Christians Protest Killings
It is becoming clearer to many in the Christiandom that prayer alone isn’t going to solve Nigeria’s problem. Last Sunday, Christians didn’t just pray; they walked to protest the rising insecurity in the country, which has affected a majority of their members.
They heeded the call by their apex organisation, the Christian Association of Nigeria and staged prayer walks around their churches to end killings in the nation.
At the Oritamefa Baptist Church, Ibadan, where the CAN President, Reverend Supo Ayokunle, worshipped, the rally held around 12.30pm.
In Lagos, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye led a massive protest against the insecurity situation across the country.
Abacha Loot Agreement Signed
To the consternation of those, who claimed that former military ruler Sani Abacha didn’t steal a dime, including President Muhammadu Buhari, the federal government has continued to recover billions starched away in foreign banks from the late dictator.
Not many were surprised, when the federal government signed agreement in Washington D.C, the United States, for the repatriation of $318,460.329 with the United States and the authorities of Jersey Island.
The tripartite agreement brought to an end the 20-year legal tussle over the loot discovered in Jersey Island, a British Crown dependency located near the coast of Normandy, France.
Abacha was Head of State between 1993 and 1998, before dying in office.
The Island, with 10,000 population, is one of the worldwide offshore financial centres and often described by some as a tax haven. It attracts deposits from customers seeking the advantages on offer, like reduced tax burdens.
After Amotekun, Northern Group Announces Own Security Outfit
Everyone seems to have realised relying on the federal government funded security agencies would not provide the requisite security needed to secure the nation.
After the Southwest unveiled Amotekun, other regions have also announced plans to operate similar security outfit.
Last week, the Coalition of Northern Groups proposed a new security outfit called ‘Shege-ka-Fasa’, which it said would help safeguard the lives of citizens in the northern region.
The group’s spokesperson, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, said the move was necessitated by the “apparent failure” of the government to discharge its primary duty of protecting the lives and properties of all citizens.
Crisis Breaks Out After Okada Ban in Lagos
Violent reactions have continued to trail the ban and restriction on the activities of motorcycle riders in some parts of Lagos state. From the reactions, it is obvious the state was ill-prepared for the aftermath of the ban.
There was pandemonium last week in both Ijora Badia and Iyana-Ipaja area of Alimosho in Lagos State as motorcyclists and the police clashed over the ban. An SS 2 pupil, Mariam Shobukola, was reportedly shot during the clash. A patrol van belonging to the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) was set ablaze at the Iyana-Ipaja roundabout, a police utility vehicle was vandalised at Alaguntan. A motorbike belonging to the police was also damaged.
INEC Deregisters 74 Political Parties
Only 18 political parties now remain on the list of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the commission last week deregistered 74 political parties on the grounds that they failed to meet requirements for party registration.
However, the parties aren’t going to go down without a fight. Many of them reacted angrily to INEC’s decision. Some are already in court, saying it was subjudice of INEC to have deregistered them.
US President Trump Survives Impeachment
It was a good week for President Donald Trump of the United States, who not only survived impeachment, but also delivered a state of the union address.
Riding on the back of the clean bill given to him by the Senate, Trump has fired two key witnesses in the impeachment investigation against him, in what analysts described as campaign of retaliation just two days after he was acquitted by the Senate.
He fired Gordon Sondland, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union, just hours after dismissing Ukraine expert Alexander Vindman, a decorated Army lieutenant colonel, according to statements released by Sondland and Vindman’s lawyer.
He was charged with abusing his office to pressure Ukraine into announcing an investigation of his political rival ahead of elections this year, leveraging military aid to lean on Kiev, and then obstructing the investigation by Congress.
Earlier, President Trump was not as lucky with the Democrats-controlled House of Representatives as he was impeached.