Nigerian celebrities have taken to social media, especially on the microblogging site, Twitter, to mark the first anniversary of the #EndSARS protest.
A year ago, it was reported that #EndSARS protesters were shot at by personnel of the Nigerian army at the Lekki Toll Gate; an action that led to the loss of lives.
Marking the first anniversary of the #EndSARS protest, popular Nigerian musician and social crusader, Folarin Falana, fondly referred to as Falz, tweeted, “365 days ago, Nigerian citizens were shot and killed at the toll gate by our own military men.
“Today, we honour them because they have sacrificed their very existence for a cause bigger than all of us. They live forever in our hearts.”
Also, marking the first anniversary of the sad incident, ace Nigerian actress, Uche Jombo, via her verified Twitter account, wrote, “20th October! A day in history! #EndSARSMemorial #EndSARS we will never forget!”
Popular Disc Jockey, DJ Cuppy, simply tweeted, “We will NEVER forget! Flag of Nigeria Broken heart #EndSARSMemorial #EndPoliceBrutality. ‘Lazy Nigerian Youth’ are changing Nigeria and sacrificing their own lives for generations to come!!!” (sic)
Sonorous singer, Tems, while marking the sad occasion that occurred last year tweeted, “The bullets, the blood and tears. We will NEVER forget. #EndSARSMemorial.”
A former Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi, has described embattled secessionist leaders, Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Igboho, as more popular than all politicians put together in their respective regions.
Kanu is the leader of pro-Biafra group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).Both Igboho and Kanu had agitated for Nigeria’s break-up and both are currently languishing in detention. Kanu is being detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) in Nigeria while Igboho is being detained in Benin Republic after his arrest in the West African country as he was trying to flee to Germany.
However, according to Obi, a former Governor of Anambra State, Igboho and Kanu were made popular by their messages because of the dearth of hope for the Nigerian populace.
Obi said this at an event titled, “National Security Challenge: Youths neglect?” held in Abuja.
“In the South-West, Sunday Igboho is far more popular than all the politicians put together.
“In the South-East, Nnamdi Kanu is far more popular than all the politicians put together.
Obi noted that the agitation for the breakup of Nigeria was fuelled by lack of hope, saying “what drives people to live in a country is hope”.
Meanwhile, the trial of Kanu continues at the Federal High Court, Abuja on Thursday, October 21.
Former Big Brother Naija Shine Ya Eye finalist, Angel Smith, has stated that she sometimes hates her body because she feels ugly whenever she loses weight.
The 21-year-old writer made this known during a Question and Answer session on her Instagram story.
During the session, a fan asked, “Did you ever go through body dysmorphia/low self esteem? How did you overcome it?”
Angel answered, “Yeah, sometimes I hate my body and I feel ugly when I lose weight.”
According to her, she appreciates her body by standing naked in front of the mirror.
“I know it’s weird but I stand in front of a mirror naked and appreciate my body,” Angel wrote.
During the session, Angel also revealed that her love languages are acts of service and receiving gifts.
Another fan asked, “What would someone do to you that’s unforgivable?”
Angel answered, “Nothing. I forgive easily. I just don’t restore the relationship.”
Earlier, the reality star had weighed in on a viral sex tape involving an iconic Nigerian singer, Tiwa Savage.
As the video has gone viral, social media users on several platforms have taken to their accounts to air their opinion on the situation, and some wasted no time in blaming the singer.
Responding to Tiwa’s critics, Angel has stated that they should stop victim bullying, adding that the release of such an intimate video is a criminal offense.
However, some celebrities have drummed up support for the singer, as they uploaded her picture and hailed her on Instagram.
Many scientists are pressing the British government to reimpose social restrictions and speed up booster vaccinations as coronavirus infection rates, already Europe’s highest, further rises.
The United Kingdom recorded 49,156 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, the largest number since mid-July. New infections averaged 43,000 a day over the past week, a 15 percent increase compared with the week before.
Last week, the Office for National Statistics estimated that one in 60 people in England had the virus, one of the highest levels seen in Britain during the pandemic.
In July, Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government lifted all the legal restrictions that had been imposed more than a year earlier to slow the spread of the virus, including face coverings indoors and social distancing rules. Nightclubs and other crowded venues were allowed to open at full capacity, and people were no longer advised to work from home if they could.
Some modellers feared a big spike in cases after the reopening. That did not occur, but infections remained high, and recently have begun to increase.
So have hospitalisations and deaths, which are averaging more than 100 a day – far lower than when cases were last this high, before much of the population was vaccinated, but still too high, critics of the government say.
