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US Muslim Groups Launch New Campaign against Racism

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US Muslim Groups Launch New Campaign against Racism

After the death of George Floyd, many Muslims in the US have joined Black Lives Matter solidarity movements and rallies around this country.

They have spoken against racial inequality and police brutality in sermons, lectures, and statements.

In the latest effort, several American Muslim groups have collaborated to voice out their fight against racism and police brutality.

In Chicago, a billboard reading “Islam prohibits RACISM” went up recently.

“The billboard is symbolic of the need to maintain awareness in our community of the presence of systemic racism,”said Gregory Abdullah Mitchell, ABC Chicago News reported.

Similar billboards went up in Atlanta and Canada. The organizations also mailed 50,000 postcards like these denouncing racism to homes around the country.

“We as Americans, we as people of concern are in solidarity with people of color. People of all races and people of all backgrounds,” said Dr.Sabeel Ahmed with GainPeace.

This is not the first campaign by GainPeace to educate people about Islam.

In February 2019, the group put a billboard campaign to inform people about hijab and counter misconceptions triggered by politics.

Another campaign, titled Truthful Man, came up in 2017 to educate Americans on the true manners of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Mandela’s Youngest Daughter Zindzi Buried In South Africa

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Mandela’s Youngest Daughter Zindzi Buried In South Africa

Zindzi Mandela, the youngest daughter of South Africa’s first black president and anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela, was buried at a private funeral on Friday following her death aged 59 earlier this week.

The daughter of Mandela and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, she was South Africa’s ambassador to Denmark at the time of her death, which coincided with the anniversary of a car crash that claimed the life of his first son, 51 years earlier.

His family said she had tested positive for coronavirus on the day she died on Monday, but they were still awaiting post-mortem results.

In a eulogy at a virtual memorial Thursday night President Cyril Ramaphosa thanked the Mandela family for “the very important gesture of sharing this information with the nation”.

“In doing so you are helping to encourage social acceptance for sufferers.”

“This is a virus that affects us all, and there should never be any stigma around people who become infected,” said Ramaphosa.

South Africa is now the world’s sixth most affected country with 324,221 cases, including 4,669 deaths.

When Zindzi’s half-brother, Makgatho Mandela, died of an AIDS-related illness in 2005 at the age of 54, the father spoke openly about the cause of the death.

Mandela became one of the first public figures to break the taboo around the AIDS epidemic that had engulfed South Africa.

Zindzi was buried next to her mother — who died two years ago — at a cemetery in Fourways, a northern suburb of Johannesburg.

Radical leftist opposition leader Julius Malema paid tribute to Zindzi for her role in the liberation of South Africa from the shackles of apartheid.

‘Shattered’

“She survived the most brutal regime at an early age and we thought that this crisis and invisible enemy (coronavirus) we are confronted with today, she is going to survive it because she has seen worse,” said Malema.

“And when people like mama Zindzi succumb to this invisible enemy we all remain hopeless and we are shattered,” Malema told public broadcaster SABC at the cemetery.

Zindzi grew up while her father was incarcerated by the apartheid regime for 27 years.

She was an active member of the African National Congress (ANC) youth movement.

One of her most prominent moments was in 1985 when she read out — in front of a huge crowd of ANC supporters at a Soweto stadium — a letter in which her father rejected an offer of release from the then apartheid president P.W. Botha.

At the time Botha had offered to free Mandela from prison on condition he renounced the anti-apartheid violence and protests.

Only two of Mandela’s six children survive.

Zenani, 61, is South Africa’s ambassador to Argentina while Makaziwe, 66, who was born from Mandela’s first marriage with Evelyn Mase, is a businesswoman in South Africa.

His eldest child Thembekile was killed at the age of 24 in a car crash on July 13, 1969 while his father was imprisoned on Robben Island. A daughter from Mandela’s first marriage died in 1948, nine months after birth.

