News
Herdsmen’s Killings: Group Threaten to Drag Buhari, Osinbanjo to International Criminal Court
A Non-Governmental Organisation, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has threatened to drag President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo before the International Criminal Court (ICC) over herdsmen’s killings across the country.
HURIWA also lambasted the Osibanjo-led committee on the herdsmen killings for recommending dialogue with Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders of Nigeria.
The group said it would amount to a treasonable felony to dialogue with alleged sponsors of the mass killings allegedly perpetrated by armed Fulani herdsmen.
The rights group said: “What a sane administration in a properly administered constitutional democracy ought to do is to enforce the relevant laws by arresting, prosecuting and legally sanctioning the leadership of Miyetti Allah cattle owners’ association who were clearly seen addressing media conferences and threatening fire and brimstone just few days before each of the deadly attacks targeting farming communities which escalated in the last three years.”
The rights group said it had instructed its legal team to file additional material evidences to the ICC in The Hague, Netherlands to reinforce an earlier petition it sent to the same global crimes court on the incessant Fulani herdsmen’s terrorism all over Nigeria with the renewed mandate to list Osinbanjo and his committee dialoguing with Miyetti Allah as defendants.
In a media statement, HURIWA’s National coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and its National Media Affairs Director, Miss Zainab Yusuf carpeted the Presidency for persistently deploying armed security forces only after innocent Nigerians were massacred by armed Fulani marauders.
HURIWA criticised the Directorate of Public Relations at the Nigerian Defence Headquarters “for insisting that it wouldn’t deploy soldiers to protect farmers coming under attacks from armed Fulani herdsmen, but only to hurriedly despatch military troops soon after the dastardly criminal act of mob killing of seven suspected Hausa/Fulani travellers by some unruly mob in Gboko, Benue State as if the military of Nigeria has become the official Hausa/Fulani police under President Muhammadu Buhari.”
HURIWA warned the Buhari administration to stop stoking the fire of mutual suspicions through its preferences for nepotism in appointments of strategic security chiefs and favouritism in the selective deployment of armed soldiers only to chase after cattle rustlers and to protect Hausa/Fulani herdsmen from possible reprisals after every violent attacks of farming communities by armed Fulani herdsmen.
“May we remind President Muhammadu Buhari of the time tested facts that the ongoing executive lawlessness which has made most other communities outside of Hausa/Fulani to live in fear will precipitate a long drawn out civil unrest in the nearest future unless the government addressed the lopsided appointments of defence chiefs, which favours Hausa/Fulani and balance the composition to have semblance of federal character in line with extant constitutional provisions.
“Impunity truly makes key government officials who constitute the cabal in the Presidency to commit lawless activities such as condoning armed Fulani attacks because they share ethno-religious affiliations with the armed Fulani herdsmen and these criminal act of impunity is being carried out because these officials feel protected by Buhari.
“Let the President be reminded that his discriminatory policies in matters of national security is a danger to the continuous existence of Nigeria.
“The heightened manifestations of abuse of power by Buhari and his officials, the oppressive deployment of soldiers to crush the Indigenous People of Biafra, the decimination of the mechanisms of Rule of Law and above all, the twin evil of the applications of tribalism and nepotism in national security affairs are grave threats to national peace and inter-ethnic harmony.”
The group condemned the President “for abysmally failing to discharge his primary constitutional duty, which is to provide security to all Nigerians irrespective of ethnicity or religious persuasions and also for adopting discriminatory policies both in appointment of heads of security forces in a pattern that shows clear biases against other ethno-religious communities outside of his Hausa/Fulani cleavages.
“The decision by the presidency to set up the Prof. Osinbanjo-led committee on the incessant armed Fulani attacks amounts to grave compromise of Nigeria’s national security interest. Why handle the grave security threats posed by armed Fulani terrorists like a village engagements when there are laws against mass murders? This amounts to desecration of our constitution.”
HURIWA also condemned the refusal of the National Assembly to employ the constitutional powers of impeachment against President Buhari, who, in its view, not only flagrantly violated the federal character principle in appointments of heads of national security team, but is now holding dialogue sessions with alleged sponsors of genocide which undermines constitutional democracy.
The Enugu State government has inaugurated a steering committee to eliminate Gender-Based Violence, GBV, in the state, declaring zero tolerance for the social malaise.
The inauguration took place at the Government House Enugu.
The panel, which is chaired by the Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Ngozi Enih, draws its membership from the Nigeria Police Force, Ministry of Agriculture and Agro Industrialisation, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ministry of Human Development and Poverty Reduction, Ministry of Trade, Investment and Industry, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education as well as the Civil Society.
Inaugurating the panel known as the Steering Committee for Strengthening Institutional and Community Responses to End Gender-Based Violence/Domestication of Enugu State Gender Policy using the Oputa Panel approach, Governor Peter Mbah restated his administration’s commitment to not bringing perpetrators of GBV to book, but also putting in place proactive measures – activities, infrastructure, and systems in place to prevent them.
