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.
Big Brother Naija season four winner, Mercy Eke, said words of prayer for a critic who allegedly wished her dead.
In a Snapchat story on Monday, the reality TV star shared a private message she got from a critic on the social platform.
The user told her, “Disappear from the face of the earth Olosho. I hoped you will be dead by now. God go soon answer my prayer. I hope you die there in Morocco.”(sic)
In response to the troll’s comment, Mercy, who is currently on vacation in Malaysia, said, “Wow. It’s not that deep na. May God keep you alive to keep watching me. May all your pain and bitterness turn to sweet and honey. I’m sending you love.”(sic)
Mercy, in 2019, won the Big Brother Naija season four tagged ‘Pepper Dem’. Since then, she has been an active media personality and entrepreneur.
She recently launched her reality TV series titled ‘Mercy What’s Next?’, where she shares details of her celebrity life.
Her recent post comes two days after BBNaija Shine Ya Eye finalist, Angel Smith, also alleged death threats because of her relationship status.
According to her, fans have been calling her to threaten her about her friendship with their fave.
Tributes are being paid to former US Secretary of State Colin Powell, who has died of Covid-19 complications aged 84.
The former top military officer died on Monday morning, his family said. He was fully vaccinated.
Powell became the first African-American secretary of state in 2001 under Republican President George W Bush.
He also sparked controversy for helping garner support for the Iraq War.
“We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American,” the family said in a statement, thanking the staff at the Walter Reid Medical Center “for their caring treatment”.
Powell had previously been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer which may have made him more susceptible to Covid symptoms, according to US media, as well as Parkinson’s disease.
President Joe Biden, calling Powell a “dear friend”, said he had embodied the “highest ideals of both warrior and diplomat”.
Former President Bush was among the first to pay tribute to “a great public servant” as well as “a family man and a friend” who “was such a favourite of presidents that he earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom – twice”.
Mr Bush’s Vice-President, Dick Cheney, saluted Powell as “a man who loved his country and served her long and well” while also being “a trailblazer and role model for so many”.
Condoleezza Rice, Powell’s successor as secretary of state and the first black woman in the role, called him “a truly great man” whose “devotion to our nation was not limited to the many great things he did while in uniform or during his time spent in Washington”.
“Much of his legacy will live on in the countless number of young lives he touched.”
Current secretary of state Antony Blinken called Powell’s life “a victory of the American Dream”.
Powell gave the Department of State “the very best of his leadership,” Mr Blinken said. “He never stopped believing in America, and we believe in America in no small part because it helped produce someone like Colin Powell.”
Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair – who worked closely with Powell during the early years of the Iraq War – said he was someone of “immense capability and integrity” who was “a great companion, with a lovely and self-deprecating sense of humour”.
Remembrances also poured in from prominent African-American leaders. Civil rights activist Al Sharpton called him “a sincere and committed man”, while members of the Congressional Black Caucus praised his “legacy of valour and integrity”.
US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin, the first black man to serve in that role, hailed Powell as “a tremendous personal friend and mentor” who would be “impossible to replace”.
Once a moderate Republican, Powell became a trusted military adviser to a number of leading US politicians.
But he broke with his party to endorse Barack Obama in 2008, as well as Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020. A sharp critic of Republican president Donald Trump, Powell said he could no longer call himself a Republican after the violent 6 January riot at the US Capitol.
He also saw service and was wounded in Vietnam, an experience that later helped define his own military and political strategies.
However, he would say himself that his own legacy had been damaged by a speech to the United Nations Security Council which used faulty intelligence to back the invasion of Iraq.
“It was painful. It’s painful now,” Powell told ABC News in 2005.
Colin Powell was an iconic American success story. The child of immigrants, he became the first black man to rise to the highest positions in US military and diplomacy.
In the 1990s, Powell was one of the few American public figures with appeal that crossed political boundaries – reminiscent of General Dwight D Eisenhower after the Second World War.
Unlike Eisenhower, Powell would not ascend to the presidency – although there were abundant calls for him to run.
Those calls dwindled after the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, a decision Powell later acknowledged was a “blot” on his legacy. He had staked his reputation on the presence of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction – and his reputation suffered for it.
In his later years, Powell became a different kind of icon. His drift away from the Republican Party following Donald Trump’s rise to power reflected the dwindling influence of Powell’s moderate, internationalist faction within the American conservative movement.