 

Source: AFP,  Channels

Violators of Safety Protocols at Airport Risk Jail Term, says Fed Govt

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Violators of Safety Protocols at Airport Risk Jail Term, says Fed Govt

The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has directed investigation into the alleged breach of airport protocol by some dignitaries. He said anyone found guilty risks imprisonment for not less than two months.

Sirika said some dignitaries have been alleged to have flouted airport protocols. The dignitaries are: the former governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, the governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) had condemned the conduct of Yari and Fintiri in series of tweet posted on Wednesday and Thursday, on its official twitter handle, @FAAN_Official.

It was alleged that Fintiri refused to have his temperature checked and sanitised by the health officials stationed at the Port Harcourt International airport while Yari was alleged to have breached protocols at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport last week when he refused an officer from the environment department from disinfecting his luggage.

The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) was reported as accusing the governor and members of his entourage of refusing to have their temperature checked as a precautionary measure against COVID-19.

Nine Power Plants Shut Down, 2,079MW Capacity Stranded

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Nine Power Plants Shut Down, 2,079MW Capacity Stranded

Nine of the nation’s 27 power plants were idle on Thursday, leaving a total generation capacity of 2,079.1 megawatts stranded.

Total power generation in the country stood at 3,269.6MW as of 6am on Thursday, up from 3,074.6MW the previous day, according to the Nigerian Electricity System Operator.

The data obtained from the system operator showed that the idle plants included five of those built under the National Integrated Power Project, namely Alaoji, Olorunsogo II, Omotosho II, Ihovbor and Gbarain.

Other plants that did not produce any megawatt of electricity as of 6am on Thursday were Afam IV & V, Ibom Power, AES and ASCO.

The shutdown of the power plants was attributed to gas constraint, low load demand by the distribution companies, maintenance, frequency response and rupturing of gas pipeline, among others.

Two units (GT11 and GT12) at Afam IV & V were said to have been scrapped; GT13, 14 and 16 out on blade failure; GT19 and 20 awaiting overhaul; GT17 out due to low load demand by the distribution companies, and GT 18 out due to gas constraint.

Alaoji’s GT1 and 3 were out due to low load demand by the Discos; GT2 out due to high air inlet differential pressure, and GT4 awaiting spare part.

Olorunsogo’s GT1 was out on inspection; GT2 and 3 out due to gas constraint, and GT4 out due to low load demand by the Discos.

Gas constraint and low load demand by the Discos left three units at Omotosho and two units at Ihovbor idle, while a unit at Gbarain was shut down due to the rupturing of the gas pipeline.

Ibom Power’s GT1 was out on inlet guide vane problem; GT2 out due to fire outbreak on the control panel, and GT3 out due to low load demand by the Discos.

AES has been out of production since September 27, 2014, while ASCO’s ST1 unit is out due to leakage in the furnace, according to the NESO data.

The nation generates most of its electricity from gas-fired power plants, while output from hydropower plants makes up about 30 per cent of the total generation.

“The power sector lost an estimated N2.01bn on July 14, 2020 due to constraints from insufficient gas supply, distribution infrastructure and transmission infrastructure,” the Advisory Power Team in the Office of the Vice-President said on Wednesday.

The system operator put the nation’s installed generation capacity at 12,910.40MW; available capacity at 7,652.60MW; transmission wheeling capacity at 8,100MW; and the peak generation ever attained at 5,375MW.

The distribution and generation companies carved out of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria were handed over to private investors on November 1, 2013, following the privatisation of the power sector.

Source: The Punch

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JUDGMENT: Industrial Court declares Bayelsa Govt as party to Suit, dismisses objection

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JUDGMENT: Industrial Court declares Bayelsa Govt as party to Suit, dismisses objection

The National Industrial Court, His Lordship, Hon. Justice Bashar Alkali has dismissed the preliminary objection filed by Government of Bayelsa State, Attorney General and Hon. Commissioner, Ministry of Local Government Administration in a matter brought by former Councillors of Ekeremor Local Government Area seeking for entitlement claims and damages.

