January 2018

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Latest Reality Blog is a legal blog where you are updated on online latest news, gist, entertainment, events, motivational text, and genue articles.

Federal lawmakers on Tuesday called for more investigation into cryptocurrencies to protect Nigerians from the unverified and risky investment.

Beaming its searchlight on the cryptocurrency phenomenon, the lawmakers said it is important for the Federal Government to pay attention to the proliferation of cryptocurrency schemes in the country.

“It (Bitcoins) does not exist in any tangible form and it is also not subject to any local or international monetary regulation or backed by any established government institution,” one of the lawmakers said, while calling for the education of Nigerians on the dangers of the currency.

Bitcoin ads in Nigeria are well-circulated as they appear on social media and are even aired on local television and radio stations with the promise of a huge financial windfall.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) warned in 2017 that anyone trading in Bitcoin is doing so at his or her own risk as cryptocurrencies are not legal tenders in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, Senator Magnus Abe called the attention of the lawmakers to the arbitrary bank charges and illegal deductions by commercial banks.

He also asked the Senate to look into what he termed ‘unjust remedies’ which the CBN offer to victims of excess and illegal deductions by commercial banks.

“Aware that the Central Bank of Nigeria on the 20th of February reported that it had recovered over N2.6billion from depositors fund from banks as excess funds imposed on their customers in 2015 alone,” he said.

Another lawmaker said many bank customers don’t care to look through the terms and conditions when opening a bank account but only lament when the bank charges are deducted from their accounts. Others were of the view that banks have the obligation of being honest to their customers.


The Senate thereafter directed its committee on banking to conduct a public hearing to amend the laws, rules and guidelines which do not protect customers and does not provide for a substantial remedy when overcharged by commercial banks.
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Coalition of Civil Society Organizations for Justice and Equity (Coalition-JE), has written a petitioned to the House of Representatives against the IG of Police, Ibrahim Idris.
The group petitioned the House over what it described as “total disregard of court judgments” by the Inspector-General of Police.
Hon. Rita Orji, member representing Ajeromi/Ifelodun federal constituency of Lagos State, read the petition signed by Comrade Olayemi Success on behalf of the coalition.
The petitioners said that the IGP has fragrantly disregarded various court judgments against him and the Police and in favour of the of the Trustees of Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN) and its National Commandant, Amb. Dickson Akoh.
The group prayed the house to summon the Police IGP and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), to explain why subsisting court orders were flagrantly disobeyed by them.
“We urge Mr Speaker to call the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Inspector-General of Police, the leadership of Peace Corps of Nigeria and Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports Development, to know what the problem is.
“It is a strange act that smacks of mischief for the Attorney-General of the Federation who is the Chief Law Officer of Nigeria to advise the IGP to comply with judgments of court and he shows recalcitrance or reluctance to obey.
“Recall that during public hearing on the Nigerian Peace Corps Bill, the Police strongly opposed to its passage. On the day the Corps commissioned its new corporate headquarters after the passage of the Bill by both chambers of the National Assembly, an event that was well attended by several legislators, the Police swooped on the office and sealed it up.
“This is an affront on the integrity and sanctity of the nation’s parliament, which cannot happen in any civilised part of the world”, the petition reads in part.
According to the petitioners, the Police had been sealing the offices of the Corps since 2010 and the corps had been suing the Police and wining the cases.
The group also tendered evidence of letters written by past Attorneys-General of the Federation on the 11th March 2010, 19th November 2010 and 30th January 2012, advising the Inspector-General of Police to obey court orders over the harassment and sealing of Peace Corps office.
“We also have it on authority that the incumbent Attorney-General of the Federation also wrote to the IGP recently to obey the court judgments in favour of Peace Corps of Nigeria, but the IGP has refused to unseal the office”, the group added.
The petitioners also said the press release of the Nigeria Police as published in page 31 of the Nigerian Tribune of 17th January, 2018 and page 40 of the Blueprint of 17th January, 2018, describing the PCN as “proscribed organisation” was misleading, as two separate court judgments by Justice Auta J and Justice Chukwu J in 2011 and 2013 respectively, already declared such action illegal and affirmed PCN as a lawful organisation.
They prayed the House of Representatives to intervene in the matter and make the IGP to obey all standing judgments against the Force.
The petition was referred to the House Committee on Public Petitions.
Recall that Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, on 9th November 2017, awarded a cost of N12.5m damage against the Nigeria Police, while ordering them to unseal the corporate headquarters of PCN “forthwith”.
Also, Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court on 15th January 2018, declared as “illegal”, the continuous sealing of the PCN office, thereby calling on the IGP to immediately unseal the property.
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In a letter to Senate President Bukola Saraki, President Muhammadu Buhari vowed to review the entire national security architecture to tackle the nation’s challenges.
Th letter dated Jan. 25, 2018 was read by  Saraki during Wednesday’s plenary.
“Action is being initiated and I expect to receive maximum cooperation from the Senate in line with Paragraph Three of the Senate resolutions”, President Buhari wrote.
“As I briefed you and the Rt. Hon Speaker when we met on the Jan. 14, several courses of action have been taken prior to the senate resolution.
“You may recall that I told you of the following steps taken as soon as the information came to me about the Benue killings.
“On Thursday, Jan. 4, I sent the Minister of Interior and the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation.
“On Friday, Jan. 5, the Inspector-General of Police briefed me verbally on the latest situation. Calm had then been restored’’.
“On Monday, Jan. 8, the Minister of Interior met with the governors of Adamawa, Kaduna, Niger, Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa.
“This was together with the DG of the State Security Services, IG-P, Commandant General Civil Defence, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.
“The Commissioners of Police from the six aforementioned states and Comptrollers of Civil Defence of the six aforementioned states were part of the meeting.
“At the instance of Governor Samuel Ortom, a meeting was held in the presidential villa on Jan. 15 with a cross-section of Benue people where frank and open discussions were held.
“Everybody appreciated the difficulties of the farmers-herders strife. I assured all of my commitment and assured justice would be done’’, the letter said.
“To infer therefore that nothing has been done, is incorrect. The police are strenuously working to apprehend the rest of the culprits of these heartless killings’’.
“The Senate’s resolution itemized in your letter would be taken into consideration and I am instructing all relevant MDAs to factor them in their work’’.
The president therefore reiterated his commitment to review the national security architecture of the country as promised in his inaugural address.
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The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) is set to commence work on its proposed $3 billion (N1.08 trillion) refinery in two states in the federation.

