A 17-year-old boy on Thursday appeared in a Zuba Upper Area Court, FCT, for allegedly threatening to kill his mother and a neighbour.

The police charged the teenager who lives in Ikwa Zuba, FCT, with criminal intimidation.

The prosecution counsel, Adefioye Mayowa told the court that the matter was reported by the complainant, Mr Akinyemi Rotim of IKwa  Zuba, FCT at the Zuba Police Station Abuja on Oct. 11

Mayowa alleged that the teenager committed the offence at about 7 a.m. He said that the teenager had a little misunderstanding with his mother and when the complainant tried to make peace, he threatened to kill her and the complainant, who is a neighbour.

The prosecution said that the defendant’s mother suffered fear due to the threat. The prosecution said that the complainant suspects that the defendant is a member of an occult group. The offence, he said, contravened the provisions of sections 397 and 406 of the Penal Code.

The judge, Alhaji Gambo Garba, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N100,000  with one surety in like sum. He ordered that the surety must have a reasonable means of livelihood and must reside within the jurisdiction of the court.

Garba adjourned the case until Nov. 19 for hearing. (Vanguard)

The End Insecurity Now protest is regrouping in Kano after suspected thugs attacked protesters on the streets, injuring many and destroying protest banners.

Thugs disrupted the protest meant to begin Thursday morning across the 19 northern states.

“We were marching peacefully when thugs and hoodlums invaded the protest, injuring up to 30 people, tearing our banners,” a protester Dr Mohammed Ibrahim told Daily Trust in Kano.

They were attacked along BUK Road at Kofar Famfo.

The movement had issued public notice of its protest to begin Thursday and informed police for protection.

Protesters said police abandoned them at the start of the attack.

“The police was supposed to be guarding us, because we had told them exactly the roads we would be following,” a protester said.

They say police reappeared after the attack, and protesters are regrouping to resume.

The End Insecurity Now protest has also been on in Kaduna, protesting banditry, kidnapping, rapes, Boko Haram insurgency and killings in the region. (Daily Trust)

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against President Muhammadu Buhari and the Inspector General of Police Muhammed Adamu “over ongoing intimidation, harassment and attacks on peaceful protesters campaigning against police brutality and corruption across the country.”

The suit followed widespread protests demanding reform of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

Joined as Respondents in the suit are the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, SAN, and Commissioner of Police Lagos State, Hakeem Odumosu.

In the suit number FHC/L/CS/1451/2020 filed this morning at the Federal High Court, Lagos, SERAP is seeking: “an order to protect and secure the fundamental rights of peaceful protesters across the country participating in the #EndSARS/#SARSMustEnd protests or any other peaceful protests, to wit: their rights to life, dignity, personal liberty, freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.”

SERAP is also seeking “an order of injunction restricting the Federal Government and the police whether by themselves, their officers or agents, from stopping the protests and from harassing, arresting, detaining, or violating in any other ways the fundamental rights of Nigerians participating in peaceful protests across the country.”

SERAP said: “The right to protest constitutes the very foundation of a system of participatory governance based on democracy, human rights, the rule of law and pluralism. Failure to respect and ensure the right to peaceful protest is typically a marker of repression.”

SERAP also said: “In a democracy, people must be given the freedom to come together to express their opinions on issues they care deeply about. The role of government is to facilitate that democratic participation, and not to restrict or criminalize it.”

The organisation is asking the court for “an order directing the Federal Government and Nigeria police to identify all perpetrators of brutality and human rights violations against peaceful protesters across the country, and bring them to justice without further delay.”

SERAP is also asking the court for “an order compelling and directing the Federal Government and Nigeria police to disclose the total number of protesters in the #EndSARS/#SARSMustEnd protests arrested across the country, their places of detention and details of allegations against them.”

The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare and Opeyemi Owolabi, reads in part: “The fundamental human right to protest enables individuals to express themselves collectively and to participate in shaping their societies. The right of peaceful assembly is important in its own right, as it protects the ability of people to exercise individual autonomy in solidarity with others.

