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How Nigerian Soldiers Killed One, Razed Houses In Abia Communities To Avenge Colleague

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3 years ago

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The attack resulted in loss of properties worth millions of naira while the affected victims were left in a state of hopelessness.

Residents of Ohafia communities in Abia State have lamented the terror unleashed on them by soldiers of the Nigerian Army who allegedly invaded their communities, killing and burning houses.

The soldier allegedly attacked Ohafia in retaliation following a military officer that was shot by suspected armed members of the Eastern Security Network, ESN, in the town.

The attack resulted in loss of properties worth millions of naira while the affected victims were left in a state of hopelessness.

It was learnt that the incident happened when a military officer who had reportedly come to Ebem daily market to buy goods, without any sign of provocation, was shot at Ebem by some men in mufti.

The injured soldier was said to have escaped the scene of the incident with injuries, but soon after, several other soldiers stormed the market.

They arrived at the Ebem Park which is about three kilometres from their barracks and dislodged all workers.

They also occupied the premises for two weeks and demanded information about the men that shot their colleague, ICIR reports.

A report by The ICRI said, “After vacating Ebem Park, the soldiers reportedly set up roadblocks and invaded some villages in Ohafia such as Amangwu, which shares a border with Ebonyi State and is surrounded by forests and bushes, with only a few motorable roads. Residents of Amangwu are predominantly farmers and traders, and the soldiers believed that they were providing refuge for the gunmen.

“The ICIR learnt that military personnel stormed Amangwu on June 11 in seven Army Hilux vans, shooting sporadically and throwing firebombs into shops and houses. According to multiple sources, the soldiers stayed in the village for two days before leaving on June 13.

“A commercial motorcycle rider from Okongo who came to the community to drop off a lady was reportedly killed by the soldiers during the sporadic shootings.

“Multiple accounts from residents said the motorcyclist was hit by a stray bullet and escaped to a nearby building for safety, but the soldiers went after him, dragged him out and rained more bullets on him until he died. His kinsmen later retrieved his body for burial.”

According to ICIR, only a few traders could be seen at Amangwu market doing business as many shops had been destroyed.

“We were outside when we heard that men of the Nigerian Army were coming, soon we started hearing gunshots and we had to abandon our shops and run into the village,” a businesswoman Ucha Ndukwe, who lost five shops to the incident told The ICIR.

“I just bought new stocks for my shop. I deal in palm oil and provisions, but by the time I came back, everything was already razed down. I did not even have a pin to pick,” Ucha who is a widow also told the medium.

She said life has been mostly unbearable for her and her children since the incident.

The traditional ruler of Amangwu community, A.A. Obobi said he was inside his chambers when he heard that the Nigerian Army were advancing towards the community.

“I was inside my palace when I learnt that the Nigerian Army officials were taking over the community, I could not go out because I did not want to be injured, even though some youths tried to stand their ground but houses were burnt by the soldiers, we lost properties amid wanton destruction.

“By the time men of the Army were leaving, they had destroyed 28 houses and we had lost properties worth over N50 million.

“Many persons left the community due to the attack, women and children had to leave due to the incident of the attack and when some persons came back, we learnt that the men of the Nigerian Army were planning to come back and people moved out again,” he narrated.

The traditional ruler also confirmed the death of the motorcyclist and noted that he was making efforts through the local government council to reach out to the state government to investigate the incident and compensate the victim.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army according to The ICRI, confirmed that it carried out a joint “clearance operation” in the area but said reports that the operation was a reprisal after an officer was shot by gunmen were false.

“The true position is that troops carried out routine clearance operations in line with the rules of engagement and respect for fundamental human rights of the citizens aimed to restore socio-economic activities which were hitherto disrupted by criminal activities of IPOB/ESN elements who attack security agents and government infrastructures,” a statement by the former Director Army Public Relations, Mohammed Yerima released on June 14, said.

The statement added that troops of the Nigerian Army working in conjunction with personnel of Nigeria Police and other security agencies leveraging on timely and accurate intelligence provided by patriotic citizens were working tirelessly to restore normalcy to troubled areas and to rid the state of criminal elements.

The ICRI reports that the newly appointed Director Army Public Relations Onyema Nwachukwu, who assumed office on June 16, told The ICIR that the clearance operation was carried out based on credible intelligence, to restore socio-economic stability, law and order, which the law-abiding citizens have been denied as a result of the atrocious activities of the ESN.

While speaking with The ICIR, the Commissioner for Information in Abia state, John Okiyi Kalu pledged to ensure that justice is served as a way to protect the rights of their citizens.

“This government has zero-tolerance for human rights abuses or extra-judicial action of any kind. Any place we have that we will take it up to defend our citizens to ensure that there is dignity upheld and all is working well,” he noted.

Culled from the Sahara Reporters

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Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired

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6 hours ago

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April 25, 2024

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.

In the suit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, Emilio Garcia said that after a night out in 2022 in Ibiza, Spain, he was in an SUV with the hip-hop star when she began having sex with another woman right next to him. He was unable to get out of the moving car, and would have been in the middle of nowhere in a foreign country even if he was able. Garcia was “embarrassed, mortified and offended throughout the whole ordeal,” according to the lawsuit.

