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Men Too Are Target Of Human Traffickers – NAPTIP

By
The Source
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Ibadin Judith-Chukwu

By Ayodele Oni

The News  has always been filled with reports of Human Traffickers exporting girls into foreign land for prostitution.

Some of the victims are usually attracted with a promise of getting well paid jobs abroad but end up becoming sex slaves.

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffcking in Persons, (NAPTIP) has just  revealed  that not only girls are victims as boys are now targets of these human traffickers.

The agency has, therefore, alerted Nigerians especially men and boys to be wary of those that cajole them with sweet job and education offers to take them abroad as some of them end up becoming sexual tools.

Commander of the Agency in Anambra state, Mrs Ibadin Judith-Chukwu, during an interraction  with newsmen  on this year’s World Day Against Human Trafficking, said human traffickers are now trafficking male victims to asian countries for sexual exploitation.

World Day Against Human Trafficking is a global commemoration marked on July 30th every year, to spotlight the destructive effects of trafficking in persons in the society, appreciate efforts of various government to stamp out the crime and highlight the plights of the victims, who are the sufferers of the crime.

The NAPTIP Commander noted that the crime is getting sophisticated with technological advancement.

“Men and boys from Anambra here are being trafficked to the Asian countries. They are kept in brothels and older women will come and take them home to satisfy their sexual desire after which they return them to the brothels. Unfortunately, the proceeds go to whoever runs the brothels.

“Remember, before they left Nigeria, they were promised jobs through travel agents. But when they get there, their passports would be seized and they become vulnerable.

“They drug their food and water so that they will be able to service as many women as possible. From information we’ve received, a lot of them died in the process.”

Commenting on this year’s theme – “use and abuse of technology”,

the NAPTIP Commander mentioned various ways human traffickers leverage on technology to advance their illicit businesses.

“They use technology to offer fake online jobs, profile the victims and advertise sex websites. They cajole girls into posting their pictures with which they are displayed as commodities for men to make choices.

“They use it to control and monitor their movement through GPS. They can also use technology to blackmail the victims too. They say, if you want to expose us, we expose your nude pictures or videos.”

Mrs Judith-Chukwu stressed the need for those campaigning against human trafficking to maximize the positive sides of technology, especially the social media, to undermine the operations and activities of the criminals.

“When you are investigating cases of human trafficking, you can use technology to track the locations of the suspects and victims.

“We can also extract open financial investigation through the accounts of the suspects making them to forfeit proceeds of the crime. We can use it to access their bank account details with all legal backing to ascertain financial flows and what they are meant for.

“We use various social media accounts such as whatsapp, facebooks, twitter and others. You can report cases of human trafficking via emails to us.”

She appealed to residents of Anambra and other Nigerians to be more careful as traffickers now employ new techniques enabled technology to trap unsuspecting persons.

Update: INEC Debunks Alleged Carting Away Of PVC Registration By Hoodlums

By
Akinwale Kasali
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By Akinwale Kasali

Contrary to the video in circulation on Social Media posted by one Princess Okogie Idemudia that hoodlums invaded St. Bridget Catholic Church, Ijesha, Surulere, Lagos, and carted away Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs and Registration Machine meant for the registration exercise on Friday, July 29th, 2022,  the Lagos State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Olusegun Agbaje, said no such incident happened.

Agbaje  in a statement, said that the viral video was false and targeted at causing chaos, fear and halting the Registration exercise that is scheduled to end on Sunday,   July  31st, 2022.

INEC stated that it does not use any religious or worship centers for the Registration Exercise. It, therefore, urged the Public to disregard the Video and go about their registration process peacefully.

Agbede added that the Commission is working round the clock to make sure that all eligible citizens that are yet to register and give the opportunity to do so before the exercise comes to an end in Sunday.

Before this clarification by the electoral umpire, it was alleged that thugs stormed the Church armed with dangerous weapons saying that they should stop PVC registration because “if they register here, they are likely to vote for Peter Obi”.

2023: Tinubu Cheated During APC Presidential Election, Former Buhari Minister, Nwajiuba Tells Court

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Hon Emeka Nwajiuba

By Akinwale Kasali

From unexpected quarters comes a dagger at the All Progressives Congress, APC and its Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

The immediate past  Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, has filed a case at the Federal High Court, Abuja, seeking an order to be declared the authentic Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Nwajiuba, in conjunction with a Group under the auspices of Incorporated Trustees of Rights for All International, in the originating summing before the Court,  prayed that the Court should cancel the votes garnered by the APC Presidential candidate, Tinubu, as well as the flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.

