November 24, 2021

[GIST] Amnesty International Reacts To Buhari’s Minister, Lai Mohammed’s Denial Of Lagos #EndSARS Panel Report

[GIST] Amnesty International Reacts To Buhari’s Minister, Lai Mohammed’s Denial Of Lagos #EndSARS Panel Report

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Amnesty International on Tuesday stated that it was not surprised by the government’s denial of the Lekki Tollgate incident.

The Country Director, Amnesty International, Nigeria, Osai Ojigho revealed this while reacting to the Federal Government’s comment on the Lagos #EndSARS probe panel report on a Channels TV programme.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

The director, who faulted the manner the government dismissed the report, urged the Federal Government to verify the evidence provided by it.

Amnesty International also called for investigation into the entire #EndSARS protests across the country and not the Lekki Tollgate incident alone.

She said, “I think the first thing is for us to establish the fact that there are different layers of government. So what has been presented to the Lagos State Government, as we all know, is easy for the governments to communicate with themselves across board.

“I think the minister, with his position in government, should liaise with the state authorities to clarify or check information with regards to the panel’s work. See Also #EndSARS Lagos #EndSARS Report Is Recycled Fake News ― Buhari’s Minister, Lai Mohammed 0 Comments 1 Day Ago

“That would have been an ideal step; and to allow the state government to carry out its task in this regard. It is not surprising for us at Amnesty International that the minister, Lai Mohammed, continues to deny that unfortunate incident that happened on October 20, 2020, at the Lekki Tollgate.

“We have seen in the last one year the constant attacks, the constant narrative that is geared toward gas-lighting the victims, survivors and witnesses, and create an impression that people are just up to no good.”

The Lagos State judicial panel had been queried by Federal Government over its report which claimed that family members of those killed during the EndSARS protest were afraid to speak.

This was made known on Tuesday by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, wondering who would be compensated since the families of allegedly killed EndSARS protesters failed to appear due to fear.

He had called on the Judicial Panel to convince anyone that the names of some casualties of the Lekki Toll Gate incident listed as numbers; 3 (Jide), 42 (Tola) and 43 (Wisdom) were not fictitious names.

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[GIST] Syndicate Among Nigerian Security Operatives Selling Body Parts Of Detained South-Easterners – IPOB Alleges

[GIST] Syndicate Among Nigerian Security Operatives Selling Body Parts Of Detained South-Easterners – IPOB Alleges

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The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has alleged that the Nigerian security operatives are intensifying the ongoing arrests of its members and killing them secretly, while a syndicate is selling their body parts in oversea countries.

The Nnamdi Kanu-led group revealed this in a statement by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, obtained by SaharaReporters on Wednesday.

It titled the statement, “Nigerian security agents killing and selling human organs Of Biafra youths – IPOB.”

The statement reads, “The attention of global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has been drawn to the incessant abductions of innocent Biafran youths by the Nigerian security agencies. These innocent Biafran youths are taken to the Department of State Services (DSS) dungeons and Nigerian Army barracks particularly the dreaded Abattoir Barracks in Abuja where they are dehumanised and tortured in these secret cells.

“Currently, over 100 innocent Biafran youths are being detained incommunicado at the DSS Headquarters in Abuja. Over 400 others have been detained at the Abattoir cell since this year.

“Intelligence report gathered by IPOB intelligence unit and reliable source indicates that some wicked DSS agents and army personnel are killing some of our people and selling their kidneys and other vital human organs to human organ traffickers abroad.

“These people are currently detained since February this year, arrested in Imo State and moved to (Abattoir) IRT unit in Abuja under the command of Abba Kyari; Maria Ezediaro, Ngozi Umeadi, Ifeyinwa Egole, Pastor Ebere, Mazi Okwuosha, Nnabuike Nwankwo, Gabriel Onyedikachi, Ogochukwu Unamba and Lambert. These people are in Abattoir with many others in detention.