The National President of the association, Mr Chinedu Okoronkwo, made the disclosure in an interview with the NAN in Lagos on Wednesday.

IPMAN had in July 2014, acquired over 1,000 hectares of land to build refineries that would produce 200,000 barrels of petrol per day at Itobe in Kogi and Abbe in Bayelsa.

Okoronkwo said the project which ought to have started two years ago was delayed, due to leadership tussle in the association, adding that the project would commence now that the leadership issues had been resolved.

The IPMAN boss said that the leadership of the association had commenced discussion with investors and technical partners on how the project could commence forthwith, noting that the association remained committed to the project.

“Our N3 billion dollars refinery project would soon commence as we are discussing with our investors and technical partners.

“The project which was situated in Kogi and Bayelsa ought to have commenced but was deterred by the leadership tussle rocking the association but now that it has been resolved, I am pleased to inform the public that we will soon commence work.

“We are pursuing it very strongly because we believe in the success of the refinery. We bought 1,000 hectares of land in Kogi and Bayelsa, the states have been given approvals.

“Once government approvals and consent have been given, we are ready to move to the site and commence production.”

Okoronkwo said that foreign investors had conducted feasibility studies on the project in order to commence full operation.

He said that IPMAN’s aim was to contribute its quota as a stakeholder in the project to reduce the level of capital flight by foreign investors that characterised the oil and gas sector.

“The cost of exporting crude oil and bringing back refined products will be reduced.

“We want government to give us the necessary licences and ensure an enabling environment to operate.’’

Okoronkwo urged the Federal Government to invest more in modular refineries as a way to end fuel scarcity.

