A convicted criminal who escaped from prison in Edo state has killed a neighbor who testified against him in court.

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 A convict who escaped from the Oko Correctional Centre in Edo state has killed his neighbor who testified against him in court. The convict killed his neighbor hours after escaping. According to Vanguard, the escapee prisoner was among over 1,993 prisoners who escaped from two correctional facilities in Edo state.  Few have been arrested while about 1,818 prisoners are still on the run and had flooded the streets launching various degrees of attacks. Addressing newsmen yesterday, Babatunde Kokumo, Edo commissioner of police, said they have arrested 126 suspected criminals and 10 amongst them were escapees. His words according to TheCable: “We have commenced actions against the criminal elements. It will interest you to know that 10 of the criminal elements who escaped from Oko Correctional Centre on Airport Road, Benin and the Correctional Centre on Sapele Road, Benin were also arrested.“One of them, after having escaped from Oko correctional centre, ran back to his village on the same day, to kill the person who stood as a prosecution witness in the case that took him to the correctional centre. He has been arrested and he is among the suspects.“Another group of three escapees from the correctional centre in Benin also went ahead to snatch a Lexus Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV). Three of them met at the correctional centre and they were caught by the police.“A set of two escapees equally stole a Toyota Camry car. They also met at the correctional centre. They were arrested by Okada Division of Edo State Police Command. We have a total of ten escapees.“The guns were also recovered from the criminal elements.”

The Nigeria Labour Congress has disclosed that it is impracticable for electricity tariff to be hiked yet, following the outcry across the country against the Federal Government September 1, 2020 service reflective tariff.

Mr Joe Ajaero, Deputy President & General Secretary, National Union of Electricity Employees stated that a new tariff template had been agreed upon by government and labour unions.

“I’m not sure of any planned reversal to the old or increased tariff. The template has been touched after the first two weeks of our meeting on the tariff review.

“If you watch the new template for customers in bands A and B, there was a reduction of 10 per cent and 10.5 per cent, respectively. For those in Band C, there is a 31 per cent reduction.”

“Those in bands D and E were not increased at all. Now, that is what we could do within the two weeks and we were given an extension of about two to three months to work on some other issues”, he added.

Furthermore, he stated that because of some adjustments, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission would have to commence the implementation of the reductions later , which ought to have started two weeks ago.

“NERC is not reverting to the tariff that led to the outcry. Rather, it would commence the implementation of these adjustments that were done pending when we are going to make further findings.

“So, they are going to revert to these adjustments that we have made and not the September 1, 2020 tariff hike, which they had approved earlier. The NERC chairman’s signature is on what we agreed to during our meeting,” he said.

Meanwhile, he stated that the NLC agreed to a 3 month extension in order for other issues to be settled.

“Why are we talking about two to three months to iron out issues? It is because of the issue of gas pricing. Gas produced in this country is being sold in dollars and they now compute tariff based on the price of gas in dollars.

“We said this is wrong. So, we have to look into it and know the cost of gas for power in the country. Now, these issues have to do with the gas policy of Nigeria, which cannot be handled within two weeks.”

In addition, he stated that the new tariff templates would run for three months, “The template was presented to the joint meeting between labour and government; it was adopted there and the approval for two to three months to conclude the work was given. Within that two to three months’ period, we are going to visit the Discos and interview the customers as well.”

He also added that the power tariff would come down by the time the team secures the accurate pricing for gas and that it won’t be in dollars.

The Global Network for Human Rights (GNHR) has vowed to drag instigators of violence that led to the killing of policemen and destruction of properties during the EndSARS protests to the International Criminal Court. 

The group, at a press conference on Friday in Abuja, said these individuals must be brought to justice for their roles in inciting “massive terror on the streets”. 

Coordinating chairman, 
Adulmalik Alfa Esq, speaking on behalf of the group, said these persons exploited the socio-economic challenges of the country to prime the population for mob action.  

The human rights group said Femi Falana, Aisha Yesufu, Nnamdi Kanu, DJ Switch among others were behind this vicious act. 

Recall that the Inspector General of Police, Adamu Mohammed, had said 22 of his officers were killed during the violence. 