Some say Britons have been too quick to return to pre-pandemic behaviour. Masks and social distancing are gone in most settings in England, including schools, though other parts of the UK remain a bit more strict. Even in shops, where masks are recommended, and on the London transit network, where they are mandatory, adherence is patchy.
A plan to require proof of vaccination to attend nightclubs, concerts and other mass events in England was dropped by the Conservative government amid opposition from politicians, though Scotland introduced a vaccine pass programme this month.
Some scientists say a bigger factor is waning immunity. Britain’s vaccination program got off to a quick start, with shots given to the elderly and vulnerable starting last December. That means millions of people have been vaccinated for more than six months, and studies have suggested vaccines’ protection gradually wanes over time.
Millions of people in Britain are being offered booster shots, but critics say the programme is moving too slowly. And while almost 80 percent of people over 12 are fully vaccinated, the number of doses delivered each day has declined sharply.
The UK also waited longer than the United States and many European nations to vaccinate children aged 12-15, and most in that age group still have not received their shots.
“It’s critical we accelerate the booster programme,” said epidemiologist Neil Ferguson, a member of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies.
Ferguson said one factor influencing the UK’s high case numbers was that it has relied heavily on the AstraZeneca vaccine, “and, while that protects very well against very severe outcomes of COVID, it protects slightly less well than Pfizer against infection and transmission, particularly in the face of the Delta variant”.
He also noted that “most Western European countries have kept in place more control measures, vaccine mandates, mask-wearing mandates, and tend to have lower case numbers and certainly not case numbers which are going up as fast as we’ve got.
“But at the end of the day this is a policy decision for government to make,” he told the BBC.
Last month, the Prime Minister said the country might need to move to a “Plan B” – reintroducing measures such as mandatory masks and bringing in vaccine passes – if cases rose so high in the autumn and winter that the health system came under intense strain.
For now, the government says it will not change course.
Johnson’s spokesman, Max Blain, said “We always knew the next few months would be challenging.” But he said the government was trying to protect “both lives and livelihoods”.
“Because of the protections put in place by our vaccination programme, we are able to be one of the most open economies in Europe,” he said. “We believe this approach is the right one. We continue to keep it under review.”
The Lagos State Police Command on Tuesday began a show of force to warn those planning on staging #EndSARS memorial protests in the state on October 20, 2021.
The activists behind the planned protests have stated that they will be having a car procession in honour of those believed to have lost their lives during the #EndSARS protests of October 2020.
The car procession will drive through the Lekki tollgate in Lagos which was the epicentre of the protests last year.
Lagos Police Warn Against Any Form Of Protest
The State Police Command’s Spokesperson, Adekunle Ajisebutu, in a statement, a few days ago, warned that the police would not hesitate to use all legal means to stop the protest from taking place following the experience of the last #EndSARS protests.
According to him, “Lagosians and indeed Nigerians cannot afford to relive the distasteful experience of last year’s protest which caused pain, anguish, needless loss of lives and wanton destruction of public and private property.
“In view of the volatility of the present situations in the country and the breakdown of law and order which the planned protest might cause, the Lagos State Police Command sternly warns against any form of protest today.”
He added, “The command wishes to use this medium to warn the youth, groups or associations planning such protest to jettison the idea forthwith.”
What #EndSARS Protests Were About
The #EndSARS protests were against the activities of the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad, a unit of the Nigeria Police Force which was accused of police brutality.
The epicentre of the protests was the Lekki tollgate in Lagos where many youths gathered day and night to air their grievances against police brutality and bad governance.
They were dispersed from the location by gun-wielding soldiers on October 20, 2020, an action which some quarters believe led to the loss of lives.
This was followed by the destruction of private and public properties by hoodlums in Lagos, an incident that informed the latest warning issued by the police in the state.
To warn against a repeat of what was witnessed in the state last year, the operatives of the state police command patrolled the streets in armoured tanks and other police vehicles.
A 200 level student of the University of Ibadan (UI), Oluwaseun Ayomide Adeyemo, yesterday died in a car accident.
The student of the department of Microbiology was involved in a car accident around Mobil filling station, UI Ojoo axis.
She was rushed to the University Health Clinic popularly known as Jaja but efforts to save her life proved abortive as she passed on due to excessive loss of blood.
Her death came barely 24 hours as the university community was mourning the loss of a 400 level student of the department of History, Adebayo Adegoke.
Adegoke was allegedly shot by robbers around Pre-Boye World Shopping Complex in the late hours of 10:00 p.m. on Saturday.
