wrong” as he spoke on issues “outside his area of core competence.”
“The Force wishes to categorically state that the Rtd Major General is wrong in his assertion as IGP Adamu is firmly in control of the administration and operation of the Nigeria Police Force,” the statement read.
“It notes that the comments by Rtd Major General Garba Wahab shows that he spoke purely out of ignorance and from a jackboot mentality that lacks proper understanding of democratic policing culture, rooted in the Rule of Law.”
The statement further described the IGP as “a global policing icon” who, since assuming office, “has shown sterling qualities in what the operational/administrative command and control of the Force should be.”
“This is exemplified in the various reform policies being implemented to reposition the Force for greater efficiency, uphold the rule of law in policing actions and drive a citizen-centred policing approach,” he said.
“It is to the credit of his robust leadership style that even in the face of the recent violence occasioned by the ENDSARS protest and provocative attacks on Police personnel and assets, the officers under his command exercised maximum restraint and stayed calm, professional and committed to maintaining law and order in the country.”
The Peoples Democratic Party has demanded the resignation of the Governor of the Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele, over Nigeria’s growing economic woes.
This was contained in a statement titled, ‘Economy in Shambles: PDP Asks CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele To Resign’, signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in Abuja, on Tuesday.
He noted that the party had extensively reviewed the poor state of the Nigerian economy over the last five years, and come to the conclusion that it would be best for the country for the CBN governor, “to step aside and allow more competent and less partisan hand to manage the affairs of our apex bank so as to rescue our economy from going comatose.”
According to him, the PDP was constrained to make this demand given the inability of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to be decisive on matters of state.
Ologbondiyan further said, “Our position is further predicated on the fact that a CBN Governor ought to have the competence and courage to offer and implement sound economic policies and check financial excesses, particularly in a situation where the President is not demonstrating a capacity to effectively run a national economy or check corruption and financial recklessness as being witnessed in our country under President Buhari.
The PDP statement also read, “The PDP also finds it shocking and very disappointing that the CBN abandoned its statutory roles to engage in vindictive clampdown on accounts of private businessmen and had refused to lift such clampdown despite the ruling of the court of competent jurisdiction in that regard.
“It equally scandalous that the CBN is also engaging punitive freezing of bank accounts of Nigerians for participating in the genuine and peaceful EndSARS protests, at a time it should be galvanizing efforts for solutions to the myriads of economic challenges facing our nation presently.”
Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi has said he wants to be a martyr who will be sacrificed to achieve the much-sought Igbo presidency.
Umahi made the declaration on Tuesday in Abakaliki while briefing newsmen, noting that only martyrs make sacrifices for the peoples’ interest in difficult times.
The governor, who confirmed that he is defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressive Congress (APC), said he will not regret the decision no matter its outcome.
“I have to lead the protest against the marginalisation of the Igbos by the PDP and I don’t have to consult anybody to lead such a protest.
“I don’t want the PDP to collapse in the south east but it can collapse itself in the zone if it does not heed to the peoples’ advice to entrench justice, fairness and equity.
“The PDP should be bold to declare its stand on zoning of the presidency to the south east and if it cannot, should tell us why we are not capable of holding such a position but will come for our votes during elections,” he said.
Umahi said that the decision to leave PDP was not about leadership but about patriotism, justice, fairness and the overall interest of the people.
“I am not vying for any position in the APC so anybody who does not like me over the defection will be fighting the air.
“I will instead play the fatherly role of guiding anyone who wants to vie for any position because it is a waste of time for any governor to seek replacing himself.
“When you are looking for everybody to be loyal to you in politics, you might not get to your destination because destinations are not straight but full of obstacles,” he said.
Umahi said that he will not be disturbed if the APC fails to zone the presidency to the south east but will depend on God to determine the matter.
“The APC, however, appears to be amenable towards working with the south east even though the south east never supported it the way it supported the PDP since 1999.
“We would be 24 years with the PDP by 2023 and Ebonyi, under my administration, will testify the numerous feats we have attained with the support of my friend and father, President Muhammadu Buhari,” he said.
He said that his defection has created a political gathering and mass movement, unprecedented in Ebonyi history with both PDP and APC faithful coming together to pursue a common cause.
“I will have no regrets if our agitations are not met in APC as it will be on record that a governor was sacrificed for the betterment of his people on what is rightfully, their due.
“We will still protest if we are still unfairly treated in the APC because protest is the beauty of democracy and if it doesn’t work now, it can work in future,” he said.