Mbah, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said, “We take gender-based violence seriously. We have zero tolerance for it, and in Enugu State, we are ready to go the extra mile to deal with it.
“If you notice, the government has selected people that are very committed to this goal. This is not an activity where we just want to check-off the list. We will track this. We will monitor this, and we will have quarterly engagements on the successes that this particular committee has achieved in terms of reference that we are going to send.
“We will tighten those terms of reference indicators, so that we monitor what we are doing both in terms of cost input and the value added. It’s very important to us. Many people will be involved – civil society, the police and various ministries.”
He however, said that the effort was to protect everyone, men and women alike, as GBV was not restricted to any gender.
“The whole idea is to hold people responsible that are involved in matters relating to gender violence and deter people that by culture or by association get involved in that, protect women, protect our children, and in the case of violence against men, protect our men because most times we misconstrue gender violence to mean women, but it can also be men too.
“We encourage our men to speak out and to make sure they understand that the policy that Enugu State is soon going to domesticate is for everyone, and not only for the female gender,” he stated.
In her remark, Mrs. Enih, explained that the Oputa Panel approach was inspired by the need to cover all local peculiarities in domesticating the policy on GBV, restarting government’s confidence in the members of the panel.
“The approach we are going to use is the Oputa Panel approach, and in the Oputa Panel approach, we are going to tour the 17 Local Government Areas to get firsthand information about what our people are going through because policy is meant for the people, and a policy should suit the people.
“Again, every community has its peculiar problems, so that’s why the government decided that if we have to domesticate the gender policy, we have to hear from the people who own the policy and know the changes that they desire to see. That is the reason we are using this approach.
“The committee members are to also serve as judges. As we gather this information from our people, we will come back to tailor it in a way to suit the people of Enugu State, and then our policy is ready.
“We want the people to know that there is a gender policy for them. I can assure you that when the people are aware that there is such a policy, they will seek for the enforcement of that policy. So, this is not going to be one of those policies that will just lie on the shelf,” she said.
Digital solutions provider, Globacom, has congratulated Christians in Nigeria on this year’s Easter celebration, and urged them to emulate the noble qualities of Jesus Christ.
The company, in a goodwill message to the Christian faithful in the country, lauded their perseverance through the Lenten period which preceded Easter. It enjoined them to always promote the ideals of selflessness, love and peace among all as a way of demonstrating the virtues of the exemplary life of Jesus Christ.
“Peace, love and sacrifice are the central message of Easter. Christ offered himself in atonement for the sins of the world and he lived a life which made Him an eternal symbol of peace and goodwill for mankind”, Globacom added.
The company enjoined all Nigerians to share in the lessons of promoting selflessness, a necessary ingredient in the growth and development of every society. It also enjoined all Nigerians to join hands to make Nigeria a better place for all.
Easter is celebrated yearly at the end of the Lenten season of fasting and prayer considered as a ritual of purification for the Christian faithful. It also precedes the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ on Good Friday and His eventual resurrection on Easter Sunday.
The company assured its customers of seamless voice, data and Short Messaging Service (SMS) during and after the Easter celebrations, while urging them to avail themselves of the various data and voice offerings on the network.
The Guild of Private Broadcast Managers has extended its heartfelt congratulations to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) as it celebrates its 70th Anniversary.
In a congratulatory message signed by the Guild’s National President, Ambassador Patrick Uzoyi-Peters, JP MNGRM, the guild described the milestone as a testament to the NUJ’s unwavering commitment to upholding press freedom, journalistic integrity, and the advancement of democracy in Nigeria.
“For seven decades, the NUJ has played a pivotal role in shaping the media landscape, advocating for the rights and welfare of journalists, and ensuring that the voice of the people remains strong and unyielding. Your resilience, professionalism, and dedication to ethical journalism have been instrumental in fostering transparency, accountability, and national development”.
Celebrating this historic achievement, the Guild’s President, Uzoyi-Peters recognized the sacrifices and contributions of journalists across the nation who work tirelessly to inform, educate, and empower society.
The Guild reiterated it commitment towards collaborating with the NUJ in promoting responsible journalism and strengthening the media industry for the greater good.
While wishing the NUJ continued success, growth, and greater impact in the years ahead, President Uzoyi-Peters prayed that the anniversary serve as a renewed call to uphold the principles of truth, fairness, and press freedom in our collective pursuit of a more informed and just society.
PDP Crisis: Saraki, Dickson, Dankwambo Storm Enugu, Meet with Gov Mbah
Atiku Abubakar’s Coalition on a Path to Failure after Struggles
Nature, Wellness and Culinary Drive 2025 Travel Trends in Africa, according to Mastercard Economics Institute
LASG Acquires New Outboard Engines For Optimum Boat Performance
Elon Musk builds Hotel in Mars, Sets to launch soon at $5million per night – Photos