The Imo State born Nwajiuba accused the APC Presidential candidate of bribing delegates with dollars. He presented 26 issues for determination by the court.

He specifically asked the court to determine whether the composition of the delegates contravened Article 11(A) 12(1) and 13(1) of the constitution of the APC.

He also urged the court to determine if the composition of the delegates at the PDP primary does not contravene Section 33(1) and (5) (c) of the constitution of the party.

Stressing further, he prayed that the court to determine whether having regard to the clear unambiguous and express provisions and tenor of Sections 6(6) (A) (B) and (C) read alongside Section 15(5) of the 1999 Constitution, the court has the inherent judicial powers to nullify, cancel, and declare as illegal the presidential primaries of the APC and the PDP.

Nwajiuba asked the court to determine that all the votes cast in favour of Tinubu and Atiku at the special national conventions of the APC and PDP were illegal, null, void, and of no effect whatsoever on the grounds of corruption and selling of delegates’ votes and voter inducement.

Lastly, he prayed the court to decide that having regard to the express provisions of paragraphs 1 and 8 of the 5th schedule of the 1999 Constitution, the alleged corrupt conducts of Tinubu and Atiku in buying votes and inducing delegates with Dollars and Naira to secure their votes at the special national convention, disqualify them from further seeking, contesting, and holding the office of the President.

Nnamdi Kanu’s Counsel, Ejiofor, To  FG: Comply With Judgement; Release My Aide

By
Ayodele Oni
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By Ayodele Oni

One of the Counsels to the detained leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Mr Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has  pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, to  immediately, and unconditionally release his domestic staff.

He explained that his personal aide was arrested by agents of State since 2021, when his country home was raided by Security agents.

Speaking in Abuja  on Friday on the judgment of a Federal High Court which declared his house invasion as “barbaric, uncivilized, illegal and unconstitutional”, Ejiofor demanded immediate compliance with the court verdict to release his detained worker.

The lawyer claimed that his house at Umunakwa Ifite, Oraifite, Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State was, on June 6, 2021, unlawfully invaded by a combined operatives of Army, DSS, Police and Civil Defence during which his Assistant, Samuel Okoro was gruesomely murdered.

Ejiofor said that the corpse of Okoro was callously  burnt in his Camry Toyota to ashes by the Security Operatives, to conceal evidence.

He stated that the Federal High Court judgment delivered in his suit marked FHC/AWK/CS/56/2021, has vindicated him, adding that the court verdict had set the record straight as against the denial by the security operatives.

The lawyer further added that he committed no offence other than defending Nnamdi Kanu in the charges brought against him by the Federal Government.

Ejiofor fingered a top hierarchy in the Police, who he alleged was directly involved in the planning and execution of the illegal invasion and challenged the Police authorities to investigate the Police officer’s telephone calls and messages between June 5th to 7th 2021 for deserved punishment.

Justice Hassan Nganjiwa had in the judgment delivered on July 22 ordered Police, DSS, Nigeria Security and civil Defense Corps and the Nigerian Army to pay a sum of N107m compensation to the lawyer for the unlawful invasion of his house and for destruction done to his  properties during the unlawful invasion.

In the judgement, Justice Nganjiwa had held that “I wish to state that after watching the CCTV footage tendered in this matter, I ran out of words to express my feelings to what I saw. I could not believe what I saw was done by human beings like us to the applicant (Ejiofor).

“In the first place, there was nothing shown why the applicant’s house was invaded. Even if he had committed murder, the respondents went too far by taking the law into their hands.

“The applicant, all the occupants of the house and the neighbors were traumatized psychologically, mentally, socially and otherwise.”

Opinion: Crying With Tobi Amusan. Nigeria Shall Win Las Las

By
James Orji
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By Femi Adesina

The week began on a dolorous note. Gloomy, sepulchral. Early Sunday morning, a ghoulish video began to make the rounds, in which abductors of the train passengers held since March 28 were being brutally beaten up, with their captors threatening fire and brimstone against everyone in the country. It was a very sad spectacle.