Alex Spiro, Megan’s lawyer, said she would fight the lawsuit in court.

“This is an employment claim for money — with no sexual harassment claim filed and with salacious accusations to attempt to embarrass her,” Spiro said.

The next day Megan told Garcia never to discuss what he saw and berated and fat-shamed him, the lawsuit said. The complaint also said Garcia, who had already considered quitting because he was overworked and underpaid in a hostile work environment aggravated by Megan’s possessiveness and abusiveness, was misclassified as an independent contractor but treated as an exclusive employee.

Garcia raised those issues in the conversation with Megan, and was fired the following day after four years of working for her, the suit said. He has since filed a job discrimination complaint with the California Civil Rights Department.

The lawsuit, first reported by NBC News, names as defendants Megan, whose legal name is Megan Pete; her companies Megan Thee Stallion Entertainment and Hot Girl Touring; and her label, Roc Nation. A defense response has yet to be filed. There was no immediate response to an email seeking comment from a representative of Roc Nation.

Garcia is seeking financial damages to be determined at trial, alleging he has suffered severely both emotionally and physically because of his treatment on the job, the firing and having to witness the scene in the SUV.

Megan, 29, was previously involved in major legal drama — and underwent a torrent of online abuse — as the victim of a shooting by rapper Tory Lanez, who a jury found fired at her feet on a street in the Hollywood Hills in 2020. She testified at the trial where jurors convicted Lanez of three felonies and a judge sentenced him to 10 years in prison.

Already a major rising artist at the time of the shooting, Megan has since become one of hip-hop’s biggest stars. She won a Grammy for best new artist in 2021, and she had No. 1 singles with “Savage,” featuring Beyoncé, and as a guest on Cardi B’s “WAP.”

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Body of O.J. Simpson to be cremated this week; brain will not be studied for CTE

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1 week ago

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April 16, 2024

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April 15 (UPI) — The body of O.J. Simpson, who died last week at the age of 76, is to be cremated, a lawyer representing the ex-football superstar’s estate said, adding his brain will not be donated for research.

Malcolm LaVergne, Simpson’s longtime attorney and executor, told the New York Post that his client’s body is to be cremated Tuesday in Las Vegas.

He said Simpson’s family also gave a “hard no” to scientists seeking to examine the former running back’s brain for chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which is better known as CTE.

CTE is a rare and little understood brain disorder that is likely caused by repeated blows to the head. According to the Mayo Clinic, CTE results in the death of nerve cells in the brain and the only way to definitively diagnose it is with an autopsy of the organ after death.

Memory and thinking problems, confusion, personality changes and erratic behavior, including aggression, depression and suicidal ideation, are among CTE’s symptoms, the Alzheimer’s Association said.

The disease has been found in those who play contact sports, including football and hockey.

LaVergne confirmed to NBC News on Sunday that at least one person has called seeking Simpson’s brain.

“His entire body, including his brain, will be cremated,” he said.

Simpson died Wednesday following a battle with cancer.

Known by the nickname “The Juice,” Simpson was a NFL superstar during the 1970s, which made him a household name that propelled him into film and television during the next decade.

But his stardom would come crashing down in the mid-1990s when he was accused of killing his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman.

His high-profile trial lasted months, but ended with his acquittal.

In 2008, he was found guilty on a dozen charges, including kidnapping and armed robbery, and was paroled in 2017 after serving nine years of his 33-year sentence.

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Houston’s Urban South Brewery Celebrates Fourth Anniversary

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1 month ago

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March 14, 2024

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Urban South Brewery Houston will host its upcoming Anniversary Party from Friday, April 5 through Sunday, April 7, in the HTX Taproom, starting at 11 AM, celebrating four years of crafting exceptional brews and fostering community culture. This milestone event will be an exciting day featuring live music, food, activities, and a vendor market.

Beer enthusiasts are also in for a treat with the release of four exclusive anniversary specialty beers. Highlights include “Press Start,” a crafted Czech Pale Lager brewed in collaboration with Parleaux Beer Lab. Additionally, beer fans can indulge in “Level Up,” an Old-Fashioned Cocktail Sour Ale infused with orange peel, Luxardo cherry syrup, and subtle bourbon barrel notes. The offerings continue with “High Score,” a robust Double IPA bursting with flavors of Mosaic, Citra, and Chinook hops, and “Game Over,” a decadent Neapolitan Ice Cream Stout layered with strawberry fruit, Tahitian vanilla bean, and milk chocolate.

To make the celebration even more memorable, fans can pre-order an Exclusive 8-Bit Beer Box featuring the four-anniversary specialty beers (Press Start, Level Up, High Score, Game Over), a 16oz can-shaped Silipint with discounted refills, and 2 tokens redeemable for draft beer.

The Anniversary Party is open to the public, welcoming families and furry friends. Urban South Brewery invites everyone to join in the festivities and toast to four years of brewing excellence.

For more information on Urban South’s Anniversary Celebration, follow the Houston taproom on Instagram and Facebook.

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