Humanity Watch

  Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana has attacked Yoruba activist, Sunday Igboho for issuing quit notice to Fulani herdsmen in Igangan, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State, saying such act was illegal and unlawful. Falana, in an interview with BBC, on Wednesday, said even a squatter could not be ejected and that is why on a daily basis, tenants were given quit notices by landlords or owners of properties. According to him, a private citizen could not just wake up and say anybody should leave the community, as the rule of law must be embraced. “Nobody can do that, not even the government because section 43 of the constitution says every citizen shall have the right to own and acquire properties in any parts of the country,” he said. Falana said the campaign of the human rights community was that if one is born in a place, or has lived for not less than ten years in any part of the country, that person should be considered an indigene and be entitled to all the rights and priv

  Governor Atiku Bagudu of the Northwestern state of Kebbi has assented to a law making kidnapping a capital offence. The law also prescribes life imprisonment for rapists. Hajiya Rahmatu Gulma, the Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, explained the law: “Therefore, with the assent into law of the model penal code 202, punishment of Kidnapping in the state, under section 247 of the law, is death. “Also, punishment for rape, under section 259 sub-section (1), is life imprisonment”. Gulma also stated that the two laws were among five laws assented to by the governor. “The governor assented to the Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2021; the Model Penal Code Law 2021; and law to repeal and to re-enact law number 3 of 2002 the establishment of Kebbi State College of Nursing Sciences, Birnin Kebbi, 2021. She said that with the signing into law of the administration of Criminal Justice, “there would be less custodial sentencing as the courts would have the flexibility of non-cus

  The Sexual Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos has sentenced a rapist, Nura Asumoge to 25 years imprisonment for defiling a 13-year old girl. The judgment was delivered on Thursday by Hon. Justice A.O. Soladoye sitting at the Sexual Offences Court, Ikeja in the case of The State of Lagos vs Nura Asumoge ID/8124c/2018. The Defendant was convicted for defiling a 13-year-old girl on 3rd of April 2018 and sentenced to 25 years imprisonment. The court ordered that the name of the Convict be entered into Sexual Offenders Register in the State. The Offence of defilement is contrary to section 137 of the Criminal of Lagos State.

  President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday signed a law to check the spread of COVID-19 pandemic and slammed six months imprisonment on violators of COVID-19 protocols. The chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, disclosed this while handing over five ambulances donated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to the Federal Ministry of Health on Wednesday in Abuja. Mustapha said that the bill, titled “COVID-19 Health Protection Regulations 2021”, is an exercise of the powers as conferred on the president by Section 4 of the Quarantine Act. “The regulations enforce physical distancing of at least two metres and a regulation of the number of people to be admitted in an enclosed environment. “In the exercise of the powers conferred upon me by Section 4 of the Quarantine Act, Cap. Q2 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2010 and all other powers enabling me in that behalf; and in consideration o

  The Nigerian Army has deployed 300 female soldiers to battle bandits and kidnappers on the deadly Kaduna-Abuja Expressway. The soldiers are from the Nigerian Army Women Corps. Governor Nasir El-Rufai received the female soldiers in Kaduna State on Wednesday. According to El-Rufai, a detachment of the Nigerian Army Women Corps had been deployed to complement security patrols on the Kaduna-Abuja Expressway. Major-General Usman Mohammed, GOC 1 Division, has acknowledged the support Kaduna State Government provided to the military in its internal security operations. He thanked El-Rufai and and Dr. Hadiza for personally coming to receive the troops. The Governor and the Deputy Governor have expressed gratitude to the military for deploying the troops and assured them of the continued support of the Kaduna State Government as they work for security in the state. The Abuja-Kaduna expressway is notorious for kidnapping and frequent armed robbery activities. The route’s reputation is fast be

Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has said the Nigerian government must work out modalities to deal with the corruption associated with counter-insurgency efforts in North-East Nigeria if the country must win the fight against terrorism. This is coming against the backdrop of  findings from its research  of "the existence of interest groups associated with the war economy in the region  working to frustrate dialogue." The nongovernmental organization (NGO) committed to the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for development and promotion of good governance stated this on Tuesday in Abuja during the review of its Policy Brief on  Prospects and Challenges of Non-Violent Resolution of Insurgency in North-East Nigeria. The validation meeting was attended by stakeholders cutting across the media, Civil Society Organizations(CSOs), traditional rulers, religious leaders amongst others. While presenting the research findings to stakeholder

