Humanity Watch

  An Ibadan building material dealer, Aishat Zakaria has accused her husband, Taofeek, of forcing her to observe marathon fasting when she was pregnant. Zakari who was seeking dissolution of her marriage told a Mapo Grade ‘A’ Customary Court in Ibadan that her husband also frequently maltreats her in other ways, including beating her. The petitioner told the court that her husband who patronises different occult houses and Marabous also accused her of being behind his lack of progress in life. “My Lord, Zakaria accused of being responsible for his retrogressive condition. “He beats me and inflicts cuts on my body,” she alleged. Delivering the President of the Court, Mrs S.M. Akintayo granted the petitioner’s request for dissolution. She held that the petitioner’s application had merit since the marriage was valid via a customary process, based on the evidence tendered by the petitioner. Akintayo awarded custody of the two children Zakaria and asked Taofeek to take full responsibili...

  ….As family announces burial arrangements   Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has extolled the Late Pa Jerome Abalike Ella, father of his Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Water Resources, Engr. Ejembi Ella, and his indelible legacies.   This is coming as the family announces the burial arrangements for the deceased whose death occurred last month, December 27, 2022.   Ortom described  the deceased  as a renowned community leader who was humble, hardworking and dedicated his life to the service of God and humanity until his demise.   In a condolence letter on behalf of his family, the government and people of Benue State to the SSA, a copy of which Humanity Watch obtained, the governor stated that the transition of Pa Jerome at a time his wise counsel was most needed, has created a vacuum in the family that will be difficult to fill.   The governor however, urged the SSA on Water Resources who is also the immediate past General Ma...

  The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya has approved the redeployment of senior officers in an effort to ensure administrative and operational efficiency in the Nigerian Army (NA). The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement on Saturday, said the new postings and appointments was aimed at sustaining the recent operational successes recorded in combating emerging security challenges in the country. Nwachukwu said that the officers affected are Major Generals and Brigadier Generals amongst several other senior officers across army formations and units. He added that those affected in the redeployment include some Principal Staff Officers of the Army Headquarters, Corps Commanders, Commandants of Army Training Institutions, Brigade Commanders, Commanding officers and several others. In the new appointment, Nwachukwu said the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division, Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Ali, moves to the North East as Theatre Comman...

  The Plateau State Police Command, in its aggressive fight against crime and criminality, has again foiled the attempted kidnapping of the Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Sanda. According to a statement issued in Jos by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Alfred Alabo, he said three unidentifield gunmen operating in an grey-coloured CR-V Jeep arrived the Speaker’s residence at the Federal Low-cost Housing in Jos South LGA of the State on Thursday. He explained that after trailing the Speaker to his residence, the hoodlums attempted to enter his house to kidnap him but their mission was made impossible by the intrepid Police officers on guard duty, and the timely response of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), SP Ayuba, and his men, who joined forces with the men on guard duty to repel the assailants. Alabo further added that the Command was making concerted effort to track down the fleeing suspects and get them arrested. The PPRO thanked me...

Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Benue State Governor on Water Resources, Engr. Ejembi Candidus Ella has announced the passing on of his father Pa Jerome Abalike Ella.  Pa Jerome who passed on in the early hours of December 27, 2022 after a brief illness was aged 98. Until his demise, he was the eldest man in his village, Ogene and second to the eldest in  Amejo in Edumoga District of Okpokwu local Government area, Benue state.  Late Pa Jerome Abalike Ella The late Pa Jerome is survived by his two brothers, sister, six children, 85 grandchildren and great grandchildren, survive him. Prominent among his children are the SSA to Governor Samuel Ortom, Engr Candidus Ella who is the immediate past General Manager of Benue State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (BERWASSA), former Rector of Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo, Late Prof.  Olekwu Benjamin Ella who served eight years before his unfortunate death in a ghastly motor accident on June 1, 2015....

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has finally admitted carrying out military operations in Buhari village in Yunusari Local Government area of Yobe State on Wednesday. NAF had earlier denied any operation in the area, stating that the last conducted mission in Yobe State (not Yunusari LGA) was on September 5, 2021. NAF added that the reports on the bombing of the village were entirely false. However, the agency made a U-turn on Thursday. The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, said an operation took place in the area and shots were fired. The statement by Gabkwet said: “Following intelligence on insurgents movements along the Kamadougou Yobe River line, an aircraft from the Air Component of ‘Operation Hadin Kai’ was detailed to respond to the suspected insurgents’ activities in the area along the Nigeria/Niger border at about 0600hrs on Sept 15. “The aircraft while operating South of Kanama observed suspicious movement consistent wit...