Powell’s life may be somewhat overshadowed by his cause of death, as he now ranks as the most prominent American to succumb to Covid-19.
Besides authorities’ resistance to activities commemorating one year anniversary of #EndSARS protests this week, the Federal Government appears to be haunted by worries of social resistance in implementing certain policies that can reduce its dependence on borrowing and expenditure on subsidies.
Government’s challenges are coupled with the fact that many Nigerians are currently struggling to sustain daily living due to rise in food prices and inflationary trend on basic household essentials, amid dwindling incomes.
While the #EndSARS crisis was primarily a fall-out of demand for the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and other police reforms, it later became an agitation for governance overhaul.
Indeed, the level of carnage that was witnessed as a result of the social unrest last year remains unprecedented with the effect still visible on the morale of policemen. While the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) estimates about N700 billion as losses in economic value to the mayhem, other economists put the loss above N1 trillion.
One year on, many businesses are yet to be compensated while the insurance industry has not extended its coverage to the impact of disasters from the unrest.
In August, the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) said insurance companies had paid over N5.4 billion in claims settlement arising from #EndSARS losses.
The NIA Director-General, Yetunde Ilori, said: “There is a privacy policy regarding insurance. For the #EndSARS period, we have paid over N5.4 billion in settlement of claims. As an umbrella body, we would summarise what we are doing in terms of insurance claims payment later.”
Also, Chairman, NIA, Ganiyu Musa, said about 2,000 insured businesses were affected by the violence. He said insurance operators were still collating claims, stressing that every genuine claim would be settled.
Recent figures show 25 insurance firms have recorded claims totalling N20.4 billion from losses that emanated from the #EndSARS protests, while the companies have set aside a reserve of N13.2 billion to settle the claims.
The NIA DG added: “Out of a total of 1,661 claims that we have received, 143 have been fully settled; a total of N105 million claims had been paid; 539 claimants are yet to substantiate their claims with the necessary documents; seven claims were repudiated because they were not covered by any of the policies; while 972 claims are going to be settled.”
Out of the number of claims received, 667 of the claimants were from Lagos.
On the development of insurance schemes to address impacts of social unrests, stakeholders urged underwriting firms to extend their comprehensive policies to cover high risks such as storms, earthquakes, arson, and mass destruction emanating from social unrest, for them to meet the N1 trillion premium income target and contribute immensely to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the economy.
The experts, who spoke with The Guardian, are of the opinion that only four per cent of first-tier insurers can afford special insurance products against such loss.
Executive Brand Management and Corporate Communications/Customer Engagement, Social Media Campaign, International Energy Insurance Plc, Tamuno Kari, described social unrest as a business risk that business owners are concerned about, especially underwriting firms that bear losses that emanate from such situations.
According to Kari, the implication to the industry is that some insurance companies provide in their comprehensive policies against fire, earthquake, storms and vandalism as a result of public unrest, even though, the rates charged for such policies are much higher than regular comprehensive policies against fire, road accidents, burglary, and theft.
“The situation of the Nigerian economy, which has dictated low disposable income has made insurance companies in the country to play safe by not extending their comprehensive policies to cover high risks such as storms, earthquakes, others emanating from social unrest,” he stated.
The Independent Director, Saham Unitrust Insurance Co. Limited, Adebayo Adeleke, told The Guardian that social unrest is manifested in mob action with its attendant destruction, looting, vandalisation, among others.
“The implication for insurance companies is a huge claim payout where affected persons or businesses are insured. Insurance exists as underwriters of risk. Where and when the risk crystallises, the insurance is duty-bound to pay the insured to offset losses incurred by the insured.
“The industry has several products that cater to various categories of risk. The culture of insurance is just growing especially amongst the masses. Religious beliefs have held many people back from facing the reality that the unexpected does happen,” he stated.
From currency pressure to increased prices in Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)/cooking gas and Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) or diesel, Nigeria’s core inflation remains high and reflecting in other commodities.
Although the economy witnessed an incremental deceleration in inflation over the last couple of months, high inflationary pressures remain a major concern to stakeholders in the Nigeria economy.
At about $85 a barrel, Nigeria is yet to witness the impact of the improved earnings from crude oil on its external reserves, alongside rising subsidy payments.
With a proposal to remove both electricity and fuel subsidies by 2022, there are concerns about how to implement the proposals quietly without creating uproar from labour unions and citizens, an example being a slight electricity tariff adjustment implemented quietly last week without notifying consumers.
