NTA reporter kidnapped in Rivers
ANigerian Television Authority ( NTA) reporter has been abducted in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.
Chidiebere Onyia had recently resumed work after giving birth four months ago.
It was gathered that she was abducted by four men in traffic at Woji railway crossing in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area on her way from work around 8. pm on Tuesday.
The assailants left behind her vehicle, a Honda Crosstour SUV, which she was driving before being taken hostage.
They, however, dispossessed the journalist’s colleague of her handbag and phones before letting her go.
“We were halted by traffic jam at Woji railway crossing when an armed man approached our car and asked Chidiebere to wind down,” the eyewitness said.
“When she wound down, he showed her the gun and asked her to quietly move to the side and park, out of fear, she struggled and parked.
“It was at that point that about three other men emerged and asked her to come down and follow them.
“They marched her to their SUV car also parked by the corner. While that was happening, one of the men asked me to surrender my bag and phones, I did and they drove off with her.”
Rivers police spokesman, Nnamdi Omoni said the police were making effort to rescue Mrs. Onyia.
The kidnap is coming few days after a Punch reporter regained freedom following his abduction in Abuja.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Union of Journalists ( NUJ), Rivers State Council, has called for the immediate release of Onyia.
In a statement jointly signed by the state Chairman, Stanley Job Stanley and Secretary, Ike Wigodo, the NUJ condemned the alleged kidnap, describing it as inhuman and heinous, especially against a journalist and a nursing mother.
THE U. S. Senate has found that the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump is constitutional, allowing full proceedings to begin.
Mr Trump’s defence team argued that he could not face trial after leaving the White House.
But a 56- 44 majority voted in favour of continuing, with a handful of Republicans backing the measure.
Mr Trump is accused of “inciting insurrection” when Congress was stormed last month.
Thousands gathered in support of false claims that widespread electoral fraud denied Mr Trump victory in the U. S. presidential election.
However Mr Trump is almost certain to be acquitted because only six Republican senators voted to move forward with impeachment, well short of the 17 Republicans whose votes would be needed to convict Mr Trump.
Democrats prosecuting the case opened the proceedings by showing a dramatic video montage of Mr Trump’s 6 January speech and the deadly rioting by some of his supporters.
“That’s a high crime and misdemeanour,” Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland said of the footage. “If that’s not an impeachable offence, then there’s no such thing.”
Lawyers for the former president argued it was unconstitutional to put a former president through the process at all and accused Democrats of being politically motivated.
A two- thirds majority is required to convict Mr Trump in the evenly split 100- seat Senate. Tuesday’s vote implies loyalty toward the former president in his party remains high enough to avoid a conviction.
However, if convicted, Mr Trump could be barred from holding office again.
Proceedings opened with impeachment managers, the Democrats tasked with leading the prosecution arguing their attempts were legitimate.
In the 10- minute video used in their presentation, Mr Trump was shown telling his supporters to “fight like hell” before they stormed the U. S. Capitol in violence that resulted in five deaths - including a police officer.
Rep Raskin was brought to tears as he recounted fear for his own family’s safety during the riot after he was separated from his visiting daughter.
“This cannot be the future of America,” he told senators, who act as jurors for impeachment.
“We cannot have presidents inciting and mobilising mob violence against our government and our institutions because they refuse to accept the will of the people under the Constitution of the United States.”
He argued there could be no “January exception” to impeaching outgoing officials without risking a dangerous precedent.