He said that the modular refineries could help to address shortfalls in fuel supply, pending when additional refineries would be built.

“It will also boost the country’s revenue generation and address frequent fuel capacity usually experienced during the yuletide seasons.

“Our expectation in 2018 is for the government to invest more on modular refineries to be able to have more petrol locally to address scarcity,’’ he said.

The IPMAN helmsman said that government had performed creditably well in the downstream sector in 2017, adding that it should crown it by building more modular refineries.

According to him, a modular refinery is cheaper to build and it can move from one place to another.

“A modular refinery is capable of refining between 10,000 and 35,000 barrels of crude oil per day,’’

He also told government to provide incentives that would attract investors to the oil and gas sector. 
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Qatar Petroleum said it has reset the prices of petroleum products in the country, in line with international oil prices.
Effective from 1 February, Premium grade petrol price will go up by 5 dirhams and will cost QR1.85($0.51) per litre compared to QR1.80 in January.
The new price makes the cost of petrol to be about N183.6k, more than the N145 being paid in Nigeria.
Super grade will be costlier by 5 dirhams and will cost QR1.90($0.52)(N187) per litre. It was QR1.85 in January, according to the new price list issued by Qatar Petroleum.
Price of diesel will increase by 10 dirhams. It will be QR1.85($0.51) a litre as against QR1.75 in January. This, at N183.6k, is cheaper than the price on offer in Nigeria. In Lagos and Abuja, diesel sells for between N200 and N210.
The Peninsulaqatar.com reported this is the highest ever price announced for petrol after the Ministry started pegging the fuel prices to the international market.
Prices had risen in January also.
When the first list was announced in June 2016 the premium petrol was QR1.20 per litre, super QR1.30 per litre and diesel QR1.40 per litre.
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The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) on Wednesday said it was finalising plans to purchase new buses to improve ground facilitation at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

FAAN’s General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Mrs Herrienta Yakubu, made this known in an interview with the NAN in Lagos.

Yakubu said the authority was aware of the current challenges being faced by travellers and other airport users over compliance with the new parking rules at the facility.

“It was put in place to ease vehicular traffic and enhance safety, security and comfort of the travelling public.

“I know that FAAN is making plans to buy new buses. They are not big buses like the shuttle buses.

“We will remove the seats and make them comfortable for passengers and their luggage.

“I know the plan is on to buy these new buses to complement the shuttle buses and that is what we are doing right now.

“But in the meantime, we are working on the shuttle buses to ensure that we have at least two on standby while one is moving.

“I am sure that between today and tomorrow, those two should be ready,’’ Yakubu said.

NAN reports that there had been several complaints by arrival passengers following the restriction of pick up in the area by FAAN.

Some of the passengers told our correspondents that the shuttle buses, which were supposed to transport them to the old car park were inadequate, forcing some of them to trek there with their luggage.

They noted that transporting passengers ought to be the prerogative of FAAN, saying that it was only people using the new multi-storey car park that were sure of easy movement within the airport. 
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A Wednesday morning trailer and motorcycle accident on Kara Bridge has left at least one person dead and several others injured.

The trailer is reported to have hit the motorcycle conveying a woman and her baby, killing the baby and injuring the mother in the process.

The trailer thereafter plunged into the river with the head hanging on the covets.

Eyewitnesses said the accident is caused as a result of the loss of control of the driver of the trailer.

The driver, his conductor and a passenger is believed to have plunged into the river alongside the head of the trailer.

Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC) official confirmed to Channels Television that the dead and injured have been taken away from the scene of the accident.