The Presiding Judge, Yenagoa Judicial Division of the National Industrial Court, His Lordship, Hon. Justice Bashar Alkali held that Bayelsa State Government and two others are proper parties to be joined in the suit, that there are so many issues which cannot be settled without their involvement.

Responding to the suit, the Government of Bayelsa State and two others had filed a Notice of Preliminary Objection sought for an order, to expunge or to strike out their names having no liability to pay the Claimants salaries and allowances arising from their supposed service/occupation as Councillors in Ekeremor Local Government, that the Constitution clearly demarcates the State and the Local Government with separate liabilities and none can be jester posed on the other.

In opposition, learned counsel to the former Councillors Mr. Ndeze Anthony Esq submitted that the appointment of Principal Officers such as Auditors to monitor the LGA funds are all appointed by the 1st Defendant, that it will be wrong if the 1st to the 3rd Defendants are expunged from the suit urged the Court to refuse the application.

In his ruling, the presiding Judge, Justice Alkali held that a necessary or proper party to a case is a person whose presence is necessary for the effectual and complete adjudication of the questions involved in the cause or matter.

“I have carefully analyzed the claims of the Claimants (comprising the Complaint and Statement of Facts), and by looking at paragraphs 13, 16, 18 of the Statement of Facts of the Claimants/Respondents the Claimants averred that the 1st Defendant truncated their mandate so as to be sworn in as elected Councilors in the 4th Defendant. Therefore, it’s my ardent belief that the Defendants/Applicants are both necessary and desirable parties in this suit. And I so hold.”

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JUDGMENT: Man sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for stealing Church offering

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JUDGMENT: Man sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for stealing Church offering

The Abakaliki Division of the Ebonyi State Magistrate Court on Thursday sentenced one Nwonu Emmanuel to prison for stealing Church offering.

The suspect, it was gathered broken into a Catholic Church in the city and made away with offering money.

He then proceeded to rob a woman of her phone and some amount of cash.

However, the Police arrested him on Monday and the sum of N41, 465.00, was found on him.

The suspect, Mr. Emmanuel, confessed to the police that he broke into the St. Patrick Catholic Church in the Capital City, broke the offering box and took the money (N41, 465.00.).

He was arraigned before the Magistrate’s court on two counts of burglary and stealing, on Thursday.

The charge read, “That you Nwonu Emmanuel ‘m’ on the 11th day of July, 2020, at St. Patrick Catholic Church Kpirikpiri, Abakaliki in the Abakaliki Magisterial District did enter a building used for religious worship and stole the sum of Forty-One Thousand Four Hundred and Sixty-Five Naira (N45, 465.00), belonging to St. Patrick Catholic Church and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 415 of the Criminal Code Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.

“That you Nwonu Emmanuel ‘m’ on the same date and place in the same aforesaid Magisterial District did willfully and unlawfully damaged one offering box and it’s padlock valued Fifteen Thousand Naira (N15,000.00) property of St. Patrick Catholic Church Kpirikpiri, Abakaliki and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 451 of Criminal Code Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.”

The suspect confessed to the crime.

He blamed his action of his poor condition saying life had been hard on him since he lost his job, as a driver.

“I am really suffering and taking care of myself and my blind father has not been that easy for me. Currently, I have no place of my own to stay. I sleep under Spera-In-Deo flyover every night. I was a driver and I lost my job and since then, I have not found any other job to do,” the suspect said.

The Police Prosecutor, Sergeant Alumona Sabastine, tendered the stolen cash, the damaged padlock and a phone, as evidence against the suspect, before the court.

The court, presided over by Chief A.C. Nwusulor, said the offenses would have earned the suspect seven years imprisonment

He however sentenced the accused to 12 months imprisonment without an option of fine.

The Magistrate said the court decided to limit it to 12 months, so that the accused could have a rethink and turn a new life.

 

Source: The Nation

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UPDATED: NDDC acting MD walks out on Reps

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UPDATED: NDDC acting MD walks out on Reps

Acting Managing Director of the Interim Management Committee(IMC) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei and his team on Thursday walked out on the House of Representatives Committee on NNDC.