A cocktail of other negative stories cascaded out. Police station attacked in Ondo, cop killed. Bandits kill many in Kaduna, Taraba, Plateau. Later in the day, we heard of bandits attacking troops of the Guards Brigade, with three soldiers dead. And the Nigerian Labour Congress, in the midst of it all, was threatening to shut down the country in sympathy protests with the striking academic staff of universities. It never rains, it pours.

But however overcast the sky may be, the ravening clouds are not always completely victorious. They don’t possess the entire sky. You always see streaks of light. That blistering light came from Eugene, Oregon, United States of America, where the World Athletics Championship, was taking place.

Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan, 25, had won Gold in 100 meters hurdles, setting a world record in the process. In fact, she had set two records within 90 minutes, first in the semi-final race, and then in the final. But the second was deemed wind-assisted, as the speed of the wind was above the legal limit.

Oluwatobiloba Ayomide Amusan had done what Napoleon couldn’t do. She had won the first ever Gold medal for Nigeria in a World Athletics Championship. The flag of Nigeria was fluttering proudly in the global skyline, and our National Anthem was resonating melodiously. What a great time to be Nigerian, a breath of fresh air in a country being asphyxiated by bad news from every corner.

Tobi Amusan had burst into the limelight in 2013, when she won Gold at the African Youth Championships in Warri, Delta State. She performed the same feat in 2015 at African Junior Athletics Championships in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. But she was nowhere near where she was going yet.

In November 2016, she had posted on Twitter:”Unknown now, but I will be Unforgettable. I shall persist till I succeed.”

Yes, that’s the spirit. She needed to persist till she would get to the very top, reminding me of the memory work my school principal father gave all his children when we were young: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again.” He got us to repeat it so many times, till it became ingrained in our psyche.

Tobi fell just short of the mark in some global competitions over the past couple of years. She would end in fourth position, till she described herself as the “almost girl.” She finished 4th at the Championships in Doha, and at the Tokyo Olympics. Her words: “I was the ‘almost girl.’ I got fourth, fourth, fourth. Now I finally did it.”

Yes, she did it along with long jumper, Ese Brume, who also won Silver medal at the Championships. An elated President Muhammadu Buhari described them in superlatives, extolling them for bringing honor to motherland.

I watched Tobi Amusan as she climbed the dais to be invested with her medal. Besides herself with joy after crossing the finishing line ahead of others (who wouldn’t?), she was a perfect picture of calmness. The Gold medal was emblazoned round her neck, followed by the National Anthem.

The song wafted forth, with that look of wonderment on the face of the new champion. When it got to; “the labor of our heroes past, shall never be in vain, to serve with heart and might…” lo and behold, Tobi began to cry. As the tears streamed down her face, I was surprised to see myself crying with her. And unabashedly too.

This was our country standing tall in the comity of nations. Our country, not a zoo. Our country, not a failed state. Our country, beleaguered, besieged, but not broken, indeed, unbreakable, and being celebrated. Nigeria we hail thee. Our own dear native land. Tobi cried, and I cried along.

The English writer, William Cowper (1731-1800), was the one who looked at his country, and exclaimed:” England, with all thy faults, I love thee still-My country.”

Nigeria, with all thy many faults, I love thee still-My country.

Was I ashamed of my secret tears? No. As Charles Dickens wrote in Great Expectations, “Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of the earth, overlying our hard hearts. I was better after I had cried, than before-more sorry, more aware of my own ingratitude, more gentle.”

May we always be aware of our ingratitude to this blessed but blighted country. And may we be more sorry, more gentle. Nigeria shall win over all her adversaries. Las las. Amen.

Adesina is Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity

Oyetola Tackles Osun Gov elect On Transition Committee

By
Ayodele Oni
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Adegboyega Oyetola

By Ayodele Oni

Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, has said the Transition Committee inaugurated by the Governor- elect, Ademola Adeleke, will continue to chase the shadow, going by its terms of reference.

Oyetola, who spoke through his Chief press secretary, Ismail Omipidan, on Friday, noted that the Terms of Reference given to the Transition Committee are signs that the incoming administration was not prepared for governance.

The Governor  accused the Osun State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of relying on lies adding that the setting up of the Transition Committee by the Governor-elect was as a result of hearsay.