A source, who preferred anonymity said, the deceased, who lived in Independence hall was shot and efforts to save his life proved abortive as he was unable to make it to the hospital.
The students’ union officials were joined by the Dean Students Affairs, Professor A. Abiona, Head of Department of History and some other students’ leaders to visit the Bodija police station in order to ensure proper investigation is carried out on the deaths.
President Muhammadu Buhari has sent a stern warning to bandits, saying that “the clock of your ultimate destruction is ticking as you will no longer have a place to hide.”
In a statement in Abuja on Monday, Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s spokesman, said President Buhari was reacting to the killing of over 30 people in Goronyo in Sokoto State on Sunday by bandits.
According to the President, the days of the bandits are indeed numbered because the military capabilities of armed forces are being boosted by the acquisition and deployment of advanced equipment.
“The bandits are living in fool’s paradise of invincibility, but reality will soon dawn on them harder than ever before.
”The bandits are currently under desperate pressures because of the intense and sustained air and ground operations against them in their hideouts by our security forces.
“The cowardly attacks on innocent people by the bandits show a rearguard action of criminals under pressure.
”But they will have no place to hide and our gallant security forces will not relent in the current offensive to defeat these callous enemies of humanity,” the president emphasised.
He appealed to all Nigerians “not to despair because this administration is determined more than ever before to protect Nigerians from murderous criminal gangs that have no respect for the sanctity human of life.”
The President extended his sympathy to the families of the victims of the Goronyo attack and called on the people to continue to be patient as the military strategises on how to deliver the crushing blow to these bandits.”
A civil society organisation, the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL), has asked the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) to probe all Nigerians mentioned in the revealed Pandora Papers.
The Pandora Papers had exposed shady financial deals of prominent figures around the world and some Nigerians in the political and economic circles were not exempted.
According to CACOL, the named figures should be prosecuted by the ICPC.
Among those exposed by the Pandora Papers are; Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu, former Anambra Governor, Peter Obi, former Minister, Senator Stella Oduah among others.
The call was made on Monday in a letter signed by CACOL chairman, Debo Adeniran, and addressed to the ICPC.
Adeniran said, “With the highest regard to you and your office, CACOL hereby petitioned your office to investigate and possibly prosecute those mentioned in the recent Pandora Papers revelation.
“The Pandora Papers is one of the biggest ever corruption leaks led by International Consortium of Investigative Journalists ICIJ and over 600 journalists from 117 countries, including Journalists from Nigeria’s Premium Times Center for Investigative Journalists (PTCIJ).
“Following the pattern of two previous leaks (i.e., the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers, which were released in 2016 and 2017, respectively), the Pandora Papers exposes systems and jurisdictions that enable and abet crime, corruption, and wrongdoing by politicians, billionaires, influential individuals, and their enablers globally.
“Since its release on October 3, 2021, Nigerians have read in awe details of financial transactions and practices of politicians and influential individuals that exploit and, in some cases, violate and undermine extant financial guidelines and policies and threaten our corporate existence and collective wellbeing.
“To this end, we hereby call for urgent investigation of some of the politicians, former and serving public officials, including Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, former PDP Vice-presidential candidate and former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, APC chieftain, Senator Stella Oduah, among others.
“Sir, you will recall that the earlier leaks i.e. Panama Papers and the Paradise papers led to significant protests across the globe and the fall of governments, dismissal of officials, criminal investigations, and asset confiscations.
“Unfortunately, both have had minimal impact in Nigeria as many of those indicted in the two papers are still moving around as they were not brought to account especially the likes of Dr. Bukola Saraki, Former Senate President and others despite our unrelenting demand that they should be investigated.
“CACOL, as you are aware, is an aggregate of human rights, community based and civil society organizations and individuals with an anti-corruption and openness in governance agenda across Nigeria. It is a non-political, non-religious, non-sectarian, non-profit organization.
“Sir, we are encouraged to submit this petition to you based on our resolve to always expose any corrupt act(s) being perpetrated by anyone either in public or private sphere.
“Moreover, this petition is directed at your good offices, knowing that statutorily, it is the primary responsibility of Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to investigate and prosecute this kind of cases and we have no doubt that you will do due diligence in carrying out this assignment for public good.”
The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday ordered the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to immediately release the travel passport of former governor of Rivers, Dr Peter Odili.
Delivering judgment in a suit on breach of fundamental rights filed by Odili, Justice Inyang Ekwo held that the NIS had no legal justification to seize the former governor’s passport.