With the international oil benchmark, Brent crude, at $84.86 per barrel, the landing cost of imported petrol is expected to increase, spiking the pump price of petrol.
The price of diesel has already skyrocketed beyond N330 per litre, an indication that may further worsen the plight of local manufacturers and businesses that largely rely on the product for power generation in the face of erratic power supply in the country.
Amid plans to increase electricity tariff from January as part of the implementation of the Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO), stakeholders are worried about increase in prices of goods and services, high inflation, foreign exchange challenges as well as poverty surge.
Though Nigeria’s headline inflation in the month of September 2021 dropped further to 16.63 per cent compared to 17.01 per cent recorded in the previous month, a decline described by the Statistician-General of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Simon Harry, as reflective of government’s intervention, rising food prices appeared to have defied all odds going by the steep rise in many basic commodities, month-on-month.
Specifically, core inflation reversed the moderation witnessed in August as it increased by 47bps to 1.24 per cent month-on-month in September in line with the increase in the prices of energy and household appliances.
“Our sole responsibility is in terms of producing the data that concerns some of these developments. It is not our responsibility to formulate policies that will control some of these negative happenings.”
“We go beyond our responsibility to identify some factors responsible for some of these problems and then present them to the policymakers and advise them to come out with policies to help strengthen the system so we have a better system,” Harry added.
However, an economist and Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), Dr. Muda Yusuf, said many investors and state governments were yet to recover from the destruction of public facilities and businesses during the #EndSARS protest in October 2020, adding that the economic implication of the protest was enormous due to the wanton destruction of public and private property after it was hijacked by hoodlums.
He noted that the way forward was for government at all levels to strengthen engagements with citizens. “These were complaints that had been on for a number of years and because these complaints were not addressed, it eventually led to an implosion.
“When people have grievances and those grievances are not addressed promptly, it leads to an accumulation of anger, and any little trigger can cause chaos.”
There are indications that the Economic and Crimes Commission has commenced investigations into the alleged tax evasion by some Nigerians named in the Pandora Papers.
It was gathered that a former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, has already been summoned for questioning by the commission over his secret assets and financial deals exposed in the Pandora Papers.
Apart from Obi, the acting Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority, Mohammed Bello-Koko; and a former minister and serving senator, Stella Oduah, mentioned in the report are also being probed.
Others include Governor Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi State, Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State as well as his associates including former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, and Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun.
Children of a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), were also said to have engaged in offshore deals.
Pandora Papers is the biggest leak of 11.9 million documents from offshore services providers, detailing the secret offshore accounts of 35 world leaders, including current and former presidents, prime ministers, and heads of state as well as celebrities.
The EFCC was said to have asked Obi to report at the agency’s Abuja headquarters on October 27 for questioning following revelations that he incorporated offshore holdings, which he did not declare to the Code of Conduct Bureau when he served as a governor, apart from allegedly operating foreign accounts and hiding his wealth in tax havens to evade taxes.
PremiumTimes, which has been publishing the Pandora Papers, said Obi and others were being investigated for tax evasion.
The EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said he had not been briefed on the investigations.
Obi did not respond to calls on Sunday and he had yet to reply a text message sent to his phone as of the time of filing this report.
The United Front (TUF), a group within the Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Sunday alleged that a former governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun is fuelling crisis in the Oyo State chapter of the party.
The group alleged that Amosun is working hard to hijack the party’s structure in Oyo.
TUF, therefore, called on President Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders of the party to intervene and stop Amosun from causing more crises in the party.
The group stated this in a statement made available to newsmen in Ibadan on Sunday.
It accused Amosun of sponsoring members of the Unity Forum in the state, which include Prof. Adeolu Akande, Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle, Bayo Shittu, Dr. Ismail Adewusi to divide the party.
“Amosun takes absolute delight in the fragmentation of Oyo APC for the purpose of extending the web of schism he established in Ogun APC to other parts of the South-West. His divisive ego-trip in Oyo State can be traced to the build-up to the 2019 elections when he extensively bankrolled Unity Forum to tear the fabrics of the party’s wholeness apart – a move that triggered the inevitable lacklustre performance of the party in the gubernatorial polls.