“A protest is a form of expression of views on current issues affecting government and the governed in a sovereign state. It is a trend recognised and deeply entrenched in the system of governance in civilized countries. It will not only be primitive but also retrogressive if Nigeria continues to stifle or cripple this right.

“Peaceful assemblies can play a critical role in allowing participants to advance ideas and aspirational goals in the public domain and to establish the extent of support for or opposition to those ideas and goals.”

SERAP is seeking “an order for the immediate and unconditional release of all those still being detained across the country solely for peacefully exercising their rights. The court should direct the Federal Government and Nigeria Police to immediately identify all victims of police brutality during the protests and adequately compensate each of the victims [and their families] by paying each the sum of N200,000,000:00.

“SERAP is also seeking a declaration that the action of the Federal Government and Nigeria Police to intimidate, harass, threaten, arrest, beat, shoot, kill and detain unarmed peaceful protesters in the #EndSARS/#SARSMustEnd protests since 7th October, 2020 to date is wrongful, unlawful and constitutes gross violation of the protesters’ human rights.

“SERAP is seeking a declaration that the response by the Federal Government and Nigeria Police to protests across the country since 7th October, 2020 to date is wrongful, unlawful and constitutes gross violation of the protesters’ rights to life, dignity, personal liberty, freedom of expression, and peaceful assembly guaranteed under Sections 33, 34, 35, 36, 39, 40 and 41 of the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 [as amended.

“Paragraph 3[e] [i]-[v] of the Preamble to the Fundamental Rights [Enforcement Procedure] Rules 2009, provides that the court shall encourage and welcome public interest litigations in the human rights field and no human rights case may be dismissed or struck out for want of locus standi.

“The Rules also provide that the applicant in a case like this may include any of the following: anyone acting in his own interest; anyone acting on behalf of another person; anyone acting as a member of, or in the interest of a group or class of persons; anyone acting in the public interest, and association acting in the interest of its members or other individuals or groups.

“The fundamental right of citizens to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and freedom of association are guaranteed by Sections 39 and 40 of the 1999 Constitution and Articles 9 and 10 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Right. These provisions are clear, direct and unambiguous.

“These rights are formulated and designed to confer on every person the right to assemble freely, protest, and associate with other persons.

“The right to protest on matters of public concern are rights which are in the public interest and that which individuals must possess and which they should exercise without impediment as long as no wrongful act is done.

“In a democracy, it is the right of citizens to conduct peaceful processions, rallies or demonstrations. It is a right guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution.

“The obligation to respect and ensure peaceful assemblies imposes negative and positive duties on States before, during and after assemblies.

“The negative duty entails that there be no unwarranted interference with peaceful assemblies. States must also protect participants against possible abuse by non-State actors, such as interference or violence by other members of the public, counterdemonstrators and private security providers.”

According to Amnesty International, “at least 10 people have died in the ongoing protests over police brutality. The excessive use of force by the police in response to the protests reveals the longstanding disregard for the right to life by Nigerian security forces.”

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

By OZIEGBE OKOEKI

Hoodlums on Thursday stormed Lagos Government House, Alausa and attacked #EndSARS protesters.

They arrived in BRT buses chasing the protesters away with clubs and cutlasses.

The hoodlums were also reported to have stormed the Berger end of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway to disrupt the peaceful protests.

According to the protesters, who slept overnight in the area, the hoodlums arrived around 8:00 am in large numbers.

They were said to be well-organised and armed.

An eye witness said they came in about 20 buses.

“We managed to copy one of the bus serial number: S/N 240171,” a protester said.

Debo Adebayo, popularly known as MC Macaroni, in a series of tweets, also recounted how they were chased away.

As the time of this report, the protesters have regrouped and returned to the entrance of the Lagos Assembly. (The Nation)

The Federal Government has announced the re-opening of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camps across the country.

The announcement was made on Thursday by the Minister of Youths and Sports, Sunday Dare.

The orientation camps are scheduled for reopening on November 10.

“The Resumption of the NYSC Orientation Camp for prospective Youth Corpers has been approved and opens on November 10th, 2020. Full COVID-19 Protocols will be enforced,” Dare posted on his official Twitter handle.