“IPOB is, therefore, calling on all Biafrans who are looking for their brothers and sisters to go to DSS Headquarters Abuja and the notorious Abattoir army barracks Abuja, to check if they are still alive or dead. Seven persons have been slaughtered in the past two weeks according to an intelligence report available to us.

“We are also alerting the world about the atrocities going on in Nigeria against the people of Biafra. We call on the United Nations, Amnesty International, and the global community to prevail on Nigeria to send all these innocent Biafran youths languishing in various secret cells to court for trial instead of subjecting them to extra-judicial killings.”

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[GIST] #MySARSStory: Crashing Down

[GIST] #MySARSStory: Crashing Down

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Ndukwe Ekekwe was a burgeoning businessman. The 35-year-old dealt in phone accessories in a shop at the popular Alaba International Market, Ojo, Lagos. He was a wholesaler with a large client base -  people came all the way from the North to buy from him. He was doing well, hustling diligently to cater for his family, especially his aged parents. 

But all of this would change, suddenly, beginning from a fateful Friday. 

It was specifically Friday, February 16, 2018. While leaving home for his shop - which had just just taken delivery of brand new stock - four officers, led by a certain Hamza Haruna, accosted Ndukwe. They had him taken to a police van, which drove off. The arrest was swift and without an explanation.

At a point, the officers stopped the van at Igando to have a discussion among themselves. Ndukwe decided to use the opportunity to take out his phone and make calls. ¨When I brought out my phone, one of them (officers) saw me,¨ he remembers. ¨He (the officer) collected the phone and started beating me up, tearing my clothes in the process.¨

The officers took him to the SARS office in Ikeja, where they tortured him all night, then all day Saturday, right till the evening. 

Ndukwe says he was taken back to his shop that Saturday, where he saw some unidentified men loading his new stock into a waiting van. 

As he later found out, it was not a loading, but a looting. 

"The leader of the men told his people to keep me busy so they could loot my shop,¨ he says.

"They then took me to the next floor, located above my shop. There, I felt a sudden push, and that is the last thing I can remember.¨

Ndukwe was in the air. Then on the ground. In a split second. A violent crash. A loss of consciousness. He had been pushed off the first floor and fallen to the ground.

"I was in the village on Sunday afternoon when I got a call that my son had been arrested,¨ Mrs Ekekwe, Ndukwe´s mother, recalls.

"I took a night bus to Lagos from Abia state. It took me three days to find him at the Police College Clinic in Ikeja. He had been dumped there, cuffed to the bed with no treatment, and only being fed cold yoghurt.¨

Mrs. Ekwekwe arranged for an ambulance to take her son from the Police College Clinic to a private hospital in Ilupeju for tests. 

The test results came out, revealing the serious extent of damage done to Ndukwe. He finally got admitted to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba.

"I have been the one taking care of him ever since that time,¨ Mrs. Ekwekwe laments. ¨His life has been turned around. His business has folded. We have spent all we have to get him treated.¨ 

Seeking justice, Ndukwe and his mother appeared before the Doris Okuwobi-led Judicial Panel of Inquiry in October 2020.

"The police have tried many tactics to get the case thrown out, including alleging that my son jumped by himself while trying to escape arrest,¨ Mrs Ekwekwe says. ¨They even presented a video to show he jumped, but they ended up incriminating themselves." 

After several adjournments and delays by the Nigerian Police, the Investigating Police Officer who had led the arrest of Ndukwe finally appeared before the Judicial Panel.

The panel had earlier registered its displeasure with the Police for the delay in providing the IPO, whom Ndukwe identified as Hamza Haruna. 

During his appearance, Haruna alleged that his team had been tipped off about Ndukwe having ammunition and stolen goods in his store. But he could not back this allegation with evidence, nor could he justify why Ndukwe was arrested, tortured and robbed of his goods. 

Haruna's appearance and statement was a miracle: for the first time since the ill-fated incident three years ago, Ndukwe and his family got to at least know why the police had come after him.

