Sabinews Daily Nigeria/World News Update for August 5, 2014

Videos show Nigerian army abuses, Amnesty report says

Graphic new video footage from northeastern Nigeria shows the country’s military carrying out abuses against civilians as part of their fight against the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram, Amnesty International said Tuesday. The international human rights group also accused the military of killing of more than 600 released prisoners. Read more

 

The African leaders who haven’t been invited to D.C.

It is an exceptional event, even measured by Washington’s standards. This week, more than 50 African leaders will unite in the U.S. capital to discuss delicate issues such as gay rights, the Ebola outbreak and terrorism. While the topic agenda is full, the guest list of the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit has some notable blank spots. For example, the leaders of Liberia and Sierra Leone will skip the summit to handle the Ebola outbreak that is causing a large number of casualties in western Africa. Read more

 

Amosun inaugurates TASUED Governing Council

Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, has inaugurated the Governing Council of the State-owned Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun, Ijebu-Ode, with a charge on all members to see their appointment as a call to serve.

Amosun, while inaugurating the 18-member council chaired by the former Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof. Olufemi Bamiro, in his Oke-Mosan office, Abeokuta, said the appointment was a demonstration of the present administration’s resolve to restore the institution to its glorious past. Read more

 

Native doctor shot dead by vigilante operatives in Anambra

A traditional medical practitioner, whose identities are yet to be ascertained, was last weekend shot dead by some vigilante operatives for allegedly possessing some substances suspected to be charms and fresh animal parts.

The incident, which occurred at the Immaculate Heart Sisters’ Convent, Nkpor, Idemili North Local Government Area, Anambra State, during the first profession ceremony of 16 new Rev Sisters, caused a stampede as participants at the ceremony scampered for safety when they heard sound of a gun shot and the consequent death of a man after the shooting. Read more

 

Jonathan Addresses Nigerians in Washington, Says No Rigging In Elections

President Goodluck Jonathan says the days when a few politicians hijack voters cards and other electoral materials, and manipulate the outcome of elections to their personal advantage are gone forever in Nigeria.

The President, who was speaking at an interactive meeting with Nigerian professionals in the United States, said that he remained fully committed to keeping the promise he made in 2011 that he would do everything possible to ensure that the elections in Nigeria become very free, fair and credible. Read more

 

Ahead of Poll, Oyinlola, 10,000 Others Defect to APC in Osun

With less than five days to the governorship election in Osun State, the fortunes of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were significantly boosted yesterday when the embattled former governor of the state, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the ruling APC in the state.
Oyinlola, a former National Secretary of the PDP, over the weekend had granted media interviews indicating that he would soon leave the PDP. Read more

 

Adamawa Acting Governor Sets up Panels to Probe Nyako’s Administration

The acting Governor of Adamawa State, Alhaji Umaru Fintiri, has approved the constitution of two investigative panels of inquiry to investigate the former administration of Governor Murtala Nyako from June 2007 to June 2014.
The two approvals were contained in two separate statements signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Abdulahi Liman Tukur, and made available to journalists yesterday in Yola, the state capital. Read more

 

Seven Killed as Pirates, Security Officials Clash in Ondo

Seven persons comprising four members of a private security outfit operating in the coastal area of Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State, Gallery Security Service and three suspected pirates were on Sunday killed while others sustained injuries when the two sides engaged each other in a gun duel.

The suspected pirates said to have come from Igbimo area of Edo State attacked some coastal communities during an operation before they were challenged on their way by men of the private security outfit at Bolowo junction which led to a confrontation. Read more

 

Nasarawa panel adjourns abruptly after Al-Makura’s appearance

The impeachment panel probing allegations of corrupt practices against Nasarawa State Governor, Tanko Umaru Al-Makura, adjourned abruptly on Monday after the Governor appeared before it.

The sudden adjournment, the panel said, was to allow the House of Assembly, which levelled the allegations, to appear before it to prove those allegations. Read more

 

American Ebola victims may have been saved by ‘miraculous’ treatment

American aid workers Dr Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol fell ill at the end of last month after they both came infected with the potentially lethal illness.