They are also working to ensure the free flow of traffic in the area of the accident.
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The Kaduna State Police Command said it arrested 38 suspects, involved in kidnapping, armed robbery and street gangs in three months.
The State Commissioner of police,  Mr Austin Iwar made the disclosure while briefing newsmen in Kaduna on Wednesday.
He said the groups were arrested between October 2017 and Jan. 2018.
He said of the 38 suspects, 21 were arrested in connection with kidnapping and armed robbery, while 17 were nabbed in connection to street gangs, popularly known as “Sara Sucks’.
He said that items recovered within the period under review include: 41 arms and ammunition and three vehicles, adding that the command  also dislodged three armed robbery syndicate.
Iwar said that the most significant of these successes was the arrest of a notorious armed robbery syndicate operating along the Zaria -Kano expressway.
“Some of the suspects who were involved in  kidnapping for ransom and operating in Lere and pambegua axis of Kubau and Zaria Local Government Areas were  also arrested,“he said.
The commissioner said that the street gangs were arrested in Rigasa, Tudun Wada, Kawo and Unguwar Rimi, all in Kaduna metropolis.
He said that the suspects who were in Police custody had given useful information that continued to aid police investigation.
He noted that they would soon be charged to court for prosecution.
“We want to reassure members of the public that the command will not relent in its effort in fighting all forms of crime and criminality in the state. “he said.
He called on all citizens of the state to be part of effort, adding that the command would  not fold its arms and allow miscreants to continue operate in the state. LR News
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Francisco Nunez Olivera

A Spanish village  declared a day of mourning on Tuesday following the death of  Francisco Nunez Olivera, a retired farmer billed as “the world’s oldest man”.
He  passed away just over a month after turning 113.
Olivera, who was 10 years old when World War I broke out, died on Monday in the village of Bienvenida in southwestern Spain where he had lived throughout his life, village mayor Antonio Carmona told AFP.
“It’s a very cold day and most of all a very sad day,” Carmona said.
Born on December 13, 1904, relatives credited Nunez Olivera’s long life to a diet based on vegetables he grew on his own land and a daily glass of red wine.
Every morning for breakfast, he would have sponge cake made with olive oil and a glass of milk. And until the age of 107, he went out for daily walks by himself, according to Spanish media reports published when he celebrated his last birthday.
While the Spanish media described Nunez Olivera as the world’s oldest man, his name did not appear on a list kept by the Gerontology Research Group, which validates the ages of the world’s longest-living people.
The US-based group lists Japan’s Masazou Nonaka, born on July 25, 1905 making him 112, as the world’s oldest man but Carmona said there were documents to prove the Spaniard was in fact older. It also lists a Japanese woman, aged 117, as the world’s oldest person.
“We were in the process of applying for him to enter into the Guinness Book of World Records. It meant a lot to his neighbours to be represented by the oldest man in the world,” Carmona said.
Proving Nunez Olivera’s exact age has been complicated by the fact that most of Bienvenida’s public archives were destroyed during Spain’s 1936-39 civil war, according to newspaper El Mundo.
Nunez Olivera, known in the village as Marchena due to his likeness to a Spanish flamenco singer who used that stage name, had been a widower since 1988.
He fought in the Rif War in the first half of the 1920s between Spain and the Berber tribes of the Rif mountains in Morocco and survived General Francisco Franco’s 1936-75 dictatorship.
He was one of 32 people over the age of 90 among the roughly 2 200 inhabitants of the village, according to El Mundo. Spain has one of the highest life expectancies in the world, which doctors often attribute to the country’s Mediterranean diet. — AFP/LR News
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Chief Rotimi Amaechi

The House of Representatives on Tuesday directed the Minister of Transportation, Chief Rotimi Amaechi, and other stakeholders to produce the documents on the $195m waterways security contract awarded to an Israeli security firm within 72 hours.

The Federal Government had approved the contract in October 2017 for waterways security.

It was approved for HLSI Security Systems and Technologies, an Israeli firm.

The contract involves the procurement of security equipment, training of the country’s  security operatives, particularly, the Navy, to combat waterways crimes.

Ameachi himself had confirmed in Lagos during the 2017 World Maritime Day, which had the theme, ‘Connecting Ships, Ports and People.’’’

The minister gave details, “When you see the equipment on the waterways, people will know they are safe and secured. Mr. President has kindly approved that, and that is being done through the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency.

“In the three years, they will train our Navy, our Army and our Police so that we can stop spending money escorting boats and vessels on our waterways.

“Currently, Maersk told me they spend between $15m and $18m annually to those escorting their vessels from one point to another on our waterways. We should be able to deflate that by next year so that people can do their businesses on our waterways without any fear of being attacked or harassed.