While appealing for justice, Mrs Ekekwe lamented on how the ordeal had crippled her son's legs and life as a whole, and how her family had exhausted all their financial resources on getting him treated. She pleaded with the authorities to help get her son back on his feet.

"He is my only son, our breadwinner,¨ she said, ¨I just want him to walk again, so he can get his life back. It hurts to see a very hardworking young man lie down helpless everyday."

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[GIST] Afghanistan: US To Resume Talks With Taliban Forces Next Week

[GIST] Afghanistan: US To Resume Talks With Taliban Forces Next Week

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The United States has agreed to resume talks with the Taliban next week in Qatar, to address issues bordering on the fight against terrorism and the humanitarian crisis among other vital issues in Afghanistan, Channels TV reports.

The State Department spokesman, Ned Price, said on Tuesday that the American delegation will be led by the US special representative for Afghanistan, Tom West, for the planned two weeks of discussions.

Al Jazeera

He revealed that the two sides would discuss “our vital national interests,” which included counter-terrorism operations against the Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda, humanitarian assistance, Afghanistan’s devastated economy, and safe passage out of Afghanistan for US citizens and Afghans who worked for the United States during the 20-year war.

It was reported that the West met two weeks ago in Pakistan with the representatives of the hardline Islamist movement that seized power in August as US forces completed their withdrawal.

A first session between the two sides was held October 9-10 in the Qatari capital Doha, where US diplomats overseeing relations with Afghanistan transferred after the Taliban takeover.

West on Friday reiterated US conditions for the Taliban to receive US financial and diplomatic support; fight terrorism install an inclusive government, respect the rights of minorities, women, and girls, and provide equal access to educations and employment.

He said the United States would continue to have a dialogue with the Taliban and for now provide only humanitarian aid.

Amir Khan Muttaqi, foreign minister of the Taliban government, which is not recognised by the international community, called last week in an open letter to the US Congress for the release of Afghan assets frozen by the US.

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[GIST] #MySARSStory: Courage To Carry On

[GIST] #MySARSStory: Courage To Carry On

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After celebrating the completion of his final exams at the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi, Stephen Ohimai Azekhame looked forward to a bright future. He had just rounded up as an HND 2 student of Business Administration. 

His high hopes, however, have since taken a hit. 

File photo used to illustrate story.

On October 19th, 2020, he was hit by a bullet from officials of the Nigerian Army during the #EndSARS protests at Jettu Junction in Auchi, in the Owan West Area of Edo State. 

His right leg was later amputated.

Stephen says he joined the protest as a concerned Nigerian youth. It was peaceful, he says, until some army officials punctuated it by opening fire. 

"They started shooting, scattering us in different directions,” Stephen remembers. “I was hiding inside a caravan on the side of the road when I was hit by a stray bullet from one of the men. It went into my thighs, and destroyed my bone, the veins and every other thing.”

Stephen cried out for help, but everyone else was busy trying to save their own lives. He passed out. He later learned that help had come when he was unconscious. He was rushed to the hospital, where he was revived. 

"The doctor at Skyview hospital initially told me my leg had to be amputated because of the dead tissues,” he remembers, “but I resisted. I said, ‘this is not my portion!’ But when we got to the Irua Specialist Hospital and they said the same thing, I had to accept my fate."

After the amputation, Stephen spent two months recovering in the hospital. His friends and family had initially supported him financially, until his case got the attention of the Deputy Governor of the Edo State, Phillip Shuaibu, following a public outcry. 

The Deputy Governor offered to pay Stephen’s hospital bills. Sympathetic Nigerians who have heard of Stephen’s case have also organized for the purchase of a prosthetic leg for him, though he is yet to receive it.

Stephen is traumatized. He is unsure about how his life will pan out now. But he is learning to carry on, a day at a time. “It has taken a lot of courage for me to continue with life,” he says.

 

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