Pondei said the team was not prepared to make any presentation before the committee.

The Acting Managing Director had abjected to Chairman of the Committee, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, presiding over the investigative hearing.

He insisted Tunji-Ojo cannot preside over a matter in which he has been accused.

Pondei stressed the team will only honour summons from the House of Representatives if its sets up an adhoc committee, vowing to shun further invitations from the Lower Chambers otherwise.

According to him: “Let just say that we are not comfortable with the Chairman of this committee presiding over a matter which he is an accused party. The NDDC has over time accused Honourable Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo of different crimes against the NDDC and it’s people, and he has responded in the press.

“He is an interested party and we do not believe that the NDDC can have justice because he cannot sit on his own case. We have no issues with appearing before the committee because we appeared before the Senate committee. And as long as he is the Chairman of this committee, the NDDC will not make any presentations here.”

Members of the Committee including Benjamin Kali, Ben Ibakpa and Shehu Koko, told the Acting MD that since there was no document before them, he was constitutionally bound to answer their queries.

Koko said: “All of us know that we have a serious business here and that is why I said whatever testimony that we are going to take, it must be on oath.

”Before the chairman rules on what the Acting MD NDDC said, I will state categorically that – and this is the stand of the parliament – if you have anything against the Chairman of this committee, there are many ways you can report your matter.

“You can write to the Police, the EFCC, ICPC and you can also write to the House. At the moment, we do not have any written communication from NDDC on the issue they have with the Chairman which is personal.

“But the rule of the parliament is that nobody can come and dictate to us here that the Chairman cannot sit and preside over an issue because this is not the matter in question now”.

Kalu cited the constitution, saying the House has the power to regulate its affairs.

He said: “I want to refer this committee as well as these invited guests to the provisions of our Constitution in Section 60… It is within the parameters of the law that the House regulates how it conducts its activities. The House has decided that this is a committee affair and not a personalised affair.

“Since it is not about the Chairman of the committee and there is no petition or official document before the House, and the motion that called for this probe by this committee has not been rescinded by the House, I think it is out of order for an invited guest to instruct us on how to regulate the activity of the House. I’m praying that Chairman sustains this point of order.”

While members were still making contribution to the issue, the Acting MD sought permission to leave and walked out without waiting for the committee to grant or reject its request.

Furious members of the Committee accused the IMC of trying to frustrate legislative functions of the House and ordered that a warrant of arrest be issued against him.

The motion to issue a warrant of arrest for the IMC was moved by Kalu and seconded by Koko.

The Committee unanimously passed a vote of confidence on its chairman.

However several contractors invited made their submission before the Committee admitting to receiving payment for various contract within the period under investigation.

Pondei later told reporters: “We have absolute respect for the National Assembly and that was why we appeared before the Senate ad hoc committee to investigate the same issues. We made our presentation over two days and we will wait for the outcome of that investigation.

“However, the committee that was set up in the House of Representatives is being chaired by the Chairman of the NDDC committee whose the NDDC severally accused of different things, he cannot be a judge in his own case for different because we are very sure we will not have a fair hearing.

“When we saw that the committee was insistent the chairman will continue, we had no option rather than to take a leave, we did not disrespect the National Assembly, we asked for permission to leave and we left.

He however refused to comment on the decision of the Committee to issue a warrant for his arrest.

 

Source: The Nation

South South Governors Back Forensic Audit of NDDC

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South South Governors Back Forensic Audit of NDDC

The South-South Governors Forum has declared support for forensic audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari.

It deplored the crisis rocking the commission, hoping the audit would serve to put the NDDC on a sound corporate governance footing and reposition it to better deliver on its mandate.

Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Delta, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, in a statement, said the governors also gave full backing to the ongoing investigation of the commission by the Senate.

They said: “we believe the Senate is operating within its oversight functions through the ad hoc committee set up for that purpose.

“It behoves us to respect the Senate oversight function and allow it to discharge this responsibility in a fair, transparent and equitable manner.