  President Muhammad Buhari on Wednesday likened Nigeria’s security situation to a state of emergency as he met with newly appointed service chiefs in Abuja. He charged them to be patriotic, and to serve the country well. Mr Femi Adesina, the president’s spokesman in a statement, quoted Buhari as saying: “We’re in a state of emergency. Be patriotic, serve the country well, as your loyalty is to the country.” The president congratulated the service chiefs on heading their various services, adding: “There’s nothing I can tell you about the service because you are in it. I was also in it, and I will pray for you. I also assure you that whatever I can do as Commander-in-Chief will be done, so that the people will appreciate your efforts. “You know the stage we were in 2015, you know the stage we are now, and the undertakings we made. We promised to secure the country, revive the economy, and fight corruption. None has been easy, but we have certainly made progress.” Buhari also charged the

  The Police Command in Anambra said it has uncovered a ‘baby factory’ where young girls are being impregnated and their babies sold by human traffickers. Chief Superintendent of Police Haruna Mohammed, the command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Awka, said 10 suspects were arrested and five newborn babies rescued. According to him, three other children have been rescued in a coordinated raid led by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Afolabi Wilfred, Oraifite Area Commander at Oba in Idemili South Local Government Area of the state. “On Jan. 26, at about 7 a.m., following an intelligence report, police operatives attached to the SIB and Area Command, Oraifite, coordinated by the Area Commander, ACP Afolabi Wilfred raided the house. “The house which belonged to one Melvina Uju Uba is located opposite Nnamdi Azikiwe Orthopedic Teaching Hospital, Oba, in Idemili South LGA of Anambra state,” he said. The spokesman listed the arrested

  Department of State Services (DSS) said it is collaborating with the Osun State Police Command to probe the killing of Cpl. Rauf Fawale. Fawale was beaten to death by three DSS operatives, one of whom was identified as David Olowoporoku. The Osun police commissioner, Mr Olawale Olokode, has demanded from DSS to produce the killer officers. But in a statement Tuesday, DSS spokesman, Dr Peter Afunanya said the agency and the Police are jointly investigating the matter. “The public should rest assured that it will not condone any acts of indiscipline or injustice. “It, therefore, calls on the media and other stakeholders to exercise patience and await the outcome of the investigations”, Afunanya said. Osun Police Spokesperson, DSP Yemisi Opalola, said that CP Olokode met with the Director of DSS in Osun and demanded that those responsible for beating Fawale to death, should be produced for prosecution. Opalola, in a statement, said that Cpl. Rauf Fawale was working at Dada Estate Police

  A 28-year-old man Obijofa Chukwuemeka, was arrested Tuesday night after killing his wife and 4-year-old son with a shovel. Obijofa was said to have run amok at Ofufe Nza village in Ekwusigo LGA of Anambra State. He used a shovel to hack his 26-year-old wife, Chisom Chukwuemeka to death. With the same shovel, Obijofa also killed his four-year-old child, Amanda Chukwuemeka. Then he wounded a vigilante who tried to rescue the victims.  In a press statement by Anambra State police PPRO, CSP Haruna Mohammed, police detectives rushed to the scene of the crime at about 7.45 p.m. They arrested the man and took the victims to the Joint Hospital, Ozubulu. However, Chisom and Amanda were confirmed dead on arrival by medical doctors.  The wounded vigilante was responding to treatment, CSP Haruna Mohammed aid. All the corpses were deposited at the hospital morgue for autopsy.  Anambra State Police Commissioner, Joe Abang has directed the DPO to transfer the case to the state CID Awka for further

  COVID-19 infection is spreading in the Benue Government House in Makurdi as nine aides of Gov. Samuel Ortom, have tested positive. Deputy Governor Benson Abounu revealed this Wednesday. Abounu, who made the disclosure in Makurdi during a press conference, said despite the number of aides that tested positive for the virus, all government activities were going on smoothly. Ortom had through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Terver Akase, announced that his latest COVID-19 test result had returned positive. Abounu, the State Chairman of Action Committee on COVID-19, said the committee had already carried out contact tracing of those who came in contact with all those infected by the virus. He said though nine aides tested positive for COVID-19, the pandemic had not affected the day-to-day running of government in the state.