Senator Ademola Adeleke, the Osun Governor-elect had, on Thursday, inaugurated a 37-member Transition Committee charged with interfacing with the outgoing Government of Adegboyega Oyetola for a smooth transition of power.

The Transition Committee which was tasked with an 18-point Terms of Reference was also charged to hit the ground running and propose actionable agenda for the new administration in the first 100 days, one year and subsequent years.

The Transition Committee has, as Chairman, Muyiwa Oladimeji and Secretary, Bamidele Salam who is a serving member of the House of Representatives.

Oyetola clarified that the State Government had not obtained any loan and has not given any emergency contract since the result of the July 16, gubernatorial election was announced.

“The inauguration of the Transition Committee by the Governor-elect (yesterday) shows that the Osun PDP is not prepared for governance and the inauguration is just a confirmation of this.

“As to the allegation of obtaining of loan, I will state categorically here that Osun did not obtain any loan and the Government has prosecuted all the contracts without recourse to any loan.

“Also, Government has not awarded any emergency contract. I call on the PDP to identify any emergency contract that the Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola has awarded after the announcement of the election result.

Reacting, the Chairman of the Transition Committee, Muyiwa Oladimeji  insisted that the inauguration of the Transition Committee was without any hidden agenda.

Oladimeji added that the Terms of Reference that the Committee was tasked with are common things under a Presidential system of Government.

“The Terms of Reference mandated by the Governor-elect is a means to interface with the outgoing Government.

“The inauguration of the Transition Committee is the most civilized thing to do under this setting.”

Fear Of Obi: Thugs Storm Catholic Church, Lagos, Cart Away PVC Machines

By
Uche Mbah
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By Uche Mbah

Thugs, on Friday, stormed St. Bridget’s Catholic Church Ijesha, in Lagos, chased away Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC officials,  and carted away Permanent Voters Card, PVC machines. It is only two days to the INEC deadline for registration, scheduled for July 31st.

An eye witness account said the thugs stormed the Church armed with dangerous weapons saying that they should stop PVC registration because “if they register here, they are likely to vote for Peter Obi”.

The Church had arranged the registration within the premises to enable members of their congregation register.

This is not the first such scandalous incident would happen in Lagos. A couple of months ago, thugs stopped Alaba International Market Traders who had closed the market for one day to enable them register, from doing so. They chased the Traders and INEC officials away. Some of the Traders were injured by the thugs.

Meanwhile major markets in Alimosho area of Lagos were closed during the week to enable market women to register.

It is not clear whether INEC will extend the voters registration.

INEC Urges Lagos Residents To Visit Designated Areas To Register For PVCs As Deadline Approaches

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Segun Agbaje - Lagos INEC REC

By Akinwale Kasali

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Lagos, has urged Lagosians to partake in the Continuous Voters Registration Exercise, CVR, which commenced on 28th June 2021, and expected to end on Sunday 31st July 2022.

The Lagos State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Olusegun Agbaje in a Press Statement admonished all eligible citizens that are yet to register to visit any of the CVR Centres at the Lagos State INEC office on 2, Birrel Road, Sabo-Yaba, the 20 Local Government Areas of the State or scheduled registration areas wards to do so as the Commission is ready to capture all eligible citizens before the end of the exercise.

Agbaje added that voters who have the Permanent Voters Cards issued by the Commission since 2011 are okay, as the PVCs do not expire and no need for revalidation as the PVC will work very well with the Commission’s new technology code named Bimodal Voter Accreditation system, BIVAS.

This was used in the Anambra,Ekiti and Osun State governorship elections recently conducted by the commission.

He appealed to those who are not registering for the first time or do not have any issue with PVC or finger print during Accreditation in any past election not to visit the designated physical CVR centres but address transfer and PVC incidences like damage, deface or loss on the commission’s online portal to reduce the crowd.

Atiku Lied, Never Visited Me, Says Wike

By
Uche Mbah
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Atiku in Rivers to See Wike

By Uche Mbah

Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike has accused the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, of insincerity and peddling lies about his position in the party.

Wike who spoke at the Port Harcourt International Airport, particularly took exception to Atiku’s statement in an Arise interview on July 22, 2022.