“The South-South Governors are desirous to see an NDDC that is fully alive and responsive to its mandate of accelerating infrastructural development of the Niger Delta region and enhancing the general living conditions of our people. Hence, we will not hesitate to give our unqualified support to any policy initiative that will make this a reality.

“The Forum wishes to advise the combatants in the current crisis in the NDDC to refrain from utterances and actions that will breach the peace and security of the region.”

They vehemently condemned the attempted abduction of Ms Joi Nunieh, the immediate past Acting Managing Director of the Commission, in the early hours of Thursday, saying it was unwarranted, unnecessary and uncalled for.

The forum called on relevant security authorities to investigate the unfortunate development, but said “let it be on record that we are neither in support of nor against Ms Nunieh in the current cloud of controversy surrounding the NDDC.

“However, as responsible public servants and leaders in the Niger Delta, we are mindful of the implications her attempted abduction could have on the peace and security of the region, which the current administration has laboured to sustain in the last five years.

“We do not want that to be truncated as it can have adverse consequences on the national economy.

“We urge the feuding parties in the NDDC to conduct themselves in a civil, orderly and lawful manner for the good of the region and the progress of the country.

“Democracy is about the rule of law; we have the courts and the various democratic institutions to deal with any grievances people may have without resorting to underhanded tactics and methods to intimidate and hound others.

“Finally, we wish to reiterate our stand that both the forensic audit and the Senate investigation should continue and be concluded with dispatch so that the NDDC can quickly return to its role of advancing and protecting the developmental aspirations our people.’’

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Rivers APC Crisis: Appeal Court Rules in Suit Against Igo Aguma

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The Appeal Court on Thursday stayed proceedings in the appeal filed before it by Abott Ogbobula, the former Rivers State Caretaker Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC)

Ogbobula is challenging the judgment of the High Court of Rivers State which affirmed Igo Aguma’s appointment as the party’s Caretaker Committee Chairman in Rivers state.

A three-member panel of the appellate Court chaired by Justice Steven Adah in a ruling held that the Court can’t continue in the hearing of the case, as the first respondent has proved to the Court that an appeal has been entered.

Ada said: “An affidavit is evidence of proof. The affidavit is showing that an appeal is before the Supreme Court.

“The notice of appeal and other processes have been brought to our notice in respect of the ruling of the Court.

“This court cannot continue to go on with this matter since we do not know the decision of the Supreme Court on the Appeal.”

The Court, however, then made an order adjourning the hearing of the appeal indefinitely, pending the determination and hearing of the appeal at the Supreme Court, NAN reports.

The Court had, on 8 July granted the request by Ogbobula praying the Court to depart from its rule to abridge the time within which to compile a record of appeal and to deem that the record has been properly filed.

Source: Dailypost

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Four Men Arraigned In Court For Allegedly Raping 15-year-old Girl In Ondo

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Four men alleged to have raped a 15-year-old girl and, who also attempted to rape her mother, were on Thursday arraigned before a magistrate court sitting in Akure, Ondo State.

The accused are Ojo Damilola, Babalola Bodunde, Jimoh Fatai and Saliu Abdul.

The suspects were said to have committed the offence at the Ikare Akoko area of the state on June 28.

Police prosecutor, Oniyere Taiwo, expressed surprise that the mother of the victim pleaded on behalf of the accused persons, saying that two of the accused were not at the scene of the crime.

Counsel to the four accused persons, J. O Adewale, pleaded with the court that the accused persons should be granted bail.

The accused persons, who are facing two-count charge of conspiracy and rape, pleaded not guilty after the charge sheet was read to them.

The offence is contrary to and punishable under section 218 of the Criminal Code, Cap 7 Vol.1 Law of Ondo State of Nigeria.

The Magistrate, Mrs Adepoju J. O, ordered the remand of the accused persons in police custody.

She also added that their case files be sent to the Department of Public Prosecution for advice and adjourned the case until August 5, 2020.

 

Source: Sahara Reporter

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