“The Israelis have assured us that after the training of our security operatives, such harassment and attacks on our waterways will not happen again.

“They even said we should hold them accountable if such harassment persists on our waterways after the training. That is one achievement that has happened under our leadership in the maritime sector.”

But the House resolved to probe the contract after up to 10 civil society organisations petitioned Amaechi, warning the Federal Government against proceeding with the contract.

They had observed that such contracts could have security implications for the country by exposing its waterways to foreign hands.

The House Committee on Public Petitions chaired by a member of the Peoples Democratic Party from Abia State, Mr. Uzoma Nkem-Abonta, is investigating the contract.

A session convened at the National Assembly in Abuja to investigate the issue was stalled on Tuesday after lawmakers could not lay their hands on the contract papers.

Expressing the frustration of the committee, Nkem-Abonta stated, “We have been demanding these documents and we have received no responses. This is about the 8th hearing on this issue.

“If the contractual documents and agreements cannot be produced within the next 72hours, we will be forced to close this matter and make our recommendations to the House.”

Another member of the committee from Lagos State, Mr. Rotimi Agunsoye, expressed displeasure over the situation, saying that the House was being taken for granted.

“There is no point giving the stakeholders extra 72 hours since tax payers’ money is involved. We should just close the matter.”

He argued that further giving the stakeholders another 72 hours was a waste of parliamentary time.

However, Nkem-Abonta intervened, urging his colleagues to give Amaechi one last chance with the 72-hour grace.

He added,  “Let us still give them the benefit of the doubt; after 72 hours we can close the matter.

“For now, my ruling is that all relevant stakeholders should stay action in all activities pending the outcome of House resolution on the issue.

“We have wasted so much parliamentary time on this issue that we will close the matter immediately after 72 hours.”

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Former first lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan 

A Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out a suit filed by former first lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The presiding judge, Justice John Tsoho who struck out the fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Mrs Jonathan held that contrary to Mrs Jonathan’s claim of indiscriminate harassment and freezing of her accounts without invitation, the steps taken by the EFCC were upon reasonable suspicion.

The court also noted that the former first lady did not tender any verifiable evidence to show how her rights to dignity were violated.


In addition, Justice Tsoho observed that Mrs Jonathan’s lawyer failed to adduce cogent evidence showing how her residence were raided.
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At least two soldiers were killed overnight while fighting off an attack by suspected Boko Haram jihadists in southeast Niger, a source in the security forces said Tuesday.

“It was an audacious attack repelled by our valiant defence and security forces who lost two men all the same,” the source told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The insurgents from neighbouring Nigeria “came aboard about a dozen vehicles” early Monday evening to attack a National Guard outpost near Chetimari, a village about 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the main regional town, Diffa, the source said.

“Since the Niger soldiers put up strong resistance, the Boko Haram elements withdrew to shell their positions from a distance,” he added.

The arrival of reinforcements led by the head of the National Guard contingent in Diffa, Major Mohamed Alwata, enabled the army to drive the raiders back towards Nigerian territory, where Boko Haram first launched a bloody insurgency in 2009.

The attackers “also lost several men” during fighting that lasted “for hours”, the source in the security forces said.

In mid-January, seven soldiers were killed and 17 others wounded in an attack at Toummour, in the east of the Diffa region close to the Lake Chad basin, a strategic area where the borders of four countries converge.

Chad and Cameroon are engaged alongside Nigeria and Niger in the battle against Boko Haram extremists, who first took the conflict across the border into Niger in 2015, with numerous raids around Diffa.

Between 2015 and 2017, UN monitors recorded 582 civilian casualties in 244 raids blamed on Boko Haram in the Diffa region. In 2017, 141 civilians were “wounded, killed and kidnapped,” compared with 227 in 2016 and 214 in 2015, according to UN statistics with no further breakdown.

The United Nations makes no estimates of casualties in Niger’s army, but the military is known to have lost dozens of troops since 2015.