And according to the group, Femi Falana, in particular, should be held responsible as the known face and voice of the violent aspects of the protests. 

GNHR said it has evidence to back this claim and would present it to ICC with documentary evidence of Femi Falana’s involvement in inciting those that carried out this pogrom against law enforcement officers and other innocent Nigerians. 

The rights group, however, called on the media, all Nigerians and the international community to “help us in bringing about justice for innocent security operatives that were murdered by these violent protesters”.

Read the full statement below:

Gentlemen of the press, we are pleased that you can join us for this press conference despite the massive terror on the streets that has been unleashed on the country by saboteurs. 

We will like to start by clearing the air about a misconception that is making the round in terms of situating the cause of the violent protests across the countr .countrye is a tendency to tie the start of the protest to the agitation against police brutality and abuse of human rights, particularly by the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), which has now been christened #EndSARS. The reality, however, is that the singular incidence that provoked the protest could be described as a mere trigger for something that brewed over some time.

Before the protests ever started, there has been a systematic campaign of incitement by a well-heeled circuit, who exploited the socio-economic challenges of the country to prime the population for mob action.  They picked on the day to day challenges that are not peculiar to Nigeria as means of goading the population to rebel against the government.

We will name a few of these people, those that we consider as the arrowheads of the well-oiled propaganda machine that poisoned the minds of Nigerians to attempt destroying their own country. We believe these are the people to be held responsible by their leadership position and the inciteful contents of the messages they have put out on their social media accounts, media interviews, statements and utterances.

On the list are: Chief Femi Falana, Falz (Folarin Falana), Nnamdi Kanu, Obianuju Catherine Udeh (DJ Switch), Aisha Yesufu, Reno Omokri, Deji Adeyanju, Dino Melaye, David Oyedepo, BurnaBoy, Paul Okoye, Ayo Makun amongst others.

It is on record that all the above-named persons contributed in one way or the other is ramping up public anger much before the protests began. They then intensified the incitement of people in multiple folds in the early days of the protests such that their actions can be directly linked to the outbreak of violence. They sustained this incitement until it became clear that the violence, arson and looting of government and private property were getting out of hand.

It was observed that some of these celebrity activists and clout chasers backed down and sort of distanced themselves from the negative stance they had maintained on the protests, apparently to evade responsibility for the killings and destruction of property that they had triggered.

We noted that Chief Femi Falana has been particularly vociferous in inciting people to keep up the protests. This is even though policemen and other law enforcement personnel were being attacked and killed. It is therefore pertinent to hold Femi Falana responsible as the known face and voice of the violent aspects of the protests. We are convinced that he knows more than he is letting on because he continued to support the protests even when the fugitive leader of the terrorist Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu was coordinating the mob and identifying where and who to attack.

Consequently, we are resolute to make Femi Falana answer for his crimes against Nigeria in the course of the protests. These include:

1. Incitement of the population against the government 
2. Incitement of the population against public office holders with intent to cause them harm 
3. Maliciously spreading information known to be false with intent to incite violence 
4. Providing propaganda support for terrorist attacks through the aiding of attacks carried out by members of a proscribed terrorist group
5. Making of utterances that incited people to kill policemen on legitimate duty
6. Making of statement that incited people to kill citizens of Nigeria 
7. Making of statement that resulted in mobs destroying government-owned assets and private assets. 

Gentlemen of the press, as a result of Falana’s incitement, with specific reference to the Oyingbo incident, where BRT Buses were burnt and several policemen killed, our network has taken the bold decision to drag Falana before the International Criminal Court at the Hague in the course of the next seven days.

We have pulled our facts together as follow:

OYIGBO ATTACK SUMMARY OF INCIDENT REPORT:-

Number of Hoodlums arrested            – 21

Number of Policemen Killed                 — 3

Number of Police Stations burnt           –3

Number of Police Station Vandalised   –1

Number of Hoodlums killed                 — 4

NAMES OF POLICEMEN KILLED ARE AS FOLLOW:-

1. AP/No. 241542 Inspr. Sunday Dubon— APC Driver Attached to Anti-Kidnapping Unit (AKU) killed and burnt to ashes.
2. F/No. 414018 Sgt. Swawale Ornan — Attached to 19 PMF on Special Duty at Oyigbo, killed and burnt to ashes.
3. F/No. 424944 Sgt. Umunna Uchechukwu—- serving in Afam Police Station, his leg and hand were cut off and burnt to ashes. 

