THIS POLICE AGAIN

Police shoot two UniOsun students

— 22nd January 2017

From Clement Adeyi,

Osogbo

Two students of the Osun State University (Uniosun), Osogbo, were yesterday shot by some policemen from the headquarters of Zone 11 of the Nigerian Police Force covering Osun, Oyo and Ondo states.

Sunday Sun gathered that the victims identified as Kazeem Adesola and Ibrahim Ajao were hit by the trigger-happy cops when they shot at the university students playing football on an off-campus pitch around Oke Baale area. The development triggered tension in the city yesterday when students of the institution went on rampage to protest the attack on their schoolmates. It was gathered that the policemen had stormed the pitch in mufti and accused some of the students of involvement in internet fraud also known as Yahoo-Yahoo.
A student at the scene of the incident who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the policemen were in the habit of harassing and extorting money from students in the area after accusing them of internet fraud, adding that it was an attempt by the students to resist the harassment this time round that led to the shooting by the police. “We were playing football when they came. They always come like that to arrest students here. They would say that we are involved in Yahoo-Yahoo and they would seize our laptops and phones and extort money from us,” he said. “They would collect money from us under the pretext of bail. But we resisted them on this last one. Within a twinkling of an eye, the policemen started shooting and we ran away but bullets hit two of us.

They were rushed to a nearby hospital. A bullet hit one student near his stomach and another bullet hit the second student in his mouth.” The Commissioner of Police, Mr Fimihan Adeoye, who confirmed the incident, disclosed that the policemen had been arrested and detained, assuring that they would face the full wrath of the law. Adeoye also said he had ordered full investigation into the matter.
He, however, cautioned the students of the institution not to take laws into their hands, assuring that justice would be brought to bear.

He also assured the people of Osogbo of their safety and readiness to ensure peace and tranquility in the state.

P/Harcourt rally: IPOB demands bodies of killed members

— 22nd January 2017

From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha

THE Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has called for the release of bodies of its members killed at Igweocha, Port Harcourt, during its solidarity rally in support of U. S. President, Donald Trump during his inauguration last Friday.

  The group had alleged that security agents killed 11 of its members, injured 27 and arrested 57 others during the rally.

  A statement by the Media and Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Mr. Emma Powerful, called for the release of the bodies of the dead, and  urged the family of any missing member to forward his/her name to its secretariat in Victoria, Spain and to Biafraland Deputy National Coordinator.

According to Powerful, “our lawyers are in Igweocha working tirelessly to locate and effect the release of those taken to Bori Camp at Rumuola, State CID Port Harcourt and SOS Police Station Miniokoro off Old Aba Road.”   

He added: “Once again, we advise that names of any missing member should be forwarded to the office of Directorate of State (DOS) in Victoria Spain, Radio Biafra London Studios or Biafraland Deputy National Coordinator for proper assessment and documentation.   

“IPOB and its leadership worldwide wish to use this medium to correct all people around the world especially media companies across the globe that what IPOB did on Friday, January 20, 2017 in Igweocha, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, was a peaceful rally in solidarity with the newly inaugurated President of the United States of America, Mr. Donald J Trump, who took oath of office in Washington D.C.

  “This solidarity rally in support of Trump was announced by IPOB Worldwide on January 16, 2017 by our media team and the contents of that announcement was unambiguous and could not conceivably be misunderstood or misrepresented to mean protest as has been erroneously reported by certain sections of the media.

  “We would also like to place it on record that IPOB Worldwide has confirmed that more than 11 Biafrans died as a result of the unprovoked, brutal and unwarranted military assault on our members during this peaceful rally.

Many more are in hospitals receiving treatment.”

BREAKING: Jammeh flees Gambia

— 22nd January 2017

• Proceeds on exile to Equatorial Guinea

Gambia’s former President Yahya Jammeh has left the country in the wake of elections that ousted him after 22 years in power.
He boarded a plane to Guinea and from there will travel on to exile in Equatorial Guinea, regional group ECOWAS says.
Mr Jammeh was defeated in December’s election by Adama Barrow but went on to challenge the results.
Mr Barrow has been in Senegal but says he will return to The Gambia soon.
In an interview with the BBC, Mr Barrow said he wanted to create a truth and reconciliation committee to investigate allegations of human rights abuses during Mr Jammeh’s time in office.
Marcel de Souza, president of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), said the military operation that had sent West African troops into The Gambia in support of Mr Barrow, was now ended, although some would remain to ensure security.
Yahya Jammeh arrived at the airport amid a large convoy of vehicles and throngs of cheering supporters.
He stood on a small platform to hear ceremonial music performed by a military band and then walked down a long red carpet surrounded by dignitaries.
He climbed the steps to the plane, turned and kissed and waved a Koran at those assembled.
After 22 years in power, he left bound for Guinea where it’s believed he will stay before going on to another country.
Soldiers, supporters and dignitaries were emotional as he left – many of them crying. Many others in The Gambia are glad to see the end of what they considered a dictatorship, where there was little respect for human rights or freedom of speech
The details of the arrangements made – or promises offered to persuade Mr Jammeh to give up power peacefully are not yet known, but there was the real threat of military action from regional states.
He’s the first president to peacefully hand over power in The Gambia since independence from Britain in 1965.
Mr Barrow has been in neighbouring Senegal for days and was inaugurated as president in the Gambian embassy there on Thursday.
Troops from several West African nations, including Senegal, had been deployed in The Gambia, threatening to drive Mr Jammeh out of office if he did not agree to go.
Mr Jammeh’s decision to quit came after talks with the presidents of Guinea and Mauritania.
Guinea’s President Alpha Conde was with Mr Jammeh and his wife on the plane that left Banjul late on Saturday.
In an address on state television, Mr Jammeh, who had once said he would rule The Gambia for a billion years, said he would stand down and that it was “not necessary that a single drop of blood be shed”.
“I have decided today in good conscience to relinquish the mantle of leadership of this great nation with infinite gratitude to all Gambians,” he said.

Buhari is alive and well-Presidency

— 22nd January 2017

The Presidency last night refuted speculations that President Muhammadu Buhari was in a terrible health condition that could lead to his death, saying the president was well and alive.
The presidency spoke through the two media aides of the president on media and publicity namely Mr. Femi Adesina who’s the Special Adviser and Mallam Garba Shehu who’s the Senior Special Assistant.
In his reaction to the speculations on his Twitter handle, Adesina thanked all those who wished the president well while asking for the Grace of God for repentance on all those who carried the rumors.
He said: “Best wishes to all who wish PMB well. As for those who carry evil rumours, may they receive grace to repent.” Also reacting to speculations concerning the health of the president, Shehu, in a message he posted on twitter @GarShehu said: “The president cannot be holidaying in the United Kingdom and be in Germany, dead or alive at the same time. ”
He added that Buhari “was unlike a past president who was ‎at Ota with Chief Obasanjo and attending the Trump inauguration in Washington DC, being in two places at the same time.”
It will be recalled that president Buhari left Nigeria on Thursday for United Kingdom on a medical vacation. The nature of his sickness was not disclosed but the presidency called it a routine medical checkup