AFP/LR News
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CP Don Awunah

A new Commissioner of Police, Mr.  Don Awunah, has been newly posted to Bayelsa State.

He replaced Mr. Amba Asuquo, who has been redeployed to Counter Terrorism Unit, Force Headquarters, Abuja.

Mr. Awunah promised to employ community policing strategy to combat crime in the predominantly riverine state.

The new Commissioner of Police who assumed office Monday, 29 January, 2018 in Yenagoa called on residents to cooperate and volunteer useful information to the Police to ease their job for results.

Until his new posting, Don Awunah was a Police Commissioner at the Counter Terrorism Unit, Force Headquarters, Abuja.

CP Don Awunah is a seasoned Police Officer, with vast experience in policing. He was enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force in 1988, after successful academic career from the University of Lagos. He holds BA (Hon) Philosophy, M.A. International Relations and Strategic Studies and M.A. Peace and Security Studies.

The Commissioner held a maiden briefing, today 30/01/2018, with the Officers of the Command, he charged them to be discipline and to exhibit courage and compassion in the discharge of their duties. He cautioned officers against unprofessional conduct and promised to imbibe democratic policing with professionalism and best practices. He encouraged the officers to reach out and partner with the public to ensure the security of lives and property, as economic activities can only thrive in a peaceful environment.

The Command by this announcement, solicits the co-operation and partnership of the good and well meaning people of Bayelsa State, to accord the new Commissioner of Police, the necessary support to discharge his duties of maintaining law and order in the State.