Justice Ekwo also declared that the seizure of Odili’s passport was contemptuous and constituted an infringement on his fundamental rights.
He also made an order restraining the NIS from further arresting, intimidating or harassing Odili.
The judge also ordered the NIS to write a letter of apology to Odili for embarrassing him in the manner in which his passport was seized.
He added that the claim by the NIS that Odili’s passport was seized because he was on EFCC watch list was done in violation and disobedience of an earlier court order.
He further said that the claim was not backed by any evidence for the court to consider.
“The reason given by the respondent for the seizure of the passport is that he was on the watch list of the EFCC.
“This claim is not backed by any evidence showing that the EFCC requested the seizure of his passport.
“It is settled law that any pleading that is not backed by evidence is of no effect,’’ the judge held.
Justice Ekwo also held that Odili tendered a judgment in evidence showing that the EFCC had no legal backing to order that his passport be seized.
The judge equally dismissed the claim by the NIS that the person who instituted the suit was different from the person whose passport was seized saying it was one and the same person.
He said this was verified by comparing the photograph on the travel passport with the one on the process filed in court.
The court further held that the action of the NIS was primitive and a humiliation of Odili and that no Nigerian deserved to be treated in such manner regardless of class or status.
“The travel passport is not a document that can just be taken away from a citizen by the whims and caprices of any person.
“Such seizure must be done in strict compliance with the law, Justice Ekwo ruled.
According to him, law enforcement agencies must understand that they are first and foremost agents of the law and must act in accordance with the law.
Odili, who was governor of Rivers from 1999 to 2007, had approached the court to challenge the seizure of his travel passport by the NIS.
He told the court that his passport with number B50031305 was seized from him on June 20 by NIS officials for undisclosed reasons, shortly after he landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
He said the NIS had since refused to release the passport to him.
In an eight-paragraph affidavit to which the former governor deposed, Odili said he landed at the airport from the United Kingdom where he had gone for his routine medical check-up.
He averred that upon his arrival, his travel documents were checked and returned to him.
He added that while he awaited his luggage to be cleared, however, an Immigration official approached him and demanded for the passport on claim of routine check.
Odili told the court that he complied and handed his documents to the official who went away with his passport and failed to return it.
The former governor said that he is a law-abiding senior citizen of Nigeria that did not do anything to warrant the seizure of his passport, and prayed the court to intervene in the matter.
He prayed the court to compel the NIS to release the passport to him, and order a perpetual injunction stopping it from further harassing, embarrassing, intimidating or interfering with his fundamental right to freedom of movement.
Odili equally prayed the court to compel the NIS to write a letter of apology to him for the embarrassment it caused him.
At least 1000 farmers gathered in Ekiti State on Monday to protest against the unpaid compensation for their farms acquired by the state government.
The farmers, who came from five communities in the state, demanded compensation for their land that is being used for the ongoing construction of the agro-allied cargo airport, along Ado-Ijan road.
The farmers, mostly the aged and widows, pleaded with the state governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, to consider their plights and the investment on their farm lands and pay them compensation as promised.
The farmers were harmed with placards with different inscriptions such as; “Ekiti Assembly please come to our aide,” “Governor Fayemi should pay our money without delay,” “The farmers cry for help”; “We need commission for our land acquired by government” among others.
They threatened to stop work at the airport site by invoking ancestral power if the government failed to pay their compensation within the next seven days.
Osho Olorunfemi, who spoke on behalf of the farmers, asserted that the over 1,000 farmers from the five affected communities Ijan, igbogun, Aso, Igbemo, and Orun Bolorunduro communities whose land were acquired for the airport had lost huge amount of money in investment on the crops.
He urged the governor to urgently address their grievances and pay them the compensation. Noting that failure of the government to effect the payment within the next seven days, would leave the farmers with no other option than to storm the site and invoke spiritual power on the land.
”It is government that said people should embrace farming but here we are now, after so much investment on cocoa, plantain, cassava, palm tree and other crops, government came to destroy them.
“Since March this year, we have been on this issue but nothing is forthcoming, all we hear is promise and assurance since then. We are tired of promises; we need our money to start life again because we are completely down at the moment. We are aware some persons have been paid but not all of us.
“We are giving the government a seven-day ultimatum for them to pay us and if they default, we will be here on the airport site to do the needful and whatever happens after, we should not be blamed.”
However, the coordinator of the airport project, Bunmi Awotikun who assured the farmers that government was attending to their demands and that they would soon be paid, urged the affected farmers to embrace peace.