We shall be tendering these to the ICC with documentary evidence of Femi Falana’s involvement in inciting those that carried out this pogrom against law enforcement officers and other innocent Nigerians. We shall also be drawing the attention of the ICC to the fact that Falana ran this campaign of incitement as a family business in which he was actively supported by his son, Falz (Folarin Falana) in partnership with the wanted IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

We hereby use this medium to solicit the support of the media, all Nigerians and the international community to help us in bringing about justice for innocent security operatives that were murdered by these violent protesters. 

Thank you all.

Former Second Vice President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Monday Ubani has offered free legal services to any Nigerian arrested for taking Covid-19 palliatives from warehouses in various States across the country.

In the last one week, there has been reported cases of residents breaking into warehouses where Covid-19 Palliatives were stored and helping themselves out with food items.

The trend which started in Lagos with the total raid of a large warehouse in Maza Maza area of the State where CA-COVID Palliatives worth N1.4billion were stored, quickly spread across the South West States, then the North, the East including the Federal Capital Territory.

Houses of some politicians where palliatives were also stored were not spared as residents stormed such locations, broke into the house and carted away anything they considered valuable to them.

Already, security agencies have arrested some residents who were caught in the act, while some houses were raided and some items retrieved.

Some State Governors had also called on residents to return the looted items back to the warehouse or risk arrest and prosecution.

But responding to the development, Ubani on his Facebook page, said he was ready to offer his legal services at no cost to such residents who went on the looting spree as a result of hunger urging them to reach out to him.

“After careful prayer and leading of the spirit, I hereby offer free legal services to any Nigerian who is arrested for taking any of the palliatives from the warehouses in the States as a result of hunger. Contact me,” he wrote.

King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal otherwise known as KWAM 1 has thrown his weight behind calls for an end to police brutality and bad governance in Nigeria. He said was obvious that Nigerians were not happy with the state of the nation and how the government is being run.

According to him, Wasiu what the youths are doing now is what the older generation failed to do 60 years ago. He added that the protest is not just to #EndSARS and police barbarity but to end bad governance as well

KWAM urged all Nigerians to “Soro Soke” which means to speak up against bad governance and demand for change.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=NYpPQ3VXmfk%3Ffeature%3Doembed

By Oyinlola Awonuga (The New Diplomat’s Entertainment, Fashion and Sports Desk)

Nigerian socio-political activist, Aisha Yesufu, has opened up that people now lay curses on her in places  of worship following her #EndSARS movement.

Yesufu revealed this today on her verified Twitter account @AishaYesufu as she mentioned that some religious persons after praying, will take time to curse her.

Yesufu, who doubles as a co-convener of the BringBackOurGirls, BBOG, advocacy group lamented that this is due to her involvement in the widespread End SARS protests.

The activist made the disclosure on her Twitter handle.

Her tweet reads: ”Heard I am being cursed…! People finish praying and take time out to curse me in their prayers.

”I have asked they should please let me know how many of these curses they rained on me when I was making the same demands during GEJ! We are all already cursed in Nigeria,” she tweeted.

Many activists including Aisha Yesufu had joined Nigerian youths in the streets to protest against police brutality and bad governance in the country.

The Obong of Calabar, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu, V, has blamed Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State for the wanton vandalism, looting and destruction of public and private property in the state last week.

He called on the Governor to step aside to enable an interim administration to come up so that he can learn how administration and governance should be handled.

Daily Trust reports that the Obong, who spoke when a former governor, Liyel Imoke, paid homage to him, said the attack happened partly because the governor was not holding regular security meetings.

“He has not been holding security meeting regularly.

“This thing would not have happened if he had called the security people together after hearing what happened in Lagos and other places; If he had called them together and tell them, look my friends; nothing should happen in my state,” he said.