“When Oyo APC restricted his petulant kicks aimed at opening cracks in the party’s leadership, Amosun later established a strong foothold in the ADC along with his bedfellows in the Unity Forum to scuttle the chances of his own party. It is on record that he channelled a large junk of Ogun State resources to finance the mobilisation and campaigns of ADC candidate, Senator Femi Lanlehin. However, his dream to glide ADC to power was built on illusionary hopes, as the party fell flat in the senatorial election which made Amosun’s camp to become completely rattled. With no other options up his sleeves, he lent formidable support to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate, Engr Seyi Makinde,” the statement reads in part.
The group also alleged that Amosun had given out a huge amount of money to Unity Forum to allow them to take over the party.
It said, “Recently Amosun’s political hatchet men have returned to the drawing board with a view to sowing seeds of discord among the age-long party faithful. It has been revealed that the former governor has released up to 200
Million Naira to the likes of Prof. Adeolu Akande, Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle, Barr. Shittu, Senator Ayo Adeseun, and Dr. Ismail Adewusi with a mandate to either take over the party structure in the state or cause endless crises that will mar the chances of the party in the 2023 elections.”
The group while recalling the role played by the former governor during the 2019 general elections in Ogun State said, “Amosun has consistently shown, with his divisive inclination and high-handedness that he lacks the requisites expected of managing a party even at the ward level. We can’t forget in a hurry how he almost succeeded in running Ogun APC into a state of inoperable rigidity, as he openly backed Adekunle Akinlade of APM in the 2019 gubernatorial polls. His eyes are kept on devising the same template in Oyo State.
“We hereby appeal to our revered leader, President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) and all esteemed leaders of APC in the South-West to look critically into all contentious issues in Oyo APC and prioritise oneness of all party members. Oyo APC might start swinging in a downward spiral unless the likes of Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Prof. Adeolu Akande, Barr. Bayo Shittu, Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle, Dr. Adewusi, Sen. Adeseun, Senator Akanbi and other divisive elements are made to sit out of the party’s affairs.”
The group also urged the APC CECPC to investigate the alleged forgery of sensitive documents by some party chieftains in Oyo State, which led to the postponement of the October 16 state congress in the state.
“APC CECPC must investigate the matter with a view to bringing the erring members of the party to book. Punishment of the fraudulent members will serve as a deterrent,” the statement concluded.
The United States said Friday it has offered to pay unspecified compensation to relatives of 10 people in Afghanistan including seven children who were killed by mistake in a US drone strike as American forces were completing their withdrawal.
In a statement the Pentagon also said it was working with the State Department to relocate to the United States any of those relatives who wish to leave Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.
The offer to pay these people was made Thursday in a meeting between Colin Kahl, the under secretary of defense for policy, and Steven Kwon, the founder and president of an aid group active in Afghanistan called Nutrition and Education International, the Pentagon said in a statement.
That organization employed Ezmarai Ahmadi, who was wrongly identified as an Islamic State militant by US intelligence on August 29 during the final days of the chaotic US evacuation from Kabul.
US intelligence tracked his white Toyota for eight hours before targeting the car with a missile, killing seven children and three adults, including Ahmadi.
US Central Command commander General Kenneth McKenzie said at the time that American intelligence had seen the vehicle at a site in Kabul that had been identified as a location from which IS operatives were believed to be preparing attacks on the Kabul airport.
Three days earlier an Islamic State-Khorasan suicide bomber had killed scores at the airport, including 13 US service members.
But last month US officials conceded the drone attack was an error.
In the meeting Thursday “Dr. Kahl noted that the strike was a tragic mistake and that Mr. Ezmarai Ahmadi and others who were killed were innocent victims who bore no blame and were not affiliated with ISIS-K or threats to US forces,” said a statement attributed to Defense Department spokesman John Kirby.
“Dr. Kahl reiterated Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s commitment to the families, including offering ex gratia condolence payments,” he added without saying how much money was offered.
Last month relatives of the people killed in the attack demanded compensation and a face to face apology.
Austin has apologized for the botched attack. However, Ahmadi’s 22-year-old nephew Farshad Haidari said that was not enough.
“They must come here and apologize to us face-to-face,” he told AFP in a bombed-out, modest house in Kwaja Burga, a densely populated neighborhood in Kabul.
Haidari, whose brother Naser and young cousins also died in the blast, said on September 18 that the US had made no direct contact with the family.
In the meeting Thursday NEI chief Kwon spoke of how Ahmadi worked with that aid organization “over many years, providing care and lifesaving assistance for people facing high mortality rates in Afghanistan.”