The Resumption of the NYSC Orientation Camp for prospective Youth Corpers has been approved and opens on November 10th 2020. Full COVID-19 Protocols will be enforced.

— Sunday Dare (@SundayDareSD) October 15, 2020

The Federal Government on March 18 ordered the closure of the NYSC orientation camps nationwide due to the outbreak of COVID-19.

Meanwhile, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NSCDC) on Wednesday announced that the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country has increased to 60,834 with 52,143 patients discharged. Also, 1116 fatalities have so far been recorded. (Channels TV)

The Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, SAN, has announced the death of his driver late Yohanna Shankuk.

Late Shankuk died yesterday as a result of #ENDSARS protest that rocked Abuja yesterday. Narrating the incident Keyamo said: “I regret to announce that my driver, Mr. Yohanna Shankuk, died yesterday in Abuja as a result of the protests.

“A vehicle that saw advancing protesters at Berger roundabout, made a U-turn, took the one-way back and ran over him as he was making his way on foot to my private office.” (Vanguard)

Gunmen in the early hours of Thursday invaded Okofi community in Kogi, killing three persons and injuring two others.

Eyewitnesses told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lokoja on Thursday that the attackers invaded the community when the Muslim faithful were observing the early morning prayers in the community’s only mosque.

Okofi community is in Kogi Local Government area of the state.

Confirming the incident, the state police command spokesman, DSP William Aya, said that those killed include the Chief Imam of the community and two other worshippers.

He also said that two other persons were critically injured in the attack and were taken to hospital for treatment.

“The commissioner of Police, Mr Edeh Ayuba, has directed the Divisional Police Officer to move to the area where the sad incident occurred to avert further break down of law and order,” he said.

Aya said that a Deputy Commissioner of police in charge of investigation had been ordered to move to the scene to investigate the attack and identify the perpetrators. (NAN)

By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

Mr James Nwafor, Senior Special Adviser on Security to Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, has been sacked. His sack came on the heels of the demands made by #EndSARS protesters in Awka, the state capital, on Wednesday, October 14, 2020.

Nwafor was formerly the Commander of SARS in Anambra and had severally been accused of killing and maiming many youths in the state.

Addressing the protesters on Thursday at the Government House, the Governor said he would take their demands to President Muhammadu Buhari, while also fulfilling the ones within his power.

He said: “I am very happy with the way you have conducted yourselves. You have conducted yourself creditably.

“I have a list of all your demands. Some of them have already been met, like the SARS being disbanded. That has already been met, and some are still in the pipeline which I am going to present to the President. The other ones are the ones I can handle myself.

“Your first request is immediate prosecution and removal of James Nwafor, the immediate release of all protesters in police custody; that will be done.

“As for compensation of the family of SARS victims, the Attorney General and the leadership of police will look into this and make recommendations to me. I support your protest; police brutality and extortion is not allowed anywhere. Any Police that does that, quietly copy his name and let us know.”

The protesters afterwards marched to the popular Aroma Junction where they blocked the expressway, denying motorists access to the road.

The protesters had on Wednesday blocked the Anambra State Government House and the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, insisting that Obiano must address them, but they were not addressed, leading the protesters to stay at the venue late into the night.

Mrs. Abigail Makinde, mother of Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, is dead. She passed away in the early hours of today, Thursday, October 15, 2020.

A statement signed on behalf of the family by Jagun Olubadan, Barr. (Chief) Muyiwa Makinde, said: “Though Mama gave no indication of any sickness, she slept peacefully in the Lord at the age of 81, in the early hours of the day at her Ibadan home, 7B, Oyeleke Street, Ikolaba, Ibadan.

“While we appreciate the Almighty for sparing her life thus far, we must confess that we will sorely miss her counsel, motherly role and impact on the lives of her children and the grandchildren.

“We will equally miss her impactful role as a stabilizing force in the family, her community and especially Oyo State, which is currently being governed by her son and our brother, Engineer Seyi Makinde.

“We sincerely appreciate the prayers and condolences of our numerous well-wishers.”