Niger State government has broken silence on outbreak of cholera in the state as the commissioner for Health, Dr. Mohammed Makusidi, yesterday said 150 people had died as a result of the disease in the state. He said the deaths were recorded from April to date even as he did not give reasons on why the government was silent over the outbreak for a long time.Niger State government has broken silence on outbreak of cholera in the state as the commissioner for Health, Dr. Mohammed Makusidi, yesterday said 150 people had died as a result of the disease in the state. He said the deaths were recorded from April to date even as he did not give reasons on why the government was silent over the outbreak for a long time. The commissioner who spoke at the ongoing workshop by Pathfinder International in Minna noted that the outbreak was across the 25 local government areas LGAs of the state. According to him, before spreading to other local government areas, the disease was detected in 18 of the 2...

Nigeria Police will recruit 60,000 police personnel over the next six years. Inspector-general of police (IGP), Usman Baba, disclosed this yesterday during his working visit to Kwara State police command. This is just as the police boss described Kwara as the most peaceful state in the country. He said the police high command would recruit no fewer than 10,000 personnel every year for six years. “President Muhammadu Buhari has given approval for us to recruit 10,000 police personnel every year for six years. We have started but we have not done for 2020. So, we are doing for 2020 and 2021 between now and the end of the year. Their training is for six months. Latest by the end of 2021 our strength is expected to increase by 20,000,” Baba stated. He added that the personnel would be recruited from the 774 local government areas across the country, adding that upon completion of their training they would be redeploy to their various states of origin. This, the police boss said woul...

  By Josephine Ejeh As Nigeria continues to grapple with the challenges of  bad leadership, the Nigerian Prize for Leadership(NPL) has flagged-off call for nominations and entries for its 2021 Prize Winner and Opening of Application for participants in the 2nd Edition of  the NPL Ambassadors Leadership Programme(ALP 002).  An initiative being promoted by some eminent elder statesmen and women, the Prize is to recognize outstanding acts of leadership, based on clearly defined Nigerian paradigm, at various levels of society, and human interest.  1st from right , former Presidential Aspirant for the Social Democratic Party (SDP), former Minister of  Information  and the Chairman, NPL Prize Presentation Committee, Prof. Jerry Gana, the Chairman, NPL Governoring Board, Prof. Anya Anya and other dignitaries present at the ocassion on Wednesday in Abuja. The Prize is open to all Nigerians and will be presented to the most qualified, selected based on app...

Maureen Okpe  Former Permanent Secretary  in the Ministry  of Women Affairs, Ambassador Anthonia Ekpa has announced   the painful demise of her only son, Mr Mfon-Obong Ekpa. The deseased, a native of Ema Itam village in Itu Local Government of Akwa Ibom State, passed on to glory on Monday, August 16th 2021. Late Mr Mfon-Obong Ekpa. In a statement signed by parent of the deseased,   Barrister Anthonia A Ekpa (PhD),  lamented that he will be greatly missed by all who had the opportunity of meeting and working with him. "Late Ekpa was the only son of the family. Mfon will be greatly missed by his business associates, church friends, family, and all  who had the privilege of meeting him. "Until his death, he was the lead innovator at Keap Technologies, and a strategy consultant with 2oc Tech Solutions. Mfon, as he was fondly called, had a unique drive to create  technological and security solutions for business in the Nigerian space. "He enj...

  The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi has rubbished the reports that farmers killed in Toro village, Modakeke is a renewed crisis between Modakeke and Ife. Ooni described the killing in Modakeke as sheer criminality. "What happened at Toro village was sheer criminality and the long hand of the law would soon catch up with the perpetrators,” Ooni stated. He noted that attachment of communal coloration to the killing is an attempt by mischief makers to derail security operatives who are on top of the matter. Oba Adeyeye in a release by Moses Olafare, his director of media and public affairs said he received the report of the killing on Friday with serious concern. The monarch said the matter has been reported to the appropriate security agencies who have swung into action. Ooni warned that the Ife-Modakeke crisis has long been resolved and the killings should not be linked to the long resolved crisis. Oba Adeyeye thanked the Osun government, security agencies, and vigilante...