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(dpa/LR News) A German woman has been sentenced to life imprisonment after she was found guilty of murdering three people.
Her conviction on Tuesday was fast-tracked after it was discovered that she used their bank cards to take out money.
There were no witnesses to the killings, but the court in the western town of Giessen ruled that the evidence against the woman was sufficient to issue the highest punishment, ruling out an early release.
She was found guilty of killing and robbing a 79-year-old magician in Giessen in April 2016, and setting a fire to hide any trace of the crime.
In May that year, she went on to murder an 86-year-old woman and her 58-year-old daughter, whose accounts she stole money from.
State prosecutors described the defendant as a “seemingly pleasant’’ woman who turned out to be a “serial killer’’ who was “ice cold’’ in murdering the three victims.
The woman’s defence team had sought her acquittal.
She was on trial for a year and did not respond to the charges against her.
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The Nasarawa State Police Command on Tuesday confirmed the killing of seven people by gunmen on Monday night in the state.
The Latest Reality Metro reports that the attacked happened at Kadarko, a village in Keana Local Government Area of the State.
According to Mr Kennedy Idirisu the force Public Relations Officer, the victims were killed by gunmen that invaded the village on Monday.
He described the incident as “saddening”, saying that a special police team, led by a senior officer, had been deployed to the area to forestall a recurrence.
LR News reports that Kadarko village had come under severe attacks lately, with cattle rustlers killing 73 cows on Sunday.
Two herdsmen were reported missing after the rustlers’ invasion.
Our correspondents also reports that Alhaji Ahmed Bello, the Commissioner of Police in Nasarawa, visited the village on Sunday and assured that investigation had commenced toward apprehending the rustlers.
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Nigeria’s Air Force killed at least 35 people in attacks on villages in the northeastern state of Adamawa in December, Amnesty International claimed  in a report released today.
Air Force spokesman Olatokunbo Adesanya denied the Air Force had bombed any locations in the region or fired shots targeting people, saying it had opened fire to dissuade looters and vandals. Adesanya said he was unaware of any human casualties.
Residents of the villages described being fired upon by a fighter jet and military helicopter as they attempted to flee, at the same time as hundreds of herdsmen took part in a revenge attack on the communities for earlier killings, Amnesty said.
On Dec. 4, air force fighter jets fired rockets at villages to deter communal clashes as a cycle of violence and revenge attacks gripped Adamawa state, Amnesty said.
“The helicopter and the jet started releasing bombs. Houses started burning. Children started running for their lives,” an unnamed farmer from the village of Shafaron told Amnesty.
The report described the “devastating cumulative effect of the herders and Air Force attacks, with at least eight villages heavily damaged or completely destroyed by fire.”
Burned husks of vehicles and blackened houses reduced in parts to rubble were shown in an accompanying video from Amnesty. Satellite images depicted large swathes of settlements ravaged by fire.
Eighty-six people died, with the Nigerian air force responsible for at least 35 deaths, and some 3,000 homes were destroyed in the five villages visited, said Amnesty.
The air raids occurred in the villages of Lawaru, Dong, Kodomti, Shafaron and Nzuruwei, where Amnesty International interviewed a total of 15 witnesses.
Locals in each village also provided Amnesty International with lists of the dead, which totalled 86 names.
As the herdsmen shot people and torched homes, and the air raid resulted in fire, it was not possible to establish how much of the death and destruction was a direct result of the air attacks or attributable to the attack by herdsmen.
Based on witness testimony, field observations, determination of the nature of weapons used as well as analysis of photographic and satellite images Amnesty International believes that the air raids caused significant destruction, and estimates that they were responsible for at least 35 deaths and numerous injuries.
Witnesses involved in the identification and burial of the victims said that 51 had gunshot or machete wounds, while the remaining 35 died as a result of the airstrikes in Dong, Shafaron, Lawaru and Kodomti.
They said that most victims were buried in individual graves but in Dong some 28 victims were buried in a mass grave.
Dong and Lawaru had the highest number of fatalities. Across the five villages visited by Amnesty International, some 3,000 homes were destroyed.
Satellite and aerial imagery secured and analysed by Amnesty International confirm the devastating cumulative effect of the herders and Air Force attacks, with at least eight villages heavily damaged or completely destroyed by fire.
“Launching air raids is not a legitimate law enforcement method by anyone’s standard,” said Osai Ojigho, Amnesty’s country director for Nigeria, in Tuesday’s report.
“Such reckless use of deadly force is unlawful, outrageous and lays bare the Nigerian military’s shocking disregard for the lives of those it supposedly exists to protect,” she said.
Two weeks after the incident, Amnesty claimed that NAF spokesman, Adesanya revised the account, adding that the herdsmen had opened fire on the aircraft.
Adesanya was also quoted as saying that the air force recorded video footage of the operations, which involved an Alpha Jet and an EC 135 helicopter.
The region is a flashpoint for violence between Muslim herders and Christian farmers over rights to grazing land and agriculture. This month at least 168 people have died across five states in such clashes, said Amnesty.
The report is the latest challenge to the military on human rights and the attacks suggest a deadly crisis between herders and farmers is spiralling out of government control.
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The family of Victor Ajisafe, who was allegedly killed by a Fulani man in Akure, the Ondo State capital, has called on the Ondo State Government and the state police command to fish out his killer.

The victim’s widow, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Ajisafe; and his mother, Mrs. Ajoyo Ajisafe, appealed to the Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Gbenga Adeyanju, to bring the killer to book.

Victor, 30, was allegedly stabbed to death by a Fulani man who wanted to board a vehicle at a motor park at the Road Block area of Akure after a disagreement between them on Sunday.

The identity of the alleged killer was still unknown as of the time of filing this report.

It was gathered that on the day, a friend of the suspect, who was identified as Usman Olaniyi, allegedly told the suspect in Hausa that the deceased was abusing him in Yoruba.

A source said, “Immediately Usman communicated with him in Hausa, he (Fulani man) brought out a knife and started chasing Victor at the park. When he caught up with him, he stabbed him in the neck. We initially thought they were playing. But suddenly, we saw him (Victor) on the ground in a pool of blood.”

The source said immediately the victim was stabbed, the killer Fulani man fled the scene and his whereabouts had been unknown.

However, Olaniyi, who incited the killer, was arrested and handed over to the police.

The state Public Relations Officer, Mr. Femi Joseph, confirmed the incident and Olaniyi’s arrest.

He said, “With what we gathered, it was clear that Olaniyi incited the killer to stab the victim and we have arrested him. We are still looking for the Fulani man that carried out the dastardly act. But if we don’t find him, that means only Olaniyi would be charged to court.”

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