“(Atiku) appeared before Arise Television, see the statements he made. So many lies were told”, Wike said, referring to Atiku’s statement that he chose who he can work with amicably, thereby insinuating he cannot work with Wike.

Atiku: “Governor Wike was not rejected. Nobody was rejected in the party. But you must understand that it’s the prerogative of the candidate to pick his running mate — a running mate he believes he can work with amicably, and then also deliver the policies of the party, and also try to unify the country,” Atiku had said at the interview.

Wike also debunked the news that Atiku visited him for discussions recently, widely reported on social media.

“What happened to investigative Journalism?”, he queried , saying that all he has been receiving were phone calls urging him to work with Atiku.

“Atiku has been to my house before. Does he not know the way to my house again ?”, he queried, saying that at the right time he will reply to all “their lies”.

But Atiku had praised Wike in the controversial interview, calling him a courageous and brilliant politician “who has a future in Nigerian politics.”

“Governor Wike is a brilliant politician. He’s courageous, tenacious, I believe he has a future in the political evolution of this country. It’s not a question of rejection. Certainly, not. I think it’s too harsh a word to say that we rejected governor Wike. Certainly not.”

2023: UK Warns, Doubts Election Will Hold

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Election Ballot Boxes in Nigeria

By Akinwale Kasali

The current state of unprecedented insecurity in Nigeria has become worrisome, prompting the Government of the United Kingdom, UK, to express skepticism on the possibility of the 2023 General Election taking place.

The UK Government warned that the 2023 General elections may not hold in Nigeria if the current spate of violence and insecurity continue.

Making this submission is the Director, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office in the United Kingdom, Chris Beecroft, during the launch of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum Peace and Inclusive Security Initiative (PISI) in Abuja, the nation’s Capital.

Beecroft identified active insurgency in the North East; farmers-herders conflicts which are extending across the country, resource conflicts in the Niger Delta, the tension in the South-East and banditry in the North West as some of the major challenges.

Proffering a solution, the UK envoy said the solution to this anomalies is for all stakeholders to work together, and that the military and the police need to be strengthened.

He added that addressing the insecurity challenges of the nation does not only lie in strengthening the Military and the Police, but through reconciliation, mediation, arbitration, and access to justice as well.

“We are at a critical juncture in Nigeria’s journey, and now is an important moment for new thinking and action to build a more peaceful future for all Nigerians.

“The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office value our relationship with the Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, and have supported the NGF through our programs, including SPARC, PERL and most recently the Technical Assistance provided in framing the Peace and Inclusive Security initiative, PISI.

“Nigeria faces significant peace and security challenges. There is an active insurgency in the North East; farmer-herder conflicts are extending across the country; resource conflicts in the Delta; tension in the South-East; and banditry in the North West. The rise in conflict risks destabilizing Nigeria’s democracy in the run-up to the 2023 elections.

“Conflict destroys lives, destroys livelihoods, destroys hope and ambition for the future. Conflict represents an existential threat to Nigeria’s unity and its development.

‘’The police and army are in urgent need of reform, but the solution to Nigeria’s instability does not lie in simply strengthening the police and army-but rather in building an effective social contract, building federal, state, local and community level infrastructure to manage conflict; and in giving young people jobs and opportunities so they have a stake in a prosperous and peaceful Nigeria.

‘’Injustice and impunity, weak Justice institutions, the proliferation of small arms and weapons, the weaponization of social media, are all drivers of conflict and instability. But with the right commitment, dedication, and support, there are solutions.

“The UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, FCDO, recognizes the important role NGF plays in setting the peace and security agenda, building state-level and community level structures and institutions to reduce violence and respond to conflict and insecurity across Nigeria.

“The FCDO is keen to continue its collaboration with and support for the government of Nigeria in its efforts to deal with the mounting insecurity. The UK is pleased to have been able to support this initiative and is committed to continuing working with the Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, in advancing its peace and security agenda.

“The UK is engaged in supporting Nigeria to reduce violent conflict in a number of areas; we promote a regional response in the North East and Lake Chad Basin through our contribution to the Regional Stabilisation Facility, RSF, and delivery of programs on peacebuilding, humanitarian assistance, protection of civilians, human development, good governance, and accountability.

‘’All our programming, whether focused on health, education, economic growth, or governance, works to reduce the risk of violent conflict and support peace-building infrastructure”, Beecroft stressed.

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