  The Lagos State Police Command has arrested Desmond Ikechukwu and Egwuonwu Gift who kidnapped their neighbour’s son and demanded a N2.5 million ransom. The police spokesperson, Adekunle Ajisebutu disclosed this in a statement on Saturday. He said the victim, Daniel Chukwudi, was kidnapped on July 11, following a planned abduction by Ikechukwu and Gift. The statement said: “The Lagos State Police Command has again arrested two male suspects, Desmond Ikechukwu Okafor (21) and Egwuonwu Gift Iyke (34) who conspired together and kidnapped an 8-year-old child, Daniel Chukwudi, on 11th July 2021. “The kidnap was planned and executed by the victim’s neighbour, Desmond Okechukwu Okorafor who, using his unhindered access to the family, lured the victim from his parents’ home at Aboru, Ipaja, and adopted (abducted) him to Ajangbadi area of Lagos where he was kept in custody for six days before he was rescued. “Twenty -four hours after the evil act, the suspects reached out to the victim’s p...

 Kogi State Government has evacuated its indigenes trapped at the University of Jos (UniJos) after the school was closed by the management owing to recent attacks in the state Onogwu Muhammed, Chief Press Secretary to the governor in a statement on Saturday said the students returned in buses with heavy security escorts provided by the State Government on Friday. He noted that the state governor, Yahaya Bello mandated that everything necessary must be done to return the students safely back home. The governor, however, assured the students that they would return back to school soon stating that authorities in Plateau State are on top of the situation to restore law and order in the state. He also praised the students for their orderly conduct and patience during the unfortunate incident. Students of the University on Thursday raised the alarm over the continued attacks on them by hoodlums, whom they said had killed four students over the week. The alarm came just as the corpse of a...

   As part of the continued efforts to bridge the digital divide in rural communities in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria, the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has extended it's sensitization workshop to Tungan Ashere community. The exercise is part of activities to be implemented under the organization's community networks project aimed at linking communities for easy access to affordable networks. Humanity Watch had reported a similar sensitization campaign embarked upon by CITAD in other parts of the FCT. The campaign which  is part of a larger activity to support Community-Led Approaches to Addressing the Digital Divide Nigeria, a project being coordinated globally by the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) with support from the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) through their Digital Access Programme (DAP) was attended by stakeholders in the community. Cross-section of participant...

Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), has taken its public  sensitization workshop on Local Community Network to Pasepa, a neglected community in Bwari Area Council of  Abuja, Nigeria's Federal Capital Territory. The intervention is part of CITAD's community-led approach to addressing the digital divide in Nigeria. As part of  the organization's community-led approach towards bridging the digital divide in Nigeria, the workshop which held on Wednesday at the ICT Centre deployed by CITAD and Actionaid Nigeria in the community also drew participants from neighbouring communities in Jiko, Ijebesa including traditional rulers, religious leaders, women leaders, youth leaders and other members of the communities. Cross section of participants at the sensitization workshop on Wednesday at Pasepa community. This would be the third community the organization which is committed to the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for the development ...

  The Kebbi State Government has donated six operational vehicles and 30 motorcycles to the 8 Division of the Nigerian Army, Sokoto, towards fighting banditry in the state. Retired Maj. Rabi’u Kamba, Special Adviser to Gov. Abubakar Bagudu on Security, presented the items to the General Officer Commanding (GOC) the Division at a ceremony in Birnin Kebbi. Kamba said the gesture was aimed at supporting the military in its quest to end kidnappings and banditry in the state. “We are committed to intensifying the pursuit of tackling security challenges in the state through the provision of necessary moral and material support to the Nigerian Army and other security agencies. “The presentation of six new Hilux vehicles and 30 motorcycles to the 8 Division, Nigerian Army, Sokoto is part of our commitment as a government with the primary responsibility of securing its people,” he said. Receiving the items, Yusuf assured that they would be effectively utilized in fighting banditry and crimi...

  Six states in Northern Nigeria reported 3,541 cases of cholera in the last two weeks, 13 June to 26 June, with 325 dead in six months. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), gave the figures in Abuja on Saturday. Most affected is Bauchi state, which has recorded 2,139 cases, about one-seventh of the 14,343 cases posted from January to June. Kano, the most populous state in the north is the second worst affected state. It logged 937 cases in the last two weeks. Other states with cholera cases in the last two weeks are Zamfara with 169 cases and Kaduna with 129. Niger reported 62 cases and Plateau nine. NCDC Director-General, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu said the 14, 343 cases reported from January to June came from 15 states and the FCT. The affected states are Benue, Delta, Zamfara, Gombe, Bayelsa, Kogi, Sokoto, Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna, Plateau, Kebbi, Cross-River, Nasarawa, Niger. NCDC’s Situation Report on cholera indicates that 27.6 per cent of victims across the country are those...