The pair, who were working for aid agency Samaritan’s Purse, are believed to have contracted Ebola from another health care worker at the hospital where they worked in Liberia. Read more

Centre announces Wole Soyinka arts exhibition panel

The Centre for International Advanced and Professional Studies (CIAPS) has nominated Nigerian journalist and arts critic, Steve Ayorinde, to chair this year’s CIAPS Arts Festival.

The CIAPS 2014 Arts Festival is an arts exhibition dedicated to the life and works of Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka.

The event, dubbed: WS in Arts, will hold in the last week of September at CIAPS. It will feature artists and students of Arts from Nigeria other African and European countries. Read more

Group Accuses Akande of Planning to Impose Daughter as Lawmaker

A group, Boluwaduro Democratic Vanguard (BDV), has charged a leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande, not to impose his daughter, Dr, Temitope Ilori, as House of Representatives candidate, urging him to allow internal democracy to thrive in Osun State, especially the federal constituency.

But in response to the allegation yesterday, Ilori, who is the state Commissioner for Health, said the alleged imposition was not true but a fabrication of lies. Read more

 

14-year old to be tried as adult in husband murder case

A 14-year-old girl accused of poisoning the 35-year-old man she was forced to marry was set to go on trial for murder in northern Nigeria on Monday, a case that has thrown the spotlight on the influence of Islamic law in region.

Wasila Tasi’u has also been charged with the murder of three others who allegedly ate the food laced with rat poison that she prepared and served in April 2014, a week after her marriage to Umaru Sani. Read more

 

Donald Trump says Ebola doctors ‘must suffer the consequences’

Donald Trump thinks the work ebola doctors are doing to combat the threat of the deadly virus with no cure spreading across African borders is great.

But, he’s said, if they get infected, they’ll have to “suffer the consequences”.

In a spectacular series of tweets posted over the weekend, the American business magnate stunned followers with his cut-throat approach to stopping the virus travelling overseas to American shores. Read more

 

Israel pulls all troops from Gaza

Israel’s military said Tuesday it has withdrawn all of its troops from Gaza, effectively wrapping up its ground operation.

The announcement came ahead of the start of a 72-hour cease-fire — now in effect — by Hamas and Israel.

Israeli military spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner said the withdrawal is now complete and that Israel will now “maintain defensive lines outside Gaza.” Read more

 

World Bank pledges $200 million to Ebola fight as panic grows

The World Bank has pledged $200 million to help contain the deadly Ebola virus reaping panic across west Africa, as Nigerian authorities say a doctor in Lagos has contracted the disease, the second case in the sprawling city.

The confirmation that a fourth doctor in the region had developed Ebola came Monday as fear and anger about the dead being left unburied in Liberia’s capital Monrovia brought protestors into the streets there. Read more

 

Nigeria increases airport screening as alarm grows over Ebola outbreak

Nigeria has stepped up screening at its airports after the county recorded a second Ebola case.

A Nigerian doctor who treated an infected Liberian man who travelled to Lagos and later died has contracted the disease.

A third person is also being monitored. Read more

 

Nigerian 419 scams and ‘Silver Spaniel’ targets Aussie businesses

Businesses need to be more aware of common malware campaigns such as ‘Silver Spaniel’ and Nigerian 419 scams, which are targeting Australian organisations, according to Palo Alto Networks.

From failing to define data governance, to premature launch, or expecting too much from a sponsor, this Nigerian scammers are known for running 419 phishing scams that attempt to collect credit card details or personal information from individuals. Read more

 

Barack Obama signs off £133m funding for Iron Dome

President Barack Obama has signed a bill granting an additional 225 million US dollars (£133 million) for Israel’s Iron Dome missile defence system.

It allows Israel’s military to shoot down incoming rockets or mortars headed toward major population centres in Israel and reportedly has a 90 per cent success rate. Read more