Connect with us

Nigeria

Sit-At-Home: Complete Compliance In South Eastern States Of Nigeria

Published

on

The bloody destruction of properties on the 10th of January, 2022 in Enugu state and other states in the South East of Nigeria set the stage for compliance level today Monday 17th of January.

In Enugu, economic activities were completely grounded and roads deserted, all schools and offices were completely shut down as no one wants to be a scapegoat in the hands of the unknown gunmen.

Sadly, a repeat of this scenario is expected even tomorrow Tuesday and may last till Thursday as Mazi Nnamdi Kanu will appear in court.

Recall that in December 2021, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court Abuja had rescheduled the trial of the detained IPOB leader to 18th January; the trial as reported may last till 19th and 20th January 2022.

Although the Indigenous People of Biafra had earlier denied all forms of violence in enforcing Monday sit-at-home as they had cancelled same except on days their leader has to appear in court, yet the mayhem caused by the unknown gunmen ensured strict compliance of the order.

Reports from cities in the South Eastern states, Aba, Umuahia, Owerri, Nnewi, Onitsha to mention a few, shows there is complete compliance to the order.

In a phone conversation, Mrs. Clara, a businesswoman in Aba, Abia State said, “in as much as I don’t like the compulsory observation of the order, there is nothing one can do because anything contrary to sitting at home may result in death.”

“Aba people has always complied with the order; no one in our business area dares to contravene the order,” she said.

In Enugu metropolis, the case of a young man who was hit by the sporadic gunshots experienced last Monday has set the precedence; no man wants to be the scapegoat as many who in the past flaunted the order dared not step out.

However, there are reports that hooded gunmen enforcing the sit-at-home order attacked residents of Obollo-Afor in Udenu Local Government Area who opened their shops for business.

The gunmen were said to have come on motorcycles into the commercial town; they beat up the traders who opened shop and with whips, chased the people.

An eyewitness account stated that the hooded hoodlums did not shoot anybody; they only beat people up and asked them to go home.

But in Owerri, Imo state capital, there were partial economic activities; many offices, shops, and private schools were shut down but most banks opened for business.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

News

Nigeria: chibok abduction anniversary spurs demands for justice

Published

on

Militants, alongside relatives of victims of the infamous abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls that sparked global outrage in 2014, gathered in Lagos on Sunday, April 14, to renew calls for the release of the remaining girls in captivity.

The Sunday meeting was organized to mark the 10th anniversary of the abduction that affected 276 schoolgirls from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, northeastern Nigeria.

“What I would ask the government is to find a way to work towards bringing back our sisters because I know it is only the government that can help us bring back these girls,” said Grace Dauda, a rescued Chibok schoolgirl.

Another rescued schoolgirl, Rebecca Malu, added, “They should stay safe. They should stay strong, one day, they will be released like us.”

While some girls managed to escape on their own, others have been freed over the years through intense campaigns by civil society organizations and government negotiations. But this human rights activist, Ayo Obe, is calling for more action from the authorities.

“We know that we started with missing persons numbering two hundred and fifty-six; it is already an improvement that we are down to 91. But of course, 91 is 91 lives unaccounted for. We appreciate the fact that so many of them escaped during the abduction itself. We appreciate the fact that the government has brought back so many more of them, but we say that we don’t stop here. We need the momentum that has happened since the mass return during the Buhari administration in 2016-2017 to be maintained. We expected that the remaining girls would have been brought back,” she said.

Mass school children kidnapping in Nigeria has continued nearly unabated since Chibok. Around 1,700 students have been kidnapped in raids since 2014 according to Amnesty International.

A member of the Bring Back Our Girls movement and convener of the 10th-year anniversary in Lagos, Opeyemi Adamolekun, lamented this as unfortunate.

“Unfortunately, it became political between 2014 and 2015, part of the amplification of the movement was part of the 2015 presidential campaign. And we saw the effect of the first batch of 21 that were released with the help of the Red Cross and the Swiss government. The second batch of 82 that were released with the help of the Red Cross and the Swiss government as well. But unfortunately, it seems that energy sort of dissipated because the government doesn’t feel as much pressure as they used to feel,” she said.

For this group of Nigerians, the government must match words with more action to stem the tide of mass school kidnappings in the country.

According to the Murtala Muhammed Foundation, a charity that advocates for the Chibok schoolgirls, about 90 girls still remain in captivity while dozens of the schoolgirls freed over the years are living inside a military-run rehabilitation camp with surrendered Boko Haram fighters they married in the Sambisa forest, Boko Haram’s main hideout.

Continue Reading

News

Nigeria suspends permit of 3 private jet operators

Published

on

Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has taken action against private jet operators flouting regulations by suspending the Permit for Non-Commercial Flights (PNCF) of three operators caught conducting commercial flights.

This crackdown follows warnings issued in March 2024.

Acting Director General Capt. Chris Najomo stated that increased surveillance at Nigerian airports led to the grounding of three operators found violating their PNCF terms. Specifically, they breached annexure provisions and Part 9114 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023.

In response, the NCAA announced a thorough re-evaluation of all PNCF holders to ensure compliance with regulations, to be completed by April 19th, 2024. PNCF holders have been instructed to submit necessary documents within 72 hours to expedite the process. Najomo emphasized these actions highlight the NCAA’s commitment to enhancing safety in Nigerian airspace.

Furthermore, the NCAA warned the public against using charter operators without a valid Air Operators Certificate and urged legitimate industry players to report any suspicious activities promptly.

This crackdown comes after the NCAA’s stern warning in March against PNCF holders engaging in commercial operations.

Continue Reading

News

Senator Cory Booker Leads a Congressional Delegation to Nigeria

Published

on

Photo: Senator Cory Booker (In the back) and a Diplomat from the US Department of State, joins with members of the Academy for Women Alumnae Association including Mercy Ogori of Kokomi Africa and Adebisi Odeleye of Moore Organics.

Senator Cory also met women entrepreneurs from the Academy for Women Alumnae Association

Last week, US Senator Cory Booker from New Jersey led a congressional delegation to Nigeria, which included House of Representatives members Sara Jacobs and Barbara Lee from California. The purpose of the visit was to discuss a partnership on sustainable development. During the talks, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu expressed his administration’s dedication to strengthening democracy through upholding the rule of law and ensuring good governance, justice, and fairness for all citizens. Senator Booker emphasized the shared values of democracy, the rule of law, and commitment to peace and good governance that bind Nigeria and the United States as partners.

The delegation also met with women entrepreneurs from the Academy for Women Alumnae Association, who had participated in US-sponsored exchange programs. Led by Adebisi Odeleye of Moore Organics, the businesswomen shared their experiences and discussed their entrepreneurial endeavors. Other Academy members were Mandela Washington Fellow, Nkem Okocha of Mama Moni, Inemesit Dike of LegalX, and Mercy Ogori of Kokomi.

The partnership between the United States and Nigeria has lasted over six decades, focusing on addressing security challenges, enhancing health security, and responding to global health crises. Despite obstacles like corruption, poverty, and insecurity, the US remains dedicated to supporting Nigerian institutions and promoting free, fair, transparent, and peaceful elections.

During the visit to the State House, Senator Booker reiterated the shared values of democracy, the rule of law, and commitment to peace and good governance that unite Nigeria and the United States as partners.

Continue Reading

Trending