The Obong said Gov Ayade does not pick his calls even after calling him several times.

He urged the Governor to have a change of attitude, stressing that every critical stakeholder should have access to the governor.

“The Governor should be able to open his door for people to come in, and should work with everybody,” the Obong stated.

The monarch asked the former governor to tell Ayade that the state cannot continue the way he is going about governance.

“We have to face it; we don’t need to play around with it; we cannot continue this way.

“You tell him that there is a need for total reconciliation; a total rehabilitation of whatever he has been doing.

“Everybody matters in this state.

“He should be able to talk to people.

“He wouldn’t call you and even when you call him, he doesn’t answer the call. Nobody talks to him.”

Speaking earlier, Imoke told the Obong that in the wake of the incident, he thought it wise to seek the help and cooperation of the traditional institution in finding a way out of the problem.

He said: “We do not understand the extent of the carnage.

“We are all victims of this incident.

“If you were not hit directly, you were hit indirectly.

“For me, I was hit directly, so to very many public officials. They were also hit directly.”

Meanwhile, a media aide to the governor, Christian Ita, said it is very doubtful that his principal would ignore a call from the Obong of Calabar, stressing that the governor holds him in high esteem as the traditional father of the state.

“He couldn’t have ignored the monarch’s phone calls.

“It is unfair for him to call for the governor, who has done all in his power very sincerely to enhance the fortunes of the state, to step aside.”

Nigerian policewoman on foreign mission in Mali, CSP Ugorji, has been honoured by the United Nations in recognition of her selfless service.CSP Ugorji, serving with the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), was selected by the United Nations as one of two runners-up for the prestigious UN Woman Police Officer of the Year award for 2020.“Through both her words and actions, United Nations Police Officer Ugorji exemplifies the best of United Nations policing,” said Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix.Only 21 of the 1,300 UN policewomen deployed in UN peacekeeping operations were said to have been nominated for the award with Ugorji emerging among the top three.The year’s winner, Chief Inspector Doreen Malambo of Zambia, who serves with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), is billed to receive the award during a virtual ceremony presided over by Mr. Lacroix on November 3.Superintendent Rebecca Nnanga of Cameroon, serving with the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), is the other runner-up.Congratulating Ugorji for emerging as a runner-up, UN Police Advisor Luis Carrilho, said: “MINUSMA United Nations Police Officer Ugorji’s leadership of three Formed Police Units in Gao has been remarkable, and Catherine (Ugorji) has introduced tactical operations that have been instrumental in reducing crime in the area, in support of the Malian security forces and the host population.“In addition to this very demanding role, Chief Superintendent Ugorji has worked diligently to improve living conditions for women police officers so they can serve safely and with dignity.”Deployed to the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) in 2018, Ugorji was said to have demonstrated exemplary conduct throughout her deployment in Mali where she serves as a Formed Police Unit (FPU) Coordinator in Gao.She has been liaising and coordinating with local authorities and civil society to finalise United Nations Police operations to reassure the population in the conduct of normal activities in an area of insecurity due to the incursion of terrorist and armed groups.She is commended for her work to extend the outreach of the FPU to the Ansongo area, close to the Mali-Niger-Burkina Faso border area, where terrorists and spoilers of the Malian peace agreement are increasing their influence.Her support for joint operations between the Malian police, gendarmerie and National Guard was said to have helped to ensure the security of the local population. Ugorji herself was quoted as saying that she was eager to continue enhancing safety in Gao once COVID-19 related restrictions were lifted.Ugorji joined the Nigerian Police in 2003, and has served as Criminal Investigator from the local to regional level, Child Protection Officer, Divisional Crime Officer up to Acting Deputy Commander of the Ogudu Police Division in Lagos.Her other UN deployment was with the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) from 2006-2007, where she served as a planning officer for FPU operations.The UN Woman Police Officer of the Year award was established in 2011 to recognise the exceptional contributions of female police officers to UN peacekeeping and to promote the empowerment of women.The award carries even greater significance this year, given the 20th anniversary of Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. (Sundiata Post)